Real Estate

READING, Pa. -- Redner's yesterday opened a 52,000-square-foot Warehouse Market at the Whitehall Square Shopping Center in Whitehall, Pa. The new site marks the Mid-Atlantic Grocer's fourth location in Lehigh County.

PHILADELPHIA -- Local independent Fresh Grocer announced plans to build a shopping center with a supermarket on the La Salle University campus -- an area long in need of a supermarket --in the Northwest part of the city here.

FLOWER MOUND, Tex. -- Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Sprouts Farmers Market is receiving an unusual housewarming gift as it opens a store here today; The Flower Mound city council has agreed to temporarily name the busy thoroughfare near the store Sprouts FM 1171, per the retailer's request, according to local press reports.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Suggesting that size does indeed matter in trying times, global giant Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said yesterday it had a record third quarter in sales and earnings despite the effects of hurricanes, the rising price of gasoline, and expenses related to product warranty programs. Later in the day, a leaked internal memo suggested that Wal-Mart plans to open or expand 484 stores across the United States next year, over 100 more than previously disclosed.

NEW YORK -- Asian Food Markets, Inc. has signed a 25,128-square-foot lease at the West Shore Plaza in Staten Island, N.Y., according to real estate firm Robert K. Futterman & Associates (RFK). The Asian foods retailer will open its sixth store at the 256,000-square-foot shopping center in May 2006.

BATAVIA, N.Y. -- The six-and-a-half-month conversion of a Tops supermarket to a Martin's Food Market here was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony late last week.

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. -- Superior Super Warehouse, a discount grocer based here, has plans to open five new stores in San Bernardino and Riverside counties over the next 10 months.

NASHVILLE, Ga. -- Harveys, a regional supermarket chain based here and owned by the Belgian Delhaize Group, said it will close its Nashville, Ga., distribution center next May and consolidate some of its corporate office functions in an effort to cut costs and leverage the resources of its sister banner Food Lion.