Los Angeles — Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield plans to redevelop the long-vacated former Sears department store in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles into a new dining and entertainment district. The empty store is located in the Westfield Topanga & The Village shopping center. Slated to open in late 2021, the new district will feature a chef-driven food hall, sit-down restaurants, lounges, cocktail bars, interior and exterior boutiques, and entertainment and recreational activities, as well as landscaped indoor and outdoor public spaces and plazas. The renovation will also create a grand entrance …
retailers
Los Angeles — Target Corporation has installed solar panels on the roof of its Napa, Calif., store, marking the 500th Target location to utilize solar energy. In 2015, Target had set a goal to install solar panels on 500 of its stores by 2020, and now it has achieved that goal with this Napa, Calif., installation. “At Target, we’re committed to making our operations even more sustainable to create a better future for our guests, team members and the planet,” says John Leisen, vice president of property management at Target. “Ambitious …
New York City — Warner Bros. will open the first official Harry Potter flagship store in the heart of New York City next to the iconic Flatiron building at 935 Broadway. Opening in summer 2020, the store will house the largest collection of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts products in the world under one roof with everything from personalized robes and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans to a brand-new range of house wands with a design exclusive to the New York location. Spanning three floors and over 20,000 square feet, …
— By Katie Lee — With an 18,000-square-foot physical store now open in Manhattan, PUMA has created an exciting new retail experience fusing sports, fashion and technology. In August 2019, PUMA burst on the U.S. retail scene in a brand-new way: opening its first North American flagship store. Located at 609 Fifth Avenue in New York City, the massive 18,000-square-foot space with double-height storefronts uses cutting-edge technology and products to immerse the customer in the PUMA experience. A sports engagement zone and a customization studio are just two of …
Fort Worth, Texas — Pier 1 Imports Inc., a home goods retailer based in Fort Worth, Texas, intends to shutter up to 450 stores, which represents nearly half of its current store count of 936. The retailer also plans to close a select number of distribution centers and reduce its corporate expenses, which includes corporate layoffs. Pier 1 says that its efforts will help right-size the company’s omnichannel operations and allow it to move forward with an “appropriately sized store footprint.” Pier 1 has hired a third-party liquidator to help …
Topeka, Kan. — Overland Park, Kan.-based Darland Construction Co. has completed the conversion of a former Kmart store in Topeka, Kan., into Wanamaker Hills Shopping Center. The 108,546-square-foot retail property is now home to Ulta, Old Navy, DSW, Five Below and Petco. Equity Investment Group (EIG), a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based developer, bought the property in 2014 and worked with Darland Construction to renovate the structure, secured permits for signage and landscaping and negotiated leases. Schwerdt Design Group was the project architect. Ulta Beauty, Petco and Five Below are already open. …
Irving, Texas — The Michaels Companies, Inc. has named Ashley Buchanan, an experienced retail executive from Walmart, as its new president and chief executive officer designate and appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective January 6, 2020. He will succeed Mark Cosby as CEO upon completion of a transition period ending April 1, 2020. Cosby will continue to serve as CEO until April 1 and will remain a member of the board of directors following the CEO transition. As part of the leadership transition, after more than 5 years …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL Properties has made significant year-end progress on its strategy to transform its properties through redevelopment and the addition of new uses. In 2019, CBL completed a dozen projects totaling approximately 650,000 square feet, with an additional five projects totaling approximately 490,000 square feet currently under construction. Each redevelopment plan is unique and customized based on market demand. Strategies range from repurposing expansive parking fields to add new uses such as hotels, restaurants and self‑storage facilities to backfilling anchor vacancies with exciting concepts that resonate with today’s …
Union, N.J. — Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. is undergoing an extensive restructure of its leadership team, including the departure of six senior members. The moves reflect the priorities of Bed Bath & Beyond’s new president and CEO, Mark Tritton, who will launch his new vision for the company in early 2020. The new team will be charged with streamlining decision-making, accelerating the pace of transformation and reestablishing Bed Bath & Beyond’s authority in the home space through a more customer focused, omnichannel retail operation, a redefined product assortment and …
East Rutherford, N.J. — IT’SUGAR, known for its over-the-top sweets, giant candy and absurdly wonderful sugar creations, will open on December 14, 2019 at American Dream, a 3 million-square-foot entertainment/shopping/dining destination under development in East Rutherford, N.J. At three stories and over 22,000 square feet, IT’SUGAR American Dream will be the world’s first department store of candy. The one-of-a-kind IT’SUGAR store will greet visitors with a three-story tall Statue of Liberty replica covered in over 1.5 million Jelly Belly beans, symbolizing the freedom to treat yourself. Once inside, customers can …