The date for Kohl's long-awaited arrival in South Florida is only weeks away.
The Wisconsin-based department store announced Wednesday that it will open its first six stores in Miami-Dade and Broward counties on Oct. 1.

The South Florida openings will be among 46 stores that Kohl's opens that day across the country.

Kohl's has spent several years nailing down sites in the South Florida market. The department store chain first entered Florida in October 2005 and has been gradually working its way south within the state. The retailer has 23 stores in Florida, but the only store in the tri-county area opened in Boynton Beach in April.

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale area is one of three new markets that Kohl's will enter this fall.

''Like all Kohl's stores, we will offer exclusive and national brands at a value customers can appreciate,'' said Luis Fernandez, district manager for the new Kohl's South Florida stores.

In celebration of the grand openings and Kohl's 1,000th store, the retailer will offer special prices on exclusive brands such as Simply Vera Vera Wang, FILA SPORT, ELLE and Food Network. Promotions also will include national brands such as Levi's, Carter's and Cuisinart.

Kohl's South Florida stores will feature green-building attributes including recycled building materials, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, occupancy sensor lighting and more. They received Leadership in Energy and Environment Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

In addition to the South Florida openings, Kohl's is also opening nine other stores throughout Florida, including its first location in Gainesville.

Kohl's typically opens stores only twice a year: in October and April, often on the same day.

The store openings in Miami-Dade and Broward are likely to be just the beginning of Kohl's long-term plans for the South Florida market. The retailer also has a store in the works at Fountains Shoppes of Distinction in Plantation and has looked at a variety of other potential sites stretching from downtown Miami to North Miami-Dade.

Source: miamiherald