Company withdraws from proposed seasonal store site in Waterford
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
Could Waterford’s loss be Burlington’s gain?
That likely depends on where you stand regarding competition for local businesses. However, City Administrator Kevin Lahner made it clear Tuesday that officials here would welcome a seasonal Stein Just Plants store if the garden and gifts retailer follows through with plans to do so.
Last month Stein representatives asked officials in the Village of Waterford for permission to operate a seasonal plant store in the parking lot of the Pick n’ Save grocery store in that community.
The request touched off a firestorm of debate, which had a group of residents lining up in support of local plant retailers and against Stein.
The matter was scheduled for official consideration by village planners April 9, but never came to a vote after a representative from Stein told those at the meeting that the retailer was withdrawing its request and would instead pursue a site along Highway 36 in Burlington.
Exactly where that location may be remained a mystery early this week. Attempts to contact Stein representative Bryan Linstroth Tuesday went unanswered prior to deadline for this story.
Lahner said Tuesday he had not heard from Stein concerning potential sites within the city, but he made it clear the city would be happy to consider the company’s request.
Lahner said the company would need a temporary sales permit to operate the seasonal “pop-up” plant store.
“Frankly, if they want to come in and do that, it might be a good precursor to a permanent store,” Lahner said.
He said the parking lot in front of the former Kmart store in the Fox River Plaza on Milwaukee Avenue would be an ideal location for a seasonal store. He also said the vacant store could serve as a permanent location for a garden center.
“It would be a good fit,” he said.
Stein operates 15 permanent Gardens and Gifts stores in Wisconsin, including locations in Big Bend, Racine and Kenosha.
In recent years, Stein has operated its so-called pop-up stores – a term in the retail industry used to describe a temporary, seasonal operation – throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
Last year, Stein Just Plants stores cropped up in Cedarburg, Muskego, Oak Creek, Pewaukee and Waukesha. Stein officials plan to increase the number this year.
Stein Just Plants is a small, scaled-down version of the retailer’s permanent, standalone stores and operates during the May-June planting season for about eight weeks. A small selection of merchandise is sold in a 40-by-75-foot greenhouse, including flowers, gardening materials and landscaping products.
Correspondent Dave Fidlin contributed to this story.
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