Openings, Closings, & Other Key Industry Highlights

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Fred's / Walgreens / Rite Aid

During Fred’s fourth quarter earnings conference call on April 6, management stated that it remains committed to working with Walgreens, Rite Aid, and the FTC to complete the Rite Aid transaction. The Company is willing to acquire additional assets, including up to 1,200 total Rite Aid stores, compared to the original agreement for 865 stores, in order to gain regulatory approval. Reports indicate Walgreens may in fact be looking to sell 1,200 stores to Fred’s to win approval of its purchase of Rite Aid. However, that alone might not be enough to assuage FTC concerns over the viability of Fred’s as a competitive number three retail drug chain. Fred’s, currently struggling to operate its existing base of over 650 stores, would be acquiring the underperforming Rite Aid locations and adding significant financial leverage. Although its acquisition of Rite Aid hinges on its ability to divest these stores, WBA would be less inclined to sell the stores to a more effective competitor like Kroger or Albertsons.

Click links above for full store lists.

Payless ShoeSource Inc. DIP

Payless ShoeSource Inc. DIP filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Missouri (St. Louis). Judge Kathy A. Surratt-States has been assigned the case. The proceedings have been assigned case number 17- 42257. Payless also filed for recognition of the U.S. Chapter 11 proceedings under Part IV of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. In conjunction with the restructuring, Payless has entered into a Plan Support Agreement (PSA) with parties who hold or control approximately 2/3 of its first lien and second lien term debt to reduce its debt load by almost 50%, materially lower its annual cash interest costs, access significant additional capital, and provide a path to an expedited emergence from Chapter 11. The Company is immediately closing 400 locations of its 4,400 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and will aggressively manage the remaining real estate lease portfolio either by modifying terms, or evaluating closures of additional locations.

Click here for Payless ShoeSource's full store list.

7-Eleven

On April 6, 7-Eleven announced that it entered into an asset purchase agreement with Sunoco LP to acquire 1,108 convenience stores in 18 states for $3.30 billion in cash, plus the cost of fuel, merchandise and other inventories. The deal is subject to regulatory clearance and customary closing conditions and is expected to close by 4Q17. With 8,707 stores in the U.S. and Canada currently in operation, the deal will boost 7-Eleven’s total store count to 9,815.

Click here for 7-Eleven's full store list.

ALDI / Lidl

According to published reports, ALDI is remodeling stores in several Mid-Atlantic markets ahead of Lidl’s U.S. entrance. Lidl is expected to open its first U.S. stores along the Eastern Seaboard this summer, starting in Virginia and the Carolinas. ALDI, which competes against Lidl in Germany and other European countries, said in February it is investing $1.60 billion to remodel (including expanding perishables and modernizing features) its more than 1,300 stores in 35 states by 2020. The remodeling effort has begun in certain markets, including the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC areas, which are among the markets where Lidl is expected to open its initial stores. In the Charlotte area, ALDI is reportedly planning to spend $48.0 million to remodel 31 stores (about $1.5 million per store). ALDI opened its first remodeled store there (Mooresville) last November and has two additional remodels set to reopen this month. Reports indicate that Lidl has stores planned for Mooresville, South End, Rock Hill, Fort Mill and Gastonia, located in and around the Charlotte market; ALDI recently shuttered a store in Gastonia for renovation.

In the Raleigh-Durham market, ALDI will reportedly spend $13.0 million to remodel 12 stores by the end of next year. Lidl is expected to open Triangle-area stores in Wake Forest, Raleigh and Cary (two stores) and is considering a site in Clayton. Lidl reportedly acquired eight locations in the Triangle. In the Greensboro/Winston-Salem, NC area reports have surfaced that ALDI plans to spend $14.0 million to remodel 10 stores by the end of this year. In Virginia, ALDI has announced remodeling plans in Fredericksburg, Manassas, Woodbridge and North Stafford. ALDI made its debut in the Lynchburg, VA, market last year and has plans for about six locations in the market. The Company has remodels underway in various other markets around the country, including in eastern Pennsylvania, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN.

In other news, ALDI is proposing a 19,000 square-foot store in Lutz, FL. The Company has two nearby stores in West Pasco.

Click here for ALDI's full store list.

