BEACHWOOD, Ohio, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DDR Corp. (NYSE:
DDR) today announced the launch of FranchiseConnect, a new online
platform connecting shopping centers, franchise opportunities and
entrepreneurs.
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FranchiseConnect is DDR's latest program designed to provide
business opportunities to aspirational entrepreneurs. DDR recently
launched Set Up Shop, a program offering flexible terms at specific
locations for entrepreneurs and expanding small businesses.
DDR developed FranchiseConnect in partnership with its franchise
retailers to provide entrepreneurs with web-based tools to research
local and site-specific franchise opportunities across the
company's national portfolio of market-dominant prime shopping
centers. FranchiseConnect will assist aspiring business owners by
facilitating a connection to local franchise opportunities with
some of the world's leading retailers.
"Franchisees are excellent tenants as they have a personal
investment in their business and at the same time they are backed
by a national brand, an existing customer base and a proven
business model. We have many successful franchise establishments
currently in our portfolio and look forward to expanding that
category further," said Paul Freddo,
senior executive vice president of leasing and development.
DDR uses geographic information technology and business
intelligence systems to identify the best locations for each of its
franchise partners. When analyzing the company's shopping center
portfolio, DDR considers the franchisor's ideal requirements such
as distance from the nearest location, trade area demographics,
shopping center venue, tenant mix, competition, space size and
location within the shopping center.
DDR currently has over 1,200 open and operating franchise
establishments within its portfolio with reputable brands like
Dunkin' Donuts, Great Clips, GNC, Subway, Domino's Pizza, Panera
Bread, Massage Envy Spa, Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and The UPS Store,
many of which have franchise opportunities listed on
FranchiseConnect.
For more information about FranchiseConnect, visit it on the web
at www.FranchiseConnect.com.
About DDR
DDR is an owner and manager of 538 value-oriented shopping
centers representing 134 million square feet in 41 states,
Puerto Rico and Brazil. The company's assets
are concentrated in high barrier-to-entry markets with stable
populations and high growth potential and its portfolio is actively
managed to create long-term shareholder value. DDR is a
self-administered and self-managed REIT operating as a fully
integrated real estate company, and is publicly traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DDR. Additional
information about the company is available at www.ddr.com.
Safe Harbor
DDR considers portions of the information in this press
release to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, both as amended, with respect to
the Company's expectation for future periods. Although the Company
believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking
statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no
assurance that its expectations will be achieved. For this purpose,
any statements contained herein that are not historical fact may be
deemed to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of
important factors that could cause our results to differ materially
from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including,
among other factors, local conditions such as oversupply of space
or a reduction in demand for real estate in the area; competition
from other available space; dependence on rental income from real
property; the loss of, significant downsizing of or bankruptcy of a
major tenant; constructing properties or expansions that produce a
desired yield on investment; our ability to sell assets on
commercially reasonable terms; our ability to secure equity or debt
financing on commercially acceptable terms or at all; our ability
to enter into definitive agreements with regard to our financing
and joint venture arrangements or our failure to satisfy conditions
to the completion of these arrangements; our ability to continue to
pay dividends on our common shares at the current or higher rates;
and the finalization of the financial statements for the
three-month period and year ended December
31, 2011. For additional factors that could cause the
results of the Company to differ materially from those indicated in
the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Company's Form
10-K for the year ended December 31,
2010. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly
revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or
circumstances that arise after the date hereof.
SOURCE DDR Corp.