REAL ESTATE

Lululemon redefines transparency with 'Lab' store format
Lululemon Athletica will open the first U.S. outpost of the brand’s design incubator “lab” format in downtown Manhattan, in March.

It’s only the second location for the unusual concept. The first, opened in 2009, is in the company’s hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia.
General Growth clarifies comments about Amazon’s store expansion plans
The CEO of General Growth Properties caused a firestorm late Tuesday when he made a passing reference during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call that Amazon was planning to open 300 to 400 bookstores. On Wednesday, the mall giant issued a very short statement that poured water on the fire.

“General Growth Properties CEO Sandeep Mathrani has indicated that a statement he made concerning Amazon during GGP's earnings conference call held on February 2, 2016, was not intended to represent Amazon's plans.”

Fabletics continues offline push

Fabletics, the fashion athletic brand co-founded by actress Kate Hudson, is setting up shop in the nation’s largest shopping mall.

The retailer is set to open at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, this spring. The 2,000-sq.-ft. store will feature the brand’s signature fashion-forward activewear for women and also its new line of men’s high performance athletic gear and lifestyle basics.

Fabletics was launched online in 2013. It made the leap to brick-and-mortar in fall 2015, and currently operates six stores.
Home décor retailer continues to expand

At Home has added four more locations to its growing store portfolio.

The big-box home décor retailer announced it has entered the state of Minnesota, opening a 107,000-sq.-ft. store in Burnsville. (The company plans to open a second store in the state, in Blaine, this June.)
First Look: CVS Pharmacy in Target

The conversion of Target’s in-store pharmacies and health clinics to CVS Pharmacy and Minute Clinic has begun.

The first of the new store-within-a-store concept showcasing the CVS Health and Target partnership went live Wednesday morning in the Charlotte, North Carolina, market.

Teams from Target and CVS Health will spend the next six to eight months converting all of Target’s 1,672 pharmacies and 79 clinics nationwide to CVS Pharmacy and Minute Clinic locations.
Brixmor Property Group signs grocery-anchor at Highridge Plaza

Yonkers, N.Y. -- Brixmor Property Group announced it has strengthened its tenant offering at Highridge Plaza in Yonkers, New York, with the addition of Hmart, an Asian-American supermarket chain. Hmart is scheduled to open a 41,764-sq.-ft. store in fourth quarter 2016.
CVS Health opens first pharmacy within Target in North Carolina

The first of the pharmacy-within-a-store concepts showcasing the CVS Health and Target partnership went live Wednesday morning in the Charlotte, North Carolina, market. CVS Pharmacy and Target executives participated in a grand opening celebration at the Target store on Weddington Road in Wesley Chapel
Westfield unveils new customer journey at LAX Terminal 2

Los Angeles -- Westfield invested $78.3 million into LAX terminal 2 in Los Angeles, transforming nearly 76,000 sq. ft., including more than 15,000 sq. ft. of new dining and retail at Los Angeles International Airport. According to Westfield, the upgrade brings together a vibrant design, local restaurants and signature retail, creating a more holistic customer journey.
Restaurant chain to stay in the fast lane with expansion

Newk’s Eatery is on track with its plans to double in size in the next three years.

The Jackson, Mississippi-based fast-casual chain entered six new markets and increased its store count by 27% in 2015, opening 20 new locations. It currently operates 96 eateries in 13 states.
Inland names executive VP and head of property management

Oak Brook, Ill. -- Inland Investment Real Estate Services hires Niall J. Byrne as executive VP and head of property management. Byrne will be responsible for IIRES’s property management for Inland Investments, Inland National Development Corporation and Inland Institutional Capital Partners.