DMM Retail Industry e-News Issue #212

Mixed-Use Communities on the Rise in Florida

The number of communities in Florida that combine work, life, and commerce is on the rise. The Bradenton Herald reported this month that Primerica Developments, Inc., of Tampa, has finished a 10,800-square-foot building for retail, medical and dining space at The Woods/Shoppes of Moccasin Wallow of Palmetto, FL. Future plans include more than 50 acres of mixed-use retail and a 280-unit apartment complex, with construction to get underway next month. In Jacksonville, Action News Jax reported that Publix Super Markets will anchor a new shopping center in Exchange East, located in the eTown Village Center, a master-planned community that combines natural habitat, green technology, and smart homes. Master developer, The PARC Group, the development will also add more retail space, with construction slated to begin later this year.

City Spotlight: Wilmington, DE, Sees Retail Opportunities Grow

Few would argue in-person retail is undergoing changes. Places like Wilmington, DE, are seeing their retail opportunities grow. The Greater Wilmington Business Journal recently reported that as some older retailers move out, many more are moving in. “I think the local retail market has been resilient. One reason is the number of new people moving into the area, many of whom are looking to start or relocate businesses,” said developer Dean Scarafoni of Live Oak Development Co. One new project includes The Crossroads at Independence in Wilmington, which will be anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store. It’s scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.

Two Legendary Retail Brands Join Forces In-Store

It may be the push two legendary brands need to help each with their own historically large customer bases. Macy’s and Toys ‘R Us announced last week the toy brand will launch shop-in-shops in more than 400 of the department store’s locations in 2022. “As a Toys”R”Us kid, I could not be more excited to bring this beloved brand that so many of our customers know and love into Macy’s online and to our stores across America. Toys”R”Us is a globally recognized leader in children’s toys and our partnership allows Macy’s to significantly expand our footprint in that category while creating more occasions for customers to shop with us across their lifestyles,” said Nata Dvir, Macy’s chief merchandising officer. The folks at RetailDive.com noted that in a conference call this month, “the toy category didn’t even get a mention in Macy’s conference call or press release on the fourth quarter — when toy sales matter most” though Macy’s sees the partnership as an opportunity to attract an important demographic: millennial parents who shopped at Toys”R”Us as kids.