The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council has grown and evolved over the past nine years since its inception, with membership increasing from 150 members in 2004 to more than 350 members this year.

2. Coffee, Beer Bar Coming Downtown - Friday, March 22, 2013

Downtown residents and visitors will soon be able to grab a cup of joe, locally brewed beer and a fresh sandwich or salad in one convenient spot.

Taylor Berger, partner in YoLo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato, and partners Mitch Buckner (of Bella Café in Pink Palace) and Daniel Flanagan (of Chiwawa, the newly opened Southern-inspired eatery near Overton Square) have signed a lease for 2,755 square feet of retail space in the ground floor of Van Vleet Flats, 122 Gayoso Ave.

3. Coffee, Beer Bar Slated for Downtown - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Downtown residents soon will be able to grab a cup of Joe, locally brewed beer and a fresh sandwich or salad in one fell swoop.

Taylor Berger, partner in YoLo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato, along with partners Mitch Buckner (of Bella Café in Pink Palace) and Daniel Flanagan (of Chiwawa, the newly opened Southern-inspired eatery near Overton Square), have signed a lease for 2,755 square feet of retail space in the ground floor of Van Vleet Flats, 122 Gayoso Ave.

4. Olymbec Files $5.5 Million Mortgage on Brinkley Plaza - Saturday, March 09, 2013

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, has filed a $5.45 million mortgage on Brinkley Plaza in Downtown Memphis.

5. Olymbec Files $5.5 Million Mortgage on Brinkley Plaza - Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, has filed a $5.45 million mortgage on Brinkley Plaza in Downtown Memphis.

6. Fogelman Properties Moves Headquarters to Triad II - Saturday, March 02, 2013

Memphis-based Fogelman Properties LLC has signed a lease for 12,000 square feet on the second floor of Triad Centre II, an 110,305-square-foot, Class A office building at 6060 Poplar Ave.

7. Olymbec USA LLC Buys Again in Memphis - Saturday, March 02, 2013

Olymbec USA LLC has acquired 40,000 square feet of land and three small shed buildings totaling 12,000 square feet at 373 W. Brooks Road through a January auction from the Estate of George E. Smith for $50,600.

8. Olymbec USA LLC Buys Again in Memphis - Friday, March 01, 2013

Olymbec USA LLC has acquired 40,000 square feet of land and three small shed buildings totaling 12,000 square feet at 373 W. Brooks Road through a January auction from the Estate of George E. Smith for $50,600.

9. Fogelman Properties Moves Headquarters to Triad II - Monday, February 25, 2013

Memphis-based Fogelman Properties LLC has signed a lease for 12,000 square feet on the second floor of Triad Centre II, an 110,305-square-foot, Class A office building at 6060 Poplar Ave.

10. Breaking the Mold - Saturday, February 23, 2013

When Rosemarie Fair was named Broker of the Year in investment sales at last year’s Pinnacle Awards, she became the first woman ever to do so.

Before Fair founded One Source Commercial Inc. in 1993, she worked with Carlisle Corp. in the early 1980s on Beale Street Landing Downtown. She remembers often what her mentor Gene Carlisle taught her – “Somebody will take care of the big stuff, it’s the nickels and dimes that make the difference.”

11. Madewell Coming to Saddle Creek - Friday, February 08, 2013

The Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown will soon gain another national retailer with no other presence in Tennessee.

Madewell, a subsidiary of J. Crew Group Inc., has signed a 3,061-square-foot lease in The Shops of Saddle Creek North, 7509 Poplar Ave., in part of the space that was previously The Gap in between James Avery Jewelry and Brighton Collectables.

12. Stonegate Apartments Financed for $3.6 Million - Tuesday, February 05, 2013

The 208-unit Stonegate Apartments complex in Raleigh has been financed for $3.6 million by its ownership group, an affiliate of New York-based White Eagle Properties.

