Boston Store is relaunching its brand, under new ownership.
The famous Milwaukee department store has returned online. Customers noticedthe store's website back up and running Friday with a message that says, "We're back and we're here to stay."
But the company that bought Bon-Ton says it's now in talks to reopen certain retail locations, in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The stores closed on August 29, after the company filed for bankruptcy protection in February.
A company called CSC Generation Holdings purchased the rights to Bon-Ton and it's department store chains earlier this month.
Bon-Ton's new President Jordan Voloshin posted a statement on the store's website saying that he acquired the company for three reasons: Inspiration to rebuild an American icon, the love from customers and a competent and loyal workforce.
"I spent many days at various stores talking to customers who were truly saddened by the thought of losing their beloved brand. Few companies are lucky to have customers who are this invested in its success," Voloshin said on the website.
Two weeks before Boston Store closed its doors for what we thought was good, Juan Sarabia says he decided to leave his part-time job at the location in downtown Milwaukee.
"I knew Boston Store was going under," he said. "If it's already going under, I might as well leave."
While he only worked there during the summer as a student at Marquette, he said many of his co-workers were longtime employees.
"There were quite a few people that had been there for 20, 30 years," he said. "It was one of the few jobs they had. They were nervous, they didn't know what to do."
If the new company decides to reopen physical locations, it will likely hire former Bon-Ton employees.
"They are looking for a brick and mortar presence," said Sari Lesk, a reporter with the Milwaukee Business Journal who reported Friday on the company's relaunch. "It's definitely interesting. I think everyone who's following retail sees there's a mix of brick and mortar and [online] retail out there."
It's unclear right now which locations would reopen in Wisconsin. When Bon-Ton closed, it had about 250 stores in 23 states.
