Mall Customers To Peer Through Knotholes No Longer

Fear not, Bucks County shoppers! You will not be without a Boscov’s for much longer!

A story in today’s Bucks County Courier Times — flanked with a Boscov’s ad, as displayed at right — describes the excitement surrounding the opening of a new Boscov’s at Oxford Valley Mall:

For months now, Oxford Valley Mall shoppers have peered through paper-covered windows, hoping for a glimpse of the new Boscov’s department store. The wait is almost over.

Hallelujah! Everyone has been waiting for a department store where one can purchase shoes and the Pasta Express and cheap towels, and not the crap one at Neshaminy, thank you very much. When shoppers want to go to a cheap department store, they’ll do it at the nicer Bucks County mall, thank you very much.

This, though, isn’t your ordinary Boscov’s. CEO Ken Lakin explains:

“The shopping environment will be a modern-day shopping environment,” said Boscov’s CEO Ken Lakin. “And, most importantly, we’ve modernized the assortment [of merchandise] to appeal to a contemporary female customer. That means not only Liz Claiborne sportswear, but also Liz Claiborne companies. It’s not only Jones New York, but also Jones Sport,” he said. “We’re much more contemporary and we appeal to a woman who’s working, is a mother and has to fill both roles at the same time during the day.”

Not! Even! Liz! Claiborne! Sportswear! But! Liz! Claiborne! Companies! Who can contain themselves?

The new Boscov’s will stick with the discount department store’s normal feel, though, as the it will contain a candy counter and appliances. It won’t, the article notes, have a “community auditorium,” which is really a shame. But, hey, $5.99 irons and $9.99 luggage on opening day!

The store is filling the space once occupied by the now-defunct Strawbridge’s, which leaves Boscov’s with, uh, big shoes to fill. How are they going to set themselves apart?

“So many customers will miss Strawbridge’s,” said assistant store manager Kevin Chapman. “But they won’t think this is the Strawbridge’s building. This is Boscov’s.”

Words to live by.

New Boscov’s features modernized shopping [Bucks County Courier Times]