By George Anderson
"No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai
Traditional department store operators such as Sears and J.C. Penney are looking to build sales outside of malls and, increasingly, retailers who have made their business outside of malls are moving into them.
The most recent example is the announcement that Whole Foods plans to open a 77,000 square-foot store in the Bergen Mall in Paramus, New Jersey. When construction on the store is completed, it will be the largest Whole Foods unit operating in the state.
Whole Foods joins Target as the second non-traditional mall retailer planning to take up residence in the facility located on Route 4 in affluent Bergen County.
According to a report in the Bergen Record, Vornado Realty Trust, which purchased the mall in 2003, will rename it Bergen Town Center and expand it by 200,000 square feet. The $102 million plans call for a 1,570-car, five-level parking garage and nine stand-alone buildings.
Moderator's Comment: How does the performance of mall-based stores for retailers not normally associated with malls compare to stand-alone locations? - George Anderson - Moderator