Detroit — Bedrock, the real estate development company created by Quicken Loans Founder Dan Gilbert, will temporarily waive all rent, expenses and parking fees for restaurants and retail tenants that qualify as small businesses and which occupy space at the landlord’s buildings in downtown Detroit. Bedrock owns about 50 percent of the leasable commercial real estate space in Detroit’s 1.4-square-mile downtown business district, according to The Wall Street Journal. In downtown Detroit, Bedrock’s real estate portfolio includes 125 retailers and restaurants. The rent forgiveness initiative, which runs from April through June, …
It seems that the hottest topic of conversation over the past few days is what to do when a tenant’s business is adversely affected by “the virus.” Based upon conversations with landlords, tenants and property managers there is no doubt that many tenants and landlords are already thinking about how to handle the April 1 rent payment. Since we work with both, I’m writing this blog from both perspectives. Please note that whether you are a tenant or landlord, I encourage you to read the entire blog as there are …
Fort Wayne, Ind. — As a result of COVID-19, Vera Bradley Inc. has temporarily closed all of its full-line and factory stores through Thursday, April 2. Store associates will be compensated through that date. The Fort Wayne-based handbag retailer will continue to serve its customers through its website. Vera Bradley also postponed its annual outlet sale, traditionally slated for April in Fort Wayne. The company says it is also “addressing day-to-day operations, including reducing expenses, inventory levels and capital spending.”
Dallas — Texas-based entertainment concept Studio Movie Grill will temporarily close all locations nationwide in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. The company, which has 14 venues in Texas, said it would refund pre-purchased ticket sales and suspend billing on all subscription plans until its theaters have fully reopened. The company also pledged to actively maintain health insurance benefits for employees and to create a fund to support team members’ in dire financial circumstances.
Framingham, Mass. — TJX Cos., the Framingham-Mass.-based parent company of T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods and Marshalls, has closed all stores under its brands for two weeks in response to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement from company CEO and president Ernie Herrman. In addition to T.J. Maxx (approximately 1,200 stores in the United States), HomeGoods (700) and Marshalls (1,000), the corporation also owns Sierra and Homesense, which have a combined 43 stores in the United States. TJX will also be closing all of its online businesses, distribution centers and offices.
Myrtle Beach, S.C. — United Development Co. will close Myrtle Beach Mall at 7 p.m. local time today indefinitely due to growing concerns of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak. The owner said the exterior entrances to Belk, Bass Pro Shops, Books-A-Million and JC Penney will remain open as long as those retailers continue to be open to the public. The owner also said that a deep cleaning will be initiated immediately following the closing, then again prior to the reopening. Myrtle Beach Mall is situated at 10177 N. Kings Highway, 11 …
Indianapolis and Los Angeles — Simon Property Group and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) have announced they will temporarily close their respective shopping centers across the United States amid the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak. Simon (NYSE: SPG) closed all of its U.S. properties at 7 p.m. local time Wednesday. URW will close its properties starting today. URW, which is headquartered in Paris and has offices in Los Angeles and New York City, operates 47 properties in the U.S. Due to European governments implementing crowd bans, URW began shuttering centers in France, Spain, Poland, Austria, …
New York City — The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has requested financial support from the federal government to guarantee or directly pay for business interruption coverage for retailers, restaurants, other tenants and landlords as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, ICSC cited the $6.7 billion in consumer activity and $400 billion in annual state and local taxes that the retail, restaurant and entertainment industries generate, and appealed to a …
Leawood, Kan. — AMC Theatres (NYSE: AMC) has closed all 630 AMC locations in the United States for at least six to 12 weeks, in compliance with local, state and federal directives, and as a precaution to help ensure the health and safety of moviegoers and theater staff amid the coronavirus pandemic. The company says it will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain flexible on reopening in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations and governmental directives. More than a dozen states and major markets …
Greenville, Lula And Vicksburg, Miss. — Eldorado Resorts Inc. has temporarily closed Tropicana Greenville, Isle of Capri Lula and Lady Luck Vicksburg in Mississippi, due to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak. The Reno, Nevada-based company said in a press release that the closures are in accordance with the Mississippi Gaming Commission order to shut down operations as of midnight local time, March 16. Eldorado agreed to sell Lady Luck last summer to Twin River Worldwide. The sale is expected to close this year. Eldorado acquired Tropicana Entertainment Inc. and all of …