Bay Park opens new wing Workers are busy getting the Wet Seal store ready in the new wing of Simon Bay Park Square (photo by H. Marc Larson). New stores will open just in time for back-to-school shopping By Monique Balas News-Chronicle Shiny new stores and calming tile floors have arisen from the dirt and clutter that only days ago filled the corridors of a new wing in Simon Bay Park Square. "The tile is a very soothing color," mall general manager Patrick Basche pointed out as he led a media tour through the 60,000-square-foot addition set to open today. The ecru-colored tile squares were only one of a myriad of details that had to be attended to before Simon Property Group Inc. opened the mall. There was the lighting, the new exterior signs, carpeting, comfortable leather chairs, children's play area ... oh, yes, and the 20 stores set to open within the $20 million wing. As jewelry from Icing by Claire's boutique glinted temptingly from the storefront, retailers such as Aeropostale and Wet Seal had mannequins - in various stages of dress - showing off trendy fall outfits. "During the past 18 months, there has been lots going on here," said Scott Richardson, development director with Simon's corporate office. "We've turned what used to be a vacant department store into a now beautiful new Younkers. We have 60,000 square feet of new shops, three new restaurants and an entire renovation of the existing mall." The 132,000-square-foot Younkers will open Aug. 9. "Bay Park is above the national average of sales per square foot," Basche said. Stores in the mall less than 10,000 square feet (excluding the department stores and Old Navy) average $320 per month (per square foot) in sales, he said. Green Bay is a good shopping market, said Laurie Van Dalen, Bay Park Square marketing director. "We have a huge draw from Upper Michigan." The mall has no problem attracting new retailers, and 99 percent of its space is leased. Just before the holiday season, two more stores will open storefronts in the new wing: Rave and Express Dual Gender, a new Express store with only 10 retail outlets nationwide. When the wing is finished, Bay Park probably won't expand any more. "On this piece of property right now, we are fully developed," Richardson said. But that doesn't mean Bay Park won't see any more changes or improvements. "Shopping malls are always evolving, every day, every week, every month," he said. "You never know what's going to happen tomorrow." FYI: The new stores opening today in Simon Bay Park Square include: Aeropostale, American Eagle, Charlotte Rusee, Children's Place, Dress Barn, Hot Topic, Icing, Lane Bryant, Lenscrafters, Mia & Maxx Hair Studio, Mobile Solutions, Motherhood Maternity, Trade Home Shoes, Trade Secret, Wet Seal and Yankee Candle. Rave and Express Dual Gender will open this fall. Max & Erma's, Smokey Bones BBQ and Texas Roadhouse will be opening later this year in the mall's outlying lot.