Hacketts store in Massena to return

MASSENA — The empty Hacketts store in the St. Lawrence Centre mall will not be empty much longer; its former tenant is coming back.

The store, which closed a month ago, will reopen in time for back-to-school shoppers, according to Herbert L. Becker, chief operating officer and vice president of Hacketts. The company also plans to keep open the Gouverneur store that was to close next month.

"Basically, we're turning this thing around. We're going to make this work," Mr. Becker said.

The chain, which is owned by Seaway Valley Capital Corp., has had financial difficulties for months and has been closing many of its locations to repay a $5 million line of credit from Wells Fargo. The bank called for the money to be repaid in February. Eighty percent of the company's cash flow has gone to repaying the loan, company officials have said.

The stores in Watertown, Pulaski and Massena have all been shut, leaving stores in Potsdam, Ogdensburg, Tupper Lake and Sackets Harbor. Its Gouverneur and Canton locations were scheduled to close. Canton's store will still close within the next few weeks.

Hacketts was sued for back rent by its Gouverneur landlord, prompting it to plan to close it. The company owed approximately $130,000 to Gouverneur Center Development LLC, Utica.

"We're in the final process of wrapping up an agreement with the landlord," Mr. Becker said. "I think it's just a matter of the fine print and autographs."

Before the company's cash flow woes became public this winter, it agreed to lease a store in Queensbury Plaza in Queensbury. Plans to open a store there are moving forward again, Mr. Becker said. It is scheduled to open by Christmas.

The opening date at the Massena store is not official, but Mr. Becker said he would like it up and running by Aug. 15.

"Massena is a fantastic location because the bridge has reopened," he said. "Customers are coming back."

The Seaway International Bridge between Massena and Cornwall, Ontario, was closed for weeks because of a dispute between the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.

Some of the store's former employees may be hired back. Mr. Becker could not say how many jobs would return to the store.

The decision to reopen the store is the result of contracts with two "high end" clothing manufacturers, Bra Jay and Sierra. The brands represent a change in Hacketts's marketing techniques, Mr. Becker said.

"Where we are is who we are, so in an area like Massena, we'll be more high fashion," he said. "In a more rural area, it will be more hardware."