WE Stonegate LLC filed the five-year loan Jan. 30 for the Class C complex at 4500 Stone Gate Drive, situated on 12.3 acres at the northwest corner of Coleman and Raleigh-Lagrange roads.

13. Archer-Malmo Grows Again With Lease Expansion - Friday, February 01, 2013

Archer-malmo has inked an additional 3,000 square feet in the Cotton Exchange Building, bringing its total footprint in the historic 12-story Downtown tower to 41,277 square feet across six floors.

14. Pinnacle Departure Brings Real Estate Challenge - Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Pinnacle Airlines Corp.’s relocation of its Memphis headquarters to Minneapolis by May should have long-term leasing effects on the Downtown office market.

15. Victory Packaging Relocates to Memphis - Friday, January 18, 2013

Victory Packaging soon will relocate its entire Southaven branch operation to the Southeast Memphis industrial submarket.

The Houston, Texas-based industrial packaging supplier and distributor inked 158,333 square feet in Shelby Air Park Building 1, 4500 Malone Road. The 475,000-square-foot building also houses Terminal Warehouse Inc.

16. Changing Market - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Much of 2012’s commercial real estate deals could be summed up in one of three phrases: speculative construction, institutional buyers and unusual transactions.

The first quarter was kicked off when Industrial Developments International Inc. revealed plans to add one build-to-suit and two speculative buildings in its Crossroads Distribution Center in Olive Branch – marking the area’s first spec construction since 2008.

17. Midtown Momentum - Saturday, December 22, 2012

The Midtown real estate market has long been an anomaly compared to its Bluff City counterparts, with fundamentals as diverse as its demographics.

“The types of real estate that you’ll find in Midtown can be some of the most expensive or some of the most modest when it comes to prices and facility,” said Gary Myers of Gary Myers Co. “Retail in particular.”

18. Levenger Leases Up EastPark IV - Friday, December 14, 2012

A Delray Beach, Fla.-based specialty retail company is relocating its Memphis distribution warehouse within the Southeast submarket.

Levenger has inked 96,400 square feet in EastPark Distribution Center IV, 5265 Hickory Hill Road, bringing the 372,800-square-foot building to full occupancy. Levenger also has an operation at 3530 E. Raines Road.

19. Hickory Hill Warehouse Sells for $15.7 Million - Tuesday, December 11, 2012

6380 Holmes Road Memphis, TN 38141

Sale Amount: $15.7 million

Sale Date: Dec. 5, 2012

20. Slow and Steady - Monday, December 03, 2012

The local office market saw little change in the third quarter, and brokers say the fourth quarter will likely yield similar results.

Memphis’ vacancy rate ended the quarter in the mid-14 percent range, the same levels as 2008, according to Colliers International Memphis’ Q3 office report. Vacancy during that period in 2007 was below 12 percent.

21. I-Bank Grows in Namesake East Memphis Office Tower - Friday, November 30, 2012

Independent Bank has expanded its headquarters at I-Bank Tower to primarily accommodate its Mortgage Lending Division.

22. Gen X Inks State’s First Location on Austin Peay - Friday, November 16, 2012

A trendy Vernon, Calif.-based retailer has inked its first Tennessee location in Austin Peay Plaza.

Gen X Clothing Inc. signed a 35,000-square-foot lease at 3252 Austin Peay Highway. The space was formerly occupied by Big Lots.

23. Highpoint Church Buys Briarcrest’s East Memphis Campus - Friday, November 09, 2012

After seven years of leasing space for its worship services, Highpoint Church has acquired Briarcrest Christian School Systems Inc.’s property at 6000 Briarcrest Ave. for $7.25 million.

24. Center City Revenue Finance Corp. to Consider Brinkley Plaza Tax Break - Thursday, November 08, 2012

The Downtown Memphis Commission’s Center City Revenue Finance Corp. (CCRFC) has a full agenda for its Tuesday, Nov. 13, board meeting, with leasing and financing requests for Brinkley Plaza, Toyota Plaza and the Peabody Hotel Tract.

