Mass Merchant

Seattle -- The global retail real estate market rebounded in the first half of the year, with international and luxury brands expanding to new markets and high street properties growing in popularity, according to a new report from Colliers International. Fifth Avenue in Manhattan claimed the highest rent, at $3,052 per square foot, followed by Hong Kong’s Queen's Road Central ($2,086) and Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui ($1,993), London’s Old Bond Street ($1,520) and Manhattan’s Madison Avenue ($1,325).

Springfield, Mass. — Charter Realty has announced four leases totaling 59,030 sq. ft. in the Springfield Plaza Center in Springfield, Mass.

Planet Fitness will move into a 20,000-sq.-ft. facility currently under construction. Aaron’s Rentals has renewed its lease for 8,030 sq. ft. Rocky’s Ace Hardware has also renewed on 25,500 sq. ft. Finally, the 99 Restaurant has renewed a 5,500-sq.-ft. space.

K-Mart, Super Stop and Shop and TJMAXX anchor the 550,000-sq.-ft. Springfield Plaza Center.

Denton, Texas — Body Central will open a new location at Golden Triangle Mall in Denton, Texas, on Oct. 9. The specialty women’s apparel retailer operates more than 200 stores in 23 states across the U.S., under the Body Central and Body Shop banners.

Golden Triangle, Denton’s only mall, features Macy’s, Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Sears, Barnes & Noble and DSW Shoe Warehouse as anchors. Cencor Realty Services manages the mall, and The Weitzman Group and MG Herring Group handle the leasing.

New York -- Walmart and Lowe’s have joined the Pacific Business Group on Health Negotiating Alliance (PBGH-NA) to launch the national Employers Centers of Excellence Network that will offer no-cost knee and hip-replacement surgeries for employees at four highly regarded hospitals in the United States.

I don’t want to be a Grinch, but things aren’t looking too promising for retailers who were hoping to end the year on a holiday high note. But, before I get into more predictions on retail sales this holiday season, it might be a good idea to talk a little bit about why I’m feeling so lukewarm about the prospects for a 2013 end-of-year bonanza.

With the implementation of Obamacare mired in controversy, two of the nation’s largest retailers are backing an innovative Employers Centers of Excellence Network that will offer no-cost knee and hip-replacement surgeries at four highly regarded hospitals.

Walmart and Lowe’s issued a joint statement that they and other large employers had joined the Pacific Business Group on Health Negotiating Alliance (PBGH-NA) to launch the national Employer’s Centers of Excellence Network.

Cincinnati — Phillips Edison & Co. has announced that D.J. Belock has joined the company as senior VP of finance. He will take responsibility for all financial and internal control activities, including planning and reporting, fundraising, investor relations, accounting and risk management.

Dallas — Jones Lang LaSalle Retail will lease seven shopping centers in the Dallas region for American Retail Management LLC and Inland Diversified. The properties total more than one million sq. ft. and are nearly 95% occupied. The assignments include: