Evereve, the upscale women’s fashion chain, is the latest retailer to call it quits at its location on Grand Avenue. The St. Paul location will permanently close on Feb. 25 after more than 20 years operating in the Victoria Crossing West Mall at Grand and Victoria Street, according to employees. T he national retail chain, which was founded as Hot Mama, opened its first store in Edina in 2004 and has since expanded to more than 100 locations across 30 states. Its St. Paul shop will shutter next week following unsuccessful lease negotiations with the mall, which is owned by the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio, the property owner behind multiple vacant or near-vacant retail malls along Grand Avenue. Attempts to reach a spokesperson for Evereve for comment were not immediately successful on this week, but store workers this week said the company had made strong effort to find them job openings at other locations. STRS Ohio had requested that Evereve sign a 10-year lease renewal, which company officials resisted, citing commercial turnover along Grand Avenue and other changes creating an uncertain environment for the retailer. Workers this week said the storefront could use a remodel, and what had been a free church parking lot adjoining the Victoria Crossing West Mall was converted into paid parking last October. Meanwhile, a developer plans to tear down the Victoria Crossing East Mall across the street and replace it with a six-story, 90-unit housing complex over new retail, and the disruptions associated with heavy construction had given company officials some pause. In the southwest corner of Grand and Victoria, another STRS Ohio property — the mall that was once home to the Pottery Barn furniture store — sits vacant. “It’s very sad. We’re part of this community, and when we’ve told longtime customers, they’ve literally started tearing up,” said an Evereve worker, who asked not to be named to because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of the company. “St. Paul is just a great community and they’re losing just another place for people to come and feel connection. After we go, there’s almost no more shopping for clothing directly on Grand. J. Crew is gone. Anthropologie is gone. Pottery Barn is gone. Primp is now gone from Dale and Selby.” STRS Ohio has been criticized by some residents and business owners for failing to offer cheaper, short-term leases in order to draw small boutique shops to its four vacant or near-vacant malls along Grand Avenue, though some business advocates have acknowledged that the properties as currently laid out are designed for larger retail tenants, which have proven elusive. Last year, STRS Ohio split the Milton Mall at Grand and Milton Street into smaller storefronts, intending to make room for two restaurants and multiple retailers. The mall, which once housed fashion retailer Anthropologie and Salut Bar Americain, was renamed 917 Grand. Attempts to reach a property manager for the Victoria Crossing West Mall this week were not successful. Evereve maintains storefronts at the Mall of America in Bloomington, the Plaza at Rosedale Mall and seven other sites across the Twin Cities. An employee said the fashion chain had taken pains to make sure workers had options, and had not ruled out returning to St. Paul in the future. “Those that want to stay with the company are able to,” they said. “Nobody is being let go.”Related Articles St. Paul: Owner of Grand/Fairview site — former Grandview Grill — courts developers St. Paul: A look at the report on Victoria Crossing mall How is St. Paul’s Victoria Crossing mall on Grand Ave. eligible for TIF funding? As the St. Paul Winter Carnival’s 89th Boreas, Peter Kenefick strives to be the ‘all-in king’ St. Paul Winter Carnival: King Boreas Grande Day Parade canceled today ...read more read less