More than a year after QFC closed, the vacant space in Covington Shopping Center on Southeast 272nd Street and Wax Road Southeast is about to be filled by Big Lots!
According to Salina Lyons, senior planner for the city of Covington, property owner Ashton Capital Corporation was issued a building permit for the site that is 40,401 square feet and it has been divided into two tenant spaces.
“At this point all we know is Big Lots will be going into one of the spaces and that Ashton is working with another potential tenant for the second half of the space,” Lyons said in an email. “We have not been provided definite information on the second tenant.”
Jim Wene, vice president of real estate for Ashton, confirmed that Big Lots is going into the space and will use up about 30,000 square feet, leaving 10,000 square feet and change for a yet to be named second tenant.
“The other one we’re working on right now,” Wene said. “It’s going to be a good use, something a little bit different.”
Wene said the details of the deal are nearly final and he expected it to be done in the coming weeks but until it was complete he couldn’t reveal the second tenant.
The deal with Big Lots was finalized in January, Wene said.
“It’s going to be a great deal,” he said. “It’s going to be one of their new prototypes that they’re doing.”
With Big Lots going in, Wene said, and the second tenant there is only one small pad that is not occupied, which makes Covington Shopping Center 98 percent leased out.
Lyons noted that Big Lots will need to apply for tenant improvements to the space for its new store.
“As of today (Monday, April 11) they have not submitted any permit applications,” she said. “So, I cannot provide you an estimated time frame of when they will be open.”
Toni Fink, a spokesperson for Big Lots, said the store will likely open in the fall, possibly in late September or early October. The company has 90 store openings planned for this year including the new location in Covington.
Fink explained that loyal Big Lots patrons love the treasure hunt of shopping at the store which offers values in every day items but the close out circle is where to find the action.
“What makes shopping at Big Lots fun is the hunt for what’s going to be new in the store that week,” Fink said. “It’s that, ‘Boy, I wonder what I’m going to find this week and how great of a deal am I going to get this week.’”
Bit Lots has more than 1,400 stores in 48 states. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Brands by more than 3,000 manufacturers are offered by Big Lots in categories ranging from consumables, seasonal products, furniture, housewares, toys and gifts, according to the company’s website, www.biglots.com.
