Grand Avenue mall book shop moving
The Milwaukee bookstore in the center court of the Grand Avenue, whose sign identified itself simply as The Bookshop, has closed and is relocating to Southridge Mall in Greendale as Renaissance Bookshop.
The new store, which is being stocked and has not yet opened, will take second-level space formerly occupied by Toys R Us on the Macy’s end of the mall, Mary Mokwa, general manager of Southridge, said Monday.
The development fills a gap at Southridge, which recently saw the closings of former anchors Boston Store and Kohl’s, and appears to be in line with plans to redevelop the long-struggling Grand Avenue.
The Grand Avenue’s owners plan to convert the mall into a mix of apartments, offices and retail uses that could include a food hall featuring local operators. Apartment construction is already underway.
As those plans unfold, additional stores at the downtown mall may move to Southridge.
“We have a number of the retailers that were at Grand Avenue talking to us,” Mokwa said.
The Bookshop opened at Grand Avenue in late 2012. The store was an offshoot of Renaissance Books, known for its used bookstore at Mitchell International Airport and, formerly, for its cluttered, five-story location at 834 N. Plankinton Ave. that was torn down after the city declared it unfit for occupancy, with parts of the building “in a state of collapse or very near collapse.”
Renaissance owner Robert John said Monday that the Southridge location will open soon with a mix of new and used books. The store covers about 5,000 square feet, he said.