Saturday, September 25, 1999
Western Hills Sears to open
BY LISA BIANK FASIG
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Sears Roebuck & Co. has scheduled the opening of its Western Hills Plaza store for Oct. 23, filling a space vacated when McAlpin's moved out in June 1998.
The full-line store adds a new major retailer to the city's busy west side, which has a high population but limited highway access and only one department store. That store, Dillard's — formerly McAlpin's — relocated to West Town Centre just up the road, filling a spot vacated by Lazarus.
“We even went to lunch at Red Lobster (near the plaza), and we had our name tags on, and everybody was asking when we're opening,” said Chris Hermann, general manager of the new Sears, and a west-side native. “You're born here, you live here, and you die here.”
The new store will feature Sears' “softer side” — apparel, shoes, jewelry and accessories, including the brands Liz Claiborne and a new Benetton USA collection. It also will sell its trademark tools and appliances.
It will employ about 175 people.
Sears signed a lease to move into the 116,000-square-foot location on Glenway Avenue in December. About 72,000 square feet will be used for selling space.
The west-side store will be the fifth Sears in the area. The others are in Florence, Eastgate, Springdale and Colerain Township. A sixth regional store operates in Franklin. It is one of 20 full-line locations that Sears scheduled to open in 1999, part of a $4 billion campaign to expand and remodel.
Other retailers at Western Hills Plaza are Media Play, Kroger, Staples and Pier One Imports.
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