MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin-based Kohl’s Corporation opened its first downtown Milwaukee store on Friday.
City leaders and stakeholders said they hope this will help revitalize downtown retail and create new opportunities for nearby businesses.
Kohl’s CEO, Tom Kingsbury, said at the ribbon cutting that it was an honor to open the new store and he was excited about its future.
Customers will have 35,000 square feet of shopping space, including a Sephora store.
A big crowd showed up to celebrate and shop at the grand opening event.
Sandi Zettl came from Waukesha for the opening and said the new Kohl’s store brings back memories.
“Being that I used to come down here when I was a child, do you know what I’m saying, and going into the Boston Store and the Grand Avenue Mall and then this was just empty. And now it is just so cool to see Kohl’s, of all stores, down here.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said this Kohl’s store is bringing new life to the area. He added it will attract more shoppers to downtown and fill vacant real estate space.
He also said it will deter crime.
“Bad guys don’t like lights; they don’t like eyes, and here we are in a very bright place with a lot of people who are going to be shopping and they are going to be spending money and creating opportunities for folks so those are eyeballs as well on the ground,” said Johnson.
Gino Fazzari owns Calderone Club and San Giorgio Pizzeria Napoletana in downtown Milwaukee. He said the more vacant buildings filled with new tenants, the better for everyone.
“I think it’s great. I think anytime you get more business downtown, everybody wins. We want active buildings; we want people walking around downtown, trying our restaurants, trying our coffee shops and shopping. So it’s great news and I think everybody wins when you get more business downtown,” said Fazzari.
Zettl said she shares the same sentiment as a consumer.
“It’s just going to be such a good feel for everybody down here, everybody that’s walking down here, just to have like, life going on instead of just empty buildings,” said Zettl.
Empty buildings that will hopefully keep fining new tenants, as the Kohl’s Corporation strives to help set the stage for new growth in downtown Milwaukee.