News

Construction on Fifth+Broadway, a $430 million mixed use project destined for the former site of the Nashville Convention Center, will get underway in second quarter 2017, according to co-developers OliverMcMillan and Spectrum Emery. It will include 183,000 sq. ft. of retail space.   The mixed-use project will house the National Museum of Africa American Music and feature 345,000 sq. ft. of high-rise residential and 350,000 sq. ft. of offices. A 16,000-sq.-ft. roof-top event deck is also in the blueprints.  

Toys "R" Us Inc.’s sales fell in the third quarter amid weakness in the electronics and entertainment category.    The company reported a loss of $156 million for the October quarter, compared with a loss of $167 million in the year-ago period. The latest period included a net gain of $45 million related to the sale of its FAO Schwarz brand.   Revenue fell 2.3% to $2.28 billion, from $2.33 billion in the year-ago period.    

The good vibes, as well as the negative rumblings, that percolate through big events are an annual check on the pulse of an industry. In the case of retail real estate, I am happy to report that the positives seemed to outweigh the negatives at ICSC’s Deal Making show in New York last week.   Let’s start with the good stuff.  

The past year brought with it seismic shifts as the retail industry continued to adapt to the evolving digital landscape and changing shopping habits. It also brought with it a changing of the guard, as many companies anointed new leaders to steer their ships in a transformed marketplace.    Here are six newly arrived (or soon to arrive) CEOs to keep an eye on in 2017:    Jeff Gennette, Macy’s Inc.

Still on the hunt for a new chief executive, Pier 1 Imports has tapped its chairman to serve in the role on an interim basis.     The home furnishings and décor retailer has appointed Terry E. London, chairman of the board, to the position of interim president and CEO. His appointment takes effect on January 1, 2017, in conjunction with the planned departure of Alex W. Smith, the current president and CEO of Pier I, on December 31, 2016.  

To inject new life into its struggling chain, Sears Canada is hopes its newest venture will lure in shoppers — especially foodies.   A new partnership with two specialty supermarket operators is enabling Sears Canada to run high-end markets at dedicated locations. The chain is banking on grocery shoppers’ frequent store visits to bolster store visits, Canadian Grocer reported.  

The new year will bring a new finance chief to Tailored Brands.  

Tilly’s is making a bold move in driving omnichannel experiences in-store.   Armed with Aptos’ cloud-based Singular Commerce platform, the teen apparel retailer can now integrate all omnichannel operations and data at store-level, giving users one complete view of customers, inventory, orders, and the customer’s overall path-to-purchase.