By Russell Stigall
Frontiersman
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The proprietor, Browman Development Company, has asked businesses to be out by April 20.
The future of Cottonwood Creek and its tenants is mostly still rumor. But all indications are that Target Corporation has plans for the soon-to-be-empty space.
A Palmer Recording District special warranty deed transfers ownership of Cottonwood Creek from Cottonwood Creek LLC of San Bruno, Calif., to an Alaska limited liability company called DBC. DBC listed the same Minneapolis address as the corporate offices of Target Corporation.
Browman Development Company of Oakland, Calif., is owned by Darryl Browman, and has helped develop Target stores in the past.
Spokespersons for Target and Browman Development did not return several phone calls seeking comment.
Target started in 1902 as the Dayton Dry Goods Co.
The first of the contemporary Target stores was opened in 1962 in Roseville, Minn. Its revenue is the sixth largest among retailers. Target retail stores are now owned by Target Corporation with the stock ticker symbol TGT.
Rumors circulating among Cottonwood's current tenants have them convinced Target will move into the vacant space.
“We can't say for sure,” said Sherri White, manager of the mall's General Nutrition Centers store, “but we're not stupid. We know what is going on.”
The Wasilla offices of economic development and city planning have met with the people representing the development group that owns the mall. But the representatives have not yet applied for zoning or development permits. Until they do, said Jim Holycross, Wasilla city planner, city officials have decided not to speculate on what Cottonwood's new owner has in store.
“It's a little premature to make an announcement,” Holycross said. “Until there is an application, the cat is not getting out of the bag.”
GNC's White said her corporate bosses had her looking for a new space after the announcement that the mall had been sold, even before Browman began advising smaller local businesses that they would have to leave. The nutrition and supplements store will settle into a space near Outdoors and More in April.
“My corporation was very good to me,” White said. “They let me know what was happening and where we were going.”
GNC plans to be closed for only a couple days and reopen by May. White said GNC plans to stay at its new location for 18 months to two years before returning to the new incarnation of the Cottonwood Creek Mall. Though she was unable to say for sure what changes are in store for the mall, White said she believes GNC would be returning to an outdoor strip mall.
“A lot of people are excited for change, but some are nervous of losing an indoor mall,” White said. “I'll be sad to see the mall-walkers go, but I am looking forward to having windows.”
GNC corporate officers met with Browman Development and received assurances there would be space for them in the future, she said.
New retail space may abound in the future, but not all of Cottonwood's tenants have found space in the meantime.
Casey Reynolds, Wasilla economic development director, said he talked to a couple of tenants about trying to retain them in the area.
“The ones that I've talked to said they haven't been able to find a suitable location,” Reynolds said. “In general, we have a pretty tight commercial market for that kind of space.”
Gottschalks executives have yet to decide whether they will relocate the orphaned haberdashery and boutique or close it down for good.
As of Thursday, management at the Cottonwood Creek Gottschalks was unsure of the store's future.
“We are all working toward unemployment,” Gottschalks manager Walter Hinkle said.
Hinkle hopes for a change in location for the department store, but has not heard from Gottschalks CEO Jim Famalette. Famalette was unavailable for comment.
Some businesses will have to leave after only a short stay at the mall.
Shimek's is new to Cottonwood Creek. After a months-long restoration of the retail space from a former pizza parlor, the home electronics business has been open for less than a year. Shimek's is probably going to stay in the Valley, employee Jeremy Galster said, although he said he did not know where yet.
“It's a little stressful,” he said.
Employees of Foot Locker, slated to close its doors as early as Feb. 5, are unsure of their future employment as well.
Cheryl Metiva, executive director of the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce, mourned the loss of the mall businesses.
“Whenever you lose any business in a community, it is tragic. Whether a mom-and-pop or a larger business, it is tragic,” she said. “All of the businesses at Cottonwood Creek added to the eclectic nature of Wasilla's business community. They help Wasilla remain a self-sustained
community.
“You don't have to go to Anchorage for anything but the airport anymore.”
Cottonwood Creek Mall already shows signs of abandonment, with a handful of merchants having vacated since the holidays.
“We're definitely feeling the effects now,” White said. “We knew it was coming, but it's sad to see all the businesses go.”
Contact Russell Stigall at
352-2267 or russell.stigall@
frontiersman.com.
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