25. Seminar Underscores Commercial Sectors’ Highs, Lows - Monday, November 05, 2012

Memphis’ commercial real estate market for the most part appears to mirror national trends, with all four sectors boasting challenges and bright spots so far this year.

That was a message a room full of real estate professionals received when The Daily News hosted its second annual Commercial Real Estate seminar Thursday, Nov.1, at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, sponsored by Magna Bank and Evans Petree PC.

26. CBRE Shares Fall on Weak Third-Quarter Earnings - Thursday, November 01, 2012

CBRE Group Inc.'s shares fell Wednesday following a disappointing third-quarter earnings report from the real estate services company.

27. Medical Office Sector Enters Transitional Period - Monday, October 29, 2012

As the trend for health care mergers intensifies, the city’s medical office market evolves, with some private practices consolidating into hospital systems and others relocating to better serve their patients.

28. Capital Influx - Monday, October 29, 2012

Capital is finally being set free in the Memphis industrial market, with opportunities on both the buy and sale side of investment deals.

Nearly $200 million has been spent since June, as public and private institutional buyers alike make large plays.

29. Brinkley Plaza Sells to Olymbec for $7.2 Million - Monday, October 29, 2012

Downtown’s Brinkley Plaza has sold for $7.2 million to a Canadian real estate investment firm.

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, acquired the 219,557-square-foot tower at 80 Monroe Ave., its ground lease and the adjacent 300-space covered parking garage.

30. Brinkley Plaza Sells to Olymbec for $7.2M - Friday, October 26, 2012

Downtown’s Brinkley Plaza has sold for $7.2 million to a Canadian real estate investment firm.

Montreal-based Olymbec USA LLC, an entity of Olymbec Corporate Group, acquired the 219,557-square-foot tower at 80 Monroe Ave., its ground lease and the adjacent 300-space covered parking garage.

31. J.D. Byrider Brings First Franchise To Memphis - Friday, October 26, 2012

The nation’s largest used car franchise company has entered the Memphis market. Carmel, Ind.-based J.D. Byrider has inked 30,900 square feet at 2580 Mount Moriah Road, marking the company’s second Tennessee dealership.

32. Seminar To Tackle Commercial Conditions - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

While many commercial real estate professionals would like to forget about 2011 altogether, celebrating increases in 2012 is necessary for morale.

Shelby County experienced the most second-quarter sales this year since the second quarter of 2008, and the highest quarterly sales revenue since the second quarter of 2007.

33. Lease Brings New Breed Footprint to 3 Million Feet - Friday, October 12, 2012

New Breed Inc. is enhancing its Memphis operations with a new distribution warehouse lease in the Southeast industrial submarket.

34. Lease Takes Appling Farms to Capacity - Friday, September 28, 2012

A distributorship of Pella Corp. has inked 11,300 square feet in Appling Farms Corporate Park, 6972 Appling Farms Parkway.

35. New Panera Underscores Midtown’s ‘Tipping Point’ - Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Panera Bread Co. is coming to one of Midtown’s busiest streets following years of site selection in the area.

36. Work Moves Forward on Midtown’s Chiwawa - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Plans are moving forward for Chiwawa, a Southern-inspired Mexican restaurant near Overton Square in Midtown that hopes to open this fall.

A $347,257 permit was recently filed for Chiwawa’s renovations of the two-story, 3,196-square-foot building at 2059 Madison Ave. The space housed Chicago Pizza Factory in the 1980s and has been vacant since.

37. Market Entrance - Thursday, August 16, 2012

The quick-service food concept Panda Express has entered the Memphis retail market on the city’s highest-trafficked surface street.

The Chinese restaurant chain will open a 2,665-square-foot new prototype store in Cordova in early September at 577 Germantown Parkway in front of Walmart Supercenter.

