ATLANTA AND FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Atlanta-based furniture retailer The Aaron’s Co. Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire BrandsMart U.S.A. Founded in 1977, BrandsMart is one of the leading appliance and consumer electronics retailers in the Southeast, with 10 stores in Florida and Georgia. For the 12 months that ended Dec. 25, 2021, BrandsMart generated revenues of $757 million. Total consideration is approximately $230 million in cash, subject to certain closing adjustments, and the transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. Upon closing of the transaction, the BrandsMart business will report to Aaron’s president, Steve Olsen, and continue to be headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Additionally, Aaron’s will acquire 100 percent of the outstanding equity interests of Interbond Corp. of America, which does business as BrandsMart U.S.A., from the Perlman family for consideration at closing of $230 million in cash, subject to certain post-closing adjustments. BofA Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Aaron’s and Jones Day is acting as legal advisor. Cassel Salpeter & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor to BrandsMart and Cooley LLP is acting as legal advisor.
BOYNTON BEACH, FLA. — Atlanta-based SJC Ventures has signed a new lease with Whole Foods Market at Boynton Beach Marketplace, a 69,204-square-foot shopping center underway in Boynton Beach. Located at 7499 W Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach Marketplace is expected to house sit-down restaurants, fast-casual eateries, service establishments and boutique fitness options. The property is 11.4 miles away from Delray Beach and 15.1 miles from Boca Raton.
ELBERTON, GA. — Bealls Outlet has signed a 17,000-square-foot lease for its first location in Elberton. The store’s new location will be at The Shopper’s Center in Elberton, a 43,273-square-foot shopping mall located 33 miles west of Athens. Sam Krueger and Kaitlyn Theriot of Franklin Street represented the landlord, Atlanta-based Vanguard Associates, while Monetha Cobb, Maggie Coppage and Sterling Hale of Franklin Street represented Bealls Outlet. The lease brings The Shopper’s Center to full occupancy. Bealls will co-anchor the center along with Tractor Supply with plans to take occupancy in August. Other tenants at the property include Cricket Wireless, LA Nails and World Finance. Located at 709 Elbert St., the property is prominently situated along the main traffic artery in the city of Elbert. The property is also near retailers and restaurants including Cobo Auto Sales, Elberton Animal Hospital, Dunkin’, Taco Bell, Woodson Florist & Vintages and Dollar General.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Mid-America Real Estate Corp. has brokered the sale of Market at Stelzer in Columbus for an undisclosed price. Giant Eagle anchors the 116,707-square-foot shopping center. Other tenants include Subway, Wingstop, WellNow Hometown Urgent Care, El Rodeo Mexican restaurant, The UPS Store and Marco’s Pizza. Joe Girardi and Emily Gadomski of Mid-America, along with Andrew Montooth of Newmark, represented the seller, Continental Real Estate Cos. The asset sold to a private buyer.
LENEXA, KAN. — Topcoat Nail Bar has opened at The District at Lenexa City Center in Kansas. Topcoat’s new space spans 2,000 square feet and is located on the south side of City Center Drive. Topcoat provides a full suite of nail and waxing services. Erin Johnston of Copaken Brooks represented ownership on an internal basis. When fully developed, Lenexa City Center will consist of more than 2 million square feet, including civic components for the City of Lenexa; nearly 1 million square feet of office and retail space; and 375 residential units.
WELLESLEY, MASS. — Linear Retail Properties LLC has acquired two buildings totaling 17,000 square feet in Wellesley, located west of Boston in Norfolk County, for a combined price of $12.2 million. The two-story building at 25-35 Central St. houses 8,500 square feet of retail space that is leased to Footstock, Laurel Grove, Marika’s Salon, Skinscapes and Winston Flowers, as well as 2,500 square feet of residential space. The building at 53-61 Central St. spans 6,000 square feet of retail space that is leased to Cocobeet, Eileen Fisher, Lacrosse Unlimited, O’Neil Jewelers and Wellesley Toy Shop. Marilyn Santiago of SVN | Parsons Commercial Group represented the undisclosed sellers in the transactions.
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. — Cedar Realty Trust (NYSE: CDR) has agreed to sell the company and its portfolio of assets through several transactions totaling $1.2 billion. The Massapequa-based firm’s portfolio includes 53 properties with approximately 7.6 million square feet of gross leasable space. Properties are predominantly located across high-density markets in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. A fund managed by DRA Advisors and KPR Centers will acquire a portfolio of 33 grocery-anchored shopping centers from the company for $840 million. Cedar also agreed to sell its Revelry redevelopment project in Philadelphia for $34 million and its Northeast Heights redevelopment project in Washington, D.C., for $46.5 million to undisclosed buyers. In the event the sales are not completed prior to closing of the grocery-anchored shopping center portfolio acquisition, the DRA-KPR joint venture has agreed to acquire both projects at an aggregate price of $80.5 million. The company and its remaining assets are set to be acquired by Virginia Beach, Va.-based Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust Inc. (NASDAQ: WHLR) in an all-cash merger valued at $291.3 million. Upon completion of the transaction, Cedar will be wholly owned by Wheeler and the company’s common stock …
The metro Minneapolis retail real estate market is healthy overall coming out of 2021, with suburban submarkets on fire in many cases and urban submarkets generally subdued. A major overhang of supply was absorbed across the region last year as construction slowed dramatically, pushing retail vacancies down, rents up and sales prices of single and multi-tenant assets higher overall. It’s a testament to the market’s overall stability and resilience given the multiple waves of COVID, and events surrounding the George Floyd case that was prosecuted last year in the city. Work-from-home effect With many white-collar professionals still working from home and the center-cities tougher on mask mandates and vaccine requirements, the suburbs have shone the brightest. Vacancies were as low as 6 percent in some areas, with the overall market at 8.2 percent at year-end, according to the Minnesota Commercial Association of Real Estate/Realtors (MNCAR). Among the strongest performing submarkets have been Apple Valley, Maple Grove, Coon Rapids and Woodbury. The metro’s eight regional malls are generally faring well, unlike in some other markets across the U.S. that are more over-supplied. That said, there’s some adaptive reuse going on, including in the northwest suburb of Maple Grove where a freestanding …
LOS ANGELES — Stockdale Capital Partners has purchased Los Angeles Athletic Club, a 186,000-square-foot club in downtown Los Angeles, for an undisclosed price. The name of the seller was not released. The 12-story club, which opened at its current location at the corner of Seventh and Olive streets in 1912, features Beaux-Arts architecture, 72 hotel rooms, 17,200 square feet of ballrooms, meeting and event space and rooftop facilities. The property also includes an indoor swimming pool, track, basketball court, racquetball courts, handball courts, squash courts, yoga, kickboxing, aerobics, Pilates studios and spa and wellness facilities. Since 2015, the property has undergone $29.3 million in capital improvements. The acquisition includes the adjacent Olive Park Garage, an eight-story structure with 421 parking spaces, 12,000 square feet of office and retail space and a 114-space surface parking lot.
THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS — Federal American Grill, a concept focused on steaks, seafood and whiskey cocktails, has opened a 7,218-square-foot restaurant in The Woodlands, located about 30 miles north of Houston. The location at Wood Ridge Plaza Shopping Center is the restaurant’s fourth in the Houston area. David Littwitz of Littwitz Investments represented Federal American Grill in the lease negotiations. Katherine Wildman of Wulfe & Co. represented the landlord, and entity doing business as CH Realty VI/R Houston Wood Ridge LP.