Ross Dress for Less opens in new mall
By Turner Walston
Published in News on September 23, 2005 1:47 PM
The first store in the new Berkeley Commons shopping center opened Thursday as Ross Dress for Less opened its doors for business.
Other anchor stores scheduled to open in mid-October are Bed, Bath & Beyond and TJ Maxx.
Developer Connell Radcliff of 1st Carolina Properties said Old Navy has set a tentative opening date of Nov. 1, with Rack Room Shoes to follow soon thereafter.
Other stores that are expected to open at the shopping center on North Berkeley Boulevard by the end of 2005 are teen clothing store Rue 21, My Dollar Store, a Nextel outlet Skyvision and gourmet ice cream shop Cold Stone Creamery.
Radcliff said he is working on deals with tenants to occupy smaller stores, including plus-size clothing store Lane Bryant.
"We're excited," Radcliff said about the first store opening. He said he anticipates reaching final agreements with four or five more tenants to open early next year.
Radcliff said 1st Carolina Properties is negotiating with several restaurants to occupy the out parcel restaurant in front of the shopping center. Though he would not reveal the candidates, he did dismiss one widespread rumor.
"Everybody thinks it's Olive Garden. That is not the case," said Radcliff.
There also have been rumors that a Starbucks Coffee Shop would occupy a space in Berkeley Commons. Radcliff said the coffee shop chain decided not to open an operation there.
Radcliff said he would have more information to release in the coming weeks about new tenants in the shopping center.