West Hills : Fallbrook Mall to Add Burlington Coat

After a lengthy delay due to the Northridge earthquake, Burlington Coat Factory is scheduled to open a new store Friday in the Fallbrook Mall, company officials said.

The company, which traditionally moves into vacant department stores and redesigns them to fit its needs, will occupy the lower level of a two-story building formerly occupied by Sears, Roebuck & Co., company officials said. A K mart store, which is scheduled to open Sunday, will occupy the top level.

The 100,000-square-foot store will offer a selection of coats, women’s designer dresses, men’s suits and sportswear. The store will also carry baby furniture and clothes.

The Burlington Coat Factory was negotiating a multiyear lease when the earthquake struck, causing structural damage to the building, said Bruce Hackel, the company’s district manager.

The store will fit in well at the mall, which houses similar discount stores, said Eric Knudson, the mall’s general manager.

“This is a new branch of retailing,” he said. “We have found our new niche in the L.A. market. A lot of malls are going to the high end, but this is where the growth is.”

With the addition of Burlington Coat Factory, 96% of the mall’s larger store space is occupied, said Knudson. And 82% of the smaller store space, not counting temporary tenants, is occupied.

The Burlington, N.J.-based company plans to add 20 stores to the five it already operates in Southern California, including stores in Torrance and Arcadia. The company has 258 stores nationwide.