Ollie\'s took over two other locations

[AmesKid29]

better check it out before they close it...its near Altoona (??) in the Westwood Plaza (??) Read the article below:
New tenant found for Ames vacancy
Posted-Monday, March 7, 2005 11:53 PM EST
By JEFF McCREADY
TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT BUSINESS WRITER

 
 
 
It took more than two years, but Westwood Plaza owner George D. Zamias finally has found a tenant for the vacant Ames building in Lower Yoder Township.

Bargain Hunter, a surplus outlet store, could be operating out of the building within 90 days, Zamias said Monday.

The business will be owned and operated by brothers Lou and Al Flori, who own West End Hardware and Mountain Top Industries, also a retail operation, on Strayer Street in the city's West End.

Lou Flori, spokesman for the transaction, was out of town Monday and could not be reached for comment.

 
"It's about time," said consumer William Waclo of Upper Yoder Township, who said he enjoyed shopping at Ames on Tuesdays, which was designated a Senior Day.

Others welcomed the news, but said they were hoping for a store such as Target.

The signing of a lease for that property comes as Zamias becomes a partner in a major shopping center deal in Greater Pittsburgh that includes the well-known Miracle Mile in Monroeville.

The deal also reportedly involves Pearson Properties Inc. of New York State. Published reports indicate Zamias and Pearson would be acquiring Miracle Mile and three other shopping centers from Casto-Skilken Group of Columbus, Ohio.

"We already have our loans in place," Zamias said of the upcoming shopping center purchase.

A tenant at the former Ames comes as a partial answer for retail-starved West Hills residents, who have to travel about 10 miles to go to The Galleria, also a Zamias property, or the new Richland Town Centre.

The Westwood Ames closed in late 2002 when the entire chain went bankrupt and folded.

Zamias said the brothers have entered into a five-year lease for 60,000 of the 70,000 square feet of leasable space at the Lower Yoder Township plaza. He declined to provide additional details.

Bob Layton, owner of Layton's Cleaning on Fairfield Avenue in Johnstown, and his crew was busy cleaning the dusty Ames floor.

It was like old times Saturday evening with lights on in the store and the Ames sign aglow.

The Westwood Plaza Ames was the last of three in Cambria County to close. Two other Cambria County locations - in the former Richland Mall and outside Ebensburg - closed earlier as Ames' financial condition deteriorated.

The Zamias operation is roaring back to life following its reorganization last year under Chapter 11 of the federal Bankruptcy Code.

Zamias said he has sent a $500,000 check that will close the shopping-center deal, which has been in the works for about four months. Pearson apparently would be the major equity partner and Zamias would manage the properties through its Zamias Services Inc.

"We are on an acquisition trail," Zamias said.

Pittsburgh Mills, formerly known as the Frazer Galleria in Allegheny County, is scheduled to open July 15. After years of trying to build the project, Zamias partnered with Mills Corp. to get the project off the ground.

He said Zamias is completing the purchase of another middle-market mall, but declined to provide details until the transaction is completed.

"I'll be the second largest retail owner in the Pittsburgh area," he said.

The largest, Zamias said, is Simon Property Group.

[C. Fontaine]

That---sucks...

[katnapped]

Cressona PA (near Pottsville) opened recently, and they took over another location in Hanover PA some time ago.  Both were originally Hills stores that became Ames after the transition (and closed when the chain went under entirely)

Ollie's seems to have done a few other repurposing projects recently...they took over an empty Phar-Mor in West York PA, and an ex-Shop Rite location in Wilkes Barre PA not long ago.