Maureen Wallenfang
Appleton Post-Crescent
Published 2:32 p.m. UTC Jul 10, 2018
Reader question: I am intrigued by the Younkers situation. What other department stores with multiple locations in and around Chicago and the Twin Cities could possibly expand into Wisconsin? H&M is a growing and popular brick and mortar department store in the east. Belk is a regional department store chain in the south. What new store to the Fox Cities, besides Trader Joe’s, would you like to see take over the Younkers spot?
Answer: This reader’s question is a good one.
Younkers left the Fox River Mall at the end of April, and the space is now up for lease.
Belk and H&M are solid choices. Belk is in the process of remodeling and moving into a former Bon-Ton department store in Maryland. H&M is a popular fast-fashion clothing store.
Perhaps department stores like Nordstrom or Von Maur would also do well.
Malls around the country are faced with massive vacant anchor spaces as stores like Sears, Kmart and JCPenney thin their numbers. All of the Bon-Ton Stores Inc. department stores are either closed or are in the process of closing following the company’s bankruptcy. They include Younkers, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman and Herberger’s.
In other cities, vacant department and specialty stores have been reused as office space, amusement or fitness centers, brewery restaurants and even apartments.
What do you think should fill the old Younkers?
Send in your suggestions by the end of the day Friday and I’ll compile a list of the most popular and interesting reader ideas in a column next week. Make a pitch for your favorite. My email is [email protected].
In the Fox River Mall, the former Younkers is the only vacant anchor store. Bon-Ton, its owner, relinquished the space and now it’s available for lease.
It’s 114,000 square feet, about twice the size of an average grocery store.
The Younkers building is owned by the Bloch Family 2005 Partnership, a third-party owner separate from Bon-Ton and the Fox River Mall.
“We’re just as eager as the community to get it leased out,” said Andy Goldberg, who represents the partnership. “We’re not limited to a big department store. It’s anybody who needs the space and likes the location.”
Locally, Elizabeth Ringgold of NAI Pfefferle is handling leasing inquiries.
“We’ve had some interesting calls on it, from all types of users in retail and non-retail. No residential at this point,” she said.
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