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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 17, 2006 Retail chain Mervyn�s announced Monday that it will close its Rogue Valley Mall store at the end of March. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Mervyn’s will close mall store The Medford store is among 20 to be shut down in the Northwest By GREG STILES Mail Tribune The second of Rogue Valley Mall’s four original anchor stores is due to close on March 31. Troubled Hayward, Calif., retailer Mervyn’s LLC said Monday it is closing 20 Northwest stores because they aren’t performing to company expectations. "The markets contain predominantly low-volume stores with relatively high operating costs, which negatively impacts Mervyn’s overall profitability," the company said in a press release. Medford, Bellingham, Wash., and the Crossroads Plaza location in Salt Lake City close March 31, while 17 others will shutter by February 2007. Medford store manager Mike Murphy didn’t return phone messages and local personnel referred reporters’ questions to a hotline separate from Mervyn’s public relations staff. Advertisement Mervyn’s opened two Oregon stores in 1979 and moved to Southern Oregon when the Rogue Valley Mall opened in 1986. The first original anchor to leave the market was Montgomery Ward, which closed in early 2001 when the chain folded nationwide. The company said 100 full-time jobs and 383 part-time jobs will be lost in Oregon, but didn’t have specific store numbers. Last September, Mervyn’s announced sweeping changes as it closed a quarter of its stores and laid off 4,800 employees. But only one of seven Oregon locations at the time — 98,010- square-foot Washington Square anchor in Portland — was eliminated. Rogue Valley Mall Manager Jeff Barber took the news in stride. "It just means something better will open up in their place," Barber said. "It will be a good opportunity for the valley and another retailer will replace Mervyn’s without a problem." General Growth Properties of Chicago owns and operates the 820,0000-square-foot mall, but anchor tenants own their own buildings and have a reciprocal easement agreement with the mall. Frustrated with its lackluster sales, Target sold the Mervyn’s chain in 2004, and the retailer has continued to struggle. "If Mervyn’s is needing to do this, that’s fine," Barber said. "I know the next retailer that comes along will be strong, because there are tons of opportunities." "We are confident that these decisions are right for Mervyn’s future growth and success, and are consistent with the strategy that we announced in September 2005," said Vanessa Castagna, who leads Mervyn’s board of directors. Mervyn’s has begun a multi-million dollar investment in its strong growing core markets, which include 170 stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. During the next several years Mervyn’s will spend more than $100 million to implement new state-of-the-art information technology systems and infrastructure. Reach reporter Greg Stilesat 776-4463 or e-mail Mervyn�s will close mall store ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews High End Computers Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s