 
 
 

Stage Stores / Gordmans Stores

Stage Stores closed on its previously announced acquisition of selected assets of Gordmans Stores, including a minimum of 50 Gordmans store leases, with rights to assume leases for an additional seven stores and a distribution center; all of Gordmans' inventory, furniture, fixtures, equipment and other assets at the 57 store locations; and trademarks and other intellectual property of Gordmans. Stage expects to pay $35.0 million – $40.0 million for the inventory, with the final amount to be determined following completion of a post-closing physical inventory count and an additional $2.0 million – $3.0 million for the other assets. Stage intends to use existing cash and availability under its credit facility to fund both the transaction and any additional investments required to support the integration into the Stage infrastructure. The Company ended the fourth quarter with $298.4 million in total liquidity. Stage has planned a reduction in the sales of the Gordmans division this year due to lower inventory levels as it rebuilds the business in time for the holiday season. Accordingly, for the remainder of fiscal 2017, the acquisition is expected to contribute $230.0 million – $245.0 million in revenue and be neutral to earnings, exclusive of acquisition costs. Stage anticipates the addition of the Gordmans stores to be significantly accretive to earnings in fiscal 2018.

Click links above for full store lists.

Stater Bros.

Last week, Stater Bros. broke ground on a new store in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. The 45,000 square-foot store is expected to open by the fourth quarter of 2017 and will be its third in the city. There are 10 competing food retail stores within three miles of the new store, including three Ralphs, two Vons, an Albertsons, ALDI, Food 4 Less, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s.

Click here for Stater Bros.' full store list.

Wawa

Local reports claim that Wawa is breaking ground on its first two Jacksonville, FL-area stores, with longer-term expectations for at least 30 more in the market. Last year, Wawa indicated plans to “open six stores [in the Jacksonville area] in 2017, 10 in 2018 and two to four a year after that.”

Click here for Wawa's full store list.

Von Maur

Von Maur opened its first location in Wisconsin, a 150,000 square-foot store in Brookfield. In recent years, Von Maur has been focusing its growth outside of the Midwest, with openings in Georgia, New York, Alabama and Oklahoma. The Company, headquartered in Davenport, IA, currently operates 32 stores in 15 states, and 16 women’s specialty stores under the Dry Goods banner. The Company is on schedule to open three to four Dry Goods locations per year over the next several years.

Click here for Von Maur's full store list.

Loblaw Group

Loblaw Group opened a 23,000 square-foot Provigo Le Marché supermarket in Montréal, Canada. The Provigo concept is designed for a fast-moving urban clientele, with expanded fresh food and prepared offering in a modern design. It is the Company’s 17th Provigo store to be opened since the banner was launched in Quebec four years ago.

H.E. Butt Grocery

H.E. Butt Grocery will open a new 118,000 square-foot store in San Antonio, TX in August that will feature a barbecue restaurant with a drive-thru, the first of its kind for the Company. It will also offer curbside grocery pickup, which it currently has in about 22 of its more than 300 stores. In addition, H.E. Butt will expand its convenience store portfolio at the location with its own food offerings, fuel station and car wash. The Company currently has nine convenience stores in Texas, with six in the San Antonio area.

Click here for H.E. Butt's full store list.

Fareway Stores

Fareway Stores is opening a second store under its Fareway Meat Market concept in Lincoln, NE this fall. The 6,500 square-foot store will specialize in “fresh-cut, made-to-order requests” for an extensive line of meat products as well as a smaller selection of seafood, artisan cheeses, craft beer and wine, and other convenience and specialty grocery items. The Company debuted the format in Omaha, NE last May. Fareway operates about 120 traditional grocery stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Click here for Fareway's full store list.

hhgregg, DIP

hhgregg, DIP announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved the Company’s initiation of the process to liquidate its assets. Going out of business sales at all of the Company’s locations commenced on Saturday. As previously announced, hhgregg executed a consulting agreement with a contractual joint venture comprised of Tiger Capital Group, LLC and Great American Group, LLC to conduct a sale of the merchandise and furniture, fixtures and equipment located at the Company’s retail stores and distribution centers. Commenting on the news, President and CEO Bob Riesbeck stated, “While we had discussions with more than 50 private equity firms, strategic buyers, and other investors, unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our plan to secure a viable buyer of the business on a going-concern basis within the expedited timeline set by our creditors.”

Click here for hhgregg's full store list.

PCC Natural Markets

Community-owned food cooperative PCC Natural Markets plans to open a store in Burien, WA in early 2018. It will be the Company’s 12th (and southernmost) store. Since 2013, PCC has added new locations in Seattle’s Green Lake and Columbia City neighborhoods and, last year, in Bothell. It plans to open another store in Seattle’s Madison Valley neighborhood in 2019. The Company added online delivery at it stores in 2016 through partnerships with Instacart and Amazon.

Click here for PCC Natural Markets' full store list.

Future Retail Store Closings

AggData monitors upcoming retail store closings throughout the day and maintains an active database of store locations and anticipated closing dates. Here is a sample of recently announced store closings.

