Mass Merchant

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — George at Asda is extending its Moda line to offer more fashion items for U.K. women over 40.

Over two years in development and following a series of intensive customer focus groups, the collection has been created by George's team of industry leading in-house designers with customers' feedback.

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers has acquired Balboa Mesa Shopping Center, a 189,321-sq.-ft. infill shopping center anchored by a 42,247-sq.-ft. Vons grocery store.

Regency purchased the San Diego property for $59.5 million from Balboa Realty LLC.
 
Built in 1969, Balboa Mesa Shopping Center is also anchored by a 77,000-sq.-ft. Kohl’s and a 24,000-sq.-ft. CVS/pharmacy.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has launched part of its Fighting Hunger Together fall initiative to provide meals to communities in need.

Stockholm, Sweden -- Ikea said Monday that its CEO Mikael Ohlsson will step down effective Sept. 1, 2013, and will be succeeded by Peter Agnefjall, current country manager of Ikea Sweden.

To prepare Agnefjall for his new role, Ikea said that he will serve as VP of the company beginning in 2013 until his September transition.

New York -- Survey results released Tuesday by WSL/Strategic Retail found that Canada represents a strong expansion opportunity for U.S. retailers.
 
The “How Canada Shops” research study revealed that 64% of Canadians can still afford to shop beyond the basics – versus half of Americans, who say they cannot.



Menomonee Falls, Wis. -- Kohl’s Corp. said Tuesday it plans to hire more than 52,700 associates this holiday season, about a 10% increase over last year’s holiday hiring numbers.

Kohl’s said it anticipates hiring an average of 41 associates per store, a 4% increase over 2011, as well as 5,700 seasonal DC positions and more than 30 seasonal credit operations positions.

Hiring began this month, and most jobs will be filled by mid-November, said the retailer.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Despite its interest in making a New York City debut in a new Brooklyn neighborhood shopping center, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday it was unable to agree to economic terms for a new store. Instead, developer Related Cos. struck a deal with ShopRite to open a new grocery store at the 630,000-sq.-ft. Gateway II shopping center planned for Brooklyn.

MEMPHIS — Fred's on Friday launched a holiday layaway plan featuring no fees and a down payment of only $1.

"Fred’s realizes that the current economy presents difficult challenges to its customers and Fred's wants to offer as much assistance as it can," Fred's SVP sales and marketing Dave Mueller said. "That’s why we came up with a layaway plan that — with just one dollar down and absolutely no fees — is unlike any others and will stretch shoppers’ dollars during a time when it will be most welcome."