Rue 21 Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers open, more businesses planned

Posted at 5:51 pm August 14, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers was open, as pictured above on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at South Illinois and South Tulane avenues as part of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is open at South Illinois and South Tulane avenues, and more businesses are planned at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre redevelopment of the former Oak Ridge Mall.

So far, Main Street Oak Ridge features a dozen new businesses—including retail stores, a restaurant, and a hotel—and the relocated American Museum of Science and Energy near JCPenney, an anchor store at the northeast side of the mall.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, which opened Tuesday in a building that will include another business, was busy Tuesday afternoon, with a parking lot that was mostly full, a drive-through line that wrapped around two sides of the building, and a customer line that stretched from the counter inside to the door. The restaurant has been getting good reviews online.

Plans for the new restaurant were announced in May 2017, and construction was under way at the 1.4-acre site, which is next to the rebuilt Taco Bell restaurant on South Illinois Avenue, in January. [Read more…]

City, Chamber kick off holidays with ‘Shop Oak Ridge’ at Main Street on Tuesday

Posted at 12:45 am November 21, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

A sign showing some of the stores at Main Street Oak Ridge is pictured above. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The City of Oak Ridge and the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday shopping season with a special event called “Shop Oak Ridge” at Main Street Oak Ridge on Tuesday.

The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 21, under the tent at Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre mixed use retail development that replaced the Oak Ridge Mall, a press release said. The property was sold to RealtyLink in June 2016, and demolition of the former mall began in July 2016. Less than a year later, it had been replaced with a new concept and new stores, the press release said.

Businesses that have opened locations in Main Street Oak Ridge include: [Read more…]

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

Posted at 11:12 am May 2, 2017
By John Huotari 3 Comments

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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

Posted at 7:32 pm April 25, 2017
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

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

Posted at 9:12 am February 21, 2017
By John Huotari 5 Comments

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

Posted at 11:07 am December 22, 2016
By John Huotari 1 Comment

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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

Posted at 10:57 am November 23, 2016
By John Huotari 5 Comments

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

Posted at 6:48 pm November 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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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

Posted at 1:38 pm November 2, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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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.

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…]

Main Street Oak Ridge: New main entrance being built at Belk

Posted at 7:00 pm October 19, 2016
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

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A new main entrance is being built at the Belk department store in Oak Ridge as part of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project the redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall, which has now been demolished. The Belk entrance work is pictured above on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

A new main entrance is being built at the Belk department store as part of Main Street Oak Ridge, the 58-acre project to redevelop the former Oak Ridge Mall, which has now been demolished.

The new main entrance will face Rutgers Avenue, toward where the mall’s enclosed space used to be.

Belk is also getting a facelift and other work. It includes roof work; exterior painting; and work on the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system.

Four stores will be built on the south side of Belk as part of Main Street Oak Ridge. The four stores are Maurice’s, Rack Room Shoes, Rue 21, and Ulta. [Read more…]

Photo: Aerial view of Oak Ridge Mall demolition

Posted at 12:07 am August 23, 2016
By John Huotari 2 Comments

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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

Posted at 3:10 pm August 20, 2016
By John Huotari 5 Comments

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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…]