38. Commercial Council Elects deWitt, Reilly as Top Leaders - Monday, August 13, 2012

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council announced its 2013 officers and directors Thursday, Aug. 9, at its annual Member Appreciation and Election Party.

Greg deWitt of Grubb & Ellis Memphis will serve as 2013 president. Patrick Reilly of CB Richard Ellis Memphis will serve as vice president.

39. Denver REIT Buys Industrial Portfolio for $24M - Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Denver-based Industrial Income Trust Inc. has bought an 890,000-square-foot industrial portfolio in Southeast Memphis from CRP Holdings B LP for $24.3 million. The purchase, recorded under the entity IIT Memphis IC LLC on the Shelby County Register of Deeds, includes various lots in Memphis Distribution Center.

40. StyleCraft Signs Lease At Airways Building E - Friday, July 13, 2012

Home decor company StyleCraft Home Collection Inc. has signed a 167,600-square-foot lease at Industrial Developments International’s Airways Distribution Center Building E.

41. Exeter Closes On Acquisition Of ProLogis Properties - Friday, June 15, 2012

Pennsylvania-based Exeter Property Group has closed on its acquisition of 10 Memphis-area industrial buildings for $40 million from San Francisco-based ProLogis Inc.

42. Tax Factor - Monday, June 11, 2012

A few months ago, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. was recounting to an audience of businessmen a recent breakfast he’d had with a site location agent.

That agent had a client out of California looking at sites in the Memphis area for a project. The location agent had drawn up what the financials for the project might look like – and it included $25,000 in attorney’s fees.

43. Fla. Company Buys Cordova Retail Center - Friday, June 08, 2012

Coral Springs, Fla.-based Swiss Capital Group LLC has acquired The Shops of Woodland Hills in Cordova for $3.1 million.

44. Commercial Advisors Grows CRE Portfolio - Thursday, May 31, 2012

Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors Asset Services LLC is on a roll, picking up various leasing and management assignments that have brought its office and industrial involvement to 17.8 million square feet.

45. FDIC Signs Lease In Lakecrest - Friday, May 25, 2012

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has inked a substantial lease in Lakecrest III, marking the market’s largest office lease signing this year.

46. Georgia 3PL Growing Its Area Footprint - Friday, May 18, 2012

A Savannah, Ga.-based third-party logistics firm is seeing rapid expansion in the Southeast Memphis industrial market after its local entrance less than a year ago.

Coastal Logistics Group Inc. has signed a 50,000-square-foot lease extension at 5715 Distribution Drive, bringing its Memphis footprint to 100,000 square feet. The company inked its initial 50,000-square-foot warehouse lease in June.

47. New Owner For Bartlett Car Wash Property - Friday, May 04, 2012

A former car wash site in Bartlett has traded hands. Nyan Jaf acquired the 0.71-acre lot at 5960 Summer Ave. from Mr. Carwash LLC for $65,000.

48. Office Opportunities - Thursday, May 03, 2012

Memphis’ office real estate landscape is changing, and for three firms, those changes are creating opportunities.

Orlando, Fla.-based Parkway Properties Inc. in March completed the sale of its interest in Renaissance Center – a 190,000-square-foot office building at 1715 Aaron Brenner Drive in the Poplar Avenue corridor – to partner Parkway Properties Office Fund LP.

49. Berger Working on Food Truck Alliance - Friday, April 27, 2012

As if owning and operating the city’s fastest growing self-serve frozen yogurt business isn’t enough, Taylor Berger is about to add two more hospitality titles to his resume.

50. Conn.-Based XSE Group Inks Deal - Friday, April 27, 2012

A Middletown, Conn.-based office supply printing company has entered the local industrial scene, taking advantage of Memphis’ centralized logistical capabilities.

XSE Group Inc. has leased 40,214 square feet in Building 14 of Airport Distribution Center, 4006 Airpark St., owned by San Francisco-based ProLogis Inc.

