Work is advancing on a renovation of the former Leevers grocery store, and another vacant retail space on South Washington Street will soon have a new tenant.
The three owners of Scan Design hope to open the Scandinavian furniture store next week at 1803 S. Washington St., taking up about 7,000 square feet the Town and Country Shopping Center near Blockbuster.
The store will occupy space that had been part of Play it Again Sports, which moved across Washington Street to the Grand Cities Mall, as well as Hanky Panky Gift Shoppe, which closed last year.
It’s another new business to move to Washington Street, which had seen lagging development and scattered vacancies in recent years as the retail and commercial hub of Grand Forks shifted to 32nd Avenue South.
“We’re kind of a destination type of business,” co-owner Mary Larsien-Cantrell said. “It’s not that we absolutely have to be in the busiest area of town. But we feel very fortunate to be on such a nice street with so much traffic.”
Work began last month to renovate the former Leevers, a 35,000-square-foot building that remained vacant for years and had been considered as a possible site for a new public library.
A Fuji’s Japanese Steakhouse and Seafood restaurant will occupy a 7,500-square-foot section of the northern end of the building. The restaurant is expected to open in December, as is a 15,000 square feet Planet Fitness health club that will open in the building’s southern end.
“You’re seeing a lot more activity just because of the economy,” said Kevin Ritterman, president of Dakota Commercial and Development, which is marketing the former Leevers building. “People are feeling a little bit better about it and it’s probably less expensive here than going on the south end of town. not everybody has to be on 32nd.”
Business plans
The Grand Forks location is the second Scan Design for a group of three owners who opened their first store in downtown Fargo in 2004.
Larsien-Cantrell said Scan Design is a unique furniture store that specializes in modern Scandinavian furniture, which she described as featuring “very clean, simple lines” and “not a lot of ornamentation.”
“The Scandinavians always use a lot more wood than other modern designers,” she said. “It’s a little bit warmer looking than the metal and glass that’s typical in modern design.”
Larsien-Cantrell said the store offers furniture in all price ranges, ranging from reasonably priced to “very upscale” items. most of the products are imported from Scandinavian countries, while other items are manufactured by companies in the U.S. and Canada.
Work began in September to get the Town and Country space ready for business. Larsien-Cantrell said if all goes well this weekend, Scan Design could be open as soon as next week.
The store will be open Monday through Saturday, though business hours have not been finalized yet. she said the owners will frequently travel between the Grand Forks and Fargo location and start with just a few employees until the business gets settled into the community.
Ritterman said Fuji’s and Planet Fitness will take up about two-thirds of the former Leevers building. He said there has been “good” interest in the vacant middle portion of the property, which will resemble a strip mall.
“Nobody is committed yet,” he said. “But as soon as we get the exterior done and get a couple of those tenants in, that will be helpful.”
Johnson reports on local business. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send email to .
Tags: gf and egf, north dakota, business, updates
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