Retail

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM said Tuesday that its Watson unit has invested in Fluid, a digital commerce firm, to develop personalized shopping applications using IBM’s cognitive computing tools.

Atlanta — JLL has announced the closing of the sale of Market Square at Montrose on behalf of LaSalle Investment Management to HP Realty LLC. Purchased for $32.5 million, the 510,231-sq.-ft. retail center hosts anchors Home Depot, J.C. Penney, Levin Furniture, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Regal Cinemas, Toys “R” Us and Cost Plus World Market.

“Akron and similar cities are back in favor with investors,” commented Kris Cooper, a JLL managing director.

Seattle -- Nordstrom plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at University Crossing in Orem, Utah.

The approximately 30,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in spring 2015. University Crossing is owned and managed by University Crossing Shopping Center.

Dallas - DGSE Companies Inc. has named James D. “Dusty” Clem to the positions of chairman, president and CEO, effective immediately. Clem replaces James Vierling, who has resigned as CEO and as a director of DGSE to accept a position with Elemetal LLC, DGSE’s largest shareholder.

Atlanta - InReality, a customer experience strategy and design firm, is offering a retail customer experience measurement tool called Reality Gap Analysis. Reality Gap Analysis delivers a quantifiable assessment of the gaps between a brand's self-perception and a customer's reality.

Woodland, Calif. – The Gateway Shopping Center in Woodland, Calif. has reportedly received permission to expand the types of businesses allowed in its use permit. According to the Woodland Daily Democrat, the Woodland Planning Commission is granting approval for food services, banks, professional service offices, nail salons and dry cleaners to be located at the center.

RadioShack and Payless Shoes are also reportedly awaiting approval to open stores at the center.

Queens, N.Y. — The Children’s Place has leased a 3,799-sq.-ft. space near other child focused retailers at The Shops at SkyView Center in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, N.Y. The retailer plans to open in May.

New York -- E-commerce company Birchbox, provide subscribers with monthly boxes of personalized beauty products for a monthly fee, announced Monday that it has raised $60 million of Series B funding from a group led by Greenwich, Conn.-based Viking Global Investors, Crain’s New York reported.

Birchbox, which is set to open its first physical store this spring, now has more than 800,000 subscribers receiving 6,500 different products from 800 brand partners.