Is Younkers coming back? Website suggests defunct department store may return

Patt Johnson | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption A look at Younkers' Iowa origins Here's a brief look at the history of the Younkers department store in Iowa and downtown Des Moines.

Younkers stores closed Wednesday, but the defunct department store's website has posted a notice claiming a comeback could be in the works.

"Younkers is coming back!" the website read, promising more details in the coming weeks.

“Stay tuned for updates ..." it says. “We appreciate your loyalty and look forward to being able to serve you again soon.”

Younkers’ parent company Bon-Ton Inc. filed for bankruptcy and sold its assets to a liquidation company. The liquidation company, Great American Group, did not return calls.

“There’s no way that can be real,” said Randy Tennison, general manager of Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines. “For the last month Younkers didn’t really exist, the liquidation company owned it.”

More: Jordan Creek wine bar and restaurant will remain open after Younkers store is shuttered

More: Younkers' final days: Iowa's homegrown retailer closes last stores Wednesday

Great American Group's Scott Carpenter, which is leading the liquidation of Bon-Ton's assets, issued the following statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Friday: "All of Bon-Ton Stores’ physical store locations will be closed as of today. The company’s intellectual property is in the process of being sold. We cannot speak to the purchaser’s future plans with the company. All inquiries should be referred to the buyer which will be disclosed once the transaction is closed."

Tennison said the liquidation company turned over the keys to the Jordan Creek store Friday. The mall owns the space and is looking for new tenants, he said. A seasonal Halloween goods store will occupy the upper level for a couple of months.

"I see nothing real about Younkers coming back," Tennison said. "But I could be wrong."

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Other Bon-Ton store brands, including Boston Store, Herbergers and Bergners all had the same message about the stores returning.

The remaining portion of the Younkers website lists information about the liquidation sale, which has been on the site for several months.

Younkers was an Iowa-born company that operated for 162 years in the state before closing Wednesday.