51. Pera, Lightman, Rainer V Take Top Pinnacle Awards - Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Council honored the top performers in commercial real estate for 2011 at the 11th annual Pinnacle Awards gala, held Tuesday, April 24, at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis.

52. Southland Sells Parcels To Bank For $1 Million - Friday, April 13, 2012

A Downtown property that real estate investor Terry Lynch once planned for residential and retail space was sold back to the lender for slightly less than $1 million.

53. Hertz Closes On Memphis CRE Portfolio - Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Hertz Investment Group LLC has completed its acquisition of five Memphis office buildings, marking the firm’s return to the Bluff City and focus shift to secondary and tertiary markets.

54. Commercial Advisors Hires Walton as VP - Monday, March 26, 2012

Patrick Walton has joined Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors Asset Services LLC as vice president and Certified Global Supply Chain Specialist.

55. Five Guys to Open 2nd Local Burger Joint - Monday, March 05, 2012

Five Guys Burgers and Fries has inked its second Memphis-area lease – this one in Bartlett – and is close to solidifying two other locations, including one in Midtown.

Jubilee Restaurant Group LLC, owner of the Memphis franchise, has signed a 3,100-square-foot lease in Stage Centre. Five Guys is taking the subdivided end-cap of the 6,660-square-foot space formerly occupied by Blockbuster Video.

56. Five Guys to Open 2nd Local Burger Joint - Friday, March 02, 2012

Five Guys Burgers and Fries has inked its second Memphis-area lease – this one in Bartlett – and is close to solidifying two other locations, one in Midtown and another in Germantown.

Jubilee Restaurant Group LLC, owner of the Memphis franchise, has signed a 3,100-square-foot lease in Stage Centre. Five Guys is taking the subdivided end-cap of the 6,660-square-foot space formerly occupied by Blockbuster Video.

57. CK’s Moves Into Jackson as Part of Expansion - Friday, March 02, 2012

A longtime Memphis diner chain is expanding its presence into the Jackson, Tenn., market.

CK’s Coffee Shop has signed a five-year lease for 1,390 square feet of the existing 4,900-square-foot Old Medina Market Gas Station at 2800 Old Medina Road.

58. Room Service - Monday, February 27, 2012

The good news for the local hotel industry is that last year notched the most rooms ever sold on a daily basis with 4.8 million – 115,628 more than 2010 and 76,780 more than the previous high set in 2007.

59. Navy SEAL Shares Missions for Success - Monday, February 27, 2012

David Rutherford had an epiphany in the laundromat during his fourth year of college. He had turned down the wrong path in life, partying too hard and studying too little. He was going astray, so he made a drastic change.

60. Former Mazda Warehouse Sells for $13.5M - Friday, February 10, 2012

The former Mazda North America Inc. distribution center in DeSoto County has been acquired by Hillwood Investment Properties for $13.5 million.

61. Grinding it Out - Monday, February 06, 2012

After most recessions, real estate bounces back.

But the Great Recession has been notably different – long, deep and very prolonged.

That’s the message Dr. John Gnuschke, director of the Sparks Bureau of Business and Economic Research and co-director of the Center for Real Estate at the University of Memphis, delivered in December at the Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South.

62. Drexel Buys Presidents Is. Warehouse - Friday, January 27, 2012

A longtime Memphis-based agricultural chemical provider has snatched up a warehouse on Presidents Island, where it already has a strong presence.

Drexel Chemical Co. purchased the 137,526-square-foot former manufacturing and distribution facility on 12 acres at 2070 and 2071 Channel Ave. on Presidents Island from HPD Properties LLC for $810,000, or $5.89 per square foot.

63. Lofty Heights - Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Mid-South apartment market is riding high after a strong 2011.

Last year saw increasing occupancies and rents, as well as a shift from investors and lenders back to more stable properties, all of which followed a 2010 that was dominated by activity involving distressed product.

