WISEBUYS PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS, ADDS KB TOYS.(Business)(Column)
From: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) Date: October 1, 2004
Byline: BOB NIEDT RETAIL NOTEBOOK
Plucky WiseBuys continues carving its niche.
The small-town department store group has sealed a deal with a third national name to brand departments within its four North Country stores, all tucked into former Ames storefronts.
WiseBuys Stores Inc., based in Gouverneur, is partnering with KB Toys to bring a KB-branded, year-round toy department to the four WiseBuys stores. The closest one to Syracuse is in Pulaski. A fifth WiseBuys opens in November in Hamilton.
"We signed an agreement with KB Toys to be our exclusive toy provider," said Joseph LaChausse, president of WiseBuys. "We also have a licensing agreement for the name "KB Toys at WiseBuys."'
WiseBuys also has Payless ShoeSource inside all of its stores and two locations have Radio Shack boutiques inside.
The KB Toys deal will supply WiseBuys stores throughout the year with a wide range of toys.
"It allows us to bring in a lot of popular brand products into our market," said LaChausse.
WiseBuys' strategy of backfilling in small communities abandoned by Ames when it folded has been a growing success story, LaChausse said.
The WiseBuys stores adopted the Ames stocking format - a wide-ranging, discount department store - expanded on it and improved the model.
Partnering with name brands helps.
Payless is a true store-within-a-store. Payless operates them, hires the employees and stocks the stores.
The Radio Shack boutiques, like the KB stores to come, are staffed by WiseBuys employees.
Just over a year after evolving, the WiseBuys concept seems on a roll. Take Pulaski.
"Pulaski is going very well, we're extremely pleased," said LaChausse. "We've got the support of the local community, but we also draw from a 25-mile, 30-mile radius, from Central Square, Oswego and just south of Watertown."
The Hamilton WiseBuys will be the fifth one to open in 13 months, said LaChausse. More leases are being negotiated for more WiseBuys stores to open next year, said LaChausse.
"Our employment base is approaching 200," said LaChausse. "We're very excited to bring these jobs to these rural communities."
Glenn Crossing additions
I heard from a half-dozen or so of you about some rumblings up at the Glenn Crossing shopping center in Clay.
New life appears to be blowing into the former Syracuse Sports anchor spot.
D. Bella e-mails that "they've been knocking out brick walls to make room for large windows."
Karen, another Store Front operative, e-mails that it's been busy in the location near Pascales Liquor and Leslie Swimming Pool Supplies .
Here's some of what I know:
Quiznos is one of the new tenants, likely where those big windows are being stuffed in. Glenn Crossing is one of the first four Onondaga County locations for Quiznos, the quick-serve eatery just hitting our region.
The other three are in ShoppingTown Mall in DeWitt, in Armory Square in downtown Syracuse and on the SU Hill (in the former McDonald's ). They're supposed to open in the beginning of November.
Bling for dogs and humans
You're asking about doings around Fingerlakes Mall, near Auburn. Still waiting for the after-shocks from Bass Pro Shops ?
They're coming.
But there's still stuff to come inside the mall.
They've just inked Littman Jewelers for a February opening.
Sooner, we have Steve & Barry's University Sportswear store cruising for a soft opening Oct. 20 and a grand opening starting three days later.
Also opening around the same time is Maxie Biggz , the designer puppy store (the first one in the area just opened in The Orchard in New Hartford).
Mr. Smoothie is also cranking up the blenders around that time.
Peter's plans to stay
Nearing 20 months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Peter's Groceries moves along, still operating two stores: the anchor in Nottingham shopping center, the other in Shop City shopping center.
Camille W. Hill, the lawyer representing the Peter family in the bankruptcy proceedings, said the company is still reassessing its reorganization options. At the stores, Hill said, it's business as usual.
"Both are open, both are operating and there's no proposal to terminate or vacate those premises," said Hill.
Express checkout
Three briefs and a blurb:
Speaking of Shop City, a Store Front reader wants us to point out that the Eckerd drugstore is back at it in the shopping center.
You're still e-mailing and calling about an opening date for Christmas Tree Shops in Northern Lights shopping center. They're still not getting pinned down, and the closest we can get is "before Thanksgiving."
The Apple Store at Carousel Center still isn't open and still isn't saying when.
What is open, briefly, is the traveling boutique Events in Style . It's stationed at the Hawthorn Suites hotel in Armory Square today through Saturday.
Store Front also runs Sunday and Wednesday in The Post-Standard. Contact Bob Niedt at 470-2264 or send e-mail to bniedt@syracuse.com.
ALL POSTED BY AMERICAN_PSYCHO IS EITHER FACT OR OPINION.
