Mass Merchant

Chicago -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Real Estate Group said Thursday that TJX's HomeGoods has signed a lease for 25,503 sq. ft. of space at 600 N. Michigan Avenue.

The site is the largest single-footprint space available in the district.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Fast on the heels of her departure from Ahold USA’s Giant Foods of Landover supermarket unit, Robin Michel has been tapped for an increasingly critical role at retail giant Sears Holdings. Michel, who left as president of Giant-Landover in December 2010, will serve as SVP and president of food and consumables, health and beauty and pharmacy at Sears and its Kmart subsidiary.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) announced that Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart stores, and Steven Preston, president and CEO of OakLeaf Waste Management were named to the RILA board of directors, following the board’s semi-annual board of directors meeting held Sunday in Sarasota, Fla.

Simon replaces Walmart vice chairman and president and CEO of global e-commerce and global sourcing Eduardo Castro-Wright.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. -- QVC has announced the promotion of Claire Watts to the newly created position of CEO of U.S., reporting to QVC president and CEO Mike George.  Watts' new position, which is effective immediately, includes responsibility for the overall strategy and operations of QVC's U.S. business.  

MINNEAPOLIS — During the Super Bowl, football fans look forward to guilt-free snacking and will fumble on healthy eating goals for the day, according to the 2011 Supervalu Snack Down Survey by Harris Interactive.

ATLANTA - Hair accessories brand Goody is gearing up for spring with the launch of its new Modern Organica collection, exclusively available at Target next month.

This season, headbands comprised of shells and barrettes dressed in colorful knits will help beauty mavens get back on-trend while staying true to their roots. Mother of pearl embellishments provide a feminine feature, while earth stones and nature-inspired designs add a glamorous touch.

New York City -- Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th announced that it plans to open a store at the Tuscany Place Designer Outlets, a new, upscale pedestrian-friendly lifestyle outlet development in Madison, Miss.

The center and the Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th store are expected to open in the spring of 2012.

"We look forward to opening our first Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th store in Mississippi where the temperate climate allows for year round shopping," noted Robert Wallstrom, president of Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said that it has promoted Tony Fisher to president of Target Canada as the retailer prepares to open its first stores in the country. He will be responsible for building the team, establishing the headquarters and leading the day-to-day operations of the corporation's recently announced expansion into Canada.

The chain tapped an 11-year employee to lead its Canadian business. Last week, Target announced it bought 220 Zeller's leaseholds and it plans to open between 100 and 150 Target stores in Canada beginning in 2013.

Woonsocket, R.I. -- CVS Caremark Corp. said Tuesday it is resuming its search for a new president of its pharmacy operations in view of Wal-Mart Stores’ lawsuit to block its previous choice.

Between announcing its first international acquisition and disclosing details of its U.S. expansion program, the Target board found time to squeeze in authorization of a quarterly dividend payment. The company’s dividend is currently 25 cents a share and is payable on March 10 to shareholders of record on Feb. 16. The first quarter dividend will be the company’s 174th consecutive dividend paid since October 1967 when the company became publicly held.