64. Trane Signs Lease on Tradeport Drive - Friday, January 06, 2012

Trane U.S. Inc. has finalized its 625,000-square-foot industrial lease in Southeast Memphis after the deal process initially began in January 2011.

65. Lamar Crossing Apts. Changes Owners Again - Monday, January 02, 2012

2881 Lamar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38114
Loan Amount: $3.5 million

Loan Date: Oct. 7, 2011
Maturity Date: n/a
Borrower: Lamar Apartments LP
Lender: Nessko TN LLC

66. That's a Wrap - Monday, January 02, 2012

If the grand sweep of 2011 could be captured on celluloid and presented to an audience on the big screen, all the components of a great film would be readily apparent.

There was drama, in the form of a deluge and historic flooding that led the Mississippi River to crest at nearly 48 feet early in the year. One of the year’s big surprises saw President Barack Obama give the commencement address for the Booker T. Washington High School class of 2011 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center.

67. CRE Activity Stays Strong During 2011 - Friday, December 30, 2011

Despite hard times, local commercial real estate firms were able to ink plenty of deals in the past 12 months.

Memphis’ industrial leasing activity kicked off in January when Buena Park, Calif.-based Pacific Logistics Corp. signed a 60,000-square-foot lease in ProLogis Park DeSoto for its first Memphis-area location.

68. Prolonged Recession - Monday, December 26, 2011

In the words of Phil Woodard, an owner of multiple residential and commercial properties in Downtown Memphis, breaking even is the new profit.

Or as national real estate expert Jonathan Miller said earlier this month at the Urban Land Institute’s Real Estate Outlook for the Mid-South, “We cannot expect to make money the way we did a few years ago.”

69. Harbor Town Apts. Sell For $31.5M - Friday, December 23, 2011

Dallas-based Behringer Harvard has acquired the Arbors Harbor Town Apartments – a 345-unit multifamily community in Harbor Town on Mud Island – for $31.5 million, or $91,304 per unit.

70. Colliers Signs Baker to First Site in Tenn. - Friday, December 09, 2011

Colliers International’s industrial team of Andy Cates, Preston Thomas and Mike Driscoll has inked 63 transactions this year. Here’s a rundown on a flurry of recent deals the trio has brokered.

71. ‘A Different Place’ - Friday, December 09, 2011

In Memphis’ small commercial real estate network, it’s not uncommon for brokers to be on opposite sides of the negotiating table one hour then clinking beers in celebration at Jim’s Place East the next.

72. CBRE's Truitt Awarded By Commercial Alliance - Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Realtors Commercial Alliance, the commercial division of the National Association of Realtors, has recognized Kelly Truitt of CB Richard Ellis Memphis, an affiliate of CB Richard Ellis Inc., as a recipient of the 2011 Realtors Commercial Alliance National Award.

73. Willow Lake Apartments Fetch $7.8M - Thursday, November 24, 2011

A North Hickory Hill apartment complex has traded hands for the second time in 18 months.

Bloomington, Minn.-based New Life Core Willow Lake LLC has bought Willow Lake Apartments at 2774 Mendenhall Road from NW-Willow Lake LLC for $7.8 million. The purchase was financed with a $7 million loan through KeyBank NA.

74. Nissan North America Renews Lease In SE Shelby - Friday, October 28, 2011

Nissan North America Inc. has renewed its 413,000-square-foot lease in Southeast Shelby County.

75. Defense Depot Property Sells for $1.1 Million - Tuesday, October 04, 2011

2085 W.E. Freeman Drive
Memphis, TN 38114
Sale Amount: $1.1 million

Sale Date: Sept. 14, 2011

Buyer: Varma Family LP

76. Networking Event Brings Women Biz Orgs Together - Wednesday, September 07, 2011

It’s a cliché phrase that rings true for nearly every professional industry: it’s all about who you know.

Tough economic times serve as a reminder that networking is a powerful force to combating slow sales. That’s the concept behind a Tuesday, Sept. 13, meeting celebrating women in business.

