Black Friday Shopping Promises to be a Day of Spending
from NBC Washington
How much are you expecting to spend on Black Friday? Experts are saying about $400. A survey done by Taubman, the owner and manager of premium shopping centers around the country shares their findings of a typical Black Friday shopper. More

Target Takes Shape at Town Center
from The Daily Press
A new Target store that will feature fresh produce, meats and baked goods is beginning to take shape at the new Peninsula Town Center, a mixed-use development that will take the place of the old Coliseum Mall in Hampton,Va. The nation's second-largest discount retailer completed the purchase of the land about a month ago for $4.3 million and is on track to finish the 143,000 square foot store in time for a July 2009 opening. More

Ikea CEO Anders Dahlvig on Surviving a Bad Economy
from Time magazine
Anders Dahlvig recently hit the 10-year mark as CEO of Ikea. Under his leadership, the Swedish furniture giant has nearly tripled its number of stores and employees, and committed to a broad new slate of policies on the environment. The company maintains a mixed reputation on quality, though, in the midst of an increasingly tough economic climate. More

Grocers Are Retail's Bright Spot
from The San Francisco Chronicle
Grocery stores have emerged as a bright spot, posting steady or increased sales at a time when almost all other areas - including auto dealers, furniture retailers and department stores - reported significant declines. More

Wells Fargo Financing of Green Buildings Gallops Beyond $2 Billion
from Greener Buildings
Wells Fargo & Company has doubled its commitment to high performance, LEED-certified buildings in the past 19 months, bringing its total financing of green structures to more than $2 billion. The projects involved loans ranging from $4.5 million to $225 million for construction in 19 states. The structures include office, mixed-use, industrial, retail, school and multifamily buildings, among others. More

JCPenney Cuts Growth, Continues Sephora Expansion
from GlobeSt.com
Though J. C. Penney Co. is cutting back on store openings next year, it will continue to look at opportunities resulting from industry consolidation, executives said recently. The chain has completed its 2008 expansion plan of 35 new stores, and will open 17 new stores next year, down from an original 20, largely because of project delays on the developers’ end. More

J. Crew Benefits as Mrs. Obama Wears the Brand
from The New York Times
Michelle Obama: first lady-to-be, fashion plate and now, online pitch. Mrs. Obama surprised J. Crew when she wore one of its outfits on her recent appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.” Dressed in a $148 pencil skirt, a $148 yellow and brown tank top and a $118 yellow cardigan, she seemed to be promoting both fiscal prudence and the overlooked appeal of mustard-colored clothing. More

Mixed-use Malls are the Future
from International Council of Shopping Centers
Mixing other uses with a mall has been the exception until now. Expect it to become the rule, says a leading advocate of mixed-use development. Current economic conditions have put the brakes on most kinds of development for now, but when conditions turn around, developers, financiers, tenants and even municipalities will once again eagerly pursue mixed-use town centers. More