Fargo-based Scheels sporting goods retailer will open a third Wisconsin store in spring 2027, this one in the former Boston Store at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, the company announced Friday.
The employee-owned company will open a 210,000-sq.-ft. Store in partnership with mall owner Brookfield Properties after completing a full renovation of the space, which has been vacant since Boston Store closed in 2018 after the bankruptcy of parent company, Bon-Ton Stores Inc.
“Scheels has been serving communities in Wisconsin for the last 30 years and we’re excited to expand our service into the Milwaukee metro,” said Scheels CEO Matt Hanson in a statement. “After the success we’ve seen in Appleton and Eau Claire, Wauwatosa is the perfect fit for our next location. We look forward to working with the city of Wauwatosa and Brookfield Properties throughout the building process, becoming new partners in the Milwaukee community for years to come.”
The Mayfair location – the company’s 36th store – will be nearly double the size of the other Wisconsin stores.
“Scheels will be a great addition to Mayfair," said Jonathan Kramer, president of Brookfield Properties’ retail business. "We know our community will look forward to this new addition, Scheels will make an already thriving mall even better.
“This new era of Mayfair would not have been possible without our partners at the City of Wauwatosa. We are grateful for their ongoing commitment to support our shared vision for the future of Mayfair.”
The store is expected to be joined by a residential development that is being discussed for adjacent land.
Developer Barrett Lo has plans to construct nearly 1,000 apartments in coming years on land south of what will be parking for the new Scheels store.
Scheels and Barrett Lo will likely go to the city’s Design Review Board for approvals in coming months.
The company says its new store will, “hold the state’s largest selection of sporting goods, footwear and fashion all under one roof. It will feature fun attractions, true specialty shops with state of the art performance analysis technology, and boutiques showcasing premium products from top, industry leading brands. The one-of-a-kind retail destination will attract sports enthusiasts, outdoor explorers and customers seeking a wide variety of fashion and footwear for the entire family.”
The store will comprise 84 “specialty shops” focused on individual sports and specialties and attractions like a Fuzziwig’s Candy Shop, rollerball, interactive arcade games and Ginna’s Cafe, serving homemade fudge, jerky and specialty coffees.
Scheels said the store is expected to have more than 500 employees.
“Mayfair has always been Wisconsin's premier shopping destination,” said Wauwatosa mayor Dennis McBride in the announcement. “Scheels' choice of Mayfair underscores Wauwatosa’s role as a key economic hub in southeastern Wisconsin. This investment strengthens our local economy and creates new opportunities for businesses and residents across the region.”
The company’s roots date back to 1902 when German immigrant farmer Frederick A. Scheel used $300 he earned from his first potato harvest to buy the first Scheels store, a hardware store in Sabin, Minnesota.
There are now 34 stores in 16 states. A new store is slated to open in Texas before the Mayfair store is ready.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
