LAKE FOREST
Merchants around the boarded-up, former Kmart building are hoping the company will follow through on its latest attempt to reopen the store that brought thousands of daily customers to their El Toro Road plaza.
Kmart has approached city officials several times about moving back into the building that it left five years ago, leaving many neighboring shops to struggle without the discount store’s constant flow of customers.
The company recently submitted a plan to open a bigger store that would include an outdoor garden center and an improved parking lot.
“If they want to back, I hope they come back soon,” said Ken Chantaphakul, owner of a watch shop in the plaza. “Even if it’s competition, we don’t care, we welcome it.”
Their latest plan could go before the Planning Commission sometime this summer, Graham said.
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