Lakeland, FL, May 30--Scotty's Inc. will close two more stores Saturday, including its North Lakeland outlet, to redevelop the properties for other retail businesses, the company announced Wednesday, according to the Lakeland Ledger.
The Winter Haven-based hardware store chain also plans to redevelop more than a dozen large stores in Florida and one in Savannah, Ga., said Lora Kellogg, vice president of marketing.
Two weeks ago, Scotty's closed its South Lakeland store as part of the redevelopment strategy. Since then it has closed four other stores.
"If the real estate opportunity is greater than operating the store as a Scotty's, we will consider closing that store and redeveloping that property," Kellogg said.
Most of the affected stores have more than 30,000 square feet of retail space, which the company no longer needs after switching to smaller retail outlets in recent years, she said. The smaller hardware stores operate on 7,000 to 10,000 square feet.
The redevelopment plan calls for closing some Scotty's stores and remodeling the entire space for other retail businesses, such as office supply, furniture and general merchandise businesses, Kellogg said. That includes the two Lakeland stores and others closed earlier in Sebring, Bradenton, Clermont and five other locations.
Scotty's also plans to close its Palm Coast store later this year after a new Home Depot opens there, she said.
In nine other Florida locations, Scotty's will continue operating stores over smaller square footage and lease the remaining space to other retailers, Kellogg said. The Savannah store, the chain's only non-Florida location, also will be redeveloped into a smaller store.
The company has reduced stores in three Florida cities, including Plant City, and leased the remaining space to the Staples office supply chain, she said. Staples has expressed interest in leasing at other Scotty's locations.
The Plant City store may be split further for other retail businesses, Kellogg said.
Scotty's officials have talked to Sonic drive-in restaurants about building on part of the 4.4 acres in North Lakeland, she said. Officials with Beall's and Save-a-Lot discount grocery stores also have talked about leasing part of the 37,252-square-foot store there.
The recent closings will leave 61 stores in the chain.
