Sales & Marketing

Tucson, Ariz. -- Commercial Retail Advisors said Tuesday that water purification retailer Water Mart has signed a lease for a new store in Orange Grove Village, in Tucson, Ariz.

The retailer is relocating from its current site in the local Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market Center to the new 1,200-sq.-ft. space.

The new store is slated to open in mid-December.

Reston, Va. -- Online spending on Cyber Monday reached $1.028 billion, up 16% versus a year ago, representing the heaviest online spending day in history and the first to surpass the billion-dollar threshold, according to comScore.

Houston -- Centro Properties Group said Tuesday that Fashion Metro has opened a 9,810-sq.-ft. store at Northtown Plaza, in Houston.

Centro Properties Group, based in New York City, owns Northtown Plaza.

New York City -- Juicy Couture’s store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan has been temporarily closed due to the discovery of bed bugs.

“Like other major retailers recently impacted by this issue, we are moving swiftly and aggressively to address the problem. We expect the store to re-open later this week,” the company said in a statement. “The people who shop and work at the store are our top priority and we are taking all necessary precautions.”

Armonk, N.Y. -- IBM on Wednesday announced that the Bon-Ton Stores website and its seven leading brands have experienced a double-digit increase in their online sales using IBM software to advance their online and mobile commerce features.

Hudson, Ohio -- Jo-Ann Stores reported net income for its fiscal 2011 third quarter ended Oct. 30, of $29.1 million, up from $24.1 million in the year ago period. The retailer also raised its full-year outlook.

Net sales for the third quarter increased 5.1% to $535.3 million, from $509.1 million last year. Same-store sales increased 4.1%.

Chairman and CEO Darrell Webb said the chain was encouraged by the results in its new and remodeled stores, and was increasing its plan for both new store openings and remodel projects in fiscal 2012.