WASHINGTON, D.C. — Retail and food service sales in January increased by 5.3 percent and 7.4 percent from January 2020, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The monthly increase is the first rise for several months, following three months of declining retail sales numbers. The growth exceeded the 1.2 percent gain that economists surveyed by Dow Jones forecasted. The Wall Street Journal reported that January’s advanced figure marks the biggest monthly gain since June 2020. The increase in sales follows the federal government’s dispersal of stimulus checks of about $600 per recipient. Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist of the National Retail Federation, said that the surge in sales is a direct result of relief funds and better trends of the COVID-19 pandemic. “There is plenty of purchasing power available for most consumers,” said Kleinhenz. “Confidence is building thanks to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, and states and local governments are beginning to remove restrictions on economic activity. Going forward, I expect consumer spending to build on this momentum.” Month to month, there was an increase in sales for motor vehicles and parts by 3.1 percent, gas stations by 4 percent, food and beverage stores by 2.4 percent, furniture stores by 12 …
PHOENIX — Newmark has arranged the sale of Shops at Tuscano, a shopping center located in Phoenix. Shrisha LLC sold the property to TDN Properties for $5.2 million. Located at 7435 W. Lower Buckeye Road, the retail center features 15,938 square feet of multi-tenant space. At the time of sale, the property was 93 percent occupied by seven tenants, including Sprint/T-Mobile, Little Caesars and TitleMax. The shopping center was built in 2006. Steve Julius, Jesse Goldsmith and Chase Dorsett of Newmark represented the seller in the transaction.
TUCSON, ARIZ. — An affiliate of Black Lion Investment Group, which is led by its President Robert Rivani, has acquired Oracle Wetmore, a shopping center in Tucson, from Texas-based Weingarten Realty for $38 million. Located at the corner of Oracle and Wetmore roads, Oracle Wetmore features 150,170 square feet of retail space. Retailers at the center include PetSmart, Ulta Beauty, Walgreens, Cost Plus World Market, Jared Jewelry, JoAnn Fabrics & Crafts, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Bassett Home Furnishings, Chipotle and Sport Clips. (Adjacent retailer The Home Depot was not part of the sale.) The property was originally developed in 2005. At the time of sale, Oracle Wetmore was stabilized with more than 90 percent national/credit tenants. The purchase is part of Black Lion Investment Group’s ongoing program to acquire $100 million in power centers throughout the United States in 2021. Cushman & Wakefield’s Phoenix office brokered the deal.
ATLANTA — Chicken Salad Chick, a Southern-inspired, fast-casual chicken salad restaurant chain, will relocate its headquarters from Auburn, Ala., to Atlanta. The move is slated to take place during the first quarter. Chicken Salad Chick’s new office will be located in the city’s Vinings district at the Overlook II building, which is situated at 2839 Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta. The company’s new office is 21 miles north of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Scott Deviney, president and CEO of Chicken Salad Chick, says the company’s decision to move to Atlanta is the next step in its growth model. “This relocation positions Chicken Salad Chick to scale at an accelerated rate and meet aggressive growth goals, while allowing us to broaden our vision for the future,” says Deviney. “We’ve seen increased interest from Atlanta’s diverse and talented workforce, and the city’s airport allows us swift access to prospective vendors and a growing pool of interested franchisees.” Chicken Salad Chick isn’t the first restaurant chain to target Atlanta in order to grow. In September, Papa John’s announced it was moving its regional headquarters to Atlanta. The pizza giant chose The Battery Atlanta for its new offices. The new headquarters will house …
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Jim Jacobs, a private developer based in Nashville, is nearing completion of Muse, a short-term rental condominium building in downtown Nashville. Jacobs created Muse Nashville LLC to purchase the site of the building in 2019, according to the Nashville Post. The company also secured a $15.5 million to finance the project. In addition to 55 condos, of which three quarters are presold, Muse will offer a lobby designed by ES|DG, cardio fitness center, a luggage drop, onsite management, security and more than 5,000 square feet of Class A retail and restaurant space. The property will also have a SkyLounge with indoor and outdoor panoramic views of Nashville’s skyline. The apartment building is the only new construction condominium in downtown Nashville that allows short-term rental options, according to Jacobs. Construction began in spring 2020 and will wrap up by October of this year. The Muse is located at 65 Lindsley Ave. Muse’s project team comprises locally based firms including Centric Architecture, Catalyst Design Group and Cherry & Associates, a commercial estate services company where Jacobs serves as a principal.
