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On Aug. 8, Gurnee Mills celebrated its 20th anniversary of existence in Lake County.
The outlet mall that garners visits from 20 million people every year is known worldwide, said Randy Ebertowski, general manager of Gurnee Mills.
“I get emails every week from people throughout the world, saying, ‘Hey, I’m from Germany, and I’m coming to the Chicago area, and I want to come to Gurnee Mills because I heard about it,’” Ebertowski said. “It is very much a destination. And we’re also very much a part of the community. A shopping center to me is a community gathering place. It’s where you go to meet, to have some food, snack. It’s very much a place where families get together and bond … and that’s what it’s all about – being a part of the community."
Ebertowski went on the record with Lake County Journal reporter Stephanie N. Lehman to talk about the history of Gurnee Mills and where he thinks the mall will be in 20 years.
Lehman: Do you know what Gurnee Mills was like 20 years ago when it first opened?
Ebertowski: I went to boot camp, right here in Great Lakes about 20 years ago, and so I was here at Great Lakes for about eight months … . And, I'm sure it was on the drawing board at the time when I was here, but it wasn't built yet, so that wasn't one of the options for me as a new recruit sailor, to come to Gurnee Mills. But needless to say, it happens now every Friday and weekends. So, I know a little bit about what the area was like, again, because I lived here for a while. Just from what I've heard, it was a lot of agriculture out here, which, of course, there's still a lot of that in our community, and a lot of pride with that.
What size was the mall when it opened?
The footprint hasn't changed that much. We're still about 200 stores and about 2 million square feet, give or take. That's a large mall in our industry, and a large footprint … .
Are there still some anchor stores that were open then and still are there today?
There are a couple still, but it's really interesting to see the transition over time, because a mall is retail, and retail is fashion. So, fashion is ever-changing. And that's what makes a successful shopping center, is always keeping up with the latest trends, the latest fashion, the latest tastes of the consumer.
What sort of changes has the mall undergone in 20 years?
There have been a lot of developments over the last 20 years with the addition of new anchor stores, with renovating different pieces of the property. Simon [Property Group] came in and purchased the Mills portfolio in about May of 2007, and since then, the company has been laying the groundwork for not only doing smaller, in-house improvements to the property and updating and upgrading, but also we've been laying the plans for the new development that we just announced a couple of months ago, back in May, which is the new Macy's store coming, and renovating and transitioning an entire wing to a to full price point.
How is the mall going to be merge full- price and outlet prices together?
We'll be one of the first malls in the country, definitely the first Mills property, to have an entire wing dedicated toward a full price point. And I think most people know what outlet means – it means more options for your dollar, more value for your dollar. Full price point adds a little bit different retail mix to the center. And some name brands, some have both full price point stores and outlet stores, so we'll have all of it under one roof, which is what we really strive for. So, it's a huge, huge undertaking, and it's going to change what was Gurnee Mills, [what] for 20 years has been really successful for Gurnee Mills. And right now, we're setting ourselves up for the next 20 years.
When is the new renovation expected to be completed?
Macy's is slated to open in March 2013 … the new building will expand into the parking lot … . The old Circuit City building, that was about 40,000 square feet. The new Macy's building will be 140,000 square feet. So, we're adding about 100,000 square feet right there, and then from Macy's to Bass Pro, will get a whole new facelift and look and feel to it. So, again, to the full price point, glass storefronts, some wood touches throughout the center, so really updating it and bringing it into the future.
Is 20 years a long time for a mall to stay open?
The oldest mall in the country is back in Minnesota and it's actually still open and operating, and actually it's a Simon mall now … and that was built in the '50s, around 1956, thereabouts. So, 20 years, it's not that long in the mall industry, but it is to have a mall that's been successful for 20 years, such as Gurnee Mills. Since opening day when they were drawing tens of millions of customers, still today we draw tens of millions of customers to the mall and to the community. It's exciting that we've been able to maintain a strong presence in the community and in the industry.
How have sales been the last 20 years?
Sales over the years have trended strong. Even today, in a down economy, usually retail tends to suffer. During this recession, we had just the opposite effect. Because we are an outlet mall, people knew they could get more for their dollar, so the outlet malls, specifically the Mills portfolio, did very, very well during the recession because people realized they could come here and get more for their dollar … that's how we've been able to lay the groundwork for new retail here at Gurnee Mills. Our occupancy is strong, our sales are strong, customer traffic remains strong.
Where will Gurnee Mills be 20 years down the line?
I think because of its location and because of the community support the center has, it will continue to be a very, very successful shopping center in the area. It's strategically located between Chicago and Milwaukee; it's right off the interstate [on] Grand Avenue ... and you add on top of that a very strong company with Simon Property Group and the backing of the Mills ... I see us ... continuing ... to be successful.
Ebertowski lowdown
Who he is: General manager of Gurnee Mills for the last three years
Family: Wife, Andrea; daughters Anna, 10, and Tori, 8; and son Cooper, 2
Village of residence: Antioch
Hobbies: Fishing, going on road trips, camping and playing with his kids
About Gurnee Mills: The outlet mall is located at 6170 W. Grand Ave. in Gurnee. General mall hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. To learn more, call 847-263-7500.