Retail Report

Eatery chain files Chapter 11

Melville-based Sbarro Inc., which dishes out pizza and pasta at the Galleria Mall in downtown White Plains, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week and said it plans to reduce its debt by some $200 million.

The Italian quick-service concept restaurant has more than 1,000 eateries in 42 countries, with 472 company-owned units, 555 franchised units and 18 joint venture units, according to the bankruptcy filing.

New shops at Jefferson Valley Mall

A 7,400-square-foot Express retail store is scheduled to open at Simon Property Group”™s Jefferson Valley Mall at the end of April. Express sells trendy apparel for men and women, as well as accessories.

Contemporary European boutique Ciao Bella opened a 1,000-square-foot store at the Yorktown Heights shopping mall late last month. Shoppers receive complimentary espresso upon entering the store.

Retailer targets teens and tweens

Five Below, a teen-and-tween retail dream, has opened a 7,500-square-foot store at the Pelham Manor Shopping Center near Fairway Market.

The Pelham Manor store is Five Below”™s second store in Westchester and ninth in the state. The first Westchester store opened last year in the Cortlandt Town Center in Mohegan Lake.

Everything sold at Five Below ”“ from iPad accessories to room décor ”“ is priced between $1 and $5.

Another grocer for Greenburgh?

A supermarket has expressed interest in opening in the A&P space at the Crossroads Shopping Center on Route 119, a Greenburgh official said. A&P is scheduled to close that store this month, following the company”™s bankruptcy filing.

Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said he has been meeting with the landlord, who is “very receptive to the proposal to allow for more space” for a potential tenant that would seek to expand the 38,000-square-foot space to 55,000 square feet.

“It”™s our only realistic chance of getting a supermarket, which is important to the town,” Feiner said, adding he could not disclose the company eyeing the site.

In other news, Chase Bank has opened a 3,774-square-foot free-standing branch with a drive-through window at the same Crossroads Shopping Center on Route 119.

David Szabo of Goldschmidt & Associates represented Chase in the transaction and Donna Taylor of Heyman Properties represented the landlord, Crossroads Joint Venture.

Chase replaced the former Sizzler restaurant and required a rezoning of the land. The town was instrumental in expediting the overall approval process, the firm said.