Sales & Marketing

Toronto -- Golf Town, Canada's largest specialty golf retailer, will acquire Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. for approximately $97.2 million. The Canadian company will pay $6.10 per share in cash, which represents a 30% premium over the Austin, Texas-based Golfsmith’s Friday closing stock price of $4.71.

Golfsmith operates 85 stores in the United States.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Customer analytics firm Buxton announced it will officially launch the latest version of its real estate and analytics platform at the International Council of Shopping Centers RECon show in Las Vegas later this month.

SCOUT 3.0 is a cloud-based, data visualization and analytics tool used by executives in the retail industry to execute real estate and marketing strategies. The platform includes dashboard capabilities for C-level executives to see performance across their entire organization via mobile/tablet technology.

As part of Chain Store Age’s lead-up coverage to RECon 2012, to be held May 20-23 in Las Vegas, we talked with Forest City’s Joseph Boehm about what his expectations are for the big real estate show. Visit Forest City’s booth at RECon, Central Hall, C10 Union Street.

What are your expectations for RECon 2012 in terms of activity, attitude, priorities?

Mamaroneck, N.Y. -- Charter Realty & Development said that it has arranged a 2,400-sq.-ft. lease for Smashburger in Mamaroneck, N.Y., within walking distance of the Metro-North train station.

Peter Levine of Charter Realty & Development represents Smashburger in Westchester, Fairfield, New Haven and Hartford Counties.
 

Plano, Texas -- Charlotte, N.C.-based Versona Accessories said it will open a new store on May 24, in Plano, Texas, at Preston Park Village.

The jewelry and accessories retailer is a Cato Corp., concept.
 

NEW YORK — New research that will appear in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Marketing Research explores consumer sentiment over the extension of a premium brand outside of its typical category.

Deerfield, Ill. -- Walgreens on Monday launched its national Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative, an in-store training program designed to help people with disabilities gain retail and customer service skills that works closely with community organizations and vocational rehabilitation agencies to train and develop candidates.

Hoboken, N.J. -- Metro Commercial Real Estate said that it has negotiated a 1,350-sq.-ft. lease in downtown Hoboken, N.J., for frozen yogurt purveyor Red Mango.

The urban storefront, located in a former pizza space, is slated to open this summer.