Plano, Texas — J.C. Penney released an update on its store optimization strategy on Thursday, announcing plans to close 154 stores around the country as part of Phase I of the plan. The closings of those stores are scheduled to begin Friday, June 12. The Plano-based retailer expects to announce additional closings after Phase I, which will feature store-closing sales at the shuttered locations that are expected to take 10 to 16 weeks to complete. A list of which stores are closing as part of Phase I can be found …
Texas
Houston — Locally based developer Gulf Coast Commercial Group is underway on construction of Block 14 at Garden Oaks, an 18,000-square-foot retail project the Garden Oaks neighborhood of Houston. The project is being developed on a 1.7-acre site just north of Loop 610 and is expected to be complete in July. Tenants that have already signed leases include McAlister’s Deli and Salata.
NewQuest Brokers Sale of 89,213-Square-Foot Inwood Forest Shopping Center in Houston
Houston — Locally based firm NewQuest Properties has brokered the sale of Inwood Forest Shopping Center, an 89,213-square-foot retail center located at 5700-46 W. Little York Road in Houston. About 75 percent of the six-acre property’s tenant roster consists of businesses that have been deemed essential. Grocer La Michoacana anchors the center. David Luther, Bob Conwell and Josh Friedlander of NewQuest represented the seller, RPI Interests I Ltd., and procured the buyer, Fahra International Inc.
Austin, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation allowing the state’s water parks, driver education programs and food-court dining areas within shopping malls to resume operations at limited capacities. Beginning on Friday, May 29, under Phase II of the state’s reopening plan, these establishments may reopen at 25 percent of their normal operating limits. All businesses must adhere to designated sanitation and social-distancing protocols as well. In addition, starting Sunday, May 31, recreational sports programs for adults can resume, but games and similar competitions may not begin …
Dallas — Tuesday Morning Corp. (NASDAQ: TUES) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Dallas-based retailer says the actions are in response to “the immense strain the COVID-19 pandemic and related store closures have put on the business.” Tuesday Morning is a discount home furnishings chain. The company opened its first store in 1974 and currently operates 687 stores in 39 states. The retailer expects to permanently close approximately 230 stores to focus on high-performing locations. The phased store closures will take place this summer. Following the temporary closure …
JLL Arranges Sale of 19,950-Square-Foot Rayford Village Retail Center in Metro Houston
Spring, Texas — JLL has negotiated the sale of Rayford Village, a 19,950-square-foot retail center located in the northern Houston suburb of Spring. The two-building property houses tenants such as Cole Veterinary Services, SK Salon, Goodwill and Papa John’s. Ryan West, John Indelli and Katherine Miller of JLL represented the seller, BNS Rayford Partners LP, in the transaction. Michael Johnson, Stuart Helper and Trey Pizzitola of JLL arranged acquisition financing through First Community Credit Union on behalf of the undisclosed buyer. The loan carried a 10-year term and a fixed …
Fort Worth, Texas — Pier 1 Imports Inc. has filed a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to begin the process of closing all of its remaining stores and liquidating its assets, including its intellectual property and e-commerce business, the Fort Worth-based home goods retailer said on Tuesday. Pier 1 closed about 450 stores in January and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-February prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. However, CEO Robert Riesbeck said in the statement that the pandemic had amplified the company’s struggles to restructure debt and secure investment that would …
Austin, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released plans for the second phase of the state’s plan to reopen the economy at a press on Monday afternoon, notably giving bars the option to begin reopening Friday, May 22. Under the terms of the plan, Texas bars, wine tasting rooms and craft breweries may initially reopen at 25 percent occupancy with regard to indoor seating only. In addition, childcare centers, youth clubs and bowling alleys may begin reopening this week as part of Phase II of the plan. Restaurants may increase …
J.C. Penney Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Secures $900 Million for Debt Restructuring
Plano, Texas — J.C. Penney Co. (NYSE: JCP) has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a bid to strengthen its finances through an extensive debt restructuring. The company filed on the evening of Friday, May 15 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, located in Corpus Christi. The Plano-based retailer has secured $900 million in debtor-in-possession financing from its existing first-lien lenders that is expected to knock several billion dollars off its total debt load. J.C. Penney, a company with a 118-year operating history, said …
Brick-and-mortar retailers in Texas that have found creative ways to develop new income streams and to leverage technology to directly engage their customer bases have proven most resilient in battling the financial headwinds the sector faces as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. A panel of retail real estate professionals in Dallas and Austin spoke to this trend and others during the Texas Retail Reboot webinar, which was held on Thursday, May 7. Shopping Center Business and Texas Real Estate Business, two magazines published by Atlanta-based France Media Inc., hosted the event, which drew more than …