Friday, December 15, 2006

So Long to Two Big Lots and One B. Dalton

So Long to Two Big Lots and One B. Dalton

Despite the upswing in some aspects of St. Louis City retail, the Big Lots stores at 2321 McCausland @ Manchester and at 4330 S Broadway (both, I think, former Kroger stores) are closing in January 2007.

So is the B. Dalton Bookseller in Hampton Village.

This will leave one location of Big Lots -- the fairly new one at 4930 S. Kingshighway in part of the old Venture space -- and zero locations of Barnes & Noble / B. Dalton within the City of St. Louis.

Most would probably say the Big Lots' are no great loss, since we have plenty of Deals and Dollar Tree stores around. Still, I guess I like the bright orange signage at Big Lots better.

Word is that the Big Lots on McCausland is owned by nearby Michael's Restaurant, who plans to sell the property to QuikTrip. No news about the S Broadway Big Lots; but the B Dalton in Hampton Village is slated to become a Noodle Cafe.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is a Barnes and Noble in the City at the Wash U med. campus in Barnes. Right by the Metrolink stop.
It's small, but still...

Anonymous said...

Dapy's at Union Station has all their novelties marked way down but not for the holiday's. It's a going out of business sale.

Noodles replacing the bookstore is no great swap. Who the heck would eat Tai at a chain when King & I is located short distance away on South Grand?

Hampton Village lost the ladies gym awhile back, shut down under cloak of night. The big gal's clothing place is next door. It was an odd combination.

Anonymous said...

Thai from a chain is silly. But not buying your books from Left Bank seems even worse to me.

Joe said...

OK, good point about the B&N at WU Med School, except it is pretty much a Campus Bookstore not well known by the general public. I have stopped a few times myself, but of course I am a WashU student myself.

Besides which, both it and Left Bank (which I adore) are located pretty far from my house on the Southside.

While there are several great used book stores in South St. Louis, the tiny B. Dalton was the only place to get new books at a reasonable price.

I think South St. Louis is ripe for a full-size Borders or B&N.

Anonymous said...

I always thought a chain bookstore (B&N or Borders) would try to build where Lindell Bank, National City and/or Wherehouse Music are presently, as this is the only remaining feasible corner for a new store at the highly desirable Hampton-Chippewa intersection. Of course, there is much more land available along Kingshighway, but retailers seem to prefer Hampton.

Anonymous said...

Both of the Big Lots are in former Schnucks buildings.