| Sephora among retailers opening for business at Towson Town Center
Two national retailers will open new stores at Towson Town Center this year. Cosmetics chain Sephora will open a 5,800-square-foot store on level two of the mall this fall, while XXI Forever, a new concept from Forever 21, will open a two-story store this summer. The new stores are part of the mall's plan to add 100,000 square feet of new retail and restaurants. Mall owner General Growth Properties Inc. also announced that Crate & Barrel will triple the size of its existing store to 35,000 square feet, first reported last year in the Baltimore Business Journal. San Francisco-based Sephora carries more than 250 brands of makeup, skin care and beauty accessories. Its other Maryland stores are located in Annapolis, Bethesda and Columbia.
Housing: Florida's Primary Concern
At times, its job growth rate was double the pace for the rest of the U.S. That led to one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the country. But now, headed into the closely-contested Jan. 29 Republican primary, dark clouds have gathered over the Sunshine State. "Housing-related employment was 14% of the state's total employment, compared with a national average of 10.6%," says Chris Lafakis, an economist at Moody's (MCO) Economy.com, in Westchester, Pa., who closely follows regional economies. "The entire state of Florida is at serious risk of recession, if it isn't already in one." Home-Equity Driven Spending Dries Up In the boom years, Florida became a haven for mortgage refinancing: In recent years, according to Economy.com, 15% of consumer spending in Florida was fueled by home-equity loans, refinancings, and home-sale income, compared with 9% nationally.
Wild Card/Vacation Day 11 of 12
Only two more shopping days until I return to the final days of the City Council campaigns. Then, we'll have fun taking apart the campaigns. Any dirt yet? Any mudslinging. You know, the good stuff. Or is everyone behaving? My wife is now looking over my shoulder -- literally -- so I have to pretend that I'm just checking ball scores. See ya in two days. Here's Wild Card ... .
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