REAL ESTATE

Arkansas’ only outlet center makes its debut
Little Rock, Ark. -- New England Development opened Outlets of Little Rock in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Oct. 16. The center welcomed thousands of area residents and visitors to shop at Arkansas’ only outlet center.

The newest destination for shopping in the region is home to first-to-market fashion retailers: Under Armour, Asics, Bass Factory Store, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Cole Haan, Levi's Outlet Store, Lindt Chocolate Shop, Restoration Hardware and Skechers.
Rite Aid celebrates re-opening of Baltimore location
Rite Aid on Tuesday celebrates the grand re-opening of its store at 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Baltimore Tuesday. The store has been operating out of a temporary trailer after sustaining significant damage during the protests that rocked the city last spring.

Joining Rite Aid executive VP Bryan Everett at the ribbon-cutting ceremony will be U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Another merger in design field

Two of the nation’s leading planning and design firms have officially joined forces.

Callison and RTKL have come together as CallisonRTKL. Both companies were previously acquired by the Netherlands-based Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy.
Tanger Outlets announces grand opening of newest outlets

Southaven, Miss. -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers and Poag Shopping Centers will celebrate the Grand Opening of Tanger Outlets Southaven located in Southaven, Mississippi, on Nov. 20.

The Center will feature over 70 brand name and designer outlet retailers including: Ann Taylor, Gap factory outlet, White House | Black Market, Banana Republic, Columbia Sportswear Company, J.Crew, Loft, Under Armour, Skechers, Pandora, Carter's, Tommy Hilfiger and more.
RCS Real Estate raises close to $2,000,000 for bankrupt Anna's Linens at auction

RCS Real Estate Advisors announced today that it secured almost $2,000,000 at auction for home goods chain Anna's Linens, which filed for Chapter 11 on June 14.
Loyola University Chicago names Mid-America to represent its retail portfolio

Chicago -- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation announced it will exclusively represent Loyola University Chicago on their entire retail portfolio on the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses in Chicago, as well as the retail at the base of a proposed Hampton Inn hotel.

Chicago-based Lakeside Management, NFP manages Loyola’s retail assets totaling nearly 110,000 sq. ft. and will be working closely with Mid-America.
Restoration Hardware’s new gallery format in Denver offers view of the Rockies

RH (Restoration Hardware Holdings) has unveiled the latest iteration of the brand’s next-generation design galleries concept at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, in Denver.

The format integrates an even greater assortment of RH collections, including all of the brand’s current concepts and upcoming new businesses. At nearly 70,000 total interior and exterior sq. ft., the store includes major presentations of RH’s newest business concepts, RH Modern and RH TEEN.
An exterior with real sparkle

Maryland-based specialty retailer Smyth Jewelers and jewelry designer Uneek Fine Jewelry have installed the world’s largest engagement ring outside Smyth’s store in Timonium, Maryland.

The ring stands 17 ft. tall and measures 14 ft. wide. It is modeled after a Uneek Jewelry design and took over a year to fabricate and install. (To see a video, click here.)
Stark Enterprises announces retail property acquisition

Pickerington, Ohio -- Stark Enterprises acquires The Shoppes at Stonecreek in Pickerington, Ohio. The 45,000-sq.-ft. retail center is located east of Columbus and is currently 100% occupied. Featured tenants include Lifetime Fitness, Petland, Advanced Vapor, Lomonico’s and Roosters.

“This acquisition further expands our footprint outside of Northeast Ohio and is a prime opportunity for us to prove the transformational impact we have on our properties,” said Ezra Stark, COO for Stark Enterprises.
Rooms to Go to open massive furniture complex in North Carolina

Rooms to Go is cutting the ribbon this weekend on the largest retail furniture store in the Southeastern United States.

The Florida-based retailer will open a Rooms to Go Super Center and Distribution Center on Oct. 17 in Dunn, North Carolina. The newly built facility comprises approximately 1,450,000 sq. ft. on 120 acres and houses a state of the art Rooms to Go showroom, a Rooms to Go Kids/Teens showroom, a Rooms to Go Outlet Center and a huge distribution center housing tens of thousands of pieces of furniture.