Cabela's Announces Sun Prairie Location (City of Sun Prairie Press Release)

Cabela’s has publicly announced their intention to build an 86,000 s.f. retail facility in the Prairie Lakes Development, located at the northeast corner of U.S. 151 and Grand Ave.  The store will open in Spring of 2015, and will employ approximately 200 employees.   Official plans have not been submitted, but the City anticipates this occurring in the next couple of months to ensure approvals in time to allow the store to break ground in the Spring of 2014.

Mayor John Murray released the following statement.  “We’re very excited that Cabela’s has announced a new store in Sun Prairie.   This national retailer makes Sun Prairie and Prairie Lakes even more of a destination for shoppers, but especially for sportsman and outdoor enthusiasts. We look forward to welcoming hunters, fisherman, and boaters from South Central Wisconsin as well as those who come to enjoy all that the outdoors in Wisconsin has to offer.”

Council President Mary Polenske also released a statement, saying “Our congratulations to both Cabela’s and Prairie Lakes on this announcement.  The City Council looks forward to this investment in our community, to continuing our partnership with the developer, and to working with Cabela’s to get their plans approved as fast as possible. ”

Neil Stechschulte, Director of Economic Development for the City of Sun Prairie stated “The fact that Cabela’s recognizes the quality of this site and wants to build a store in Sun Prairie sends a clear message to the national retail community that this one of the most desirable locations in the State of Wisconsin.  They will be a great user in a great development.  I want to acknowledge all the hard work that Prairie Lakes Development continues to put forward in attracting quality shopping opportunities to Sun Prairie, as well as the continued support of the Mayor and City Council for new projects in this area.”

From the Cabela’s Press Release:

Construction is scheduled to begin next year and Cabela’s anticipates a spring 2015 opening for the 86,000-square-foot store. It will be Cabela’s fourth store in Wisconsin, joining Prairie du Chien, Richfield and Green Bay. Also, the company operates a distribution center in Prairie du Chien.

The store will be located in the Prairie Lakes Shopping Center at Highway 151 and Grand Avenue. Prairie Development Ltd. is managing the development, which also includes Target, Costco and Woodman’s Market.

Cabela’s expects the store to employ approximately 200 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees. Most will come from Sun Prairie and the surrounding area.

The building will be built in Cabela’s next-generation layout, designed to surround customers in an outdoor-like experience with museum-quality wildlife displays. In addition to thousands of quality outdoor products, the store will include a large mountain replica, a Gun Library, Bargain Cave, Indoor Archery Range, Deli and Fudge Shop.

“Wisconsin has proven to be a Cabela’s kind of place,” Millner said. “We have a history of success in our Prairie du Chien, Richfield and Green Bay locations and we couldn’t be more excited to bring a store to Sun Prairie.”

Currently, Cabela’s operates 48 stores across North America with plans to open an additional 19 over the next two years.

The full Cabela's press release is available at: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20131024005436/en/Cabela%E2%80%99s%C2%AE-Announces-Plans-Stores

Questions can be directed to:

Neil Stechschulte

Director of Economic Development
City of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin USA
Email: nstechschulte@cityofsunprairie.com
Phone: (608) 825-1107
Web: http://www.cityofsunprairie.com/economic-development

Photo of the Day: Starbucks Coffee Ribbon Cutting in Sun Prairie's Westside Neighborhood (City of Sun Prairie)

Sun Prairie Alderwoman Andrea Gage joined Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce President Sue Olson and Chamber Ambassador Mike Urben at the official ribbon cutting of the new Starbucks Coffee shop at the corner of Prairie Lakes Drive and Grand Avenue in Sun Prairie's Westside Neighborhood.

Blogger's Note: Westside Neighborhood employers in the region can rejoice, as their employees can now get their coffee faster with this new drive thru.  QBE employees, stop in and say hello!

Poised for growth: Prairie Lakes developers still dreaming big in Sun Prairie (IBMadison.com)

“Where else can you go where you can drop off your application and have your approvals in six to seven weeks, and you can be in the ground if you have all your engineering done, etc., within two months?” asked Fedler. “That’s pretty amazing. I mean, Marcus was approved, I think it was seven weeks, and Costco might have taken a little bit longer because there were a few little tweaks to the buildings, but it was eight or nine. That’s a big deal.”  --Developer Chad Fedler

Click here to read the full article in In Business Magazine: http://www.ibmadison.com/In-Business-Madison/March-2013/Poised-for-growth-Prairie-Lakes-developers-still-dreaming-big-in-Sun-Prairie/index.php?cparticle=2&siarticle=1#artanc

For more information on Prairie Lakes, visit them online at: www.shopprairielakes.com

Blogger's Note: Watch for more good news about Prairie Lakes in 2013.  Could be a great year for both Prairie Lakes and the City of Sun Prairie!

