Oak Ridge Today

rue21 now open in Oak Ridge

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The new rue21, a teen fashion retailer, opened at Main Street Oak Ridge on Thursday, June 15, 2017. (Photo by Parker Hardy)

The new rue21 store, a teen fashion retailer, opened at Main Street Oak Ridge on Thursday, June 15, 2017. (Photo by Parker Hardy)

 

The first new store is open at Main Street Oak Ridge.

rue21, a teen speciality apparel retailer, had its grand opening on Thursday. The grand opening of the store was scheduled to include free giveaways to the first 100 customers.

rue21 is near Belk at Main Street Oak Ridge. That’s the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

There are seven other new stores also expected to open soon. maurices has announced it will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its women’s clothing store at Main Street Oak Ridge on Friday, June 23. maurices is next to rue21. [Read more…]

maurices has ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, June 23

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There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new maurices women clothing store at Main Street Oak Ridge on Friday, June 23, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new maurices women’s clothing store at Main Street Oak Ridge on Friday, June 23, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new maurices women’s clothing store at Main Street Oak Ridge on Friday, June 23.

It’s one of eight new stores expected to open soon at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall. The other seven stores are Dick’s Sporting Goods, Electronic Express, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, rue21, T.J. Maxx, and Ulta.

The maurices store is at 333 Main Street, near Belk. The ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday, June 23. The ribbon-cutting is at 9:15 a.m. It’s being hosted by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce. [Read more…]

rue21, teen fashion retailer, will open in Oak Ridge on June 15

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rue21 Inc., a leading teen specialty apparel retailer, will open its new store at Main Street Oak Ridge on June 15. The picture above was taken on Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

rue21 inc., a leading teen specialty apparel retailer, will open its new store at Main Street Oak Ridge on June 15. The storefront picture above was taken on Thursday, June 8, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was updated at 12:15 p.m. June 9.

rue21 inc., a leading teen specialty apparel retailer, will open its new store at Main Street Oak Ridge on June 15, the company said in a press release. The grand opening of the store will include free giveaways to the first 100 customers.

The new store will be around 6,500 square feet and employ about 10 associates, the press release said. It will include girls’ and guys’ fashion including rue+ plus sizes, as well as footwear, accessories, and décor, the release said.

“The retailer felt Oak Ridge has been in need of a destination for trendy, yet affordable fashion, and the location was a perfect fit for the brand,” the press release said. “By working directly with the market, rue21 can react instantly to produce new trends and must-have styles that don’t exist anywhere else, offering a broad assortment in apparel and accessories for girls and guys.”

The press release said rue21 believes in “changing things up while staying true to yourself, and is passionate about giving its customers a voice and the right to express themselves the way they want.” [Read more…]

Eight new Main Street stores could be turned over to retailers by end of June

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Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be turned over to retailers by the end of June, a city consultant said Tuesday, May 2, 2017. Under construction above are the new Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores. These are the entrances closest to South Illinois Avenue. The U.S. Post Office is to the left, and Walmart is to the right. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Note: This story was last updated at 12 p.m.

Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be turned over to retailers by the end of June, a city consultant said Tuesday, but the opening dates for the eight new stores haven’t been announced yet.

Ray Evans, retail consultant for the City of Oak Ridge, gave an update on the Main Street Oak Ridge project during a Tuesday morning Rise and Shine event sponsored by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at Countryside Tire and Auto Service.

Two buildings with six retailers are scheduled to be delivered to retailers between mid-May and the end of May, Evans said. One building will include the new Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores, and another will include Maurice’s, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta. Workers are preparing to pave the parking lot at Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx, Evans said. [Read more…]

Main Street Oak Ridge update: New stores will open soon

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Crews used a crane to lift the Dick’s Sporting Goods sign into place at Main Street Oak Ridge on Thursday afternoon, April 20, 2017. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

This story and photos are from the April 2017 City of Oak Ridge newsletter.

Another new store sign went up at Main Street Oak Ridge last week: Dick’s Sporting Goods. Crews used a crane to lift the sign into place (see video here) on the afternoon of Thursday, April 20, the City of Oak Ridge said in a newsletter.

This is the second sign to go up at Main Street Oak Ridge, the city said. The first was at T.J.Maxx. Crews installed a sign on both entrances for the store in late March. T.J.Maxx and Dick’s Sporting Goods are expected to be the first stores to open at Main Street Oak Ridge later in the spring or early summer.

Workers are also continuing to make progress on the buildings that will house six other new stores: four of them (Ulta, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Maurice’s) will be located next door to Belk. Construction on PetSmart and Electronic Express began in February. Crews are still working on the exterior of that building, which is located opposite of Belk. Preliminary and framing work on some additional retail space is also under way, the city said.

Vertical construction began earlier this year with the T.J.Maxx and Dick’s Sporting Goods complex near Walmart. [Read more…]

Photos: Main Street Oak Ridge construction

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Construction work continues for new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. This work on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, is in the area that will house Dick's Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx, roughly in the area of the former Sears department store. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Construction work continues for new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. This work on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, is in the area that will house Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx, roughly in the area of the former Sears department store between Walmart and the U.S. Post Office. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Construction work continues for eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge, the redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Here are photos from the 58-acre project on Friday, February 10.

With the exception of Belk and JCPenney, the former mall has been demolished, and there has been significant progress on the sites where the new stores are being built.

