Wonder, the upscale children’s superstore backed by a Lake Forest entrepreneur, has closed after less than four months, citing financial trouble.
The retailer opened in late October in a Deerfield strip mall, taking over space that once housed a Sears Great Indoors home store. The idea was to bring a boutique mentality to a warehouse-size store, giving parents a place to shop for everything from baby oil to Bugaboo strollers while also offering classes, an indoor play area, cafe and birthday party room.
But Wonder quickly ran into money problems, crimping its ability to keep the 135,000-square-foot store running. Despite “positive customer reaction,” the company could no longer sustain operations “due to balance sheet considerations that impacted dwindling product availability, technology systems and planned improvements,” the company said in a statement released Monday. Its website also ceased operations.
Wonder plans to undertake a “financial restructuring” and is “hopeful for the future of the concept,” the company statement said.
Chairman and founder Shane Christensen, a venture capitalist whose investments most recently included a boutique entertainment resort in Las Vegas, conceived the Wonder concept two years ago, when he and his wife, as new parents, discovered the stress of running errands with two small children.
He recruited major investors, including Rick Mazursky, who helped launch Cabbage Patch Kids, and Bruce Hall, who spent most of his career at Toys R Us and was most recently the president of Petco Animal Supplies Inc. And he tapped formerWal-Mart Stores executive Bill Colaianni to be his CEO.
Christensen told the Tribune in late October when the Deerfield store opened that he planned to open 19 stores in the next five years.
In December, several contractors filed liens against the company, seeking more than $600,000 combined for construction, plumbing and other remodeling work, according to records filed with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds.
Lovering Electric Co. filed suit Feb. 2, saying it was owed $69,287 for work as a subcontractor to refurbish the store. The work spanned from September through November, but payments stopped in October after Wonder received its certificate of occupancy, the complaint charged.
Christensen and Wonder officials declined to comment beyond the prepared statement.
“I am hopeful for the future of Wonder! and remain dedicated to ensuring that Wonder! will indeed see another day,” said Christensen in Monday’s statement.
Customers who have unused Groupon coupons, class sessions, pending orders and other questions can contact Wonder at info@wonderusa.com, according to store spokeswoman Amanda Bothen.
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