Mass Merchant

Boating goods retailer West Marine has leased 14,650 sq. ft. at St. Georges Crossing, bringing the Woodbridge, New Jersey, center to full occupancy.   Leasing agent for the center, Levin Management, reports that several other centers in its portfolio have reached 100% occupancy in recent months, indicating renewed strength in both the economy and retail in the Northeast. Levin handles a portfolio of 95 properties in that region and in Mid-Atlantic states.  

A new study from RBC Capital reveals that reversing Banana Republic’s ongoing sales decline is not going to be an easy fix for Gap Inc., reported thestreet.com.
 
In the survey, 48% of millennials polled said they disliked the chain compared to 22% who said they liked it. A majority of non-millennials also said they disliked the brand.
 

Coming to the local mall — Amazon?
 
Amazon plans to open dozens of pop-up stores in malls across the nation, according to Business Insider.
 
The temporary stores, whose total could reach 100 next year, will showcase and sell the company's devices, particularly its Echo home speaker, the report said.
   

The holiday hiring wars have begun.

Target Corp. is the first national retailer to announce its holiday hiring plans with the news that it plans to hire 70,000 seasonal store associates. The amount is the same as last year.

In addition, the discounter plan to hire 7,500 employees to work in its distribution and fulfillment facilities during the holiday season, which is slightly up from last year.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has appointed Bryan Pugh to the newly created position of executive VP, stores and store operations. He will lead financial, operational and cultural leadership of Jo-Ann Stores.
    
Pugh joins Jo-Ann from Fred’s Pharmacy & Super Dollar where he served as executive VP, chief merchandising and marketing officer. His experience also includes serving as senior VP, chief merchandising officer at Walgreen Co. in addition to several roles of increasing responsibility at Tesco.
 

Officials in Sarasota, Florida, are envisioning building a mixed-use project on the site of the town’s Ringling Shopping Center, the site over which Walmart lost a fight to build a new store.

The 9.7-acre site could accommodate 222 residential units and 175,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space. Customer traffic at Ringling Shopping Center, Sarasota’s oldest, had fallen off precipitously in recent years.

Teens are returning to one of their former favorite destinations.
 
According to a survey by Willian Blair of teens and young adults, teens are visiting malls more in 2016 than they were in 2015, benzinga reported.
    

Kimco Realty Corp. has purchased the remaining 85% interest in a four-property joint venture portfolio, a deal that includes the assumption of $103 million in mortgage debt. The company also announced it had acquired a Whole Foods-anchored center in the D.C. area for $95 million.