RealtyLink, the development company, has previously said the eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer. [Read more…]

Construction starts on Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J. Maxx

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Construction of Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx is under way at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge mall. Both stores, which will be in the area of the former Sears department store near Walmart, are expected to open in the spring or summer of 2017. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

 

Construction has started on Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx at Main Street Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge officials said Wednesday. The city has posted photos and videos of the construction, which is near Walmart in the area of the former Sears department store at the former Oak Ridge Mall.

Main Street Oak Ridge is the redevelopment of the 58-acre former mall site. With the exception of Belk and JCPenney, the enclosed mall space has been demolished.

Eight new stores are expected to be ready at Main Street Oak Ridge by late spring or summer, a development executive said in November. [Read more…]

New parking lot paved, new sign up at Belk as work proceeds quickly at Main Street

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Work continued on the new Belk entrance and parking lot on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016. The goal has been to complete that portion of the work at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall, by Thanksgiving. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

The new sign is up and the new parking lot paved at Belk as work proceeds quickly at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall.

With the exception of Belk and JCPenney, the mall has been demolished, and there has significant progress on the sites where new stores will be built.

First, on Saturday, concrete stands in the parking lot in front of Belk were almost finished, and some lighting poles and fixtures were installed, said Ray Evans, retail consultant for the City of Oak Ridge. The goal has been to finish the new Belk entrance and its new parking lot by Thanksgiving.

Second, there was work on piping for interior utilities where Electronic Express and PetSmart will be located between JCPenney and Walmart on South Rutgers Avenue.

Third, the pad had been completed and a stone base put down where Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx will be built between Walmart and the U.S. Post Office on South Tulane Avenue, in the area of the former Sears department store. [Read more…]

Photos: Main Street Oak Ridge construction work under way

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This area near the intersection of Wilson Street and Rutgers Avenue, close to JCPenney, should be ready to turn over to the developer of a four-story, 81-room TownePlaces Suites hotel in the next few weeks, a RealtyLink executive said Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday.

Rex Rice, project manager for RealtyLink, the development company, said the Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores should be ready for those retailers by late spring or summer, and six other stores—Electronic Express, Maurice’s, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta—should be ready by summer.

Rice gave a brief project update during a Tuesday morning Rise and Shine event sponsored by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at TNBank.

Here are photos from the Tuesday morning update and from Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday. [Read more…]

New stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be complete by late spring, summer

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Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. This photo was taken from near Belk and the former Sears store, looking toward JCPenney. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

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Rex Rice, RealtyLink project manager (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Eight new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge could be ready by late spring or summer, a development executive said Tuesday.

Rex Rice, project manager for RealtyLink, the development company, said the Dick’s Sporting Goods and T.J. Maxx stores should be ready for those retailers by late spring or summer, and six other stores—Electronic Express, Maurice’s, PetSmart, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta—should be ready by summer.

Rice gave a brief project update during a Tuesday morning Rise and Shine event sponsored by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce at TNBank.

As expected, the demolition of the former Oak Ridge Mall was complete in about three months. Only Belk and JCPenney remain, and both are open.

“We tore down everything between them,” Rice said. That included the former Goody’s Family Clothing and Sears department stores.

Demolition cost about $1 million, Rice said. [Read more…]

Photo: Aerial view of Oak Ridge Mall demolition

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Aerial-View-of-Oak-Ridge-Mall-Demolition-Aug-22-2016

The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured in this aerial view provided by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tenn., on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016. The concrete slab in the center foreground is the area of the former Sears store, and the area behind it is the enclosed space between Belk, at left, and the former Proffitt’s men and housewares store, right center. Walmart is the white-roofed building partially pictured at right center. The former Sears auto shop was near Walmart. JCPenney is at center background at the far end of the L-shaped mall. (Photo courtesy EAI)

 

Note: This story was updated at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 23.

The demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is pictured above in the aerial view provided Monday by Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

On Thursday, EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor, said demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall was about 50 percent complete. The work appears to have proceeded quickly even since then, based on this aerial view. Most notably, piles of scrap metal that were in the area of the former Sears store, in the center foreground in the picture above, appear to have been hauled away.

Last week, EAI said it expected to start removing concrete slabs beginning this week. On Tuesday, August 23, it appeared that workers had, in fact, started tearing up the concrete slab near the former pick-up and drop-off door at the former Sears store, near Belk.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s and housewares store. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center. [Read more…]

Mall demolition about 50 percent complete; see more photos here

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Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The view pictured above is from near Belk, in front of the former pick-up and drop-off door at Sears, looking east toward the former Proffitt’s men’s store and Rutgers Avenue. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Demolition work at the former Oak Ridge Mall is about 50 percent complete, a contractor said Thursday.

Demolition started at the former Sears store on Tuesday, July 26. It’s proceeded quickly from there to include the enclosed space next to Belk, which will remain in the redeveloped site, east toward Rutgers Avenue and the former Proffitt’s men’s store. Close to one half of the enclosed L-shaped mall space had been demolished as of Thursday, August 18. The demolished space also included the area in the mall that was most recently used as a conference center.

Workers are moving counterclockwise toward JCPenney, which will also remain and be part of the redeveloped site, known as Main Street Oak Ridge.

Demolition could be complete within 60 days, or about mid-October, said Environmental Abatement Inc., or EAI, the demolition and environmental contractor. [Read more…]