Changes Arrive In Bemidji’s Economic Landscape

It’s a sign of the times: walk around just about any downtown, and signs of a changing economy are everywhere. “Going out of business,” “moving sale,” or liquidation signs are everywhere. Yet in Bemidji, some see this as a great opportunity.

It’s not just the small mom-and-pop shops closing: retailers across the area are experiencing a change as well. Many Minnesota shopping centers will be losing an anchor tenant when Herberger’s closes its doors, creating an opportunity for malls to get creative.

For Bemidji’s Paul Bunyan Mall, it appears the space currently occupied by Herberger’s won’t sit empty for long. Lexington Realty, the group that manages the mall, says they already have potential new tenants.

As a company that manages many Minnesota malls, Lexington has relationships in place with other department stores that already occupy various shopping centers. One retailer that could fill the Herberger’s void in Bemidji could be Dunham’s Sports.

No matter how you look at it, with Bemidji continuing to grow as a regional center, the future is said to be bright.