Two national retailers - Ross Dress for Less and rue21 - are slated for October openings at Capital Mall in Jefferson City.
Construction work for the Ross department store included a 3,000-square-foot expansion of the existing space and began in January. The 24,000-square-foot store is located between the mall's Sears and JCPenney wings and has its own exterior entrance and signage.
"We're scheduled to turn the store over to them later this month, then they will rack and stock it," said Rob Kingsbury of Farmer Holding Company, which owns Capital Mall. "We're really just putting the finishing touches on it."
A corporate spokesperson from Ross Stores, Inc., confirmed the Jefferson City store is scheduled to open in mid-October.
Rue21, a clothing retailer primarily for teenagers and young adults, also anticipates an October opening, Kingsbury said. The store will be located in the mall's Sears wing.
"I think that rue21 is a terrific addition to the mall. It's a national brand that is not currently here," Kingsbury said. "We're very excited to welcome both Ross and rue21 before the end of the year."
While the interior prep work for those stores has been in progress, the more noticeable work for many mall visitors may have been the continuing improvements to the parking lot. Work began in the section near the Ross entrance to make way for future landscaping to add some green space and break up the concrete expanse currently surrounding Capital Mall.
"We've been adding islands for the landscaping that will be arriving later this year, and we'll continue that process through the end of the year and next year," Kingsbury said.
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