Prospective Kohl's location excites city officials
The department store may open one of its first Florida locations next year in the former ParkSide mall site.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published October 17, 2004
PINELLAS PARK - Here's a bit of hopeful news for folks suffering the pangs of department store withdrawal since Dillard's at ParkSide mall closed early this year: Kohl's might be coming to the revamped mall.
But hopes should not be too high. Officials from mall owner Boulder Venture South LLC declined comment. Spokesmen for the retailer did not return a phone message asking for comment.
Still, the prospect brought cheers from Pinellas Park City Council members at Tuesday's meeting of the Community Redevelopment Agency. The CRA, which is composed of the council members, oversees the city's redevelopment area. The former ParkSide is on the eastern edge of the district.
"I received a call yesterday from Avid Engineering. They're going to be coming in (for an) amendment for the mall to provide a space for an 88,000-square-foot Kohl's department store," the city's zoning director, Dean Neal, announced at the end of the meeting.
Council members Sandra Bradbury and Patricia Bailey-Snook yelped, "Whooo hooo!" and clapped.
The company's Web site, www.kohls.com calls itself a "family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced national brand apparel, shoes, accessories and home products."
"Well, we've been seeing the TV ads, but we didn't know where they were except in Connecticut," Bailey-Snook said.
Mayor Bill Mischler said, "A lot of people have been looking for Kohl's."
The Menomonee Falls, Wis., retailer is familiar to folks from the midwest. It currently has no Florida locations, but announced earlier this year that it plans to expand into the state within the next couple of years. Recently rumors surfaced that Kohl's was eyeing locations in south Lake County and the Tampa Bay area.
Over the past decade, the chain has undergone great expansion. In April, it had 589 stores in 38 states. New stores in Salt Lake City and San Francisco are scheduled to open this fall.
The company plans to open an additional 95 stores next year.
Sales for last year passed the $10-billion mark, a 12.7-percent increase over the previous year, according to the Web site. Earnings for 2004 are expected to increase 25-30 percent over last year.
If Kohl's does come to the mall, 7200 U.S. 19 N, it will take its place in an eclectic mixture of stores and restaurants.
One of those, it is rumored, is Target, the discount retailer. But, Mischler said Tuesday he understood no contract has been signed. If it comes, Target will be the anchor for the center.
Among those definitely locating at the Shoppes at Park Place, as the new center will be called, are American Signature Furniture and restaurants Panda Express, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, What A Burger, Pollo Tropical, Quizno's and Cold Stone Creamery.
The Applebee's will remain. It is staying open during reconstruction.
The 16-screen cineplex has temporarily closed while the mall building is taken down around it. John Sabow, director of development for Boulder Venture, said construction is on track despite the recent rains and hurricanes. That means the theaters should re-open in January, as planned.
"It may not look like it, but we're progressing very very well," Sabow said.
The buildings are about 90 percent gutted, he said. When that's complete, the roof will be taken off. Then the walls will come down. That should start happening within the next 14 days, Sabow said. The center is expected to be completed late next year.
