Bolingbrook Abt Store Still Up in the Air

Abt Electronics has long been rumored to be pursuing a second location in Bolingbrook. But according to Abt officials, whether or not its Bolingbrook development features an Abt storefront remains to be seen.

According to a Chicago Tribune report, which ranked Abt as the best place to work among large companies in the its Top Workplaces survey, Abt officials are mum on a second location.

From the Tribune:

When, or if, the second store will be built has yet to be decided, Abt said. But he and his sons will do what it takes to keep Abt growing, he said.

"We're always changing," Abt said.

Bolingbrook's village board finalized a development agreement with Abt in January. That means the company will build on a plot of land in the I-355 corridor.

Under the agreement, Abt will develop a 150-000-square-foot building on a 38.7-acre plot of land located at the intersection of Janes Avenue and Falconridge Way, just south of where the  hotel sits. The agreement also allows Abt to expand the building to a 250,000-square-foot building in the future and allows the company to create space for four or five outlots that could be leased to other businesses.

Abt, which was ranked as the No. 1 appliance retailer in the county by Consumer Reports, is one of the largest electronics and appliance retail stores in the country despite having the single brick-and-mortar location.

Abt completed the purchase of the land from  in late December. With Abt’s commitment, village officials say Target will move forward with its previously stalled plans of building a second location at the same location.

What do you think? Should Abt build a second location so close to its other location? Would Abt be successful in Bolingbrook? Why or why not?