Kohl's Downsizing in Framingham; Property Owner To Lease Portion of Building to Another Retailer

Kohl’s in Framingham will be smaller in 2015.

The retailer, one of the top 5 department store chains in the nation, will have a portion of its space leased to a retailer specializing in imports by property owner DDR.

Kohl’s, located at 1 Worcester Road, as part of the Shoppers World complex, is located at the site of the former Bradlees.

The Framingham Kohl’s location opened in 2002. Kohl’s renovated the existing building of 102,500 square feet when it opened.

Kohl’s has seen significant increase in its Internet sales, compared to brick and mortar sales. Web sales were up 30 percent in quarter 3 for Kohls.com, although total sales for the company decreased 1.6 percent in the third quarter, which ended Nov. 2. Company executives were predicting 20-25 percent e-commerce growth in the fourth quarter.

In November, property owner DDR submitted an application to the Framingham Planning Board to make “modifications to the west wall of the existing Kohl’s building to accommodate loading, egress and trash enclosure for new tenant. Building elevation renderings reflect new storefront while maintaining architectural theme and utilizing like materials.”

In the submitted plan by DDR Redevelopment Manager Steve Hutchinson, there was a loss of 5 parking spaces, however the site would still have 546 parking spots, which still meet the requirements for the shopping center.

A public hearing was held on Dec. 4 for the requested changes to the current Kohl’s Building.

The Framingham Planning Board voted 4-0 to approve the special permit modification.

The Framingham Planning Board office said Kohl’s indicated it plans to lease the space to Pier1 Imports.

It is unknown when Pier1 will open in Framingham, again. Pier1 had a storefront on Route 9, in space now occupied by the Salvation Army Thift Store.

For 50 years, Pier1 has been a global importer of decorative home furnishings and gifts. Items sold include exotic wicker, hand-painted dinnerware, gorgeous textiles, and hand-crafted gifts and holiday decorations.

The Pier1 website is not hiring for a Framingham location, as of today, Dec. 31.

The closest Pier1 locations to Framingham presently are in Bellingham, Norwood, Brookline, and Shrewsbury.

Headquartered in Wisconsin, the Kohl’s department store chain has 1,163 stores in 49 states. It has celebrity lines including Vera Wang, Jennifer Lopez, and Lauren Conrad. Committed to its communities, Kohl’s has raised more than $257 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl’s Cares.

Photo: Patch file photo

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Editor’s Note: Originally posted at December 31, 2014 at 12:18am. Updated with DDR info on Jan. 3