Supermarket/Grocery

Whitehouse, Ohio — Devonshire REIT has acquired five retail properties in Ohio for $31 million. The properties include:

•    Monroe Street Square Shopping, a 124,904-sq.-ft. center in Toledo, Ohio, anchored by Hobby Lobby. Tenants include Sally Beauty Supply, Gamestop, Play It Again Sports and Sprint PCS.

•    Bed Bath & Beyond Plaza, a 100% leased, 55,139-sq.-ft. center in Toledo, anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond. Tenants include SalonCentric and Edward D. Jones.

Compton, Calif. – Numerous law firms have launched investigations into the board of directors of Arden Group, Inc. to determine possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in connection with the sale of the company to the investment firm TPG.

Discount grocer Aldi is launching a five-year strategic plan to open 650 new stores across the United States. The chain launched its expansion efforts with the decision to build its regional headquarters and distribution center in Moreno Valley, Calif.

Charleston, S.C. -- Only two-thirds of Americans are all or almost finished with their holiday shopping as of Dec. 23. Of the 24 retailers surveyed by America’s Research Group and Inmar, only three retained 70% or more of their customer base, with Wal-Mart topping the list at 88.1%, followed closely by Dollar Tree at 80.4%, and Target at 72.1%.

E-commerce has redefined the retail shopping experience and shaped the fate of retailers in many sectors. Grocers have been the exception thus far, but that is about to change in a major way.

Columbia, S.C. — Edens Investment Trust has closed a $1.47 billion equity transaction composed of the $718 million sale of a 29% equity stake in the company and a $750 million equity commitment from the company’s institutional investors.

In the sales transaction, a Blackstone-sponsored real estate investment vehicle acquired a $718 million stake in Edens from the State of Michigan Retirement System.

Bedminster, N.J. — Liberty Travel has leased a 1,853-sq.-ft. space at The Hills Village Center in Bedminster, N.J., according to Levin Management, the exclusive leasing and managing agent for the property.

Relocation Realty represented Liberty Travel in the transaction. Liberty’s neighbors in the 109,800-sq.-ft. center include Kings Supermarket, CVS, Starbucks, Great Clips, Cold Stone Creamery, The UPS Store, GNC and Subway.

Yonkers, N.Y. – Unsurprisingly, crowds and long lines are the single biggest consumer dread for the holiday season. According to a new Consumer Reports poll, 61% of consumers dread crowds and long lines, followed by bad traffic (54%).