Battlefield Mall announces three new tenants

Battlefield Mall officials are turning a large vacant space into storefronts for four new tenants this winter. Simon Property Group, owner of the mall, announced three of the tenants in an Oct. 8 news conference.

National apparel retailers Ann Taylor Loft, Jos. A. Bank and Chicos will occupy the former Piccadilly Cafeteria space at the malls east entrance.

Each store will have separate store-front entrances, similar to the Ethan Allen store also located on the east end. Chicos, which plans to open by mid-November, will have an interior entrance. Ann Taylor Loft and Jos. A. Bank, which plan to open by spring, will not have interior entrances.

A fourth tenant was not announced, but renderings show the space occupied by a caf with outdoor seating.

The new apparel retailers are expected to increase professional attire options at Battlefield Mall. Jos. A. Bank is a mens clothier offering business-tailored and business-casual attire. Ann Taylor Loft and Chicos target the professional woman with specialty clothing and accessories.

Its going to give the professional, business-oriented person, male and female, a choice for their career apparel, said Christine Moses, Battlefield Mall marketing director.

Varsity Contractors Inc. is refitting the space to meet the needs of the four tenants. Construction work began last month, and includes a redesign to the mall entrance next to Ruby Tuesday Restaurant and improved landscaping and decorative lighting in the east parking lot.

The customers going to see a little bit different feel now, said Jeff Meyer, Simon Property Group development director, in town for the press conference. Meyer works at Simons headquarters in Indianapolis.

He said greenspace and a pedestrian-friendly walkway between the parking lot and the new stores also will be added.

Mall officials say mixing the outdoor storefronts at a traditional mall is a new industry trend.

We think this is going to be cutting edge retail for our industry, Meyer said. We wanted to start right here in Springfield.

Meyer calls the new stores lifestyle-type tenants that typically dont operate in malls. We have the opportunity to have a traditional mall and the lifestyle component all in one, he added. Thats what were excited about announcing today.

The entire project is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2004. Meyer would not disclose the specific amount invested, but said infrastructure and capital improvements will be in the millions of dollars.

Battlefield Mall is worthy of such investment, he said, due to its large regional draw.

Our company is pretty impressed with the Springfield area and southwest Missouri because this center brings almost 12 million visitors a year into this mall. That is a very significant number, placing the mall in the top 20 of Simons nearly 250 properties, he said.