Friedman’s dropped from Target shopping center

<p>Friedman's Home Improvement won't be coming home in the near future.</p><p>A tentative proposal for a Friedman's store in the Target-anchored shopping center off of East Washington Street has been dropped after Regency, the developers of the site, decided that the Petaluma-born company would not fit its business plan for the center.</p><p>According to David Proctor, Friedman's chief operating officer, Regency gave the company word “a few weeks ago” that it is no longer considering the home improvement store as a neighbor for Target. Friedman's signed a non-binding letter of intent with Regency to come to the site in November 2009.</p><p>“We are extremely disappointed,” said Proctor. “We are once again beginning a search to come back to Petaluma. We want to come back.”</p><p>Proctor said that Regency delivered the word to Friedman's in person that they were no longer interested and presented a counter-proposal that effectively priced the company out of coming to the shopping center.</p><p>“They have given us a counterproposal which is extremely different (from earlier discussions),” said Proctor, who added that the news was unexpected and said that limited information was provided.</p><p>Regency representative Ryan Nickelson declined to comment on the decision or any other aspects of the shopping center. Regency representative Pete Knoedler did not return calls for comment.</p><p>City Manager John Brown said that he has not talked to Regency recently. Contract Planning Manager Geoff Bradley said that he heard from Regency in recent weeks, and the company told him that it is working on right-of-way issues, but did not provide information on Friedman's or other possible tenants.</p><p>Friedman's estimates that a Petaluma store would create 120 jobs and about $400,000 in sales tax revenue for the city.</p><p>The inclusion of a large-scale Friedman's store in the shopping center would have changed the footprint for the center and would have required additional environmental review, likely setting back the opening date of the center, which is roughly planned for 2012. The mid-size retail stores currently planned in site drawings would not need additional review. Some say the additional work needed to bring in Friedman's may have contributed to Regency's decision.</p><p>“It is significantly simpler if you're Regency to go forward with the plans you have now,” said Brown.</p><p>Mayor Pam Torliatt did not return calls for comment Tuesday.</p><p>Friedman's was founded in Petaluma in 1946 by brothers Benny and Joe Friedman. The company left town in 1976 after a fire destroyed its store, and has since opened locations in Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Ukiah.</p><p>The company had previously proposed a store on Hopper Street, near the city's former sewer plant, although the plans fell through after concerns about the location and the time needed to decommission the plant and build the store.</p><p>Friedman's would have been in direct competition with Lowe's, which has plans to anchor a shopping center at the vacant lot just west of Petaluma Valley Hospital. While some believe that Petaluma cannot accommodate both stores, others point out that that the companies have different shopping focuses.</p><p>Proctor said his company will continue to look for ways to build a store in Petaluma.</p><p>“Our experience with the city was always extremely positive and constructive. They wanted us in Petaluma,” said Proctor.</p><p>“I hope they can negotiate with a property owner to find another site,” said City Councilmember Mike Healy about Friedman's. “I hope we can make that happen.”</p><p>Proctor said that based on previous surveys conducted by the company, there are no vacant buildings in town that will work for their large-scale operations, and a new building would be needed.</p><p>“We are in the process of reevaluating where we are at,” he said.</p><p>(Contact Philip Riley at philip.riley@arguscourier.com)</p>