JCPenney and SPARC Group have merged to form Catalyst Brands, a new apparel company with more than 1,800 stores and $1 billion in liquidity. The merger brings together JCPenney's department store chain and private brands with SPARC's portfolio, which includes Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers and others. SPARC Group is a partnership that includes Simon, Brookfield Corporation, Authentic Brands Group and Shein.

Seminole Towne Center Mall in Sanford, Fla., will close at the end of January after a failed deal with Gilbane Co. The site will be redeveloped into a mixed-use space with retail, restaurants, a boutique movie theater, recreational spaces, a hotel, and residential units, while major anchors such as Dillard's and JCPenney will remain open.

Kimco Realty has acquired The Markets at Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla., in a $108 million deal. The 254,000-square-foot development includes nine buildings and was 97% leased at the time of the transaction.

The Dunwoody (Ga.) City Council has approved the rezoning of the Mount Vernon Shopping Center from Neighborhood Shopping to C-1. This change allows for a broader range of uses, including potentially leasing space to "eatertainment"-focused tenants. The approval followed a meeting addressing lighting and access improvements.

NRF 2025: Retail's Big Show is set to draw more than 40,000 attendees to New York City next week, including retailers, industry analysts and tech firms. "This is one of the largest shows we've ever produced," said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. The event will feature keynote presentations from CEOs of major retailers like Walmart, Burberry and Target, and the agenda includes 175 sessions covering topics such as AI, economic trends and policy changes under the incoming Trump administration. "There's a lot of optimism about the state of retail, the state of the economy, and the opportunities for the year ahead," Shay said. "There continues to be enormous innovation in the industry."

Burlington is transforming its strategy by significantly reducing store sizes and expanding its product offerings. The company is looking to open 400 net new stores over the next four years in order to compete with larger off-price retailers. New stores are almost 70% smaller than the brand's big-box locations, measuring around 25,000 square feet.

Retailers are providing significant aid to those affected by wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Instacart is waiving delivery fees and using its Community Carts program to deliver needed supplies, while SpartanNash is donating truckloads of essential products and raising funds for the American Red Cross. Kroger aims to raise $1 million and is supplying food and water, and Amazon is using its Wildfire Relief Hub to deliver essential items and technology support. Other companies such as DoorDash and Misfits Market are also contributing through various initiatives.

The North Face has opened an innovative flagship in London, designed to immerse customers in an outdoor experience through sensory elements like visuals, sound and scent. The store features a Dome Tent with AI-generated content, a custom fragrance and a digital footwear finder to enhance the shopping journey. It also includes a sustainability zone promoting product longevity and the company's Renewed program for second-life products.