Mass Merchant

OAKLAND, Calif. - Cost Plus confirmed that it is conducting a merchandising test with Bed Bath & Beyond involving its consumables products in three Bed Bath & Beyond stores located in San Diego, California; Totowa, New Jersey and Elmsford, New York. 

For the third quarter the company reported a same-store sales increased 8.8%. Net loss for the quarter was $8.3 million, a $13.7 million improvement.

NEW YORK - Pop music phenomenon Justin Bieber has launched a new line of headphones called "Justbeats by Dr. Dre" exclusively at Best Buy stores in the United States and on BestBuy.com. According to Best Buy the headphones come in Bieber's favorite purple color and are priced at SRP $199.95 for the Justbeats by Dr. Dre Solo Headphone and SRP $119.95 for the iBeats by Dr. Dre Justbeats Edition. Both versions feature ControlTalk, a technology which lets users answer a phone call while listening to music.

New York - Fast Retailing, Asia’s biggest clothing chain and the parent of Uniqlo, is lookjing to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the United States  by 2020 as it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade, according to a Bloomberg report. 

"The United States is one of the most important markets for us,” Shin Odake, CEO of Uniqlo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. 

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - TJX Companies announced that it will consolidate its A.J. Wright division by converting 91 A.J. Wright stores into T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods stores and by closing the remaining 71 stores, A.J. Wright’s two distribution centers and its home office. This action is expected to improve the overall profitability of the company, and will allow TJX to focus its managerial and financial resources on its larger, more profitable businesses, all of which have major growth potential, as well as to serve the A.J.

Philadelphia -- Michael Salove Co., an X Team partner based in Center City Philadelphia, announced that it has completed two lease transactions in the Greater Philadelphia market with Qdoba Mexican Grill.

Qdoba will open a 2,600-sq.-ft. unit in Providence Town Center in Collegeville, Pa. and will open a 2,300-sq.-ft. unit in Wynnewood Square in Wynnewood, Pa.

Framingham, Mass. -- TJX Cos. said Friday it will close its A.J. Wright discount stores by mid-February, cutting 4,400 jobs. The move comes as the company’s T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains have become better at attracting the lower-income customers that A.J. Wright targeted.

Ninety-one A.J. Wright stores will be converted into T.J. Maxx, Marshalls or HomeGoods stores, and 71 stores and two DC’s will close entirely. About 3,400 employees will keep their jobs and another 4,400 – half part-time and half full-time – will be cut.

Hong Kong -- Li & Fung Ltd., the biggest supplier to Wal-Mart Stores said Friday that it may increase acquisitions in China as the country’s consumer spending grows, U.S. demand rebounds and inflation propels companies to seek partners.

Li & Fung president Bruce Rockowitz told Bloomberg that it may buy Chinese companies in the fashion, cosmetics and furniture industries in the next three years. He also said it will increase purchases in the United States, Europe and Japan.

Gainesville, Ga. -- The Atlanta office of Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said that Shoe Carnival recently opened a 9,165-sq.-ft. store in Gainesville, Ga., in the Village Shoppes at Gainesville.

Neighboring retailers include Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy and Publix.

The landlord of the center is Inland US Management, LLC.