Sales & Marketing

CINCINNATI - Just two weeks after announcing the exit of it's SVP retail operations, Kroger announced a replacement.

Geoffrey Covert, a seasoned Kroger executive, will become SVP retail operations, effective Jan. 1. He will be responsible for leading the company's programs and processes focused on operating efficiency, store productivity, and associate and customer safety., Kroger said. Prior to this position, Covert served as president of the company's Cincinnati/Dayton division for the past six years.

Stamford, Conn. -- Rhys Commercial announced that The Children’s Place has retained it to handle the retailer’s expansion across Connecticut.

According to RHYS, which is actively seeking out locations in densely populated and well-trafficked markets throughout the state, The Children’s Place generally requires between 4,000 and 4,500 sq. ft. of space. The retailer is looking to open new stores in potential infill markets.

Mobile, Ala. -- Centro Properties Group announced that Marshalls has opened a 26,000-sq.-ft. store at Springdale Mall, located in Mobile, Ala.

New York City-based Centro Properties Group is the owner of Springdale Mall.

The Woodlands, Texas -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space in The Woodlands, Texas, at Indian Springs Center to European Wax Center.

Specializing in facial and body waxing, European Wax Center has leased 2,528 sq. ft., bringing the center to 99% leased. The tenant is slated to open for business in February 2011.

The 136,624-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by H.E.B. alongside national retailers such as Subway, Edible Arrangements, Massage Envy and Supercuts.

Montvale, N.J. -- A report Friday said that Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. may file for bankruptcy in the coming days to restructure debt.

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg reported that a filing to reorganize under court protection may come as soon as this weekend. A&P hired law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP to represent it in negotiations with creditors and in any Chapter 11 proceeding, according to the report.

Yamaguchi City, Japan -- Fast Retailing Co. said Friday it aims to open at least 200 Uniqlo stores in the U.S. by 2020.

Asia’s largest clothing chain said it seeks to raise sales sixfold in a decade.

“The United States is one of the most important markets for us,” Shin Odake, CEO of Uniqlo’s U.S. unit, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “We want to become the number one retailer in the world.”

New York City -- Movie merchandise seller National Entertainment Collectibles said Thursday that it had acquired most of the assets of Movie Gallery, which has been liquidating its Hollywood Video, Movie Gallery and Game Crazy stores.

Movie Gallery, once the nation's second-largest video and game rental chain with 4,000 stores in the United States and Canada, filed for bankruptcy in February. In October, a federal bankruptcy judge in Richmond, Va., approved the auction of its brand names, Internet domain names and customer databases.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners announced that it has hired two new brokers in its Houston office.

Jennifer Paulson and Carter Malone recently joined the company as associates. The new hires come on the heels of a strategic move to grow the company’s local presence in Houston.