77. Murchison Combines Passion, Fun in Career at CBRE - Tuesday, September 06, 2011

The phrase “There’s no place like home” rings true for native Memphian Brad Murchison. As a major player in the CB Richard Ellis industrial leasing team, Murchison finds Memphis to be a perfect fit for his career choice.

78. Economy Has Little Effect on Fine Dining - Thursday, August 18, 2011

In the wake of 9/11, Estée Lauder Cos. chairman Leonard Lauder noticed his company was selling more lipstick than usual.

A 2008 New York Times article explained Lauder proposed lipstick purchases were a way to gauge the economy. When it’s shaky, he said in the article, women are more apt to boost their mood by buying inexpensive lipstick than pricey shoes.

79. Plans Move Ahead For Cordova Staples - Tuesday, August 09, 2011

1.7 acres in
Galleria of Memphis
Sale Amount: $850,000

Sale Date: July 26, 2011

Buyer: TN Cordova Germantown LLC

80. Back to School - Monday, August 08, 2011

Back-to-school shoppers will spend about the same dollar amount this year as last year, but they plan to wait until the 11th hour to do it.

Families with children in grades K-12 will spend this year an average of $603.63 on apparel, school supplies and electronics, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2011 Back-to-School survey. That’s within just a few dollars of last year’s $606.40 average.

81. Emerald Apts. Suit Settled, Properties Resold - Thursday, August 04, 2011

A $28 million lawsuit involving a trio of apartment complexes in Southeast Memphis settled on undisclosed terms last week, around the same time the original owner bought the properties back through three multimillion-dollar warranty deeds.

82. CRE Sales Increase 20 Percent In June - Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Local commercial real estate sales improved in all categories last month, strongly aided by two big-ticket multifamily sales.

Shelby County saw 53 CRE sales in June, a 20 percent increase from 44 sales in June 2010, and a 4 percent boost from 51 in May, according to the latest information from real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com.

83. Endpapers - Thursday, July 28, 2011

As the market for brick-and-mortar bookstores lessens, the space that once housed big-box retailers could very well be snatched up faster than a paperback at a liquidation sale.

It was 40 years ago that the first Borders opened its doors in Ann Arbor, Mich., as one of the originators of the big-box bookseller concept. But much to local bookworms’ dismay, Borders will now be known as yet another bookseller to be defeated by the ever-increasing eReader revolution.

84. LensRentals.com Moves Into Trinity Ridge - Friday, July 22, 2011

A local camera- and lens-rental company is expanding into a significant amount of space in the already tight Northeast submarket.

LensRentals.com has signed a 16,800-square-foot lease in Cordova’s Trinity Ridge Business Center, 7730 A Trinity Road, suite 110.

85. CrescoAg Inks Lease for New Downtown HQ - Friday, July 15, 2011

Downtown Memphis has landed another corporate headquarters. CrescoAg LLC, an independent information management company, has signed a new lease on 4,594 square feet at 88 Union Ave.

86. Trinity Place Sells For Third Time In Five Years - Friday, July 08, 2011

A Cordova retail center is under new ownership for the third time in five years. Atlanta-based Altus Real Estate Advisors LLC has purchased Trinity Place, 7990 Trinity Road, for $2.8 million.

87. Apartments Owner Files Suit to Combat Foreclosure - Monday, June 27, 2011

Three apartment complexes in Southeast Memphis that sold three months ago for $10 million are now mired in foreclosure and a $28 million lawsuit.

Bellevue, Wash.-based Emerald Apartment Group LLC financed the properties through Protective Life Insurance Co. in a trio of March 18 transactions: Emerald Square for $3.7 million, Emerald Pointe for $2.3 million and Emerald Park for $3 million. The sellers were three Georgia-based entities.

88. Orchards of Collierville Sells for $15.7M - Friday, June 24, 2011

The Orchards of Collierville – a 226-unit apartment community at 400 Orchard Circle W. – has sold for $15.7 million.

