TAMPA — Grand's, a department store chain from Puerto Rico, will open inside the former Dillard's space at University Mall in September.

Grand's has 25 locations in Puerto Rico and one in Orlando. The chain sells a variety of items, from household goods to clothes to perfume and other items.

Dillard's announced in April that it would move into the former Macy's space at University Mall to take advantage of its better visibility along Fowler Avenue. Macy's shuttered the department store earlier this year as part of a slew of nationwide closures.

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Grand's will be taking over the original 90,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Dillard's.

"Grand's is a well performing tenant, and we're thrilled that they have chosen to expand their offerings and open a larger format store in University Mall," said Roger Hirschhorn, chief operating officer of mall owner RD Management, in a statement. "The relocations within the mall by both Grand's and Dillard's are a testament to the mall's loyal customer base and our thriving retailers. We look forward to continued growth as a result of our ongoing transformation of the mall into a mixed-use destination."

Grand's follows a number of Puerto Rican businesses that have set their sights on Florida in recent years, looking to capitalize on the more robust U.S. economy and migration off the island. Since 2014, at least five chains have opened locations in the Sunshine State.

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University Mall, which is located at 2200 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa, is undergoing a renovation to turn it into a mixed-use facility that will include open-air retail storefronts, entertainment, educational, residential and office use spaces. The developer has added two new restaurants to the mall and will add apartments in the future. University Mall is one of ten properties owned by RD Management across Florida, and one of more than 150 properties in its national portfolio.

Contact Justine Griffin at jgriffin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8467. Follow @SunBizGriffin.