KENNESAW, GA. — Town Center at Cobb Mall, a nearly 1.3 million-square-foot enclosed regional mall in the northern Atlanta suburb of Kennesaw, was foreclosed on by its lenders, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) was the previous owner, manager and developer of the mall. Deutsche Bank Trust Corp. was the lead lender and trustee of the $200 million loan, which the global bank made with other investors in 2012. Deutsche Bank Trust auctioned the mall on Tuesday, Feb. 2 and set the opening bid at $130.4 million, but no bids were made at the auction. Deutsche Bank Trust and its co-lenders now own and manage the mall. No additional plans were reported. Town Center at Cobb Mall is located in Cobb County at 400 Ernest W. Barrett Parkway NW, approximately 33 miles north of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The mall opened in February 1986 and features more than 170 stores and restaurants, including anchors Macy’s, Belk, H&M and JC Penney. The property features a food court and a children’s play area as well. Simon’s stock price closed on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at $93.38 per share, down from $137.29 a year ago.
CARMEL, IND. — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of a retail property occupied by Burger King in Carmel for $1.8 million. The 2,959-square-foot building is located at 9853 N. Michigan Road. Jordan Klink and David Klink of Marcus & Millichap’s The Klink Group marketed the asset on behalf of the seller, California-based MVSA Investments LLC. The duo also represented the buyer, Ohio-based Ridge Kent LLC.
FOLSOM, CALIF. — Faris Lee Investments has arranged the sale of a drive-thru restaurant property located within Folsom Gateway Shopping Center in Folsom. A private family partnership acquired the asset from an undisclosed seller for $2.5 million. Taco Bell occupies the freestanding building, which was constructed in 2007. Tyler Strauss and Jeff Conover of Faris Lee procured the buyer and represented the seller in the transaction.
DETROIT — Saucy Brew Works will open a new brewpub and coffeehouse in Detroit’s Brush Park neighborhood. The opening is slated for March 3. The 5,700-square-foot space will be the first restaurant within Bedrock’s City Modern apartment development. Guests will enjoy a variety of beers and specialty coffees in addition to food offerings such as appetizers, sandwiches, wings and pizza. In response to COVID-19, Saucy Brew Works will provide hand sanitizer, masks, six-foot table distancing and floor markers for spacing. Residents of City Modern will receive a 20 percent discount. This is the fourth location for Saucy Brew Works, which maintains restaurants in Cleveland, Columbus and Orange, Ohio.
HUNTSVILLE, ALA. — Bayer Properties has signed leases with The Cheesecake Factory and Main Event Entertainment at Bridge Street Town Centre, a mixed-use development in Huntsville. Cheesecake Factory is expected to open this winter, while Main Event will be open by 2022. The Cheesecake Factory has 209 full-service restaurants, and the new Bridge Street Town Centre location will mark the company’s first in the Huntsville market and the second in Alabama. The restaurant will be located on the south end of the property in a 7,350-square-foot space, next to Barnes & Noble and across from P.F. Chang’s. Main Event at Bridge Street Town Centre will be the company’s first location in the state of Alabama, and its location at Bridge Street Town Centre will open near the Panera Bread. Bridge Street Town Centre features a mix of more than 50 unique-to-market brands and specialty stores, as well as a variety of market-exclusive restaurants. The property is also home to more than 207,000 square feet of Class A office space that is fully leased, as well as a 232-room Westin hotel, 150-room Element by Westin hotel, 244-unit Seleno luxury apartment complex and a recently opened 131-room Hyatt Place Hotel. Bayer Properties …