Changes are afoot at Edgewood Mall.
One occurred just a few months ago, when The Children’s Place opened in the space formerly occupied by by The Sound Shop, which closed earlier this year.
The other alteration begins today, as The Shoe Dept. will more than double in size from its current occupancy of 4,511 square feet to 9,258. The project will reach completion in late February or early March.
“We’ve been a part of the McComb, Miss., community since July 1999 and have had a successful partnership with Edgewood Mall,” said Vicky Ayers, the director of visual merchandising and marketing for Shoe Show, the parent company of The Shoe Dept. “By more than doubling our current capacity, we will be able to expand our brand and style selection to better serve our customers.”
Craig Haskins of Commercial Developers Inc., which owns and operates the mall, said the expansion is good news to a community needing positive business developments.
“There is still good, positive expansion going on,” he said. “But retailers are having to lease and fill existing vacancies, because very few, if any, new retail properties are being constructed at this time.”
The Shoe Dept.’s expansion, which started construction today, will include a men’s area with lounge chair seating and a television that will feature CNN and ESPN.
The expansion also includes a revamping of the store’s fixtures and shopping experience, in addition to a special clearance room that will allow customers to get deals on current in-season, limited-quantity products.
“We’re always pleased to lease space here at Edgewood to quality merchants,” Haskins said. “It’s always pleasant to have existing merchants doing well and desiring to expand. It’s encouraging.
“I’m encouraged, looking forward that the overall economy and business and retail environment is going to improve steadily going into 2011.”
Haskins added that, with the store doubling its offerings, the expansion will likely add new jobs.
The Children’s Place has been open for a few months. The store carries a wide variety of children’s clothing under its private label.
Haskins said the store offers moderately priced small boys’ and small girls’ casual apparell, in addition to some shoes and accessories for children between the ages of 2 and 12.
Store management referred questions to its corporate headquarters, which did not return a phone call seeking comment.
“Business has been very good. They’re very pleased,” Haskins said of the mall’s newest venture. “It’s really a pretty smart business to be in. A few months after you buy a pair of pants for a small kid, he outgrows them. You’ve got to go buy some more.”
