City Believes Dick's Will Break Ground 'Pretty Quickly' at Great Lakes Mall

Final plans for the new Dick's Sporting Goods at Great Lakes Mall have been approved.

The Mentor Planning Commission made that decision at its most recent meeting in late June.

Mall representatives nor the city know exactly when the retailer will break ground on the new location, though planning administrator Ric Spence believes "they're looking to break ground pretty quickly."

The new location would be constructed as a 57,058-square-foot addition to the mall's east side, between JC Penney's and Macy's, according to a staff report. The store will be separated from the mall by 30 feet to the west rear and 28.6 feet to the south. It will connect to the mall by a 30-foot-by-30-foot concourse.    

The floor plan shows a checkout area at the front of the store and one leading to the mall.  The front of the store, which will face the parking lot side, will include a golf shop with a golf swing simulator.  The hunting shop will be located on the north side and with an archery lane adjacent to it.  Clothing will be in the middle area, with the shoes taking up the majority of the south side, adjacent to the golf area. 
   
The new store would be 10,000 square feet larger than the current one at Creekside Commons. A replacement for the space there has not been announced by property owner First Interstate.

"If there's anybody who operates within the local real estate community who can successfully bring in a new tenant, it's First Interstate," Mentor economic development director Ron Traub said last month.