Supermarket/Grocery

YONKERS, N.Y. — More than three-quarters of women regard themselves as bargain hunters, a new national poll featured in the May issue of ShopSmart magazine found.

Chicago -- Jones Lang LaSalle said Monday that, on behalf of Monroe Investment Partners LLC, it has closed the sale of a 13.5-acre parcel on Chicago’s South Side to Walmart, which purchased the shovel-ready pad in the Chatham Market shopping center to build a 155,000-sq.-ft. supercenter.

This will be the first of six new full-scale stores Walmart has announced it plans to build in the City of Chicago.

WASHINGTON -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to be up 9% in April over the same month last year, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

A whole lot of uncertainty now hangs over Target’s April same-store sales expectations, as Walmart this week began a major advertising offensive to regain customers and restore sales at its U.S. division.

Target had forecast a mid-single decline in its March same-store sales, so the 5.5% decline it reported last week was no surprise. The late arrival of Easter is messing with retailers’ sales comparisons, so even though March was a down month for Target, it could have been worse as the comparison with the prior year was a lofty 10.3%. Therefore, last month’s 5.5% decline is a victory of sorts, and March results for retailers overall were better than expected.

Cary, N.C. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased 1,626 sq. ft. of restaurant space NY Bagel Café & Deli, which is opening its new store at Shoppes of Kildaire, located in Cary, N.C.

NY Bagel is slated to open this summer, and its addition brings the shopping center to 97% leased.

The 147,651-sq.-ft. Shoppes at Kildaire is anchored by Gold’s Gym and Home Comfort Furniture alongside national retailers such as Trader Joe’s, Staples, Massage Envy and Subway.

Phoenix -- Grubb & Ellis Co. said that Evergreen Devco has selected Bill Finch, VP, and Alex Gonzalez, senior associate, both of the company’s Retail Group, as the leasing agents of Goodyear Centerpointe, Villago Marketplace, Anthem Marketplace at Merrill Ranch and Sonoran Desert Village.

The properties offer a total of 596,000 sq. ft. of space in the Phoenix metro area.

Tarrytown, N.Y. -- DLC Management Corp. announced that it has named two new members to its leasing team.

Fred Battisti, Jr. joined the company on Feb. 21 as a leasing representative in DLC’s Tarrytown, N.Y., headquarters. He is responsible for leasing several properties in the Midwest and Northeast regions, primarily focused on the Ohio area at this time.

Prior to joining DLC, Battisti was with The Cafaro Co. as a Commercial Leasing Representative.

Frisco, Texas -- The Commercial Retail Division of The Weitzman Group announced that Costco Wholesale Corp. will open a 148,000-sq.-ft. anchor store at Frisco Trails Shopping Center, located in Frisco, Texas.

Frisco Trails Shopping Center is being developed by Cencor Realty Services. The center currently features a Home Depot shadow anchor, and includes space for an additional anchor, as well as six available pad sites for freestanding retail and restaurant uses. Costco will also develop a fuel center on a pad site at Frisco Trails.

Boston -- O'Connor/Real Vest Retail Holding Co., LLC, a partnership formed by O'Connor Capital Partners and Wafra Investment Advisory Group, have teamed with The Wilder Cos. to complete transactions that include the purchase of Milford Marketplace in Milford, Conn., and the acquisition of the ownership interest in Phase I of Settlers Ridge in Pittsburgh.

The centers were developed and managed by Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL Properties.