REAL ESTATE

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate announced Tuesday the appointment of Eric Bucklew as general broker for its Virginia Beach office.

Bucklew will focus on retail sales and leasing services to support the expansion of DRE's portfolio of leased and managed properties in the Hampton Roads, Va., region.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Regency Centers said Monday it has acquired Rockridge Center, a 125,213-sq.-ft. grocery-anchored neighborhood center in Plymouth, Minn.

The property was purchased in an off-market transaction for $20.5 million from private real estate development company Hempel Properties.

This is the second grocery-anchored shopping center acquisition by Regency within 45 days.

Cincinnati -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space to two tenants at Hyde Park Plaza, located in Cincinnati.
 
Primary healthcare clinic Doctors Express has leased 3,474 sq. ft. and Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt has leased 2,406 sq. ft., bringing the center to 96% leased.

Both tenants are slated to open this fall.
 
The 396,861-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by Kroger and Biggs, alongside national retailers such as Michaels, Massage Envy, Panera Bread, Starbucks and Staples.

Philadelphia -- Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust announced that almost half-a-million sq. ft. of leasable space was signed or opened across its mall portfolio since the end of April.

According to PREIT, leases have been executed with J.C. Penney, Nordstrom Rack, Bravo Cucina Italiana and Forever 21 at Willow Grove (Pa.) Park, in the reconfigured space formerly occupied by Strawbridge’s.

Myrtle Beach. Fla. -- CBL & Associates Properties recently selected The Brandon Agency to provide media planning and buying services for 75 malls and shopping centers in 25 states.

The scope of services the agency will provide CBL includes guerilla advertising, Facebook pay-per-click, media planning, media buying, and media placement in print, broadcast, cable, radio and internet media outlets.
 

New York City -- In his most recent column “Retail Rap with Jeff Green,” Chain Store Age columnist Green challenges the advent of outlet centers, questioning whether there are enough viable outlet center markets to support the growing number of developers who are plugging into the shopping center format.

Click here to read Green’s column.

Sydney, Neb. -- Cabela’s announced plans to build a store in Rogers, Ark. The 100,000-sq.-ft. store, Cabela’s first in Arkansas, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2012. The retailer also has also announced plans to build stores in Wichita, Kan., and Tulalip, Wash., as well as Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, all expected to open in 2012.

Brentwood, Tenn. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased retail space to four new tenants at Peartree Village, located in in Brentwood, Tenn.

Petco opened an 11,120-sq.-ft. store, NeighborMD Urgent Care has leased 3,736 sq. ft. of medical office space, and Serenity Nail Spa has leased 2,339 sq. ft. First Watch, a breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant, has opened its first Tennessee location in 3,586 sq. ft., occupying a former Hollywood Video space. All stores are now open, and the center is 100% leased.