Kohl's to fill old Mervyns building

A Kohl's department store is expected to open in the Eagle Station shopping center by the end of the year, Carson City officials said Friday.

The company, based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., filed paperwork with the city on Friday, recording their purchase of the $4 million, 60,000-square-foot former Mervyns.

Supervisor Robin Williamson said redevelopment officials have been working with Kohl's for five years on a potential move to Carson City. She said Friday's news came as a surprise after many attempts to land the company in Carson City fell through.

"Hopefully this is an indication that nationally the economic climate is improving," Williamson said.

Joe McCarthy, the director of the Office of Business Development, said no redevelopment funds were used to attract the department store to Eagle Station, which sits adjacent to the Southgate shopping center that includes JC Penney, Burlington Coat Factory and a vacant 55,000-square-foot retail space.

"It took good, hard, kind of persistent work to convince them we're a good match for them," McCarthy said.

Carson City Manager Larry Werner said Kohl's has filed paperwork with the city to begin renovations and an expansion of the property, 3871 S. Carson St.

"I think it's great for the city. I think it's great for the commercial market," said Bruce Robertson, a senior adviser at Sperry Van Ness, a commercial real estate brokerage firm in Carson City. "It shows that there's commercial opportunity in the city. It's going to help all retail."

A spokeswoman for Kohl's declined to comment Friday.

The building was occupied by Mervyns until December 2008. The Hayward, Calif.,-based company filed for bankruptcy, closing all of its stores.

Since then, Kohl's, which has 1,059 stores in 49 states, has been acquiring former Mervyns properties.