Post by Woody Williams on Mar 7, 2007 18:38:02 GMT -5
Gander Mountain coming to Evansville
Regency woos outdoors gear chain
By CAROL WERSICH
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7452 or wersichc@courierpress.com
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
After nearly five years of wooing Gander Mountain, a major outdoor gear and sporting goods retailer, Evansville-based Regency Properties is succeeding in bringing one of the stores to the city.
Jim Wittman, Regency director of development, revealed plans Tuesday for Gander Mountain to locate in Village Commons Shopping Center, off the East Lloyd Expressway at Fielding Court.
Currently shadow-anchored by Value City Furniture and Hobby Lobby, the commons is owned by Regency.
Wittman said a sizable portion of the existing commons will be razed soon to make room for construction of the proposed 61,703-square-foot Gander Mountain store.
The store, costing around $4.8 million, is scheduled to open in October, he said.
"We'd been talking with Gander for about five years and were in serious negotiations with the company for over a year," Wittman said.
The store is expected to draw customers from surrounding areas, he said.
Gander has Indiana locations in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Greenwood, Merrillville and Terre Haute.
Tim Martin, vice president of public relations for the St. Paul, Minn.-based Gander Mountain, said the company likes to locate in communities where the outdoors is important.
"We like to go to markets, such as Evansville, where we can find store associates who know a lot about living in the outdoors," he said.
Martin expects the Evansville store to employ 60 to 80 associates.
According to Martin, Gander Mountain has the largest network of stores among outdoor gear chains in the nation - with a total of 105 in 22 states.
Its 2006 annual report isn't complete yet. But, Martin said, in 2005 the chain's sales totaled $800.4 million.
Gander Mountain offers products and services only, not entertainment, he said. It carries a wide variety of name brands as well as brands of its own apparel and sports and outdoor equipment.
Around 33,000 square feet of currently vacant space in the old Buehler's Buy-Low Store will be mostly razed.
Space currently occupied by Affordable Insurance, next door to the old Buehler's space, and space formerly occupied by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will also be razed, as will space currently occupied by Acceptance Insurance.
Wittman said Acceptance Insurance will relocate in the Village Commons.
Affordable Insurance is relocating to Melmar Plaza at 6240 E. Virginia St., where the license bureau relocated.
The Indiana Downs off-track betting parlor and the UPS Store won't be razed.
Industrial Contractors is starting work on the project this week.
The completed Gander Mountain building will protrude into the parking lot by 16 feet for a grand showing.
A planned canopy will extend out an additional 12 feet, according to Wittman.
The addition is planned as the first phase of future upgrades to the Village Commons.
"In all shopping centers' lives there comes a time when you need to find a new direction," Wittman said, citing Gander Mountain as the turning point.
The commons was first developed in 1988, spearheaded by James McKinney, current chief executive officer and president of Regency.
It initially included a Wal-Mart store. The store was later closed when the East Side Wal-Mart Supercenter opened at East Lloyd and Burkhardt Road.
Regency woos outdoors gear chain
By CAROL WERSICH
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7452 or wersichc@courierpress.com
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
After nearly five years of wooing Gander Mountain, a major outdoor gear and sporting goods retailer, Evansville-based Regency Properties is succeeding in bringing one of the stores to the city.
Jim Wittman, Regency director of development, revealed plans Tuesday for Gander Mountain to locate in Village Commons Shopping Center, off the East Lloyd Expressway at Fielding Court.
Currently shadow-anchored by Value City Furniture and Hobby Lobby, the commons is owned by Regency.
Wittman said a sizable portion of the existing commons will be razed soon to make room for construction of the proposed 61,703-square-foot Gander Mountain store.
The store, costing around $4.8 million, is scheduled to open in October, he said.
"We'd been talking with Gander for about five years and were in serious negotiations with the company for over a year," Wittman said.
The store is expected to draw customers from surrounding areas, he said.
Gander has Indiana locations in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Greenwood, Merrillville and Terre Haute.
Tim Martin, vice president of public relations for the St. Paul, Minn.-based Gander Mountain, said the company likes to locate in communities where the outdoors is important.
"We like to go to markets, such as Evansville, where we can find store associates who know a lot about living in the outdoors," he said.
Martin expects the Evansville store to employ 60 to 80 associates.
According to Martin, Gander Mountain has the largest network of stores among outdoor gear chains in the nation - with a total of 105 in 22 states.
Its 2006 annual report isn't complete yet. But, Martin said, in 2005 the chain's sales totaled $800.4 million.
Gander Mountain offers products and services only, not entertainment, he said. It carries a wide variety of name brands as well as brands of its own apparel and sports and outdoor equipment.
Around 33,000 square feet of currently vacant space in the old Buehler's Buy-Low Store will be mostly razed.
Space currently occupied by Affordable Insurance, next door to the old Buehler's space, and space formerly occupied by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will also be razed, as will space currently occupied by Acceptance Insurance.
Wittman said Acceptance Insurance will relocate in the Village Commons.
Affordable Insurance is relocating to Melmar Plaza at 6240 E. Virginia St., where the license bureau relocated.
The Indiana Downs off-track betting parlor and the UPS Store won't be razed.
Industrial Contractors is starting work on the project this week.
The completed Gander Mountain building will protrude into the parking lot by 16 feet for a grand showing.
A planned canopy will extend out an additional 12 feet, according to Wittman.
The addition is planned as the first phase of future upgrades to the Village Commons.
"In all shopping centers' lives there comes a time when you need to find a new direction," Wittman said, citing Gander Mountain as the turning point.
The commons was first developed in 1988, spearheaded by James McKinney, current chief executive officer and president of Regency.
It initially included a Wal-Mart store. The store was later closed when the East Side Wal-Mart Supercenter opened at East Lloyd and Burkhardt Road.
;D
