The Great Indoors on Empire Ave in Burbank is closing and Wal-Mart wants to move in.
The Great Indoors open in 2001 in Burbank’s Empire Center and is getting ready to close by the end of August. The store is an upscale furnishings store owned by Sears. Wal-Mart recently purchased the soon to be vacant 142,000 square foot store.
Wal-Mart is not being welcomed with open arms by Burbank residents. They aren’t too happy about the possibility of Wal-Mart replacing their Great Indoors after it closes. Many believe the new store doesn’t fit in and will bring in more traffic. Some Burbank residents feel the big company will hurt smaller businesses in the city.
The Empire Center includes major stores like Target, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and a Best Buy. There are a mix of other retail stores and a Costco located nearby but isn’t officially part of the center. Suggestions for the site include a movie theater or a Whole Foods supermarket.
“I’m not thrilled,” Burbank resident Fred Koyen said. “It’ll be a mob here, and I just don’t like the crowds.”
Marlon and Claudia Mazariegos, Eagle Rock residents, said they liked The Great Indoors and are going to miss the high quality of goods. “We come here all the time, and we were just saying it’s so sad that The Great Indoors is closing,” Marlon said. “A Wal-Mart doesn’t fit here.”
Wal-Mart officials say that they will hold public forums to allow the Burbank residents to speak out to help determine what residents would like to see in the space.
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