By Jeff Kiger, Post-Bulletin, Rochester MNÂ
The long-empty Carson Pirie Scott building could become home to a furniture retailer new to Rochester.
A step toward that goal was taken Wednesday when the Rochester City Council OK’d splitting the 67,000-square-foot empty building in Miracle Mile Shopping Center along with a big chunk of parking lot as a separate lot, separating it from the nearby and also empty Krispy Kreme building on the shopping center’s plat.
That opens the door for the Twin Cities-based HOM Furniture chain to take over the building.
“This plat change is part of an agreement with the landlord,” said HOM owner Wayne Johansen before the meeting. “If this goes through and a few other things happen, we could close on the sale and start renovation yet this fall.”
However, Johansen cautioned that the deal still might not happen. With 11 stores in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin, he said his experience tells him a deal is not done until the deed changes hands.
Johansen declined to say what other things need to happen for the deal to go ahead.
Why consider Rochester for HOM Furniture?
“A lot of our marketing has been coming into Rochester already,” said Johansen. “We do a fair amount of business with Rochester customers.”
The two-story Carson Pirie Scott building has sat empty since the department store closed in the fall of 2002. Then-Carson owner Saks Inc. moved the operation to the former Montgomery Ward store in Apache Mall and re-opened it under the Herberger’s brand.
