Old Navy closing May 25
Old Navy of Mount Pleasant has less than one month of business left.
"The last day is May 25," said Catherine Rhoades, an assistant communications specialist for Gap Inc., the owner of Old Navy. "I just got confirmation that the store is closing."
The local Old Navy location, located at 4170 E. Bluegrass Road, is in Union Township's Indian Hills Plaza east of Mission Street. There are 28 Old Navy outlets in Michigan and 1,003 nationwide, according to the Gap Inc. Web site.
Rhoades said deciding to close a store is on a case-by-case basis and depends on factors such as store location or how a business is doing financially.
"We just try to make sure we have the right number of stores in the right place," Rhoades said.
Sydney Walsh, a Royal Oak junior, said she heard it was closing through a friend who applied for a summer job at the store.
"I shop at Old Navy a lot, but not up here a lot," she said. "Most of the time, I clothes shop at home, so it's not too big of an impact. But once and a while I do, so it is sad."
For other people like Jessica Vantoll, Old Navy was a money saver, because "$20 goes a long way."
"It's a little sad because I always forget it's here," the Westland freshman said. "They have the best flip-flops."
Rumors of other establishments in Indian Hills have circulated, as the majority of people who work on the property say they have not only heard Old Navy will close, but that Kroger, at 4080 E. Bluegrass Road, was moving to a different location.
Kroger management and corporate communications, however, confirms the store has no current plans to close or relocate.
Woody Woodruff, zoning administrator for Union Township, said regardless of the rumors of closing stores, developments for the property seem to have begun.
"I just had a call from a contractor asking questions about permits and stuff they need to renovate the old Wal-Mart," he said. "My explanation was if they were not adding new space, they would just have to apply for a building permit to tear walls and put up new walls."
Woodruff said he did not know who the call was on behalf of, but they would not have to come before the township planning authority for approval.
Indian Hills Plaza is owned and leased out by Developers Diversified Realty. Betsy Keck, director of public relations and corporate communications, said in an e-mail the company currently is negotiating leases with two retailers, which involves facility space that totals 34,000 square feet.
"We are working with tenants that have shown interest in the balance of available space," she said. "The center is very attractive to retailers for its existing tenant mix, as well as its easy access and position in the market."
metro@cm-life.com
