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Under New Management
The former Beaver Dam Mall has a new name, new businesses and the owners are negotiating with additional businesses that may be interested in locating there.
A Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting was held for the mall on Tuesday and the mall's new name was revealed — Heritage Village Shops and Professional Center. The new name reflects a new chapter for the complex, and a new direction. There will be retail mixed with other types of businesses.
"It was our goal from the outset to bring a new image and compatible mix of tenants to this facility so the citizens of Beaver Dam and the surrounding areas could come to their local mall and have the shopping, services and entertainment they need in one facility," mall owners Dick and Todd Hedberg, Dave Fister and Jeff Kitchen said in a press release.
The four local owners purchased the complex on May 8 from Owatonna, Minn., businessman Marty Graff.
The new image will consist of a mix of shops, dining, service and recreational businesses. Future plans include current negotiations with a number of large retailers, boutique shops and an ongoing renovation and enhancement project which started three months ago.
The mall's new signs will be up next week, weather permitting. The owners have also made several improvements including painting, new sitting areas and improvements to the parking area including lighting, blacktopping and repainting the lines outside the Herberger's store entrance. They have also reduced the rental costs for shops.
The parking lot project is costly with a $1 million price tag for the entire lot.
"We'll obviously need more tenants before we can do that," Todd Hedberg said.
He added that prospects for getting those tenants look bright.
"We've been talking to three nationwide retailers as well as six or seven local prospective tenants," he said. "We plan to make some new announcements in the near future."
The former Wal-Mart space probably will not be filled until 2009 after some renovations have been completed on the space, Hedberg said.
Current mall tenants Herberger's, Floral Expressions and China Palace will soon have new neighbors. They include Beaver Dam Model Railroad Club, Family Youth Interaction Zone, Third Heaven Martial Arts and Vivian's.
"I'm happy about the direction the mall is taking," Herberger's manager Mike Peterson said. "There have been a lot of updates including painting and landscaping."
Mall owners have frequently updated the tenants on the changes, Peterson said.
Dena Jacobson, owner of Beaver Dam Dance Academy, said she felt the mall would be a better location and an improved facility over what she has at her downtown location. Her studio will be located in the former Musicland/Sam Goody store and she will have two large studios with a parent viewing area. She plans to open on Jan. 7.
Paul Toellner, owner of Family Youth Interactive Zone, is already working on his business which will take over the former Aurora Pharmacy and Wonder Nails spaces. He plans on the store opening next month and having miniature golf, redemption games, a video arcade, pool tables, foosball, air hockey, inflatable toys, a concession stand and a private birthday room.
"I noticed anytime I wanted to do an activity, I'd have to go to Madison or Fond du Lac," Toellner said. "There is not much stuff like this in Dodge County."
The facility will be staffed with adults at all times and they will be required to be CPR and first aid certified.
Toellner, who wants FYI Zone to be used by anyone ranging from toddlers to grandparents, said he approached the former mall owner years back and was turned down for opening there.
Toellner said he hopes his customers will use other stores in the mall.
"Hopefully down the line, this will be a place where people will spend their afternoons again," Toellner said. "A place where they can play, eat and shop."
Shirley Clough, owner of Floral Expressions, said that the new name reflects the fact that the mall is taking a more positive direction and asked the public to remember the mall before shopping outside of town if they want it to work in the community.
"When and if we get stores in here," Clough said. "They need to come here and shop here. Even if there are only a few stores to go to. If they want a mall in Beaver Dam, they have to help us to get going."
The building consists of 284,984 square feet of which 206,044 square feet is rentable. For additional information contact Todd Hedberg at 887-0312. A Web site is also under construction at www.heritagevillageshops.com.
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