And the company’s expansion plans aren’t slowing. During the first quarter, it also started construction on four properties in the Dallas area: an H-E-B in Prosper, an H-E-B in Melissa, a Joe V’s Smart Shop by H-E-B in southern Dallas on Wheatland Road and one in Katy. Joe V’s is H-E-B’s budget-friendly, small-format concept.

It’s hard to find space out there. One way for retailers to get more of it: Buy other retailers, including their stores. JD Sports has offered $1.1 billion to acquire Hibbett, a chain with 1,169 stores. The deal instantly would give the U.K.’s JD Sports a coast-to-coast presence in the U.S., according to Ophelia Makis, JLL senior analyst of retail and hotel capital markets. An April announcement from made-to-measure menswear retailer Knot Standard indicated that apparel brand Billy Reid will add eight stores in major cities by merging with Knot Standard’s direct-to-consumer business. The Knot Standard stores will be rebranded, giving Billy Reid 19 locations nationwide. And in February, Shoe Carnival bolstered its brick-and-mortar presence by acquiring Rogan’s Shoes for $45 million. This deal brings Shoe Carnival’s store count to 429, keeping the brand on pace to reach its stated goal of operating 500 stores by 2028.

Apparel chains are the most active tenants moving into former Bed Bath & Beyond real estate, the report said. Burlington alone has 73 of the former Bed Bath & Beyond locations. Clothing stores opened in 103 former Bed Bath & Beyond stores. Nordstrom Rack backfilled 11, Sierra filled six and Ross Dress for Less filled five. Among the diverse users taking over the stores: Aldi, an auto dealership, Floor & Decor, H Mart, Hobby Lobby, Lidl, Macy’s, Planet Fitness, pickleball venues, Sprouts Farmers Market and Total Wine & More.

U.S. musical instrument and equipment retailer Sam Ash filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying it intends to close all its 42 stores. The company owes about $20 million in unpaid debts to landlords and vendors, according to court filings. Meanwhile, Guitar Center opened its first new store of the year in April. The 17,995-square-foot unit at Westland Promenade in Hialeah is the retailer’s 22nd Florida location. Guitar Center, which now has more than 300 stores, had filed for its own Chapter 11 restructuring in 2020 in order to cut $800 million in debt.

Von Maur will spend more than $100 million over five years to update an unspecified number of its 37 stores to reflect residential design trends like white and cream tones, warm woods and modern lighting. Renovations are underway at the department store’s locations at Towne East Square in Wichita, Kansas; Jefferson Point in Fort Wayne, Indiana; Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska; Laurel Park Place in Livonia, Michigan; Oxmoor Center in Louisville, Kentucky; Corbin Park in Overland Park, Kansas; and Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth, Illinois.

U.S. retail and food services sales excluding gas and auto declined 0.1% from March to April, according to the Census Bureau. “Although one month of data points does not provide enough evidence, these figures do point to a possible slowdown in consumer spending,” said ICSC research manager Matthew Panfel. Sales did rise 3.5% year over year in April, though at a slower pace than March’s 4.5% year-over-year growth. Clothing, electronics and food-and-beverage stores reported the strongest gains from March to April, while nonstore retailers; sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores; and health and personal care stores declined the most.

At the same time, luxury brands and conglomerates are looking beyond retail operations and are acquiring real estate as strategic long-term assets, according to Cushman & Wakefield. And they’re not just renting anymore; they’re buying buildings and putting major renovations into creating flagship stores that solidify their brand images, especially in London, Milan and Paris.