Golf superstore taking over lease of Babies R Us in Vernon Hills
Georgia-based PGA Tour Superstore has acquired the lease for the Babies R Us in Vernon Hills and will be converting the space for its third suburban Chicago location.
Plans have not been submitted to the village, but spokeswoman Megan Mahoney said the growing chain plans to open in Vernon Hills later this year. The company operates 32 stores in the U.S., including locations in Schaumburg and Downers Grove that opened in 2012.
Parent company Golf & Tennis Pro Shop Inc. was the winning bidder for the lease at 295 Center Drive, north of Route 60 just west of Hawthorn Mall.
The March 29 transaction was part of an ongoing auction of Toys R Us properties.
A nearby Toys R Us at 5555 E. Townline Road (Route 60) in the Townline Commons shopping center in Vernon Hills remains open. Plans are unknown, but village officials expect it will close in the near future.
At the moment, the 37,000-square foot Babies R Us, considered medium-size, is the only free-standing big-box vacancy in Vernon Hills' vast commercial landscape.
"From my perspective, it's good to know there's a healthy demand for retail space in Vernon Hills," Assistant Village Manager Joe Carey said of the PGA Tour Superstore acquisition.
The company is led by chairman Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of the Home Depot chain, and calls itself the leader in golf and tennis equipment, apparel and accessories.
Mahoney said Blank has fostered a "patient" environment in which the company invests time to offer free clinics, custom club fitting, lessons and nine-hole virtual leagues played on simulators as part of the in-store experience.
Despite some previously lean years for the golf industry, PGA Tour Superstore posted a record performance in 2017 and so far this year is reporting double-digit comparable-store sales growth on top of that, according to Mahoney.
She said PGA Tour Superstore sales increased 15 percent in 2017, while all retail sales rose 3.9 percent as reported by the National Retail Federation. Sales of clubs and footwear have led the way and continue to be strong, she said.
Mahoney noted the return of Tiger Woods and emergence of many young pro players as sparking interest in the sport.
"Over the last several months, we've begun to feel a positive vibe and an excitement for the golf industry, and even more so over the past few weeks," she said.
While other big boxes have been closing, PGA Tour Superstore has tripled its number of stores the last seven years. The company has accelerated its expansion strategy and plans to have 50 "brick and mortar" stores over the next three years.
Besides the Vernon Hills location, the company secured the lease for a former Babies R Us store in Indianapolis and plans to continue participating in the liquidation auctions.
Vernon Hills' building commissioner, Mike Atkinson, said the village has not heard of any potential new occupant for the Toys R Us store.