Retail

After a turbulent start to 2014, the National Retail Federation announced today it expects sales in November and December (excluding autos, gas and restaurant sales) to increase a healthy 4.1 percent to $616.9 billion, higher than 2013’s actual 3.1 percent increase during that same time frame.

The restaurant at Turner Hall, a historic building at 1034 N. 4th St. in downtown Milwaukee located across the street from the BMO Harris Bradley Center, will not open for the upcoming winter sports season, BMO Harris Bradley Center president Steve Costello announced Tuesday.

Sears Holding Corp. will close its Product Rebuild Center at 5900 N. Port Washington Road in Glendale and lay off all 67 employees there.

The Greater Milwaukee Retail Symposium will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at ManpowerGroup global headquarters, 100 Manpower Place in Milwaukee.

Valentine Coffee Co. plans to purchase its existing building at 5918 W. Vliet Street in Milwaukee.

Hartland-based Batteries Plus LLC has acquired Jersey, Channel Islands-based LED Hut Ltd., a leading LED lighting product distributor.

Menomonee Falls-based Russ Darrow Group has acquired the former Amato Mazda dealership on Milwaukee’s northwest side and reopened today under the name Russ Darrow Mazda Milwaukee.

Floral design company La Tulipe, LLC, has opened the doors to its first retail location in downtown Port Washington.

Kathryn Bufano, the new president and chief executive officer of Bon-Ton Stores Inc., will be based in Milwaukee, the company said in its quarterly earnings call this morning.

Downtown Milwaukee's Schlitz Park is bringing back a Milwaukee institution, The Brown Bottle Pub, at 221 W. Galena St.