More changes happening at the mall

Earlier this month I mentioned in my column that the West Park Mall recruited a new manager, John Dickey.

The mall manager with 24 year's experience already is trying to improve the shopping center. He called it playing a game of chess.

"Filling vacancies goes hand-in-hand with regular retail activity," Dickey said. "We really have to react quickly to keep retailers and customers happy."

Kay Jewelers moved to center court and reopened last week. Dickey said when a store relocates that typically means it will be a little larger, thus having more of a selection, as is the case with Kay Jewelers.

Christopher & Banks also is being redesigned in a new location and should be open for business in May.

Claire's Boutique will start a remodel soon.

One new store that opened a couple of weeks ago is Teddy Bear Connection. The store's owners, Nick and Linda Morrison, have yet to announce its grand opening. The marketing director of the William Street mall, Lindsey Church, said she thinks it will be a great addition to the wing of the mall that is geared toward children. Children can come in and make a stuffed animal, and the store also holds birthday parties.

Dickey said West Park Mall doesn't have every choice a bigger metro area has at this time, but the shopping center has been generating interest from national retailers.

"This is such a pretty part of the country," he said. "It isn't the most well-known part of the county, which makes for the good quality of life here. At the end of day, when you compare this mall to others, our numbers are surprisingly good and traffic is still up."

Dickey said there may be new store announcements in the near future.

• The new Pendleton Woolen Mills is set to have its grand opening May 11 at 201 S. Mount Auburn Road.

About 20 years ago Peggy Tinsley worked in a clothing store at West Park Mall. The store carried the Pendleton products.

When the clothing manufacturer got into retail, Tinsley, who had dealt with the brand since 1981, was asked to open a Pendleton apparel store at 2117 William St.

Tinsley said the store always had been in cities bigger than Cape Girardeau, but the owners were ready to take a chance at the time.

"Some people still don't know we're here," said Tinsley, adding that the store does generate a lot of business from out of the area. She said the new store in the Park West Centre will be more visible.

Pendleton has a full line of menswear, womenswear and wool blankets, and will be the newest addition to Midamerica Hotels Corporation.

Bob Hahn, the vice president of development for Midamerica Hotels Corp., said he has another tenant coming soon to the shopping strip that he's not ready to announce yet, and there is still one retail space available.

• Bill and Kevin Stanfield, owners of My Daddy's Cheesecake along with other commercial properties in Cape Girardeau, said they will be opening a bigger Winks on the corner of Lexington Avenue and Perryville Road in July. It will replace the old corner store and have three gas pumps instead of one, so 18-wheelers will no longer take up all the space.
• Ted McClellan, owner of Cape Restaurant Supply on Morgan Oak Street, recently bought Lohmann Supply Company on Broadway from owner Dan Lohmann. Reconstruction of the original site of McClellan's supply company on Frederick Street has begun. The building was destroyed in a fire three years ago, and McClellan has been leasing space since. He is having the burned down building remodeled and expects work to be finished within the next three months. When complete, he will combine both of his store locations on the original property.

Tim Krakowiak is the business editor at the Southeast Missourian. Contact him at 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699, tkrakowiak@semissourian.com or (573) 335-6611, extension 137