MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. —
Kohl's has opened 45 new U.S. stores built to according to green designs that were pre-certified at
LEED silver standards.
The grand openings on October 1 marked the latest phase of an
environmental campaign that’s made the department store chain the largest retail host of solar power and placed it high on lists for other eco-friendly attributes.
In all, 46 new Kohl's stores opened on the same day last week, including the firm's 1,000th retail property.
The company announced its fall expansion plans and LEED initiative in July, when 50 of its
stores earned the Energy Star label for achievement in energy efficiency. The mass designation was the largest of its kind for a retail group participating in the the
Energy Star program. As of September, 100 Kohl's stores had received the Energy Star label.
A 47th store is scheduled to open later this fall, which would bring the total of new Kohl's store openings to 75 for the year and bring the company's store count to 1,004 in all. The company says it plans to open 50 new stores and remodel 60 others in 2009.
