Press Room

Monument Marketplace Anchors Opening 9/1/2006

Big Stores Just the Start for Center Opening September 20th

Colorado Springs, CO - When the Wal-Mart Supercenter opens September 20th and Kohl’s department store opens October 5th at Monument Marketplace, joining Home Depot as the three anchor tenants, it will mark a transitional step in a period of retail growth projected to extend at least into 2008. 

“I was quoted once as saying, ‘Build it and they will come,’ ” said Rick Blevins, the Monument Marketplace project manager for Vision Development. “The plan has always been to have three or four major anchors, understanding that the smaller stores would follow. With Kohl’s and Wal-Mart coming in, we have fulfilled that.” 

About two-thirds of the Marketplace’s 654,681 square feet of retail space is accounted for and Mark Useman, senior managing director of Sierra Commercial Real Estate, is busy negotiating leases to fill the remaining spots, mindful of what the 50,000 residents within a five-mile radius seem to want. 

Chili’s Grill & Bar, Big City Burrito and It’s a Grind coffee shop are already open; Monument Cleaners and My Wireless, a Verizon phone store, open this month, followed in October by Florida-based Rotelli’s Pizza & Pasta and Asian Garden.  Joining the lineup after the first of the year will be Nick-N-Willy’s Take-N-Bake Pizza, Village Inn and Culver’s, a burgers and custard chain. 

Contracts are pending with OfficeMax, Texas Roadhouse, Carl’s Jr., a 10,000-square foot liquor store, car wash, lube center, pet supply, clothing, and auto parts stores. 

“We also have two to three nice pads that could accommodate a national or local freestanding restaurant near Chili’s and the steakhouse.” Useman said. 

“People like me who have lived in the area for 25 years, always having to drive to Academy Boulevard to shop, are thrilled with the chance to stay closer to home.” said Useman.