Colorado Real Estate Journal - May 21, 2014
Conn’s HomePlus will move into the former Toys R Us store on the South College Avenue corridor in Fort Collins. Conn’s, which recently unveiled its first two Colorado stores in Aurora and Centennial, is expected to open the 46,271-square-foot Fort Collins store, located at 120 Bockman Drive, before the holiday season. Imago Enterprises Inc., led by Fort Collins investor/developer Les Kaplan, will upgrade the building’s façade, landscaping and parking lot to make way for the new tenant. “He will be doing quite a bit of work on that property,” said Nate Heckel of Cassidy Turley, who represented the landlord with Cassidy Turley’s Travis Ackerman. Brian Ashby, Jim Lee and Jon Weisiger of CBRE represented Conn’s, which signed a 10-year lease with options. “For a traditional retailer to come to our market, taking that much space, I feel is significant,” said Heckel, noting much of the retail activity has been driven by quick casual restaurants and grocery stores. With Sierra Trading Post and Trader Joe’s opening just to the north at The Square and other redevelopment, including Foothills Mall, “There’s a lot going on South College,” he said. Toys R Us vacated the South College building five years ago. Its move to Front Range Village allowed it to add its Babies R Us concept. Conn’s HomePlus, which sells home appliances, furniture, electronics and home office equipment, currently has 79 stores in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas and continues to expand.