Gap left by store closing

Walking through College Mall, the signs are everywhere. \n"Winter clearance sale."\n"Stock-up sale."\n"Semi-annual sale."\nBut no sales have caught more attention than the many marked-down signs at the Gap store.\nThe buzz is out: Gap is leaving. And many people have wondered who will replace the store, and more importantly in these slow economic times, are more businesses going to follow?\nCollege Mall officials say not to worry.\nThe Gap store will be leaving Jan. 25 and Hollister Co. is scheduled to replace the store sometime in the spring, said Dena Marietta, marketing director at College Mall. Hollister Co. is another retail clothing store that markets Abercrombie & Fitch Co. clothes to college-age people but at a lower cost.\nMarietta said this is just the beginning of new stores coming to the mall. She said they'll have at least four other store openings in the next year, including a replacement for the long-vacant area in the center of the mall since J.C. Penney left in April 2000.\nBest Buy, another large electronics retail store, is also scheduled to be built on East Third Street, just north of College Mall behind the Arby's restaurant.\nBut this growth is small compared to the many retail developments that have formed west of Ind. 37 in Bloomington.\nLinda Williamson, of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, said retail growth might be smaller on the East side, but that's only because there's more empty area to the West.\n"The College Mall area has not had vacant land in a while, so something has to be demolished before more can be built," she said.\nWilliamson said the large amount of development on the West side is probably a result of the increase in the number of people that commute to Bloomington everyday. She said the number has tripled in recent years, up to almost 15,000 people who drive in from nearby counties.\nBut Marietta said this should not pull business away from the East side or downtown areas.\n"I think you'll see some duplication on both sides of town," she said. "Bloomington is growing so fast."\nThe slow economy has caused business to falter around the nation, but Williamson said Bloomington has seen a decline in unemployment and an increase in the wage rate over the past six months.\nEven existing firms are seeing improvements in their business trends. Williamson said four local firms have recently announced expansions despite the slow times.\nOfficials at Gap, Inc. would not comment on why the store was closing.