Tag: retailing

Bass Pro Shops Coming to Kentucky Oaks Mall

Posted on | by Joe Bell

Bass Pro Shops to bring 115 jobs to Paducah

The Paducah Sun  February 12, 2026

PADUCAH — Bass Pro Shops plans to open a new 70,000-square-foot destination retail store in Paducah, bringing an estimated 115 jobs and a $25 million investment to the community.

The store will be built from the ground up at 3470 James Sanders Blvd., on an approximately 8-acre site adjacent to Kentucky Oaks Mall. Company officials say the location is expected to open in late 2026 or early 2027.

City leaders approved a development agreement and incentive package during Tuesday’s Paducah City Commission meeting, clearing the way for the project.

Mayor George Bray called the announcement an “exciting milestone” for the city, saying the development represents more than a new retailer.

“The construction of this new location represents more than the opening of a retail store,” Bray said in a news release. “Because Bass Pro Shops designs each location to reflect its surroundings, this project will create a true destination — one that draws families, outdoor enthusiasts, and visitors from not only the region but also the entire United States. This store will be a place not only to shop, but to gather, explore, and experience the outdoor lifestyle that is such an important part of our community. We are incredibly proud to welcome Bass Pro Shops to Paducah and to see our city continue to grow as a regional destination.”

The store will be the first Bass Pro Shops location in Kentucky built from the ground up, according to City Manager Daron Jordan.

“This milestone would not have been possible without the vision and commitment of the Kentucky Oaks Mall Company team, including Co-President Anthony Cafaro, Jr., as well as the leadership of Johnny Morris and the entire Bass Pro team,” Jordan said in the release. “Their confidence in Paducah speaks volumes about our community’s strength and bright future.”

Anthony Cafaro, Jr., co-president of CAFARO, which oversees Kentucky Oaks Mall, said this development will help ensure the continued viability of Paducah’s commercial corridor.

“We are grateful to the City of Paducah for their vision and partnership in bringing this project to life,” he said. “This development would not have been possible without the City’s commitment to maintaining the viability of Kentucky Oaks Mall and the surrounding Hinkleville Road commercial corridor, and we are proud Bass Pro Shops will be the catalyst for this new chapter of growth.”

The nearest store to Paducah is currently in Nashville, Tennessee. Company founder Johnny Morris said the Paducah location will serve outdoor enthusiasts throughout western Kentucky and the broader region.

“We are proud and excited to be able to serve the great outdoor enthusiasts in the Paducah region and the entire Bluegrass State,” Morris said. “We are looking forward to helping families and friends get outside and make happy memories together in the great outdoors.”

Officials say employment information will be released closer to the store’s opening.

 

Marshalls to open at Kennedy Mall in Dubuque

Posted on | by Joe Bell

 

Marshalls to open at Kennedy Mall in Dubuque

September 25, 2025

A popular off-price retailer is set to open at Kennedy Mall in Dubuque next summer.

Marshalls will open its doors at the mall in summer 2026 and will occupy a 24,000-square-foot space next to the Books-A-Million store, according to Joe Bell, director of corporate communications at Cafaro Co., which owns Kennedy Mall and Asbury Plaza.

“We’ve been carving out the space for it, and we’re really excited to have Marshalls coming into the marketplace,” Bell said.

Marshalls is owned by TJX Companies, which also operates T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, Sierra, and HomeSense.

With the anticipated arrival of Marshalls, Dubuque will boast four of those five retailers. T.J. Maxx has operated at Asbury Plaza since 2013, and 10 years later, in 2023, outdoor retailer Sierra followed suit and opened at Asbury Plaza.

Last year, homeware retailer HomeGoods opened a location at Kennedy Mall, occupying a space that formerly housed multiple other Kennedy Mall tenants, including Books-A-Million.

The bookseller moved from its original space to make way for HomeGoods and reopened in a portion of the former Younkers department store.

Now, another portion of what used to be Younkers will house Marshalls.

“We have a very good relationship with the TJX Companies,” Bell said. “This is something that our people have been discussing with Marshalls for quite a while, and their people agree that the Dubuque marketplace is a good place to be for retail.”

There are currently over 1,200 Marshalls stores in the United States, a press release states.

 

According to the release, Marshalls offers brand-name, designer and other high-quality clothes, shoes, accessories, beauty products and home decor at lower prices than regular department and specialty stores. Each Marshalls store receives different shipments of items each week.

Bell said renovations will likely begin soon to prepare the new Marshalls space.

“Right now, what we have is just the shell of what used to be a department store,” he said. “We’re going to be creating walls for the individual store space.”

While a precise opening date for the store has not been set, Bell said Marshalls officials aim to open the doors “early next summer.”

Rick Dickinson, president and CEO of Greater Dubuque Development Corp., praised Cafaro Co.’s efforts to attract and retain retailers for its Dubuque properties.

“Cafaro’s just done a great job in very difficult times to keep the Kennedy Mall strong and viable, and the more retail we have, the better off we are,” Dickinson said. “They’re really always working it, and we appreciate that.”

Last year, GDDC contracted with consultant Retail Strategies, which put together a report with recommended ways for Dubuque officials to entice additional retail businesses to town.

“They’ve really been focusing on analyzing our market and the buying power of the audience (with regard to) more retail options,” Dickinson said. “(Marshalls) is a nice addition.”

Bell hinted that a few other businesses aim to open soon at Kennedy Mall but said he could not yet release more details.

“Our leasing executives have always made the case that Dubuque is a wonderful place to do business,” he said.