News Briefs

Nordstrom continues to expand its off-price division.

The department store retailer has added three more Nordstrom Rack locations to its lineup of store openings in 2026 and 2027.  The company plans to have nearly 300 Rack stores by the end of 2025, with a total of 400 stores planned by 2028. 

The newly announced Nordstrom Rack locations include:

•Marlton, N.J.: A 30,000-sq.-ft. store open in fall 2026 at WIllow RIdge Plaza, which is owned and managed by Penn Group of Companies a

•Orlando, Fla.: A 26,000-sq.-ft. store will open in fall 2026 at Lake Nona West, a new open-air retail destination currently under development in Orlando's Lake Nona community. 

•Rockville, Md.: A 26,000-sq.-ft. store will open at Congressional Plaza, a popular shopping center, which is owned and managed by Federal Realty Investment Trust.

•Murphy, Texas: A 25,000-sq.-ft. store will be located in Murphy Marketplace, which is owned and managed by Phillips Edison & Company Inc.

The locations above join Nordstrom Rack’s previously announced 2026/2027 locations. To see the list, click here.

A German brand best known for its premium strollers and car seats has planted its retail flag in the United States.

Cybex has opened a flagship in New York City, in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. The 2,3000-sq.-ft. store is designed to reflect the brand's philosophy of merging luxurious functionality with contemporary design.

The space features Cybex’s complete product assortment, including strollers, car seats, baby carriers, home and living solutions, and accessories. Each product embodies the brand's unique “D.S.F. Innovation Principle,” the company said, which stands for “Design,’ the highest “Safety” standards, and smart “Functionality.”  (Cybex products are sold in a variety of U.S. stores including Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn Kids and others.)

The store, which has an exclusive VIP area for one-to-one appointments, has a sleek, modern aesthetic.  Upon entering, visitors are immersed in an atmosphere that pays homage to New York's architectural and cultural heritage. Structural steel columns serve as a modern accent, subtly recalling the building's cast-iron façade that define the historic neighborhood. 

A refined monochromatic palette of warm beige materials forms the backdrop, accented by elegant gold racks that add a touch of sophistication. The space is designed to foster an intimate and inspiring shopping experience.

"After our flagships in Prague, Tokyo, Amsterdam and Paris, New York was a natural next step,” stated Cybex founder Martin Pos. “The city is a global epicenter of culture, fashion, and design, making it the perfect home for Cybex. Parents and families in New York are deeply attuned to style, quality, and innovation — values that define our brand.”

Cybex was founded in 2005, in Germany. In  2014, the company merged with Goodbaby International Holdings Limited, a leading global durable juvenile products company based in China.

JLL has promoted a company veteran to a new role.

The real estate services giant has named Paul Chase as the president of its lifestyle property management division. JLL says the move aligns its “comprehensive expertise and resources” to provide value to the rapidly expanding mixed-use sector.

Prior to Chase’s new role, he was a managing director for JLL’s retail property management’s national agency leasing team for more than two and a half years. He first joined JLL in March 2018 after spending nearly two and a half years as the general manager of Simon Property Group.

"We are pleased to announce Paul's appointment to lead our newly focused U.S. lifestyle property management business," said Mark Zettl, president of property management at JLL. "Paul is a proven innovator and industry visionary who brings forward-thinking leadership to our organization. We are certain that his ability to anticipate market trends and drive transformational change will reshape our U.S. retail property management operations, positioning us ahead of the curve as the industry evolves."

[READ MORE: JLL to take over management at 10 open-air Sunbelt centers]

Previously, Chase spent more than two decades in various positions at General Growth Properties.

“The future of property management lies in understanding that real estate is fundamentally about human connection and community building,” said Chase. “My focus is leading our team to anticipate what tenants and consumers will need next – not just managing what exists today. We’re creating a new standard where every touchpoint delivers meaningful experiences that keep people coming back. This means thinking like hospitality professionals, acting like community curators, and operating with the precision our institutional clients expect.”

Sweetgreen is debuting a new type of format that prioritizes convenience.

The health-focused fast-casual chain will open its first-ever "Infinite Kitchen Sweetlane" location in Costa Mesa, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Sweetgreen says the new restaurant marks an evolution in the chain’s “reimagining of fast food” by blending in-store hospitality with the efficiency of its automated Infinite Kitchen technology and the added convenience of a drive-up lane for digital customers.

First introduced as a pilot concept in 2022, the “Sweetlane” was designed to offer a seamless pickup experience for digital orders.  Customers can place orders in advance through the Sweetgreen app or website and pick the orders up directly through the drive-thru.

The restaurant will also feature dine-in seating and in-store pickup for guests who prefer to order inside. The 2,295-sq.-ft. restaurant features seating for 32 guests.

“We launched Sweetlane to meet our digital customers where they are: busy, mobile, and looking for better access to real food,” said Chris Tarrant, chief development officer at Sweetgreen. “As we expand the format across new markets, Costa Mesa represents an exciting next step in our journey to make healthy eating more convenient and accessible, without compromising on quality or experience.”

[READ MORE: Sweetgreen makes Arizona debut]

Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen now operates more than 260 locations across the United States. The chain serves salads and bowls that prioritize organic, regenerative and locally-sourced produce.

A digital payments app is introducing a rewards offering designed to incentivize greater consumer engagement with its debit card and other products.

Venmo, a PayPal subsidiary that serves as an e-commerce platform, is launching Venmo Stash, an always-on, flexible rewards program specifically aimed at progressively providing benefits to users of the Venmo debit Mastercard as they add more services.

Here's how Stash works:

• Stash customers choose from curated bundles of their favorite brands, retailers, restaurants and services to earn up to 5% cash back.
• Stash starts with the Venmo debit Mastercard, giving customers 1% cash back when they spend their balance. Customers can sign up free for the Venmo debit card, and it can be used to spend and earn rewards within minutes when added to a mobile wallet, even before the physical card arrives.
• Rewards will grow to 2% cash back for customers who turn on auto reloads.
• Customers will earn a maximum 5% cash back if they receive direct deposits on Venmo each month^.
• In 2026, Venmo Stash will expand to include more ways to get rewarded for the ways customers interact with Venmo, including when they pay with Venmo at its network of retailers nationwide.

"Traditional rewards programs make customers work for points they may never use. Venmo Stash flips that model —rewarding spending and money management habits our customers have already built with Venmo," said Diego Scotti, GM of consumer at PayPal. "Our cash back multiplier allows us to grow adoption and usage of our different products and recognize our customers for doing more with more value back to them."

[READ MORE: Study: Digital payments dominate]

Venmo Stash is now available to Venmo debit card customers.

Harris Teeter is growing its presence across the Southeast.

The grocer, a division of The Kroger Co., plans to open five stores across its region, which include expansion into new markets for the company. Harris Teeter is also planning to introduce fuel centers and pharmacies at each location.

Slated to open their doors during the next couple of years the stores are located in:

• Jacksonville, Fla.;
• Clemson, S.C.;
• Kannapolis, N.C.;
• Lake Wylie, S.C.; and
• Fort Mill, S.C.

"This expansion represents an exciting chapter for Harris Teeter as we extend our reach to serve more neighbors across the Southeast," said Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs and customer relations for Harris Teeter. "We've seen incredible support from our customers, and this growth allows us to meet rising demand while continuing to deliver the exceptional experience our brand is known for."

Consistent with Harris Teeter's mission to enrich the communities it serves, each store will establish partnerships with local food banks to address food insecurity and ensure neighbors have access to nutritious meals.

Headquartered in Matthews, N.C., Harris Teeter employs 36,000 valued associates across more than 250 stores and 85 fuel centers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia.