Last night, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel retail reporter Doris Hajewski saved additional good news for Southridge for today's paper. In addition to Macy's opening in the Younkers space and the renovations throughout the mall and food court, Simon Malls is working to bring in up to 3 new restaurants, situated at mall entrances, and will have a focus at luring in upscale Womens and Home Decor stores to a revamped Macy's wing. Simon will be doing this at this year's International Council of Shopping Centers convention, currently underway in Las Vegas.
Some Womens retailers that could be attacted to a revamped Macy's wing include Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, Chico's & Coldwater Creek. H&M is already opening a 17,000 sq ft store at Southridge in that wing later this year. As for Home Decor, the only stores I could imagine being lured to the mall would be Potterybarn or Restoration Hardware. The family would be more hopeful on Potterybarn for an obvious reason like having a Potterybarn credit card. I suppose while Womens and Home Decor are the main drive, I also wouldn't be shocked to see additional Teen retailers locate at the mall sooner or later. Simon remarked that they want Southridge 100% full, and I'm assuming that's without any temporary tenants.
In addition, Greendale Village President John Hermes, in an act of being pro-development, told the Journal Sentinel that up to $2.5 million from Greendale's Southridge TIF District would be provided to each department store anchor at Southridge to do whatever they want with. To digress a bit, between Oak Creek and Greendale luring and promoting retail development in an effective manner, we in Franklin are simply getting our buns handed to us. How unfortunate. But anyways...I cannot forsee any interior remodeling at any of the other anchor stores, since JCPenney and Kohl's recently underwent such renovations, and Sears and Boston Store don't seem to have any issues with their interiors. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see some enhancements to their exterior facades, which could be deemed as outdated in comparison to the "new" look of Macy's.
Lastly, Hajewski noted that Boston Store corporate parent Bon-Ton did stand in the way, somewhat, of Macy's entering Southridge. However, Simon's persuasion and funds from the Greendale TIF District were used to calm Bon-Ton's concerns. Simon didn't tell Hajewski just how much it took to essentially "pay-off" Bon-Ton and allow Boston Store to remove its veto hold over Macy's entering the mall.
