Feb. 26, 2020

A mattress store that was destroyed in a tornado last year will reopen in a new home.

The owners of Dreamers Outlet, Dan Darkow and Gaylene Stocco, have leased the former Family Dollar building at 518 N. Kiwanis Ave.

They decided to find a new home instead of waiting for the reconstruction of Plaza 41 to be completed, Darkow said. The retail center near 41st Street and Kiwanis Avenue was heavily damaged in one of three tornadoes that struck Sioux Falls on Sept. 10.

Darkow said that although the property manager for Plaza 41, which also includes returning tenants such as The Original House of Pancakes, Pizza Ranch, Tuesday Morning and JoAnn, has abated rent payments and insurance is paying for the loss of income, they wanted to get back in business.

“Tax season is kind of our bread and butter,” he said.

Opening a temporary location wasn’t an option, he said, because they would have lost some of their insurance benefits.

They’ve started to remodel the Family Dollar space and hope to be open no later than March 9, Darkow said.

The building is about the same size as Plaza 41 space, but because it’s a different shape, they’ve decided to expand further into furniture.

“We had some before, but what we’re doing now, because the building is more square than long, we’re going to have about a 50/50 mix,” Darkow said.

In addition to bedroom sets, Dreamers Outlet will sell living room furniture. “I’m not sure if we’ll do tables and chairs,” he said. “We haven’t had a huge call for that.”

He expects to have enough inventory to fill up at least half of the building for the opening.

Growing mattress store moves to 41st Street

While fewer vehicles drive by the new location compared with 41st Street, it’s still a heavy traffic area with a nearby Hy-Vee and lots of apartment buildings, Darkow said.

“I think it will be a good location, but there’s only one way to find out.”

Jim Dunham & Associates has listed the Plaza 41 space for lease. The 8,700-square-foot space could be subdivided, giving one of the two tenants up to as much as 5,000 square feet, broker Linda Dunham said. Tenants have access to a shared loading dock.

“The space will be built out when the first lease – or the only lease if it’s a single tenant – is executed, and everything in the space from sheetrock, floor coverings, bathrooms, lighting, etc. will be brand new,” Dunham said. “The majority of the other Plaza 41 tenants will be open in May or June, so there is still time for a new tenant to take advantage of the reopening excitement of Plaza 41.”

Expanded restaurants, new store designs await with Plaza 41 rebuilding