Retail roundup
The year’s biggest shopping season is bearing down on us, but news in the retail world is mixed as of late. While some stores are announcing new ventures, others are scaling back or caught in the red tape that sometimes comes with development.
Discount stores in particular are finding it’s a fine time to expand, both in northern and southern parts of the state. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England recently signed a lease for the former Circuit City building in South Portland, with plans to turn the 27,620-square-foot space into its flagship retail location. Randy Finamore, Goodwill’s senior vice president of retail, told Mainebiz it will be the organization’s largest of its 26 retail spots in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Once renovations are completed, the store will open in the spring with as many as 50 employees. Goodwill’s announcement came only a week after Hermon officials said discount retailer Family Dollar, as well as Hermon True Value Hardware, would open there next spring, adding 50 jobs to the area, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Meanwhile, Maine-based discount retailer Marden’s is pushing back its timetable to open its largest store in Scarborough from this winter to the first quarter of 2010, according to the Portland Press Herald. Marden’s is still negotiating to buy a former Wal-Mart location, but the sale was delayed after Marden’s learned of town requirements for improvements to the property, including a new turning lane, that would have added up to $800,000 to its costs. Ham Marden, the company’s president, also cited problems reaching an agreement on the sale with Arkansas-based Wal-Mart, but wouldn’t disclose details.
At the same time, another Maine-based retailer is shrinking its footprint in southern Maine. L.L.Bean recently said it will close its outlet store in Portland in order to concentrate more on its outlet store in nearby Freeport, according to the Portland Press Herald. The store, which opened in 1996, will close next September, and L.L.Bean hopes to transfer its 14 employees to other positions within the company.
Mindy Favreau
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