Younkers hustles toward new store opening Linda TeStroete stocks shoes at the new Younkers store in Ashwaubenon (photo by H. Marc Larson). The Bay Park Square site will open Aug. 9 By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle Rick Pelegrin looked up, a bit surprised. "See that track lighting? Well, I'm seeing it for the first time too." Pelegrin was leading a media tour of the new Younkers department store at Bay Park Square in Ashwaubenon on Tuesday. With an Aug. 9 opening date scheduled, his store was in about the shape that could be expected. "We're moving goods in at a pretty good pace," he said. Racks of goods - an estimated $9.2 million in inventory by opening day - were being unpacked and placed. Naked mannequins and empty tables dotted the aisles. The plasma TVs aren't in yet, the soda machine isn't in the juniors section and they're still waiting for the "visuals" for the rest rooms. But the outlines are there for the area's newest store - one that will contain several changes for the 49-store chain. Some are large. Take the shoe section - something out of an Imelda Marcos dream. Occupying most of the northwest corner of the first floor, the area includes 9,800 square feet of space and carries 35,000 pairs of shoes. Salespeople in the section will wear headsets for quicker service. "It may be one of the largest in northern Wisconsin," Pelegrin said. Most of the space is in storage, a maze of 8-foot-tall racks. "I love it!" said a staffer. "I'm from the Eau Claire store and our space was only half this size." Cosmetics? Try the largest fragrance bays in the chain's northern tier, or the cosmetic spa room. "Cosmetics and shoes are our premiere businesses," said Hugh McMullen, the chain's regional director. Also expected to be a draw is the "women's studio" area with plus sizes. "It's 5 percent of our total sales area; in most of our stores, it's closer to 3 percent," McMullen said. But there are also small touches, like call buttons for assistance in fitting rooms. "You won't have to get dressed again to go out and find somebody to help you," said Pelegrin to smiles from the women on the tour. The architectural highlight of the new store is an open area in the middle, with an elevator and two escalators. While some of the floor space will be taken up by small sales items, there will also be a rest area with a large-screen plasma TV. Seating is spotted throughout the store. "We know that not everybody shops the same way," Pelegrin said. And there will even be comfort for the smallest shopper. In the restroom area off the service desk on the second floor, separate rooms have been set up for baby changing and nursing. The store consists of 140,000 square feet, 119,000 of it devoted to actual sales. By contrast, McMullen said, Younkers' store at Fox River Mall in Appleton has a total space of 100,000 square feet. The new store will carry some new, more upscale brands including Ralph Lauren and an expanded Tommy Hilfiger line. In addition, it will carry items designed by actress Jane Seymour and inspired by her castle home in England. Seymour's items are exclusive to the Saks chains of department stores, which includes Younkers, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Bergner's and Herberger's. The store had more than 1,000 applicants for jobs, and hired 185 people, Pelegrin said. "We only hired 25 or 30 from existing stores. The rest were all new here," he said. The store is located on the site of the old Montgomery Ward store, which was torn down to make way for the two-story building. The first floor is primarily womens and girls clothing, accessories, shoes and cosmetics. The second floor carries mens and boys wear, intimate apparel, childrens wear and home furnishings. Younkers will continue to operate its downtown store as well. "That's my store too," said McMullen, "so I hope we still do well there." The downtown store has an agreement with the city to continue operations as the city redevelops Washington Commons and the nearby area. The city plans to officially condemn the downtown Younkers with an eye to redeveloping it as a mixed-use facility, possibly including the department store. But McMullen said he sees both stores as able to do well. "This (new store) will draw people from a large region," he said. "But there are a lot of people who have strong habits and will continue to shop there."