Best Buy in Mundelein Crossings shopping center demolished, site cleared

The former Best Buy store in Mundelein, a long-vacant reminder of better days in retailing, is being removed from the landscape.

Demolition and salvage of scrap metal continued Friday for the stand-alone store at Mundelein Crossings shopping center at routes 83 and 60.

Best Buy stores in Addison, Deerfield, Mundelein and West Dundee were among those closed May 12, 2012 by the Minneapolis-based retailer. While the others since have been occupied by other users, that was not the case in Mundelein, and owner Bill Shiner apparently decided to start fresh. Neither Shiner nor the leasing agent for Mundelein Crossings could be reached for comment Friday.

At about 30,000 square feet, the Best Buy building was large and unique to that use, said Amanda Orenchuk, Mundelein's director of community development. She said trends led the village to believe it would be challenging to fill that space with a comparable size user.

"The removal of the building will open up buildable opportunity for spaces that meet the shifting needs of tenants in today's economy," she said.

The Best Buy at 1038 N. Rohlwing Road in Addison was vacant about a year before becoming a Goodwill store and donation center. The space at 200 S. Waukegan Road in Deerbrook Mall in Deerfield was vacant about the same length of time before a Hobby Lobby moved in.

In West Dundee, the operators of Lifezone 360 sports complex, which opened in a repurposed Target Store, 999 W. Main St., last fall acquired the adjacent former Best Buy to accommodate future growth.

Best Buy stores remain open in Gurnee, Vernon Hills and Kildeer in Lake County and other suburbs.

At 463,980 square feet, Mundelein Crossings is the largest shopping center in the village and is considered a significant driver in the local economy. Anchors include Super Target, Home Depot and TJ Maxx 'N More among others. For comparison, Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills is 1.3 million square feet.

Mundelein annexed the property in 2003 and Wilmette-based Shiner Group LLC, which owns Mundelein Crossings, has been involved since it opened in 2005, according to Orenchuk.

During that time, the village has received $19 million in sales tax from stores in the center. Of that amount, Shiner has received $7 million from the village in tax sharing agreements, including an incentive for an Ulta store that opened in November.

What will happen with the Best Buy site is unknown at this point.

However, village practice is "to facilitate new businesses through whatever process may be required in as efficient a manner as possible," Orenchuk said.

"We understand that in order for businesses to be successful, they need to be able to open their doors as quickly as possible," she added.