What Downturn?

I was convinced that Staples wouldn’t actually put a store at the corner of 48th and “O” Streets in Lincoln, Neb. The “Coming Soon” sign staked in the cleared ground had begun to fade, and the once pristine site was showing signs of accumulating debris.

I was wrong. A flurry of activity launched last week, and it is now clear that a new Staples is under way at one of my hometown’s busiest intersections.

Staples isn’t the only active builder. I received word a few days ago that development partners Steiner + Associates and Mall Properties were forging ahead with the new mixed-use project in Hampton Roads, Va. -- Peninsula Town Center. The 1.2-million-sq.-ft. development is slated for a summer opening and will feature upscale retail, dining and entertainment options, as well as significant office and residential components.

Another project marching forward is Northstar Communities, in Columbus, Ohio. Locally based Nationwide Realty Investors and The Robert Weiler Cos. cemented an equal partnership in the project in January, combining their residential and commercial development experience to add up to 832 single-family homes, two condominium projects, 1.5 million sq. ft. of retail and office space, and 810 acres of green space.

NRI is also beginning construction on the first phase of Grandview Yard next month, which is located less than two miles from Ohio State University and will encompass 1.5 to 2 million sq. ft. of retail, restaurants, office and residential units. When completed, Grandview Yard will bring 5,000 additional jobs to the City of Grandview Heights, Ohio, and will more than double the city’s income tax base by adding an additional $5 million annually.

My inbox has been flooded with more stories of projects that are marching forward, despite the downturn. And I’ll keep sharing those stories with you, lest you think the world of retail has gone silent. Do you have a project status report to share? E-mail me!

— Katherine Field

Castles in the Sand

I’ve often been asked about prospects for U.S. retailers opening stores overseas. My standard answer has been that with very few exceptions — Wal-Mart, Costco, Staples and fast food chains being the major ones — American retailers have their hands full on the domestic front. Most U.S. retailers still have not attained national status, so they don’t see the need, immediate or even long-term, to plant their logos on foreign soil.

My concluding (laugh) line sarcastically would note that most U.S. retailers have enough trouble operating here, so why should they export their troubles.

Those comments notwithstanding, the last few years witnessed an increasing interest by retailers, especially department stores and high-end specialty stores, to exploit the oasis in the desert known as Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

With office and residential towers scraping the sky and malls offering cool comfort from the desert heat, the Persian Gulf seemed to be the perfect international expansion outpost. Its economy based on finance, real estate and tourism, Dubai attracted the global wealthy elite and those who built and serviced their surroundings.

But the worldwide financial crisis has humbled Dubai. Construction projects have stopped in mid-air; workers are fleeing the country, as The New York Times reported earlier this week.

At least for now, what was once a retail oasis is now no more than a mirage.

— Murray Forseter

Clipping the Coupons

My husband often teases me about how much I love a bargain. I do, and I have the coupons and loyalty cards to prove it.

Stop & Shop, Pathmark and Waldbaums all consider me a loyal shopper. I have CVS’ little red key fob on my key ring in case I forget the regular-sized loyalty card. And I never leave home without my Banana Republic, Gap or Ann Taylor credit cards.

While I look forward to the many rewards and promotions I receive via e-mail and snail mail, Banana Republic’s most recent promotion could be setting the tone for things to come regarding loyalty rewards.

Most of my favorite stores do a pretty good job of rewarding me for my patronage. Stride Rite sends me a $3 discount card every few months reminding me that one of my girls needs new shoes or sneakers. Ann Taylor and LOFT send 20% discount promotions, and The Gap and Banana Republic tempt me with $10 rewards certificates for every 1,000 points I earn (not a tough task when every $1 I spend equates to five points). And just this morning I printed out an online coupon for $5 off my next $30 CVS purchase.

While I love receiving discounts, I can also recall countless times when I was at checkout fumbling in my wallet or bag trying to remember where I tucked away the coveted coupon. Rather than hold up the line, more often than not, I say, “forget it,” only to pay full price.

Just as often, I return home ranting: “Why can’t retailers just electronically load these promotions onto my loyalty or store-branded credit-card account and apply it when the card is swiped during checkout? Enough with these paper coupons!”

The Gap Inc. must have finally caught on to my pain because this week they sent a promotion that does just that. I just received an invitation from Banana Republic to “Save an Extra 10%” on every purchase between now and April 30. But instead of the usual credit card-shaped promotional card, the invitation featured a letter from Banana Republic president Jack Calhoun that expressed Banana’s gratitude for my loyalty during “these changing times,” and invited me to take 10% off of every card purchase I make over the next 90 days. More impressive, the letter went on to add “No offer cards to clip. No e-mails to print. Simply use your Banana card to automatically receive your discount.”

Banana Republic’s promotion is putting those pretty hints of spring -- in the form of earth- and spice-toned dresses, skirts and tops -- within reach. And as I struggle to get out of the door with my two pre-schoolers, finally, I don’t have to try to remember where I put my coupons.

Now if I can just make -- and stick to -- a reasonable spring wardrobe budget, I am in business.

By Deena M. Amato-McCoy

CSI Has Nothing on Target Corp.

I was amazed last fall when I came across an article in The New Yorker that presented an inside view into something that most chains are not very open about: loss prevention. The author succeeded in getting one of the nation’s most press-shy public retailers, Target Corp., to discuss its anti-theft efforts — he even got a tour of the company’s crime lab. (In fact, I wrote about the article here, in a Sept. 18 posting called “Must Reading: ‘Stop Thief!’” Scroll down to find it.)

Now Target has gone one step further, opening up its lab and crime-busting efforts to ABC News in a segment that aired Feb. 2 on “Nightline.” The spot is mainly focused on Target’s effort to combat the growing problem of organized retail theft, and includes footage of criminals at work in Target stores (in one sequence, a couple clears out an entire shelf of iPods) and interviews with the chain’s crime fighters. It also includes some sobering statistics.

All in all, Target comes across as one savvy and sophisticated retailer when it comes to protecting its goods. Click here for the segment in case you missed it.

Marianne Wilson