News Briefs

Simon, which had owned a 25% non-managing interest in Miami’s Brickell City Centre now has full control of the property after a acquiring the rest in a half-billion-dollar deal with Swire, developer of the Brickell District.

Swire opened the center in 2016 after having acquired a large portion of Miami’s Brickell financial district and filled it with luxury apartments, hotels, and restaurants. At the time, the international developer signed a 99-year lease for control of the local Metrorail Station.

The 500,000-sq.-ft. Brickell City Centre is technically classified as an open-air center, though it is topped by the Climate Ribbon, a ribboned canopy that creates shade and airflow and collects rainwater that helps cool the center. 

It is anchored by a Saks Fifth Avenue, with a Casa Tua Cucina location. Its more than 90 stores include Apple, Chanel Fragrance & Beauty Boutique, Coach, Kirk Jewelers, Lululemon, Sephora, Zara, Richard Mille, Sandro and Nike.

Its dining and entertainment locations include Motek, Tacology, The Henry, PuttShack, and a luxury VIP Cinema Experience from CMX.

Lululemon has accused Costco Wholesale Corp. of selling cheaper, unauthorized imitations of some of its popular clothing items.

Lululemon has filed a lawsuit suing Costco, alleging that the membership warehouse club giant is selling knockoffs, or product “dupes,” of its athleisure clothing. In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Lululemon alleges that Costco has infringed on its patents by selling athleisure products that closely resemble its own. 

Lululemon said that Costco has “unlawfully traded” on the athleisure brand’s “reputation, goodwill and sweat equity by selling unauthorized and unlicensed apparel employing knockoff, infringing versions” of its products.  Specifically, Lululemon said Costco’s private label Kirkland line is selling knockoffs of its Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants for men.

In the 49-page lawsuit, Lululemon shows the alleged design similarities of its products with Costco’s along with the price differences. One example in the lawsuit is a Scuba hoodie that sells for $118 at Lululemon, while a Costco Kirkland version sells for around $8. In another instance, Lululemon accuses Costco of manufacturing knockoff of its ABC pants, which retail for about $130, but sell for about $20 under the Kirkland brand.

Lululemon’s case seeks restitution and payment from Costco, which it said profited off Lululemon’s “sweat equity” and damaged the Lululemon brand. The company also wants Costco agree to cease manufacturing of products similar to the Scuba hoodies and sweatshirts, Define jackets and ABC pants and remove any marketing materials that contain such products.

In a statement to CNN, Lululemon said as “an innovation-led company that invests significantly in the research, development, and design of our products, we take the responsibility of protecting and enforcing our intellectual property rights very seriously and pursue the appropriate legal action when necessary.”

Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café has plans to soon touch down in another new state.

The Houston-based chain known for sweet and savory crêpes will open its first location in North Carolina with a store in Cary, a suburb of Raleigh. The debut location in the Tar Heel State is slated to open in the first quarter of 2026 at the Fenton mixed-use shopping and entertainment center.

The Cary store will mark the second opening under a 15-unit development agreement between Sweet Paris and Virentes Hospitality, an investment arm of the multi-family office Virentes Partners Group. The group invested in Sweet Paris in 2024, with plans to introduce the brand across Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.

"Cary, and specifically Fenton, has this incredible mix of energy and refinement. It's the kind of place where people come to connect, unwind, and treat themselves," said Jim D'Aquila, managing member of Virentes Hospitality. "We're proud to introduce the Sweet Paris concept to North Carolina and can't wait to see the community of Cary embrace it."

[READ MORE: Sweet Paris to open first Arkansas, Missouri locations]

Founded in 2012, Sweet Paris now operates 21 locations in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Mexico. The brand recently announced that it plans to open at least eight new locations in 2025.

"Virentes Hospitality has been instrumental in growing Sweet Paris with thoughtfulness and precision, and we're thrilled to see them bring the concept to a new market in Fenton-Cary," said Allison Chavez, co-founder of Sweet Paris. "Their ability to scale while staying true to our brand's charm and quality is exceptional. Fenton is a vibrant, fast-growing destination, and we're confident this location will quickly become a beloved spot for guests to escape and indulge.”

Starbucks Corp.’s rival in China has dropped anchor in the United States.

China’s fast-growing Luckin Coffee chain made its U.S. debut on June 30, with the opening of two stores in New York City. The stores are located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and NoMad neighborhood, according to the company’s post on Instagram.

Luckin’s explosive growth and popularity in China have challenged Starbucks. China is Starbucks’ second largest market behind the U.S., but its growth has stalled amid increased competition from Luckin, which opened 6,071 stores in its home country is fiscal 2024. It currently operates more than 20,000 stores across China, while Starbucks has approximate 7,600 locations there.

Unlike Starbucks, Luckin stores do not have a coffeehouse or "third-place" vibe. Targeting young customers, the locations are small and mostly lacking in amenities, with most only providing pick-up and online delivery services through its app. The company says it has more than 120 million registered app users.

On its website, Luckin says it is focused on technology, and offers customers “a 100% cashier-less environment.”  

“This enhances our customer experience, improves our operating efficiency, and allows us to stay connected with our customers and engage with them anytime, anywhere,” the company states.

Luckin Coffee was founded in 2017 in Beijing. As of March 31, the company operated 24,097 stores. In addition to China, the company has stores in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. 

A grocery-anchored lifestyle center in one of Michigan’s largest cities is changing hands.

Mixed-use developer WS Development and asset management firm Barings have announced the acquisition of Breton Village, a 200,000-sq.-ft. open-air lifestyle destination located in Grand Rapids. 

Since 2002, Breton Village has served the community under the ownership and operation of a group of local investors, currently operating as Breton Village, LLC. Between 2017 and 2019, the company led a major redevelopment to transition the property from a traditional enclosed mall into an open-air, lifestyle-focused destination. 

Breton Village’s tenants include first-to-market specialty retailers like Lululemon, Anthropologie, West Elm, Design Within Reach, Warby Parker, Evereve, Orvis, Free People, and Madewell. The center is anchored by D&W Fresh Market.

“Breton Village is an established property with incredible potential for growth,” said Jeremy Sclar, chairman and CEO of WS Development. “With its strong tenant mix and deep community ties, it’s an honor for WS to join the Grand Rapids community and we look forward to enhancing the beloved community destination for many generations to come.”

The acquisition of Breton Village marks WS Development’s fifth project in the Midwest, and is part of the company’s strategy to “curate exceptional retail and lifestyle destinations that resonate with their communities.”

“We are pleased to acquire this well-located center alongside WS,” said Payton Larson Smith, senior director at Barings. “We continue to see long-term trends supporting lifestyle centers and are excited to add Breton Village to our growing retail portfolio.”

[READ MORE: Poag invests $1.3 million in western Michigan center]

WS Development is one of the largest privately-held development firms in the country with more than 100 properties in its portfolio.