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October 3, 2012   Top Story    Retail centers doing well despite challenges, participants say Retail center owners are doing well despite the rise in online sales and closures of many big-box retailers, according to participants at International Strategy & Investment's real estate conference. The expansion of other retailers such as Forever 21 makes up for much of that. Additionally, no new space has delivered in recent years. The Wall Street Journal/Developments blog (10/2) Two PLAYTIME Play Areas Recognized for "Outstanding Marketing" at the ICSC 2012 Maxi Awards East Towne Mall and Hamilton Place, both CBL properties, took first place and runner-up awards. Both centers included a sponsored play area made by Playtime. "Playtime was honored to be a part of the recognition received this year," says David O'Niones, PLAYTIME VP. (More)   Industry Tracker  Immofinanz plans $148M retail center in Lublin Immofinanz plans to build a $148 million upscale retail center in Lublin, Poland. It will be next to the castle in the center of the city and expected to deliver in 2014. Reuters (10/2) Inland Diversified acquires 2 retail portfolios Inland Diversified REIT has acquired a Pathmark grocery portfolio for $48.8 million. It has also acquired 15 Dollar General stores in Texas for $18.1 million. SNL Financial (free content) (10/2) North Jersey's retail vacancy reaches three-year low Northern and central New Jersey’s retail vacancy rate has reached its lowest level in three-and-a-half years, according to Goldstein Group. It is now 7.7%. The Record (Hackensack, N.J.) (10/2) Work begins on Raffles City Chongqing, China CapitaLand CapitaMalls Asia and Singbridge Holdings have begun development on Raffles City Chongqing in China. The high-end project will consist of a shopping mall, residences, office buildings and a hotel. SNL Financial (free content) (10/1) Other News Former ICSC trustee and past ICSC Foundation chairman Gary Brown dies SCT Newswire (10/2) Belk-anchored shopping center trades for $22 million American City Business Journals (10/1)   Retail News  Retail CFOs say showrooming is under control A great majority, 88%, of retail finance chiefs surveyed by BDO USA say they are no longer so worried about the so-called practice of showrooming due to the strategies they have implemented to mitigate this consumer behavior. Rather, they are more worried about the presidential election and the impact it might have on consumer confidence. Reuters (10/2) Macy's to boost holiday hiring to 80,000 Macy's will hire about 80,000 seasonal staffers for its namesake and Bloomingdale's stores and to staff call centers and online retail fulfillment centers, the company said Monday. Hiring will be up about 2% compared to last year; the company employs about 175,000 permanent staffers. USA TODAY/The Associated Press (10/1) J.C. Penney chief sees better days ahead Customers will begin embracing the reinvented brand and its 100 shops-within-a-store concept by the time J.C. Penney's radical transformation hits the one-year mark on Feb. 1, CEO Ron Johnson said at a fashion industry luncheon on Tuesday. "Market share will come broadly as people shop," he said. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (10/2), The Wall Street Journal (10/2) Penney's overhaul proves a boon to vendors: The jury may still be out on whether J.C. Penney's revamp under CEO Ron Johnson will pay off for the department store, but it's already proved a boon for some suppliers. Fixtures maker Leggett & Platt, which was hired to furnish the new in-store boutiques, says orders from Penney's have revitalized the business. The Wall Street Journal (9/30)   Business Best Practices  Barbara Corcoran: The secret of my success New York real estate entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran of The Corcoran Group says there are seven life lessons she has learned that has helped her as an entrepreneur, writes Jennifer McNally. Her story is a rag-to-riches one, having started out as a waitress who made it big. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (10/3)   News from ICSC  The Business of Shopping Center Law Based on papers presented at recent ICSC Law Conferences, The Business of Shopping Center Law includes commentary from seasoned industry experts and examines some of the most important legal issues facing today's professional. Topics covered include Operating Expenses, Property Acquisition, Capital Infusion, Lease Financing, Construction and Development, Green Leases, Exit Strategies and more. Buy it now in the ICSC bookstore. Learn more about ICSC -> Join ICSC  |  Upcoming Events  |  Regulatory News  |  EconStats  |  Shopping Centers Today   SmartQuote  The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." --Dorothy Parker, American author, poet and humorist     Subscriber Tools       Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise National Account Director:  Jim Pataki (212) 450-1682 Download Media Kit   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including: Industry Home Readers' Choice Search Archive Get this RSS Feed Publish your Press Release Download a SmartBrief Mobile app today       Recent ICSC SmartBrief Issues: Monday, October 01, 2012 Friday, September 28, 2012 Wednesday, September 26, 2012 Monday, September 24, 2012 Friday, September 21, 2012     Lead Editor:  Liz DeHoff       Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004     © 1999-2012 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information