89. Orchards of Collierville Sells for $15.7M - Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Orchards of Collierville – a 226-unit apartment community at 400 Orchard Circle W. – has sold for $15.7 million.

90. Sharp Optimistic About Future of CRE - Friday, June 17, 2011

For more than 17 years, Mary Sharp has made a name for herself in the historically male-dominated industry of commercial real estate.

91. Hacks Cross Center Sells For $1 Million - Friday, June 17, 2011

A shopping center in the Southeast submarket has traded hands. AAK Ventures LLC acquired the 10,500-square-foot Players Crossing Retail Center, 3285 Hacks Cross Road, from BancorpSouth for $1 million.

92. Cable Service Provider Signs New Lease - Friday, June 03, 2011

A Madison, Tenn.-based cable service provider is taking advantage of lower rates in a competitive leasing environment.

FTS USA has signed a 4,002-square-foot lease in East Pointe Business Center, 3915 S. Mendenhall Road.

93. CREW Unites Women in Real Estate Deals - Wednesday, May 25, 2011

In a tough economic climate, it’s imperative for women in the commercial real estate industry to join forces and work to cross deals through the finish line.

That’s the message Carol Slone, a founding member of the Memphis chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women, stresses to members and those considering joining the professional networking group.

94. Ambulance Co. Signs New Lease, Ups Space - Friday, May 20, 2011

A Nashville-based health care company is expanding its Memphis presence. First Call Ambulance Services LLC has signed a three-year, 13,500-square-foot lease at 5155 Wilfong Road, more than doubling its existing space on Federal Avenue.

95. Ridgeway Trace’s Success Fills ‘Huge Void’ - Monday, May 16, 2011

A dramatic change to the retail landscape in East Memphis began in February of 2005 with one phone call.

Danny Buring, managing partner of The Shopping Center Group, made that call to the owner of the Ridgeway Trace Apartments, located on the southeast corner of Poplar Avenue and Interstate 240.

96. ‘The Rat’ at Rhodes Gets Makeover - Friday, May 13, 2011

Rhodes College has filed an $11 million permit with the city-county Office of Construction Code Enforcement to expand and renovate its main dining hall facility.

Known by students as “The Rat,” Catherine Burrow Refectory opened in 1958 and has three dining areas – Neely Hall, Hyde Hall and Rollow Hall. Smaller meeting rooms include the Alburty Room, the Davis Room and the Bell Room.

97. Memphis Pride Signs Lease At Trinity Ridge - Friday, May 06, 2011

An up-and-coming Mid-South cheer and tumbling company has signed a new lease to expand its business, a move that will benefit the facility’s students and parents alike.

Memphis Pride is relocating from a 5,000-square-foot space in Cordova Industrial Park to 16,080-square-foot lease at 7740 B Trinity Road, suite 126.

98. Davis-Kidd Owner Inks New Lease - Friday, April 29, 2011

One of Memphis’ most celebrated booksellers is here to stay. The new owner of Davis-Kidd Booksellers signed a 22,000-square-foot lease Tuesday at 387 Perkins Road Extended in Laurelwood Shopping Center for 10 years as first reported in The Daily News. The lease will begin Friday.

99. MBIN Signs New Lease At Bellbrook Park - Friday, April 22, 2011

A Memphis-based wholesaler of collectable items has signed a new industrial lease in the Southwest submarket.

MBIN Global Inc. has signed a new lease for 26,250 square feet at Bellbrook Industrial Park, 1004 Brooks Road.

100. Brand Strategy - Tuesday, April 05, 2011

It was two years ago at a Five Guys Burgers and Fries franchisee conference when license rights to Memphis were up for grabs.

Mark Moseley, director of franchising for the Lorton, Va.-based burger chain and friend of FedEx Corp. founder Fred Smith, approached Alabama franchisee Seth Hargett about putting together a package and asked him if he wanted Memphis.