Western store Boot Barn coming to Springfield, Big Lots and Party City leaving

SPRINGFIELD, MO - A little more of the Wild West is coming to southwest Missouri.

A storefront in south Springfield that’s been empty for nearly five years will soon be home to Boot Barn.  The Califonia-based retailer is one of the largest Western wear retailers in the country.

The store will be going into space at Glenstone Marketplace, which was originally occupied by Lucky’s Market (Natutal Grocer only took over about half of that former tenant’s square footage).  

It won't be Boot Barn's first location in the area.  It opened a Branson Landing store last year.  Numerous locations can also be found around the Kansas City metro.  

A grand opening for the Springfield store hasn't been announced, but signage is already on the shopping center's roadside marquee.  Boot Barn has also filed building permit requests with the city of Springfield, signalling work could begin very soon. 

Boot Barn’s entrance into the city comes three years after Springfield’s main longtime western superstore, PFI, sold to the Cavender’s chain.  The store near U.S. 65 and Battlefield Road is now known as Cavender’s PFT.

In the meantime, two longtime retailers are riding off into the sunset and leaving town as they close all locations nationwide.  Big Lots is closing both of its stores in Springfield, and its single location in Lebanon.  The closures are part of the company’s bankruptcy. 

Party City is meeting a similar demise and will close its South Campbell Ave. location along with its remaining 850 stores.  Party City said its financial woes were brought on by the pandemic and competition from online retailers.