REAL ESTATE

Austin, Texas — CBRE has announced three more Austin-area locations for local fast casual restaurant VERTS, bringing its store count to 10. In 2014, VERTS plans to open 13 new locations, including expansions into Dallas and Houston.

The newest locations are in North Austin. Locations in Round Rock and Cedar Park will open in the next two months.

Arcadia, Wis. -- Ashley Furniture HomeStore, the largest furniture retailer in the U.S., celebrated the opening of its 500th store in Longview, Texas, on Feb. 21. It is the chain’s 48th store in the Lone Star state.

The company, whose sales exceeded $3 billion in 2013, has 50 additional HomeStore openings on tap in 2014.

Seattle – Starbucks is expanding its Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juice to more than 360 corporate stores in the Chicago and greater Midwest areas. This brings the total number of Starbucks locations and grocery stores offering Evolution Fresh products to more than 9,000 across the U.S.

Chicago — Two new Whole Foods Market grocery stores will be coming to Shops on Main and Hinsdale Lake Commons, according to Regency Centers, the owner of both centers.

Longmont, Colo. — NewMark Merrill Mountain States has taken possession of the Dillard’s building at the former Twin Peaks Mall, a key step in the redevelopment of the center as the Village at the Peaks shopping center.

Demolition of the old Twin Peaks Mall is set to begin early in the summer of 2014, paving the way for the new shopping destination, Village at the Peaks, to open in 2015.

Oakville, Canada – Tim Hortons is unveiling a strategic four-year growth plan for 2014-2018 called “Winning in the New Era.” The plan, which has specific segments for the Canada, U.S., and international markets, includes the opening of 300 new U.S. locations by 2018.

If you can’t beat them …. Four major mall owners – Westfield, Simon, GGP and Macerich – have pitched in $4.5 million to help fund a delivery start-up business that promises same-day purchases delivery to mall shoppers.

According to a recent article in the Silicon Valley Business Journal, Palo Alto-based Deliv will use the funding garnered from the mall owners and others to improve its software and expand into additional shopping centers.

Schaumburg, Ill. — Caruso Development has awarded the property management contract for Barrington Square, a 101,500-sq.-ft. retail center in Hoffman Estates, Ill., to SVN Crossroads Management. Situated in high-traffic areas in Chicago’s northwest suburbs, Barrington Square’s tenants include America’s Bar and Grill, GiGi’s Playhouse and Poplar Creek Bowl.

Currently SVN Crossroads manages a portfolio of more than two million sq. ft.