Monday, August 17, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section C · Page 5
Shoppers await new department stores
Chain retailers prepare to open on Iowa street
By Michael Martin
Kansan staff writer
Several national chain stores are increasing their presence along Iowa street, providing shoppers
with more options — and downtown retailers with more competition.
Kohl's
Kohl's, which offers a combination of apparel brands such as Levi's and Adidas as well as home merchandise, will open an 81,000-square-foot store at 33rd and Iowa streets, adjacent to Wal-Mart. The store is scheduled to open in the second week of October and will employ about 200, said Reaumur Donnally, vice president and dis-
Remodeling at Kmart continues during the summer. The store remains open to the public during the construction. Photo by Roger Nomer/KANSAN
trictmanager.
Kmart
Kmart, 3106 Iowa St., will add 30,000 square feet to its current 70,000-square-foot location. The store will become a Big K in which grocery, milk and frozen food are offered alongside traditional Kmart merchandise, said Rodney Keesee, assistant manager. The store also is adding an auto-repair center. The interior renovations and exterior expansion are scheduled to be completed before Thanksgiving. Keesee said that dozens of new jobs would be created by the expansion.
The new J.C. Penney store is being built on 33rd and Iowa and Hobby Lobby will occupy the old department store on 23rd street. J.C. Penney opening is scheduled on November 11. See Lizz Weber / KANSAN
Sears
Sears will open its full-service Lawrence location at 29th and Iowa streets in mid-to-late October. The 83,000-square-foot store will carry traditional Sears merchandise such as apparel, appliances, electronics, hardware and fragrances, said Jim Mohs, general manager. The store will hire about 150 part-time, full-time and management personnel.
"Whenever a new store opens up in a new territory, everyone is concerned. We'll have to pay close attention."
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney will move from its current location at 1801 W. 23rd St. to an 8,000-square-foot store at 33rd and Iowa streets, next to Super Target. The store, which is scheduled for grand opening on Nov. 11, will almost double J.C. Penney's current square footage. Cosmetics, a maternity department, several new clothing lines and several new jobs will be added,
said Megan
M c G i l l n n ,
women's mer-
chandiser.
Joe Flannery President of Weavers, Inc.
Toebben said that Downtown consistently had retained an 18 percent market share despite several years of new retail construction.
Gary Toebben, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said that Chamber surveys indicated that Lawrence residents wanted
"It's my hope that downtown will continue to expand." Beben said.
There has been speculation that the rash of new construction along Iowa could draw business away from the downtown Lawrence, Keesee said.
A representative for Downtown Lawrence Inc., a nonprofit coalition of downtown merchants, could not be reached for comment. Joe Flannery, president of Weavers Inc. department
store, 901 Massachusetts St., said that he and other downtown merchants were aware of the increased competition.
"Whenever a new store opens up in a trade territory, everyone is concerned," he said. "We'll have to pay close attention."
Lawrence will soon have a full-service Sears department store. Sears is located at 29th and Iowa covering 83,000-square-feet. By Lizz Bower / KANSAN
more department-store shopping. Retailers were drawn by this public demand, as well as the appeal of a relatively open market.
Iowa street has been a hotbed of retail development because it is the only area with sufficient business-zoned land. Toeben said.
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