A Chandler Fashion Center vacant space will be gutted and re-emerge in two years as a massive employee-owned, all-sports retailer that employs about 400 associates, Fargo, N.D.-based Scheels announced.
After a full renovation and expansion of the former Nordstrom space at the mall, the first Scheels in Arizona will be a 220,000-square-foot premium, family-friendly sports destination with entertainment attractions, specialty shops and boutiques stocked with top brand names under one roof. This includes 75 specialty shops staffed by trained experts.
The West Chandler store is expected to attract sports fans, outdoor enthusiasts and customers seeking a wide variety of fashion, footwear and home decor.
It will be more than just retail, the company says. A variety of fun, family-friendly attractions will include a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium with more than 600 fish, a wildlife mountain and Fuzziwig’s Candy Shop. There also will be interactive arcade games, sports simulators and Ginna’s Cafe, a restaurant serving gourmet soups and sandwiches, homemade fudge and specialty coffee.
CEO Steve M. Scheel said his company has been eying the metro Phoenix market for several years.
“We want to thank Chandler leadership and the team at Macerich for help bringing this project to life,” Scheel said. “We look forward to working with them throughout the building process as we become a new partner in the Chandler community, and serving the people in central Arizona when we open our doors.”
Macerich’s President Ed Coppola said that Chandler Fashion Center is an ideal setting for a high-performing, sporting-goods retailer to enter the Arizona market.
“We appreciate the terrific partnership we’ve established with this outstanding company,” Coppola said. “Scheels will be a great amenity for this family-friendly market.”
Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said that, under the leadership of Macerich, “Chandler Fashion Center continues to iterate with the times and cement itself as a premier shopping, culinary and entertainment destination.”
The West Chandler Scheels will be the company’s 31st store after the scheduled opening of one this fall in Missoula, Mont.
After the Montana and Arizona openings, Scheels will operate in 14 states, including North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Nevada, Illinois, Utah, Kansas, Colorado and Texas. The company employs more than 8,000 associates.
