New mall store fills anchor spot

~ Steve & Barry's specializes in university sportswear.

Clothing retailer Steve & Barry's opened its doors in Cape Girardeau Friday, occupying an anchor spot at Westfield West Park that has sat vacant since Shopko closed its doors in 2001.

Known for keeping all of its items under $10, the store carries clothing that features logos from local and state colleges and universities as well as a variety of top 25 colleges and universities, according to company spokesman Rick Gomes.

Manager Staci Class said the company holds prices down by mass producing its apparel and keeping large quantities in the store.

"But that doesn't mean it's not great quality merchandise," she said Friday.

The store looks vastly different than it did as either a Shopko or its other previous tenant, Venture. New hardwood floors have been put down, and several flat-screen televisions hang from the ceiling. Also, rock music, via satellite, plays throughout the store.

"Our core market is university students," she said. "So we want them to feel at home here."

Mall manager Paul Dobbins said he ran into several customers who have been impressed with the store so far. He believes it will be a good fit in the mall.

He said he couldn't comment as to why the spot sat empty so long, saying it was a "development issue."

But Tim Lowe, the executive vice president of development for Westfield, said it took so long because Westfield didn't control the lease. He said when Venture filed for bankruptcy, a land company called Kimco bought up some of the Venture properties, including the one at the mall.

Kimco Realty, which bought 23 of the Venture stores when they closed, owns and operates 273 shopping centers, two regional malls, 62 retail store leases and one distribution center in the United States.

Kimco actually negotiated the lease bringing in Shopko, Lowe said. When Shopko left, Kimco took control of the lease and the 80,000-square-foot spot sat vacant.

"At a certain point in time, it just seemed more appropriate for us to purchase the lease back from Kimco," Lowe said from his St. Louis office. "That's when we negotiated a deal to bring in Steve & Barry's."

Founded in 1985, Steve & Barry's is a growing national mall-based chain, doubling in size in both 2003 and 2004. The chain has 67 stores in 26 states, Gomes said, noting that it intends to open another 70 stores by the end of the year.

Customers visiting on opening day were impressed.

"I like it," said Mandy Grogan of Jackson. "I'd never even heard of the place, but it looks fantastic. I was excited to come."

Kay Gant of Benton walked in thinking it was a sporting goods store.

"It's huge," she said. "I think people are going to like it."

The official ribbon cutting will be at noon Wednesday.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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