Mass Merchant

The top executive at Gap Inc.’s fastest growing division, Old Navy, has resigned to become CEO of Ralph Lauren.

Gap Inc. said that Stefan Larsson would step down as global president of Old Navy effective October 2, 2015, and the division would be led on an interim basis by Jill Stanton, executive VP of global product at Old Navy.

It’s only October, but the holiday forecasts are starting to pour in. At this point out, it looks like it will be a “modest” season, with Deloitte (whose forecast, unlike some others, includes the month of January) predicting a 3.5% to 4% increase in sales over last year.

It’s no secret that today’s consumers have busy lives. And, while online retailers may have the convenience edge, e-commerce simply cannot offer the experience found in physical spaces. Smart mixed-use developers are capitalizing by filling the gap — plugging in a wide range of components, such as entertainment, new-to-market stores, hospitality, residences and offices to make brick-and-mortar far more compelling than a computer experience.

Location: Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania

Size: 948,000 sq. ft.

Owner: PREIT

Key Tenants: Whole Foods Market, Dave & Buster’s, Redstone American Grill, P.F. Chang’s, Benihana, California Pizza Kitchen, Zoes Kitchen, American Eagle Outfitters, Charming Charlie, Express, Gymboree, H&M, J.Crew Factory, Orvis

In its 11th year, the Top Redevelopers survey remains relevant as more shopping center companies redevelop than build anew – although the redevelop vs. develop scales are more in balance now than they were five years ago.

The retail real industry has experienced its share of changes over the years, but nothing comes close to the transformation that it is currently undergoing.

As the industry undergoes what the International Council of Shopping Centers calls one of the “most profound transformations” in its 60-year year history, the association has releases its Envision 2020 report, a collaborative initiative that outlines where the industry will be in five years according to leaders from around the globe.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Trademark Property Co. is launching a micro-restaurant program dedicated to attracting unique restaurant concepts to Waterside in Fort Worth, Texas.

The October deadline for retailers to accept EMV (Europay, Mastercard, Visa)-compliant, chip-based payment cards or face increased fraud liability has placed payment card security in the industry headlines. While important, securing card-based payments at the store is one small facet of the huge undertaking retailers face in protecting their entire network.