Mass Merchant

A key figure in the development of Walmart’s small format Neighborhood Market and international operations has joined the board of asset disposal firm Liquidity Services.

Ed Kolodzieski joined the board of Liquidity Services effective Nov. 17 and also serves on the company’s compensation and governance committees. Liquidity Services bills itself as a global solution provider in the reverse supply chain with the world’s largest marketplace for business surplus.

Walmart’s foes are at it again this holiday season, looking to disparage the company with misinformation and publicity stunts that harm the workers the organization claims to help.

“Now Trending” is an exclusive online series to chainstoreage.com, featuring trending topics that impact the retail real estate landscape.

The narrative is a familiar one: the scourge of online sales, encroaching ominously on brick-and-mortar market share, continues to siphon sales and transform the retail industry into an increasingly virtual landscape. Over the last few years, nearly every retail sales drop or unexpectedly poor performance has been laid at the feet of the Internet.

Mid-America Real Estate announced three new retail leases recently signed.

New Bohemi signed a lease for 4,209 sq. ft. at Eagan Towne Centre located in Eagan, Minnesota off of Interstate 35. The 153,781 sq. ft. center is anchored by Cub Foods, Big Lots and Dollar Tree.

Title Boxing Club signed a lease for 3,495 sq. ft. at 55th and Lyndale located in Minneapolis. The 4,736 sq. ft. center is shadow-anchored by Walgreens, Midas, Enterprise and Kowalski’s.

Customers show surprisingly little reaction to loyalty programs, but for the upcoming holiday season this could be a good thing for retailers.

When it comes to increasing brand awareness on social media for the holidays, a few chains stand out.

Over the past 15 years or so, fast-fashion has evolved from a trend to a phenomenon to an industry standard — one that has largely redefined the U.S. apparel retailing landscape.

From home-grown Forever 21 to Swedish import H&M, the market is awash in stores offering cheap, on-trend clothes at low prices. And now another import has entered the mix, Primark, which opened its first U.S. store in September, in Boston, the first of eight initial locations.

Some parts of the country are still waiting for economic recovery, but the Northeast is already enjoying a return to financial prosperity.

The Northeastern U.S. offers a consumer base that is better educated and wealthier than that of many other areas. As a result, vacancies in Northeast centers tend to be low, giving landlords leverage in determining rents and tenant mixes.