Negotiations are underway to bring The Gap, a popular national clothing chain, to Hanover.
The Gap, a San Francisco-based company, would move into College-owned property at 20 South Main Street, recently vacated by Brewster's clothing shop.
"We have made them a proposal and if they accept that proposal we'll have a Gap store on Main Street," said Paul Olsen, the College's real estate director.
The Gap's Philadelphia real estate office, which is dealing with the College, confirmed that negotiations are underway. But Leo Giovanni, The Gap's senior leasing officer for New Hampshire, said he could not comment.
The Gap looked into the same retail space in Fall 1991 but could not reach an agreement with the College. The current negotiations involve only a Gap store and not Banana Republic, the Gap's higher-priced sister store.
Olsen said the College is looking for three retailers to fill the space formerly occupied by Brewster's, a retail clothing store, and Eleazer's Museum Shop, a novelty shop. Economic difficulties forced Brewster's and Eleazer's to close in May. For most of this century, the space next to the Hanover Inn was occupied by Campion's, a clothing retailer.
Olsen said the College hopes to lease the largest of the three available spaces to the Gap or another well-known retailer within the next three weeks. A food establishment may open in the basement of the building, he said.
Mia Vogt, the owner of Mia, a popular clothing retailer on Main Street, said she believes a strong store like The Gap would benefit all Hanover businesses. She said Mia and The Gap serve the same customers but sell very different merchandise.
