Kohl's to open Off/Aisle store in Brown Deer

A Kohl's Off/Aisle store, part of the retail chain's experimental off-price division, is being proposed for Brown Deer.

The Brown Deer Kohl's Off/Aisle would use about 18,000 square feet at a former Kohl's department store that closed last year, said Nate Piotrowski, Brown Deer community development director.

Menomonee Falls-based Kohl's Corp. also plans to use about 64,000 square feet at that former department store as storage space for several Kohl's stores throughout the Milwaukee area, Piotrowski said. It would store seasonal merchandise and other items, he said.

Kohl's disclosed last March it was closing the store at 9060 N. Green Bay Road, part of the Marketplace of Brown Deer shopping center. It was the only Wisconsin store among 18 under-performing department stores across the country that Kohl's shut down.

RELATED: Kohl's shares fall 19% as holiday sales slip

Kohl's, like other retailers, has struggled with the growing popularity of Amazon.com Inc. and other online retailers, as well as discounted apparel retailers such as TJ Maxx and Ross Dress for Less.

Kohl's Off/Aisle has been one of the company's responses.

It targets women who like to shop by focusing on discounted merchandise that typically changes quickly and is mostly in season.

The retailer opened its first Kohl's Off/Aisle in 2015 in Cherry Hill, N.J.

Kohl's operates just two other Off/Aisle stores, both in the Milwaukee area. Those opened last year at 11500 W. Burleigh St. in Wauwatosa at The Mayfair Collection mixed-use development and at 140 E. Sunset Drive in Waukesha  at the Sunset Crossings shopping center.

Kohl's will open the Brown Deer store this summer if it receives village approval, said Jen Johnson, vice president of corporate communications.

"We continue to test and learn about our new Off-Aisle retail concept," Johnson said Monday. "This additional location will be part of our testing process."

The Plan Commission is to review the proposal at its Feb. 13 meeting, Piotrowski said.

Village officials are concerned about making sure the storage proposal doesn't create a precedent for filling other vacant stores with warehouse space, he said.

The Marketplace of Brown Deer, with just over 400,000 square feet at W. Brown Deer and N. Green Bay roads, is drawing new tenants, Piotrowski said.

A former hhgregg appliance and consumer electronics store was replaced by Bob's Discount Furniture, which opens in February.