Retail

Memphis, Tenn. — Perkins Restaurant & Bakery has announced a six-unit franchise development agreement in Iowa and Nebraska over the next six years. The franchisee, CyHawk Hospitality Inc., currently operates six Perkins Restaurants and Bakeries — five in Iowa and another in Independence, Mo.

The first of the six new units opened in July in Ankeny, Iowa. Another location in Norfolk, Neb., has broken ground with an anticipated opening later this month.

Neiman Marcus is closing in on a deal to be purchased by Ares Management and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board for $6 billion, according to reports.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Fresh Market has appointed Randall A. Young as the company’s SVP of real estate and development, effective Sept. 30. 

Young will oversee the company's real estate and development functions, including market strategy development, site selection, store design, construction, store relocations and renovations.

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust is repositioning its Moorestown Mall in suburban Moorestown, N.J., by bringing in tenants associated with urban life.

For instance, a number of new tenants include independent chef-owned restaurants like those found in urban edge neighborhoods.

The goal is to reposition the suburban mall with an urban environment.

Washington, D.C. - Import volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to grow 5.1% in September over the same month last year as retailers head into the holiday season. U.S. ports followed by the monthly Global Port Tracker report, released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, handled 1.43 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in July, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available.

Dallas -- Tuesday Morning Corp. said it has appointed Jeffrey Boyer as executive VP, chief administrative officer and CFO, effective immediately. Boyer fills both the existing chief administrative officer vacancy and replaces outgoing CFO Stephanie Bowman.

Boyer previously was CFO, then COO of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, and has also served as CFO of Michael’s Stores and Kmart Corp.  

Warrendale, Pa. – Two independent proxy voting advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co., have both recommended that rue21 shareholders vote for a proposed acquisition by Apax Partners. As previously announced on May 23, 2013, rue21 entered into a definitive agreement under which funds advised by Apax Partners will acquire all outstanding shares of rue21 for $42 per share in cash.

PHILADELPHIA — Five Below saw solid performance across most of its categories, resulting in a comparable store sales increase of 6.6% for the second quarter ended Aug. 3 and net sales of $117.1 million, a 34.9% jump from $86.8 million in the prior-year quarter.

The company opened 18 new stores and ended the quarter with 276 stores in 19 states. This represents an increase in stores of 22% from the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2012.