RETAILING

Woodward Plans Sale: Woodward & Lothrop Inc., the retailer that has been operating under protection of federal bankruptcy laws, has agreed to sell some of its stores, including the John Wanamaker department store chain. The Philadelphia-based firm said it has agreed to sell its 14-store Wanamaker chain to a partnership that includes the retailers Federated Department Stores, Strawbridge & Clothier and Boscov’s Department Stores Inc., as well as Philadelphia real estate developer Rubin Organization Inc. A Woodward & Lothrop spokesman said the Wanamaker sale would generate about $640 million. Federated announced separately that it has reached an agreement to buy at least 11 Woodward & Lothrop stores in the Washington-Baltimore area for an undisclosed amount.