Cinnabon to leave campus

Auntie Anne's pretzel shop may replace it in the 3401 Walnut Street retail complex. Another day in the life of the 3401 Walnut Street complex -- another departure and another possible arrival. Cinnabon will become the latest store to leave the retail-and-office complex, according to Tom Lussenhop, Penn's managing director for real estate. The store may be replaced by Auntie Anne's pretzel shop, which will leave its current location in the Houston Hall mall May 25. All stores will be forced to leave at that time, as the building is closing for renovations as part of the $69 million Perelman Quadrangle project, designed to create a new student center in the heart of campus. Lussenhop said late last week that Cinnabon's lease has not yet expired. Unlike other recent departures, the move comes at the store's request, according to Lussenhop. The reasons for the departure remain unclear. Officials at Cinnabon were unavailable for comment. But the retailer's decision to opt out of its current lease may make it easier for Penn to negotiate a buyout of the store's lease and relocate another business into the space. John Greenwood, the managing director of University City Associates, would not comment on the negotiations with Cinnabon or potential replacements for the store. UCA, Penn's for-profit real estate arm, runs the 3401 Walnut complex. Penn officials have previously indicated that they would like to keep Auntie Anne's on campus. In addition, Susan Jamali, a store marketing specialist at Auntie Anne's corporate offices in Lancaster, Pa., said that "our goal is to try and relocate the store? in the [Penn] area." Penn and Auntie Anne's corporate offices would not comment on the status of negotiations or the location under discussion. Nonetheless, Dick Root, the franchise holder for the Houston Hall store, confirmed that Auntie Anne's had been offered a spot in the 3401 Walnut complex. He declined to comment further because of the ongoing nature of the lease negotiations. But Root did confirm that the Cinnabon space "may be a possibility." He added that the former location of Bain's Deli in the 3401 Walnut food court would be too large for his store. That location is the only vacancy other than Cinnabon for which Penn has not yet announced plans. Cinnabon's departure before the expiration of its lease would differ from other recent vacancies at the 3401 Walnut complex. In the case of stores such as Bain's Deli, Everything Yogurt, Software Etc., Metro Hair and the soon-to-depart Foot Locker, Penn chose not to renew the leases. Penn officials have repeatedly said that each of these vacancies was an opportunity to bring in new, more suitable retailers. Also, the University is currently negotiating with the Gap about a possible expansion. Auntie Anne's would not be the first pretzel store in the 3401 Walnut complex. A Perfect Pretzel store closed in 1994. Ironically, Penn officials at the time said the store closed because Cinnabon and Auntie Anne's drew business away from it. Penn has expressed interest in finding space for only one other store currently located in Houston Hall. That store, Rose's Florist, is still in negotiations with the University. Penn will not offer the remaining stores space when Houston Hall closes.