Content about Phoenix

Chandler, Ariz. -- Simon Property Group announced Friday that it opened Phoenix Premium Outlets, the upscale outlet shopping center serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.   
 

Phoenix -- PetSmart on Tuesday announced its planned management succession plan. The company said that following its annual shareholders meeting on June 14, 2013, current president and COO David K. Lenhardt will be promoted to CEO and simultaneously join the board of directors. At that time, current chairman and CEO Bob Moran will vacate the CEO's chair and become executive chairman.

Phoenix -- Sprouts Farmers Markets said Thursday that current CEO Shon Boney will move into the role of chairman, and that current president Doug Sanders will take the reins of the organic grocery chain as president and CEO.

Sanders joined Sprouts in 2002 when the company had only one store. He became president in 2005 after serving in various roles including CIO and COO.
 

Editor’s note: Chain Store Age’s 23rd annual survey of Fastest-Growing Acquirers measured retail square footage purchased during the 2011 calendar year.

For some companies, being among the top acquirers of shopping centers almost is business as usual — top-ranked Inland Real Estate is a perennial leader, largely through avidly scouring daily for possible deals, while Kimco maintained its focus on top projects in top markets.

Beachwood, Ohio -- Mall owner DDR Corp. announced Wednesday that it has acquired its joint-venture partner’s 50% ownership interest in two power centers located in Portland, Ore., and in Phoenix. The $70 million transaction gives DDR full ownership of the assets.

Tanasbourne Town Center, in Portland, is a large-format power center totaling 566,000 sq. ft. and anchored by Target, Nordstrom Rack, Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross Dress For Less, Michaels, Old Navy and Petco.

Phoenix -- Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group said Wednesday that its Premium Outlets division has launched construction of Phoenix Premium Outlets, an upscale outlet shopping center serving the Greater Phoenix and Scottsdale areas.

Phoenix Premium Outlets will be located in Chandler, Ariz. Phase I of the project will be comprised of 360,000 sq. ft. housing approximately 90 outlet stores featuring high-quality designer and name brands. A spring 2013 opening is planned.

New York -- Sprouts Farmers Market, a Phoenix-based natural-foods supermarket chain, has reached an agreement to merge with competitor, Sunflower Farmers Market, based in Boulder, Col. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The combined company will operate 139 stores in eight states under the Sprouts banner, with annual sales of approximately $2 billion. It will open about 12 new stores this year.

“Our operations are very similar," said Sprouts president Doug Sanders, who will lead the combined supermarket company.

Phoenix -- Sprouts Farmers Markets plans to close three of its six stores in Austin, Texas.

Sprouts announced the closings via Twitter. In the tweet, it said that employees of the three stores that are closing would be assigned to other locations.
 

Seattle -- New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Seattle, top the list of the strongest retail real estate markets, according to Colliers International’s “Third Quarter 2011 North American Retail Highlights” report. The weakest markets include Phoenix, Detroit, Atlanta and Las Vegas, which continue to experience vacancy rates at or above 15%.

Wyomissing, Pa. -- Phoenix-based Cole Real Estate Investments said Monday that it has executed a lease with Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores in Wyomissing, Pa., for approximately 25,000 sq. ft., backfilling a former Borders location.

The in-line store is located adjacent to OfficeMax, Toys “R” Us and Old Navy.

Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners said Tuesday it has hired Scott Ellsworth as a senior associate in the Phoenix office.

Previously, Ellsworth worked for NAI Horizon.
 

Sprouts Farmers Market in Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Calif., has joined an elite club: It is only the third store in the nation to achieve the Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill Partnership higher honor, Platinum Level Certification.