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Beall's has big plans for building
By MOLLY MOORHEAD ZEPHYRHILLS -- Beall's Inc. has big plans for the 100,000-square-foot building on U.S. 301 in Zephyrhills vacated this week by Wal-Mart. The retailer plans to open a department store in March based on a new prototype in which every department is expanded and has its own look. Jim Simpson, Beall's vice president of stores and real estate, said particular attention will be paid to shoes, gifts and housewares, and Outlooks -- the clothing departments for juniors and young men. Simpson called the design a "store within a store," meaning each department will have its own personality. For example, Outlooks will be decorated with young customers in mind, with pop music playing in the background. The design also will feature wider aisles, and the store will provide shopping carts. The opening of the new store, which will occupy 75,000 square feet, also means the closing of two smaller stores in Dade City and Zephyrhills. Dade City's store is 23,000 square feet, and Zephyrhills' store is 30,000, so Beall's actually will be adding square footage, Simpson said. Those stores probably will close within a day or two of the new store's opening, he said. Tractor Supply Co. will occupy the rest of the space, about 25,000 square feet. Both companies are leasing the space from Wal-Mart. Between now and March, Simpson said, the company will renovate the building. He said no one will be able to tell it's an old Wal-Mart. "When we're finished, there will be an entirely brand new interior and exterior to the building," he said.
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From today's Pasco Times Editorial Letters |
