District 23 to occupy The Wardrobe building, starting in February 2018

On Friday, Oct. 20, District 23, a women’s clothing and accessories boutique whose sales benefit the Cochlear Implant Awareness Foundation, announced plans to move their Springfield shop to a new location near the MacArthur corridor in February 2018. The popular retail shop, currently located at 1413 S. MacArthur Blvd., will occupy the building at 830 S. Grand Ave. West, which has housed The Wardrobe, a women’s clothing/accessories/gift store, since the 1980s.

The move is a dream come true for CIAF founder and District 23 owner Michelle Tjelmeland. “The new building is five times the space of our current location. The additional space will provide the space we need to expand our inventory and provide space for our e-commerce staff. The move will also free up space in or current location on MacArthur, which will provided much-needed space for the foundation’s daily operations.”

Tjelmeland is looking forward to taking over the Wardrobe building from owner Kim Dixon, adding, “She [Kim] has built an incredible store over the years, and I hope District 23 can enjoy the same success there.”

The Wardrobe, which first opened on MacArthur Boulevard in 1963, will close its doors on January 31, 2018, with District 23 opening in its place soon after. As a result, Dixon asks her customers to close out their in-house charge accounts, pay off any remaining balances, and use up any outstanding gift cards during the next few months. According to an email sent to customers last week, Dixon will be retiring so that she and her husband can travel and spend more time visiting their daughters and families. However, Dixon remains hopeful that a buyer for the brand will emerge, with a desire to pick up where she left off. Anyone interested in continuing the Wardrobe’s legacy in Springfield is encouraged to contact Dixon at 528-5785.

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