Mass Merchant

Los Angeles -- X Team International said that Los Angeles-based partner Cypress Retail Group has completed a lease for the first full-service 24 Hour Fitness SuperSport in North Hollywood, Calif.

The monthly pricing survey Credit Suisse conducts at Walmart stores and various competitors in Chicago and Dallas market reveals the company continues to offer the lowest prices. That’s the good news for consumers; the bad news is Walmart, like every other company, is passing through increased product costs to shoppers.

Chicago -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Asset Management Inc. said that Skechers recently signed a lease for 8,690 sq. ft. at Burbank Station in Chicago's west suburbs.

The new store is slated to open in the fall.

Burbank Station is a 303,566-sq.-ft. suburban retail center anchored by Food 4 Less, Sports Authority, Babies “R” Us, Office Max, PetSmart and HomeGoods.
 

Toronto -- J. Crew announced Friday it will open its first Canadian store in August at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre, located in Toronto.

The approximately 5000-sq.-ft. store, which will offer women’s-only clothing and accessories, marks J. Crew’s international debut, joining recent market entries by retailers such as Target and Big Lots in leveraging Canada’s relatively strong economy.

Nashville, Tenn. -- Genesco announced Thursday that it has acquired Schuh Group, a specialty retailer of casual and athletic footwear based in the United Kingdom.

The purchase price was $159 million.

Headquartered in Scotland, Schuh operates 59 stores in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, 16 concessions in Republic apparel stores and one of the U.K.'s largest online shoe websites. 

WASHINGTON — The Retail Industry Leaders Association announced that Louis D'Ambrosio, president and CEO of Sears Holdings and Joseph DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven, have been named to its board of directors.

Minneapolis -- Elaborating on previously announced plans to downsize its brick-and-mortar footprint, Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn said this week that the electronics retailer is launching plans to wall off parts of its big-box stores and sublease the space to smaller retailers, such as grocers, beauty supply stores, home furnishing outlets and others.

UNION, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond dominates the home and housewares retail space by consistently reporting strong revenue and earnings growth, and this quarter was no exception.

The company reported net earnings of 72 cents per diluted share ($180.6 million) in the fiscal first quarter ended May 28, an increase of approximately 38% versus net earnings of 52 cents per diluted share ($137.6 million) in the same quarter a year ago.