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Sunday, 09/30/2007 9:43:37 AM

Sunday, September 30, 2007 9:43:37 AM

Hacketts will open city store.
From: Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, NY) Date: July 15, 2006

Byline: Cory Nealon

Jul. 15--Hacketts Department Store is moving into Watertown.

The Ogdensburg-based retailer signed a lease to occupy the former Ames store in Watertown at State Street and Eastern Boulevard.

The 56,000-square-foot building was the largest space available at the former Northland Plaza, owned by Soggs Commercial Properties Inc., New Hartford.

Soggs President Randolph B. Soggs said Hacketts, which sells a product line similar to that of Sears, is a much-needed addition to city's east side.

"It's going to fill a need," he said. "There's a ton of retail on the west side of Watertown, but there's very little on the other end."

Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said residents of that area, especially those who don't want to deal with heavy traffic, should be well served by Hacketts.

"It's a good thing; not everybody wants to drive out to Arsenal Street," he said.

Mr. Soggs said Hacketts, which plans to open the store Oct. 7, should benefit from traffic coming from Carthage and Lowville.

With Hacketts on board, it marks a dramatic turnaround for the plaza. When Soggs bought the 132,000-square-foot shopping center in October, most of its space wasn't utilized.

Since then, Affordable Furniture, Freihofer's Bakery Outlet, Real Deals Dollar Store and LeVere Wireless, an authorized Verizon merchandiser, have moved in.

Meanwhile, existing businesses such as Subway, North Country Rent-to-Own, Radio Shack, Dollar General, United China Restaurant, Kinney Drugs and Sunshine Dental LLC have remained. Only two small storefronts and the free-standing former Key Bank branch remain vacant.

The building that formerly housed NY Catalog Sales, which was investigated by the state Attorney General's office, was demolished.

Hacketts applied to be included in the Watertown Empire Zone, which offers businesses tax breaks in exchange for guaranteed jobs.

The zone's administrative board is meeting this month. It is expected to approve the Hacketts application.

Hacketts will hire 60 to 70 employees, most at $7.25 per hour -- the state's soon-to-be minimum wage -- according to Norman V. Garrelts, Hacketts president and chief executive officer.

Unlike its stores in Potsdam and Ogdensburg, Ottawa-based Giant Tiger Family Discount Store won't be occupying floor space.

Mr. Garrelts said that while the relationship between the two retailers is fine, Giant Tiger is focusing on the Canadian market, where it has become a household name throughout eastern part of the country.

To see more of the Watertown Daily Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wdt.net.

Copyright (c) 2006, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

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