The changing face of Sweden's retail landscape

On March 13, the new 203,000 square foot super Wal-Mart opened in the Town of Sweden, less than a week after PetSmart announced it was closing its operations.

PetSmart, that announced plans to close by 2008, cited multiple reasons for closing the company's 400,000 square foot facility located on Transit Way. PetSmart spokesperson Jennifer Pflugfelder said the company decided to sell its line of goods for horseback riders because its equine product line was less profitable than other categories. It will also outsource the Brockport distribution and call center operations. More than 200 jobs will be lost with PetSmart's closing.

In an e-mail, Town Supervisor Nat Lester wrote, "It is important to remember that Sweden has a very strong, solid commercial base. Although we have lost two major businesses recently, Brockport Ford and Chase Pitkin, and will lose another, PetSmart, during the coming months, we have new businesses that are eager to locate here."

He cited Lowe's, that is scheduled to begin construction in March and Byrne Dairy that would like to convert the former Sodoma Farm Market to a convenience store/gas station. "There are regular inquiries into the availability of commercial property in the town," he wrote.

"Another important point to remember is that neither PetSmart nor Chase Pitkin left the Town of Sweden because they were not profitable here; rather, the decision to close was a corporate decision not to pursue those lines of business any longer."

Lester said he had spoken to Wegman's real estate department and have been assured that they are working to find a tenant for the empty Chase Pitkin space. "I have also spoken to representatives from Wal-Mart and they have stated that it is not Wal-Mart's intention to keep their old space dark. Every community loses businesses. What we want to do is to remain an attractive location for business endeavors."

March 18, 2007