Some retail comes to Roosevelt Collection, for now

Christmas trees being sold in new open space through December 19

12/06/2011 6:00 AM

By Ben Meyerson
Editor

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The Roosevelt Collection's first non-movie-theater tenant is a Christmas tree lot.
BEN MEYERSON/Staff

For the first time since it opened two years ago, something besides movie tickets is finally being sold at the Roosevelt Collection — but only for the next two weeks.

That’s because the South Loop complex’s first retail operation is selling Christmas trees.

The tree farm is based out of Shawano, Wis., and dubs itself ChicagoChristmasTreeLots.com. Online, they advertise eight locations throughout the city, including another in the South Loop at 835 S. Wabash Ave.

On Saturday afternoon, the Roosevelt Collection lot’s salesman Pete Ratliff said they’ve been open for about a week so far, and business has been slow going — though that’s typical for tree sales in late November and early December.

The lot sits in the newly-vacant space at the center of the U-shaped development, which was occupied by an island of empty retail shops until earlier this year. When new owners McCaffery Interests took over the Roosevelt Collection earlier this year, one of their first decisions was to tear down the buildings.

The demolition fencing was removed just weeks ago, revealing the barren concrete that’s planned to have a plaza installed atop it by next fall. For now, about a quarter of that open space is covered in Christmas trees.

Ratliff said Roosevelt Collection’s management approached their company about selling trees in the space earlier this year.

“They decided to allow live trees this year inside the units,” Ratliff said. “They figured if they were going to allow that, they wanted to make it easier for residents to get trees, too, so they called us.”

More traditional businesses could be coming to Roosevelt Collection soon. McCaffery’s managing director, Clayton McCaffery, said in mid-November that they had several letters of intent from retailers interested in moving into the more traditional retail spaces, and would have an announcement in a few weeks. McCaffery was not available to comment for this story.

Roosevelt Collection’s tree lot will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week until Dec. 19. For more information on the lot, visit ChicagoChristmasTreeLots.com.


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