MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. — The Wood County Development Authority took some steps over the weekend toward clearing out the gigantic Coldwater Creek distribution facility in Mineral Wells.
The authority had gift boxes, shopping bags, office items and many other items up for purchase Saturday.
Coldwater Creek, a women’s clothing line, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and closed down the distribution center but the company left a lot behind. State Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette said clearing out the building can help in the ongoing efforts to get another business to move in.
Burdette said there may be a deal soon for a new tenant there.
“We’ll see. There are two very interested parties. We’ve said all along it’s the most talked about, looked at commercial piece of real estate in the state and if we manage (Wood County Development Authority) to turn this property over in the course of four or five months—that’s almost a record,” according to Burdette.
Burdette called the two interested businesses “real serious courters.” He said “they have plans that would restore the jobs that were lost, at least restore the jobs.”
At different times, between 300 and 800 people had worked at the distribution facility that sits just off the Mineral Wells exit of Interstate 77.
Burdette said he still feels good about the future of the property.
“We’ll see how the next few months ago, maybe the next few weeks, we’ll see,” he said.
Coldwater Creek, which was based in Idaho, operated the Mineral Wells distribution facility for nearly 15 years.