Supermarket/Grocery

Newark, N.J. -- Tucker Development Corp. has signed a deal with Wakefern Food Corp. retail cooperative to bring a 67,000-sq.-ft. ShopRite grocery store to Springfield Avenue Marketplace in Newark, N.J.

Wakefern is the merchandising and distribution arm for ShopRite stores.

The new ShopRite will anchor the 125,000-sq.-ft. center set to break ground this fall. When complete, the center will serve approximately 280,000 Newark residents, 180,000 employees and 60,000 college students and faculty.

Greenwich, Conn. -- Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. has acquired two retail properties on Putnam Avenue (US Route 1) in Greenwich, Conn., for $18 million.

West Putnam Plaza is a 9,300-sq.-ft. retail strip center shadow-anchored by a Stop & Shop supermarket. National tenants include Cosi and JP Morgan Chase Bank. A wine retailer, day spa and women’s fitness studio round out the tenant list.

The second property is Cos Cob Plaza, a 15,000-sq.-ft. retail and office center. Tenants include Jos. A. Bank.

Leominster, Mass. -- Vintage Real Estate has purchased The Mall at Whitney Field, a 700,000-sq.-ft. regional shopping center in Leominster, Mass., about 35 miles west of Boston. Anchors include Macy’s, Sears, J.C. Penney, Market Basket, Toys “R” Us and Old Navy.

Concurrent with the acquisition, Burlington Coat Factor signed a 10-year lease for a 66,000-sq.-ft. space formerly occupied by Circuit City.

Portland, Ore. -- Regency Centers Corp. has announced a $6 million redevelopment of Greenway Town Center, a 93,000-sq.-ft. neighborhood center in Tigard, Ore., a suburb of Portland. Among the center’s enhancements, Whole Foods Market will open a 37,500-sq.-ft. anchor store in 2014.

The redevelopment will include a new exterior façade with cedar wood accents, upgraded architectural components, parking lot improvements and new site lighting, landscaping and signage.

Detroit -- Whole Foods Market on Wednesday is scheduled to open a 21,506-sq.-ft. store in Detroit, in the city’s Midtown neighborhood. The store, which is smaller than the chain’s typical footprint, features an expanded lineup of private-label products and lower prices designed to appeal to more budget-conscious shoppers, according to various reports.

Lubbock, Texas -- United Supermarkets has completed a transaction to acquire Llano Logistics. Llano has operated United’s two distribution centers – in Lubbock and Roanoke – since their opening.

The deal closed May 31 and means Llano, which had been owned by Exel, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL, is now owned by United.

It is the company’s third subsidiary operation in addition to its 52-store supermarket/ convenience store chain. United purchased R.C. Taylor Distributing in 2007 and added Praters Foods in 2009.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart is launching an initiative to increase the amount of fresh produce on its shelves. The effort includes buying produce directly from growers for immediate shipment to stores, performing independent weekly fresh produce checks at stores and providing fresh produce training for associates.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Dick’s Sporting Goods is now open at Alliance Town Center in North Fort Worth, Texas. During the May 31 through June 2 grand opening ceremonies for the 50,000-sq.-ft. Phase II anchor, co-developer Trademark Property Co., announced plans to add 237,000-sq.-ft. of retail and restaurant space to the center.

“With Dick’s opening, we are well positioned to complete the current phase and proceed with our main-street lifestyle expansion,” said Trademark CEO Terry Montesi.