Bed Bath & Beyond moves to new spot in Westland

It's official. Bed, Bath & Beyond will move into a new location south of Westland Shopping Center.

The store will relocate from its longtime location on Central City Parkway at Wayne Road next to Best Buy. The Westland Council approved a revised site plan for the Bed, Bath & Beyond in the Westridge Shopping Center on the south side of Warren Road.

Target and Burlington are located nearby but Westridge has several vacant storefronts, including a former tile store where Bed, Bath & Beyond will be located. City officials expect the new store and a second major retailer to spur new life at that strip center.

"We're real excited about this. Some of you might be concerned about a business moving from one spot to another in Westland," Westland Economic Development Director Lori Fodale said. "There are several business already interested in the spot next to Best Buy."

But Fodale noted that for the last three years she, Mayor William Wild and Council President James Godbout have attended the annual conventions of the International Council of Shopping Centers. The city aggressively markets itself to retailers and other businesses, she said.

"We meet with chain anchor stores and smaller retailers who would not consider Westridge," Fodale said. "We secured a second anchor store, and now we will see five or six new stores potentially in that strip center."

The city is working to get a sporting goods store to move into the space being vacated by Bed, Bath & Beyond, Fodale said, to replace the nearby Dick's Sporting Goods, which opened a new store in Livonia.

"There are a lot of factors in a business deciding to move into a city. Like a craft store — Hobby Lobby in Canton is too close (for a Westland store)," Fodale said. "They look at median household income. We have been consistent and aggressive marketing the city."

In 2014, Fodale said those marketing efforts paid off with three new stores at Westland Shopping Center: Charming Charlie, Ulta and Shoe Carnival.

Since Best Buy is such a popular retailer, city officials expect the adjoining building will be attractive to other retailers after Bed, Bath & Beyond moves.

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