By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
It appears the steady anchor at the Woodland Mall will soon be closing.
Bon-Ton is planning to close all its Elder-Beerman stores within the next 10 to 12 weeks. That will leave Bowling Green without a department store, and many employees without jobs.
The manager of the Woodland Mall Elder-Beerman said this morning that the store employs between 40 and 50 workers.
The news comes as a blow to Woodland Mall, with Elder-Beerman being an anchor at the Bowling Green mall since it opened in the mid-1980s.
“This is kind of a shock for everyone,” mall manger Michelle Beaverson said.
But the mall is a survivor, and Beaverson isn’t giving up on the anchor store yet.
“It’s not over till it’s over,” Beaverson said this morning. There are several bidders in place, that still might save the store, she added. “I hope someone buys them up.”
The Elder-Beerman has been a solid draw at the struggling mall.
“Their annual sales have been amazing,” Beaverson said.
Eric Frankel, of the managing company for Woodland Mall, said this morning that his company is weighing the news.
“It’s definitely something we’re concerned about. It’s definitely something we are reviewing,” Frankel said.
But he also isn’t ready to give up on the store.
“It’s still too early to say what’s going to happen with the brand,” Frankel said, noting the possible resurrection of the Toys R Us stores.
“A lot of things are up in the air,” he said. “Nothing’s final. It’s not over till the fat lady sings.”
But Bowling Green Community Development Director Sue Clark sees it a little differently – like the fat lady is already singing liquidation.
The loss of Elder-Beerman will be a hit to local residents, Clark said.
“We don’t have many places that sell professional women’s clothes,” she said. “The demographics of this community match that store. I see it as a loss.”
Clark also sees it as tough news for the mall.
“I think it’s really very bad for the mall,” Clark said. “They need to come to the realization that they need to invest in the site.”
Clark is also concerned about the stores remaining in the mall.
“I worry about the merchants out there. They are going to lose some traffic,” she said.
The Elder-Beerman has also been a draw to the community, with shoppers coming to the city to shop, then possibly going to lunch or other stores downtown, she added.
“I think it brings people into the community,” she said.
Bowling Green Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter also expressed concerns about the store closing.
“We’re certainly concerned for people losing jobs in Bowling Green,” she said.
From an economic development perspective, the news is also disheartening, Tretter said.
“It’s always disappointing to lose any opportunity for shopping locally in Bowling Green,” she said.
A press release from Bon-Ton this morning talked about the liquidation process for the 160-year-old company.
“While we are disappointed by this outcome and tried very hard to identify bidders interested in operating the business as a going concern, we are committed to working constructively with the winning bidder to ensure an orderly wind-down of operations that minimizes the impact of this development on our associates, customers, vendors and the communities we serve,” the press release stated.
Throughout the court-supervised asset sale process, the Company’s stores, e-commerce and mobile platforms under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates will remain open throughout the store closing sales.
More details are expected about the liquidation plans and going out of business sales at the stores following approval of the winning bid by the bankruptcy court.
