One of Penn's numerous retail vacancies is set to be filled temporarily, as the Wharton School finalizes plans to occupy the former Eckerd drugstore spot on Walnut Street.
According to John Greenwood, a top official for the University's real estate company, Wharton will use the location for a period of eight to 10 weeks as demonstration space for design concepts of Huntsman Hall, the new Wharton School facility under construction at 38th and Walnut streets.
It will also serve as an office extension and working space for the Huntsman Hall construction project.
The 3737 Walnut St., location had previously been occupied by Eckerd, which went out of business in April of last year after struggling financially, according to company officials.
The Wharton office extension will only be temporary, Greenwood said.
"We're marketing the space as we speak," he said.
For the long term, however, Greenwood said that the University had expressed an interest in putting an art supply store in the vacancy to accommodate student needs. Currently, those looking for art supplies in the area have to hike downtown to stores like Utrecht.
The plans for the former Eckerd spot come as Penn's retail vacancies are gradually being filled. The University has brought in Philly Diner and Smith Bros. Jeans to fill the former El Diner and Ma Jolie locations.
But vacancies still exist across campus. There is still no finalized replacement for the former Uni-Mart on 40th and Locust streets, which closed in early October of last year. Previous plans had called for the former convenience store's transformation into a Mexican restaurant, but no new plans have yet surfaced.
And at the start of this semester, Fingers, Wings and Other Things at 208 S. 40th St. closed down.
According to Greenwood, the University has been in talks with Smokey Joe's about the former FWOT space, which sits below the popular campus bar.
