Ross department store to open in former Borders site

Pleasanton, Calif.-based Ross Stores Inc. is planning a summer launch of its second Ross Dress for Less department store in Missouri at 3300 S. Glenstone Ave. in Primrose Marketplace.

The 25,000-square-foot site housed a Borders bookstore before Borders Group Inc. filed Ch. 11 bankruptcy reorganization in February 2011, leading the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company to close its Springfield store, among others.

"The Springfield location gives us the opportunity to be part of a very strong shopping center in Springfield," said Ross Stores spokeswoman Bobbi Chaville. "When we locate our stores, we look for sites that give us a good population density."

She said the Springfield location of Ross Dress for Less likely would open in July. The site is currently being renovated, but Chaville declined to disclose costs, the general contractor or the architect. However, a Springfield city building permit lists Manasquan, N.J.-based Jayeff Construction Corp. as the contractor and Brian Bowles as designer.

According to the Greene County assessor's site, Primrose Marketplace is owned by Kimco Glenstone Ave. 789 Inc. Michael Slusky of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Kimco Realty Corp. is listed as the property owner on city building permits, but he could not be reached for comment by deadline.

Chaville said the store, which offers discount apparel, footwear and home décor, would employ roughly 50 part- and full-time workers.

She said Ross Stores opened a Chesterfield store in March and is planning to open five other Missouri locations in Joplin, Osage Beach, Blue Springs, Ballwin and Independence. The department chain in March also opened another store in the St. Louis market at Fairview Heights, Ill.

As of April 5, publicly traded Ross Stores Inc. (Nasdaq: ROST) operated 1,051 Ross Dress for Less stores in 30 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam, according to its Web site. The company reported fiscal 2011 net earnings of $657.2 million, up from $554.8 million in the prior year.

The company's shares were trading at $58.66 as of 9:32 a.m., compared to a 52-week range of $33.50 to $60.02.

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