Real Estate

HOUSTON - The Auchan Group will close its two remaining U.S. hypermarkets in Houston within the next three months, the Houston Business Journal reports.

RICHMOND, Va. - Market Place Holdings, a large minority-based grocery chain based in Richmond, Va., opened its first new store from the ground up in Richmond on Monday. The retailer celebrated with a grand opening ceremony that included noted attorney Johnny Cochran and Governor Mark Warner.

AMSTERDAM - Dutch retail giant Royal Ahold NV said Friday that it is in dispute with Chile's main supermarket retailer D&S SA over the acquisition of 10 Argentine stores from D&S in 2000, Dow Jones newswire reports.

BAYTOWN, Texas - Residents in a neighborhood near Houston, Texas are circulating a petition to get a supermarket built in their area, The Baytown Sun reports. Only three small convenience stores with a limited number of groceries currently serve the West Baytown area.

TROY, Mich. -- Bankrupt discount retailer Kmart Corp. on Monday reported a wider quarterly loss as store closings cut into sales, and gave a mixed outlook for the critical holiday sales period.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Ingles Markets, based here, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of 16.5 cents per share on all its Class A Common Stock and 15 cents per share on all its Class B Common Stock.

QUINCY, MASS.L -- Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. said it has secured bankruptcy court approval for the lease rights for 18 former Ames department stores at a cost of $20 million.

SARASOTA, Fla. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is eyeing the region of Southwest Florida for three new Supercenter sites, two enlarged stores and a new distribution center, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports.