Published: May 08, 2008 10:29 am         

September Shopping?

Kohl's officials mum about Braddock Square sign declaring autumn opening

LAVALE - In spite of a large metal sign at Braddock Square announcing the September opening of a Kohl's Department Store, a company spokeswoman declined this week to confirm that the firm would be selling its wares at the shopping center in LaVale.

Kohl's spokeswoman Elizabeth Deluca said Tuesday that the company has made no announcements about plans to establish a new store in the Cumberland area. "Typically, we make announcements about new stores twice a year, once in mid-summer and once in mid-winter," Deluca said. The nearest Kohl's stores are in Hagerstown, Altoona, Pa., Ranson, W.Va., and Winchester, Va. In March, Rob Libby, an owner of Braddock Square via H.L. Libby Corp., said Kohl's would locate in the building formerly occupied by Goody's Family Clothing Store and that he expected Kohl's to open there in mid to late autumn.

An attempt to contact Libby this week was not successful.

The sign near the Braddock Square entrance on Winchester Road announces a store opening of Sept. 28 and a grand opening celebration Oct. 1. The sign displays a rendering of a store building.

Behind the sign, at the site of the former Goody's, a bevy of workmen is pounding, ripping, sawing and cementing in what appears to be a renovation effort. Goody's traded at the square for about two years before deciding to vacate.

Early this year, Libby said the new Kohl's building will be one level of about 68,000 square feet.

Kohl's offers a variety of goods, including clothing, jewelry, electronics, kitchen ware and furniture, as well as bed and bath items.

Although shopping centers such as Braddock Square are constantly dynamic, the recent year has been event-filled there with the opening of a new Martin's Food Market and the relocation of Gabriel Brothers into the building formerly occupied by Martin's.

The first Wal-Mart in the Cumberland area was located at Braddock Square before the company built a new facility attached to Country Club Mall.

A portion of the Braddock Square parking lot is currently inaccessible, being fenced to provide parking and storage for the ongoing renovation.

Matt Diaz, Allegany County's economic development director, said Wednesday he could shed no light on the establishment of a Kohl's locally.

"I have had no contact with either Kohl's or Libby on this one," Diaz said. "Unless a company is seeking incentives, they usually don't come to us. Apparently whatever is going on is being handled between the developer and the retailer."

Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.