The last of Winnipeg’s empty Zellers stores has finally been dealt with.
Well, almost.
Peavey Mart – a Canadian-owned urban-farm market, hardware and general store that is scheduled to open next spring – has taken nearly half of the 72,000-square-foot location in the Fort Richmond Plaza in south Winnipeg.
John Pearson, a commercial broker/developer and retail specialist with Shindico Realty Inc., said the mall had been in a “difficult state” for several years as its two anchors were Zellers and an outdated Safeway store. The mall is on the rebound as a new Sobeys Extra has since replaced the Safeway, and Scotiabank is also slated to move in.
Pearson said he’s in discussions with a couple of other retailers about taking over the remaining Zellers space and hopes to have it filled within 12 to 18 months.
Minneapolis-based Target briefly operated stores in four former Zellers locations in Winnipeg. The biggest white elephant of all, Target’s 170,000-square-foot store, located across the street from CF Polo Park, is still empty.
