A bunch of retail news over the last couple of days, all of which offers some perspective on Prescott’s attempts to lease the Town Center:
• The more or less recession is forcing retailers into bankruptcy, and even those who aren’t doing that are closing stores. The New York Times reports that almost 6,000 retail stores are expected to close this year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers, up 25 percent from last year. Among those shuttering locations are Ann Taylor, the women’s dress chain, and Foot Locker, both of which might have been fits for the Town Center.
• Want to know what the Town Center retail mix might look like? Then check out Murphy Marketplace in the Collin County sprawl-burb. Among the tenants set for the 425,000-square-foot development are Sprouts, which has been linked to the Town Center, 24-Hour Fitness and Mattress Giant. The Town Center is expected to have 300,000 square feet of retail space.
