Mass Merchant

The country’s largest Japanese supermarket chain will debut at Heritage Plaza, in Irvine, Calif.

According to shopping center owner Regency Center, based in Jacksonville, Fla., it has leased 13,853 sq. ft. at Heritage Plaza to Mitsuwa Marketplace. The Asian grocer, which has eight other U.S. locations, including six in California, is slated to open in fourth quarter 2011, in a former Ace Hardware space.

Benbrook, Texas -- The City of Benbrook, Texas, announced Wednesday a new partnership with customer analytics firm Buxton to develop a new regional shopping center The Trails Town Center.

The public -private partnership will build a 1.5 million-sq.-ft., open-air, regional shopping and entertainment development projected to generate $375 million in annual retail sales and provide 6,250+ jobs.

New York City -- The International Council of Shopping Centers is forecasting an increase of 3% to $39 billion in total sales over the three-month back-to-school shopping season.

According to ICSC on Thursday, sales for the back-to-school season -- typically the second-largest driver of the year -- are predicted to be healthy.

It’s only been two months since Walmart acquired an undisclosed minority interest in Chinese online supermarket operator Yihaodian, but now the company is indicating it may conduct an initial public stock offering in the United States, according to Bloomberg.

The new agency said the Shanghai-based company is looking to expand aggressively and quoted Yihaodian chairman Yu Gang as saying the company will most likely sell shares to the public in the United States but offered no timetable.

Costco and BJ’s reported impressive same-store sales for June, and that’s good news for Sam’s Club. Given the strong correlation in performance between Sam’s and its direct competitors it is reasonable to assume Sam’s is on track to easily attain its second quarter same-store sales guidance, which calls for an increase in the range of 3% to 5%. Sam’s posted a first-quarter comp increase of 4.2% but doesn’t provide monthly updates.

Former Safeway real estate executive Dan Clayton has joined Denver-based Laramie Company as VP leasing. He previously served as real estate director at Safeway and in his new role will focus on tenant representation and project leasing.

New York City -- Discounters and warehouse clubs turned in robust performances in June, led by Costco Wholesale Club, whose same-store sales in the United States rose 12%, while internationally same-store sales jumped 18%. Excluding the impact of inflation in gasoline prices and stronger foreign currencies, Costco said same-store sales in June rose 8%. Its results beat expectations.

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust announced Wednesday the acquisition of Sawyer Heights Village in a joint venture with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust.

Sawyer Heights Village, a 107,626-sq.-ft. power center located just outside the central business district in Houston, was purchased for approximately $35 million.