Please contact AggData to request a full future store closing list.

General Wireless Operations, DIP (dba RadioShack)

General Wireless Operations, DIP (dba RadioShack) received Court approval to move forward with the sale of RadioShack leases, despite concerns from landlords regarding the quick timeline. Bids for RadioShack’s leases will be due in one week, and an auction is slated for April 19. RadioShack has already received Court approval to close roughly 500 of its 1,300 stores, and the fate of the remaining roughly 800 stores has yet to be determined. Store closings are expected to be completed by the end of May.

Click here for RadioShack's full store list.

Dunkin' Brands

Dunkin’ Brands will be expanding further in North Carolina after inking multi-unit store development agreements with two franchisees, whereby it plans to build a total of 12 restaurants in the state over the next several years. The first stores are slated to open in 2018.

Click here for Dunkin' Donuts' full store list.

Shake Shack

Shake Shack will open its first Staten Island location at Empire Outlets, New York City’s first and only premium retail outlet center, located adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry. The 3,865 square-foot restaurant, which will include a 947 square-foot outdoor dining area, is expected to open in March 2018.

Click here for Shake Shack's full store list.

bebe stores

bebe stores announced plans to shutter 21 stores, representing about 12% of its 134 retail stores and 34 outlet locations, in an effort to turn around operations. The Company will incur an impairment charge of approximately $2.0 million, and will make a termination payment to the landlord of approximately $7.4 million. The Company is continuing to explore options with respect to its remaining stores, having hired B. Riley & Co. as its financial advisor as well as an unnamed firm as its real estate advisor. According to published reports, bebe is considering closing all stores and shifting its focus entirely online.

Click here for bebe's full store list.

Footaction

Footaction opened a flagship location in Toronto, CA, marking its first foray outside of the U.S. The 6,500 square-foot store is organized largely by brand, rather than product category, with leading brands having their own concept shops (Nike, Adidas, and Puma) within the store. Footaction operates more than 265 brick-and-mortar locations across North America, in addition to its e-commerce channels.

Click here for Footaction's full store list.

Forever 21

Forever 21 announced a major expansion of its F21 Red division, with plans to open more than 40 stores across the U.S. in 2017. The first three are scheduled for April in San Antonio, TX, Bronx, NY and Chicago, IL. By year end the banner will have more than 70 locations in major cities across the U.S. Forever 21 launched F21 Red in 2014 as a value-oriented concept similar to Old Navy. Altogether, Forever 21 operates more than 815 stores in 57 countries.

Click here for Forever 21's full store list.

Lewis Drug

Lewis Drug is moving its Southgate store in Sioux Falls, SD to a new location nearby (about six minutes away). Construction is set to begin next month on the 25,000 square-foot site, which is expected to open in November. It will offer pharmacy drive thru and garden shop services. Lewis Drug says the move will help make the store easier to access, offset from the busy 41st and Minnesota intersection.

Click here for Lewis Drug's full store list.

Dollar General

In connection with the April 4 announcement that Dollar General would acquire 323 stores from Dollar Express, Dollar Express filed WARN notices that nearly 2,800 employees will lose their jobs. While it is unclear whether all store or corporate employees will lose their jobs, multiple Dollar Express workers have indicated they were informed that their last day of employment would be on or around June 2 since Dollar General was not retaining them. The 323 locations were part of a total of 330 stores divested by Dollar Tree in 2015 in order to gain regulatory approval for its acquisition of Family Dollar. Dollar Express, owned by private-equity firm Sycamore Partners, will close all of its stores as well as its Charlotte, NC headquarters by June 30. In its application to the FTC seeking approval for the Dollar General deal, Sycamore Partners said Dollar Express “can no longer operate as a viable standalone business” due to “changes in competitive conditions since the purchase.” The FTC is asking for public comments on the deal through April 20.

Click here for Dollar General's full store list.

Target

Target plans to open a 32,100 square-foot store in Portland, OR in July 2018 in a former AMF Bowling facility. It will be a “small format” store, offering groceries, apparel, toys and sporting goods, home items, electronics and a CVS pharmacy.

Click here for Target's full store list.

Meijer

According to a monthly report released last week by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Meijer plans to lay off 299 people in June when it closes two Chicago-area stores, in Berwyn and Melrose Park. The Berwyn store opened in 2012, and the Melrose Park location opened in 2011. On April 25, Meijer will open a new store in Greenfield, WI and on May 16 will open new stores in Howard and West Bend, WI. In less than two years, Meijer has opened six stores in the state.

Click here for Meijer's full store list.