Simi Valley Leaders Unfazed by Dillard’s Decision

For more than two years, city leaders had tried to convince department store giant Dillard’s Inc. to break into the crowded Southern California market by opening a store at a regional mall being created north of the Simi Valley freeway.

But despite suffering a disappointment earlier this week when the Arkansas-based retailer chose to make that debut at the Antelope Valley Mall in Palmdale, city officials haven’t given up.

Simi Valley officials said Wednesday they will continue to court the department store chain--the third-largest in the country--to lure it to a mall they hope will eventually rival those in Thousand Oaks and the San Fernando Valley.

“Of course it would have been nice to have been first,” Councilwoman Barbra Williamson said.

“But I’ll take second any day of the week,” she said. “It would be a real coup to have them here in Simi Valley and we’d treat them right.”

Dillard’s spokeswoman Julie Bull said Wednesday the company’s decision to establish its Southern California beachhead in Palmdale in no way precludes it from opening other stores in the region, including in Simi Valley.

But she would not say whether Simi Valley or any other location is being scouted for its next Southern California venture.

“Right now, I can confirm that we are going into the Antelope Valley Mall and we are very excited about that,” she said. “Let’s just leave it at that for now.”

Simi Valley officials, however, are hardly ready to leave it alone.

For more than a decade, they have talked about building a regional mall, an upscale plaza to serve residents and to stem the tide of sales tax dollars that flow to other cities with well-established shopping complexes.

After years of struggle, city leaders say they are closer than ever to creating the mall on 120 acres north of the Ronald Reagan Freeway between 1st Street and Erringer Road.

City officials have completed environmental studies for the project and recently purchased the front portion of the property, which will serve as the entryway to the mall. And they are talking to several potential tenants, any of which could serve to anchor the shopping center.

In that vein, officials said they were pleased to learn that Dillard’s had made its first foray into Southern California, believing that the move bodes well for future expansion in the region.

“We are obviously quite a ways south of Palmdale, so that store wouldn’t be in competition with us,” Councilman Bill Davis said. “But what’s important to me is that they are moving into Southern California, which means they are moving this way.”

Simi Valley Mayor Greg Stratton said it would be nice if the city were able to eventually land Dillard’s, adding that it’s just a matter of time before major tenants agree to locate in Simi Valley.

“Dillard’s is certainly going to have to try and find other places to locate, and we’ve got room for them,” Stratton said. “But we also have room for Macy’s or Robinsons-May. Dillard’s is certainly one option but we’d be just as happy with the other two.”