Costco Final Plan Approved (Sun Prairie Star)

Costco Final Plan Approved

Link to Full Article: http://www.sunprairiestar.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=52&ArticleID=9094

Blogger's Note:  Keep an eye this site once they get started in the Spring.  Costco has one of the fastest construction timelines for a building this size, so they should be up and running in 2012.

Sun Prairie's Retail Market Continues Expansion

Costco Files Prairie Lakes Application (Sun Prairie Star) 

Link to Full Article: http://www.sunprairiestar.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=52&articleID=8657

Commission OK's Concept for New Sun Prairie Wal-Mart (Sun Prairie Star)

Link to Full Article: http://www.sunprairiestar.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&subsectionID=52&articleID=8649

Blogger's Note: 2012 is going to be a busy year for retail construction in Sun Prairie.  Add Woodman's to the mix, and we're looking at more than 500,000 s.f. coming on line next year.

Sun Prairie Stands Out at ICSC Idea Exchange in Milwaukee (City of Sun Prairie Office of Economic Development)

City Economic Development Director Neil Stechschulte's Thursday presentation on available retail sites was one of the only ones that included a major project breaking ground this summer. The confirmation of Woodman's beginning work on their 225,000 s.f. store in Sun Prairie's Westside neighborhood this summer (pending final City approvals) was easily the largest project that was being discussed publicly.

Several area Realtors and developers were in attendance, including Chad Fedler (Prairie Development Ltd.), CB Richard Ellis (Matt Paske), Lee & Associates (Dick Stern, Steve Doran, Todd Waller, and Chris Etmanczyk), Pat Schwartz (ReMax Preferred), Central Place Real Estate (Rob Zache, Jesse Schluter, and Kyle Robb), Deb Ersland (Best Real Estate Group) and General Capital Group (Michael Weiss). Stechschulte also met representatives from several retailers looking to expand in Wisconsin including CVS Pharmacy, Jersey Mike's Subs, Kwik Trip, and Dunkin' Donuts.

The day concluded with a reception and informational tables with both communities and retailers looking for possible deals. Information on Sun Prairie sites on the Westside, financial assistance programs, redevelopment areas on Main Street, TIF Districts and downtown space was made available for event participants.

My Menu Store Ready to Launch in Sun Prairie (Capital Times)

My Menu has posted coming soon signs in a storefront at Sun Towne Plaza in Sun Prairie (near the new Park Bank, Subway and Burracho's at the intersection of STH 19 and Grand Ave.).

My Menu is a new retail concept being launched this summer in the Madison area by Ontario-based M&M Meat Shops Ltd. According to the company's Web site, My Menu will offer frozen meal options such as beef, chicken and seafood, desserts, hors d'oeuvres in single servings and family-size entrees.

Click here for the full article in the Capital Times.

Hanley's to Close After 80 Years of Doing Business in Sun Prairie

This post is to confirm that Hanley's, a hardware and power sports store on Sun Prairie's East Side on Main Street, has announced that it is closing after 80 years of business. Tom Hanley, the owner, informed employees late last week that between diminishing profit margins and the potential loss of customer from the pending reconstruction of Main Street, he had made the decsion to close the store. Hanley's employed approximately 40 full time employees and several part time staff.

The announcement comes at the same time as national hardware chain Home Depot announced that they were closing three of their Wisconsin stores (Beaver Dam, Fond du Lac, and NW Milwaukee) while both Madison area stores seem to performing well. The slowed housing market and increased competition have made the hardware/home improvement industry scale back throughout the country.

While it was known that the Hanley building and property had been listed for sale for some time, discussions with Mr. Hanley over the past year were focused on finding a potential new location with additional visibility for his motorcycle dealership, along with select components of his operations. He also stated that the costs of building a new building factored into his decision to close. The existing site is approximately 6.6 acres.

To simply say that Hanley's has been a long standing business in our City would be a gross understatement. They have been an anchor retailer serving the City's East side, the Main Street Corridor, and the City as a whole. Their presence will be sorely missed. We wish Mr. Hanley all the best in his future endeavors, and hope he will remain an active and important part of our community. The City looks forward to working with Mr. Hanley in whatever plans he may have for his Main Street property, and to assist in any way that we can.

Click on any of the following links to view full articles from these sources:

Sun Prairie Star Online (Updated)

Capital Times (Madison)

Sun Prairie Today

Channel3000.com

Wisconsin State Journal

Sun Prairie Memoribilia Store Buzzing After Favre's Retirement (Channel3000.com)

Co-Owners Work On Quarterback's Web Site, Fan Mail

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. -- A Sun Prairie Packer memorabilia store was the hottest stop in town as news spread on Tuesday morning about Brett Favre's retirement.

The phones at Fan 4 Ever have been ringing off the hook and a steady stream of Favre devotees have been popping in to scoop up some No. 4 merchandise.

Click here for link to the full story at Channel3000.com.