Kimco Realty Corporation, the owners of Bridgehampton Commons, expects a Staples to move into the shopping center in summer 2010, according to Joshua Weinkranz, vice president of Kimco’s northeastern region.
“Our obligation is to deliver the store to Staples,” Mr. Weinkranz said of the 13,000-square-foot building that Kimco will build in the spring to accommodate the office supply seller. “We are looking forward to a Staples at Bridgehampton Commons.”
Kimco is also eyeing plans to erect a new retail building in the parking lot of the Macy’s shopping center in Hampton Bays, but Mr. Weinkranz said those plans have been shelved for the foreseeable future—at least until the economy recovers.
“The downturn has affected our ability to move that part of the project forward,” Mr. Weinkranz said. “The recession has slowed demand for retailers to expand and open new businesses, so it has slowed down the project.”
He said the space is unlikely to be a restaurant, as Panera Bread already places a heavy burden on the shopping center’s septic system.
“We are actively looking for tenants that are interested in using that shopping center,” Mr. Weinkranz said. “It is a very well located shopping center.”
To accommodate Staples in the Bridgehampton Commons, three stores—Ann Taylor Loft, the Retreat Boutique and Gap Kids—must relocate, Mr. Weinkranz said. Ann Taylor is closing, while the Retreat and Gap Kids will relocate within the Bridgehampton Commons, Mr. Weinkranz said.
Nonetheless, employees at Gap Kids were unsure about whether the store was relocating. An employee at Gap Kids, who declined to give his name, said the store has no plans to move next year.
“Our corporation says we’re not relocating,” the employee said. “I talked to our manager, he said we’re not moving anywhere. We’re just as confused as anybody.”
Other stores were preparing for the move.
Ann Taylor held a 50-percent-off sale last week, and the store’s hardwood floors were nearly cleared of merchandise, save for several racks of jeans and sweaters.
“Our last day is Saturday the 19th,” the store’s manager said last week, declining to give her name because she was not authorized to talk to the press. “This store has been here more than five years. All our employees will be unemployed after the 19th.”
Marilyn Levine, an employee at Retreat Boutique, said this will be the third time the store has relocated in the past several years. Retreat Boutique sells a constellation of used merchandise and a portion of the proceeds from sales last week was being donated to fight domestic violence.
“We moved about every year we’ve been open. We started out in Southampton, and then East Hampton, and then Wainscott,” Ms. Levine said. “We are very happy here.”
At least two stores in the Bridgehampton Commons have closed in the past year due to expensive leases and tough business conditions, American Pie Pizzaria Manager Tommy Penna said. Mr. Penna said For Your Entertainment and Cotton Market closed, and only one store has moved in.
Referring to For Your Entertainment, Mr. Penna said, “Who buys CDs now, outside of me? They had some good stuff. It was nice having a record store next door.”
Mr. Weinkranz said there is a 5,000-square-foot vacant space and two smaller vacant spaces. He said a Hudson City Savings Bank is expected to move into one of the smaller spaces in the Bridgehampton Commons next year. He said Kimco was courting retailers for the largest space, but he declined to give any names.
“It probably won’t be a bank,” Mr. Weinkranz said. “Most likely it will be an apparel user or a dry goods user. We are just looking for someone who can add to the existing tenant mix in the shopping center.”
Bryan Finlayson on Jan 2, 2010