MICHIGAN — With a new executive order, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has enabled Detroit casinos to reopen on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at 15 percent capacity. Casinos must also conduct a daily entry screening protocol for customers and employees. Patrons must wear a face covering except while eating and drinking. The governor has also limited statewide indoor gatherings to 10 people, citing a “resurgence in cases connected to social gatherings across the state.” Bars across the state are closed for indoor service beginning Friday, July 31. There were 89,026 confirmed coronavirus cases and 6,426 deaths in the state of Michigan as of Wednesday, July 29.
Retail
ST. CHARLES, MO. — Napoli III will join the tenant lineup at Streets of St. Charles, a 27-acre mixed-use development owned by Cullinan Properties in suburban St. Louis. Napoli III is the third restaurant from the Pietoso family and an extension of the family’s original Café Napoli. The new restaurant will occupy 4,500 square feet and feature a private room as well as outdoor dining. The menu will offer fresh seafood and pasta as well as favorites such as the veal chop and penne a la vodka. Buildout of the space for Napoli III is set to begin in August. An opening date has not yet been released.
TRU Development, MultiGreen Properties to Build 336-Unit Apartment Community Near Las Vegas
by Amy Works
HENDERSON, NEV. — TRU Development, in partnership with capital partner and real estate operating company MultiGreen Properties, has acquired a 19-acre land parcel at the southeast corner of Galleria Drive and Boulder Highway in Henderson. Terms of the acquisition were not released. The partnership plans to develop theAPEX @galleria, a 336-unit apartment community with 3.8 acres of retail development available for sale, ground lease or build to suit. Apartments will be available for lease in March 2021. The Henderson development is the first of many planned theAPEX-branded communities throughout Nevada. In the next 12 months, TRU is slated to break ground on a total of 670 units under theAPEX brand in southern Nevada, 358 units under the KAKTUSlife brand and more than 600 units under theAPEX brand in northern Nevada.
PLAYA VISTA, CALIF. — California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is the latest fast casual restaurant chain to file for bankruptcy protection due to strain brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on Thursday in order to “close unprofitable locations, reduce its long-term debt load and quickly emerge from bankruptcy as a much stronger company,” according to the filing. The Playa Vista-based company did not release a list detailing which of its 200 restaurants it plans to close. CPK is set to receive $46.8 million in debtor-in-possession financing, enabling the ongoing operation of its locations, continued payments to vendors and employees, and the provision of ongoing commitments to stakeholders while the company is in the Chapter 11 process. The company currently has $13 million of cash on hand and has not paid rent for the past several months at a majority of its locations, according to reports by CNN. CPK plans to exit the Chapter 11 process in under three months. “The unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on our operations certainly created additional challenges, but this agreement from our lenders demonstrates their commitment to …
Starbucks Reports 96 Percent of Locations Open, 130 Net New Stores Despite Significant Sales Drop in Third Quarter
by Amy Works
SEATTLE — Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) reported that the company’s U.S. comparable store sales declined 40 percent, with comparable transactions down 52 percent through its 13-week fiscal third quarter ending June 28. Additionally, the company reported a consolidated net revenue of $4.2 billion, representing a 38 percent decline from last year primarily due to lost sales related to the COVID-19 outbreak. On the shareholder side, the company experienced a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) loss per share of 58 cents, down from earnings per share of $1.12 in the prior year. Despite decreased sales and a decline in net revenue, Starbucks opened 130 net new stores in the third quarter, resulting in 5 percent year-over-year unit growth and ending the period with 32,180 stores globally. The company currently operates or licenses 15,243 locations in the United States. As of July 28, approximately 97 percent of Starbucks’ global company-operated stores are open, with 96 percent of U.S. locations and 99 percent of China locations open. Currently 87 percent of the company’s global licensed store portfolio is open, with temporary closures predominantly in airport, college and university locations within the United States and Canada. Starbucks’ stock price closed at $77.42 per …
CORONA, CALIF. — Hanley Investment Group has brokered the sale of two multi-tenant retail buildings located at 1240-1282 Border Ave. in Corona. A Denver-based private investment group sold the assets to a local private investor for $5.2 million. The Shops at Village Grove Plaza features a freestanding, 9,200-square-foot retail pad building occupied by six tenants and a two-tenant, 2,400-square-foot shop building adjacent to Stater Bros. Markets. Tenants at the properties offer a variety of services and products, including dental care, dry cleaning, laundry services, flowers, donuts, liquor, hair styling and nail services. Built in 1976, the assets, which total 11,600 square feet, are part of the 56,100-square-foot Village Grove Plaza that Stater Bros. Market and Crunch Fitness anchor. Kevin Fryman, Bill Asher and Jeff Lefko of Hanley Investment Group represented the seller, while Ranhee Im of ANA Capital of Los Angeles represented the buyer in the deal.
HARWOOD HEIGHTS, ILL. — NARE Investments has acquired Harwood Commons, a 142,195-square-foot shopping center in metro Chicago’s Harwood Heights. The purchase price was undisclosed. Harwood Commons, located at 4701 N. Harlem Ave. and built in 1981, is home to Burlington, Marshalls and Aldi. CBRE’s National Retail Partners Midwest team represented the seller, Icahn Enterprises.
MCKINNEY, TEXAS — Craft beer producer TUPPS Brewery has received a $11.3 million grant from The McKinney Community Development Corp. to remodel a 120-year-old grain mill in the northern Dallas suburb for its new location. The brewer’s new campus will span 4.5 acres and will consist of a 25,000-square-foot production brewery and a communal shopping area. TUPPS has occupied 17,000 square feet at the historic McKinney cotton mill at 721 Anderson St. for the past five years.
Slate Retail REIT Reports Best Quarter of Leasing Activity Since 2014 Despite Pandemic
by Alex Tostado
TORONTO — Slate Retail REIT has reported during its second quarter earnings call that it experienced the best quarter of leasing since its founding in 2014. The Toronto-based company, which owns and operates 46 grocery-anchored shopping centers in the Southeastern United States, reports that it completed 464,326 square feet of lease renewals and 54,365 square feet of new leasing at its 70 total locations. The 518,691 square feet total is a 60 percent jump over second-quarter 2019. The REIT’s portfolio occupancy rate dropped 0.6 percent in the three months ending June 30 to 92.2 percent. Slate also reported that 62 percent of its tenant portfolio is deemed “essential” during the pandemic. These tenants include grocery stores, medical services and financial institutions. Slate was able to collect 89 percent of contractual rent for the second quarter. The company collected 91 percent of rent checks in July. The REIT expects to substantially collect outstanding billings through immediate cash collection or deferral programs. Furthermore, pending approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), the company will rebrand to Slate Grocery REIT.
CHICAGO — McDonald’s Corp. has reported a 30 percent decrease in its consolidated revenue for the second quarter that ended June 30 due to coronavirus lockdowns. The global fast-food chain reported second-quarter net income of $483.8 million, compared with $1.5 billion for the same period a year ago. Chicago-based McDonald’s says it spent more than $200 million on marketing efforts to accelerate recovery from coronavirus losses, which contributed to the drop in net income. In the United States, 99 percent of McDonald’s restaurants were open as of June 30. About 2,000 dining rooms reopened with reduced seating capacity following temporary closures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chris Kempczinski, president and CEO, says that a strong drive-thru presence and investments in delivery and digital platforms have served the company well through this time.