DRE represents John Hancock in the sale of Buena Vista Shopping Center.

Deep South Does Deals

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA --  A Divaris-leased and managed 48,400-square-foot shopping center, located at 4686 Buena Vista Road in Columbus, Georgia was purchased by 4026 Buena Vista Commercial Real Estate Holding Trust.  The sale included 6.007 acres of land.  Phillip Shumny, managing broker of Divaris Real Estate, Inc.'s Atlanta office, represented the seller, John Hancock Real Estate Investment Group, in the negotiations. 

Shumny also handled the sale of five acres of industrial-zoned land located at 301 Cash Memorial Boulevard in the south Atlanta suburb of Forest Park.  The buyer, Cheung Kong Holding, Inc., a restaurant supplier of perishable foods, plans to use the site as its first warehouse location. 

Atlanta was also the site of a completed lease with Dolgen Corp., doing business as Dollar General, for 13,050 square feet of retail space in the Rockmor Plaza shopping center, located at 4871 Memorial Drive in Decatur.  Dollar General joins Aaron Rents in the shopping center.  Shumny represented the landlord, Eliot Properties, in the negotiations. 

Dollar General is a publicly traded retailer specializing in kitchen gadgets, paper products, and general merchandise, all for the price of a dollar.  The first store opened in 1955 in Kentucky, and now Dollar General has over 3,000 locations nationwide.

In Columbus, Georgia, Wood Harmony Columbus Associates, LLC, the landlord for Harmony Place Shops, was represented by Shumny in the negotiations for several leases.

The Sleep Center, Inc. signed a lease for 2,900 square feet of retail space in the Divaris-leased Harmony Place Shops, located at 2301 Airport Thruway in Columbus, Georgia.  The Sleep Center, Inc. specializes in bedding furniture.  This is a new franchise location for the company. The Sleep Center joins Mansours, Applebee's, Blockbuster Video, Olan Mills, Southern Wicker, and Stevi B's Pizza in the shopping center. 

Additionally, H&R Block Eastern Tax Services, Inc. leased 2,993 square feet of retail space in Harmony Place Shopping Center.  H&R Block Inc. provides a wide range of financial products and services. In 2001, H&R Block served 19.2 million taxpayers -- more than any tax or accounting firm -- through its more than 10,400 offices located in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. H&R Block served another 2.3 million tax clients through its award-winning TaxCut® software program and through its on-line tax preparation services. Investment services and securities products are offered through H&R Block Financial Advisors Inc., member NYSE, SIPC. 

Aerus, LLC, doing business as Electrolux also joined Harmony Place Shopping Center, with a lease for 1,520 square feet of retail space.   The store offers retail sales and repair of vacuum cleaners. 

Another Divaris-leased property gained a new tenant in Columbus.   A lease for 6,117 square feet of retail space in Fountain Park Shopping Center, located at 4261 Macon Road, was signed by Capt. Tom's Steak and Seafood Restaurant.  It joins T.J. Maxx, Winn-Dixie, Mazzios Pizza, Tuesday Morning, Sun Ray Cleaners and Cuts Etc. in the shopping center.   Shumny represented the landlord, Fountain Columbus Associates, LLC, in the negotiations. 

DRE-leased properties in Alabama have gained new tenants as well.  Big Lots, Inc. leased 24,030 square feet of retail space in Market Square Shopping Center. Shumny represented the landlord, Wood Auburn Associates, LLC in the lease for space in the center located at 1710 Opelika Road in Auburn, Alabama.  Big Lots offers the budget-conscious consumer a broad range of quality and name-brand closeout merchandise and furniture at exceptional values.  All Big Lots merchandise is priced 20 to 40 percent below most discount retailers and up to 70 percent below traditional retailers. 

Joining Big Lots, Laredo Mexican Restaurant now occupies 3,200 square feet of retail space in Market Square Shopping Center.  With this lease, the five-year-old Laredo Mexican Restaurant renews its sole location.   Other tenants in Market Square include Pier 1, Big Lots, Books A Million and Office Max.