Burke’s Outlet, a Florida-based company, will be opening locations in Russellville and Glasgow, both in buildings formerly occupied by the now-bankrupt Goody’s.

Glasgow Mayor Darrell Pickett said the company’s opening should help spur further development in the Barren River Plaza, where Goody’s closed in early 2009.

Pickett said the anchor of the shopping center on U.S. 31-E used to be Walmart, which closed that location to open a store on Happy Valley Road. Several other businesses have since closed as well. A Hallmark greeting card store and Peebles department store remained there.

“People had kind of abandoned it,” Pickett said. “But there are a lot of prospects for the shopping center now … and hopefully in 12 months it will be full.”

Pickett said the company will have a soft opening at the store in mid-October and will initially employ 20 to 25 people.

The outlet store offers clothing, shoes and home goods, which according to the company’s website is “primarily branded merchandise for those customers who seek exceptional prices everyday and locational convenience.”

Goody’s, which also had a store in Bowling Green, had a similar business model.

The former Goody’s location in Russellville was open only for a few months when the store closed. It is on the Russellville bypass near the new Walmart.

“I just talked to a Burke’s rep last week. … They are really just getting their marketing materials together right now,” said Lisa Browning, executive director of the Logan County Chamber of Commerce. “When Goody’s left, the store was basically brand new, so hopefully it won’t take them too long to get open.”

Some crews are working in the store now.

Actually, Burke’s is further along with the Russellville store than the one in Glasgow, according to Bill Webster, director of public and government affairs for the company.

“We are hoping for a soft opening for the beginning of October, with a grand opening planned around Oct. 22,” Webster said. “I think we will have the grand opening in Glasgow on Nov. 5.”

Webster said Burke’s has been expanding into many of the former Goody’s locations that had good performance, but he isn’t sure if the former Bowling Green Goody’s site is under consideration for a new store.

Burke’s is also opening stores in Campbellsville, Somerset, Corbin and Winchester, and in Gallatin, Tenn., he said.

“Our strongest growth … has been in states like North Carolina and Tennessee, so we are moving north,” Webster said.

Browning said she has been directing callers seeking employment at the store to the company’s website (www.burkesoutlet.com), where information is available on submitting resumes.

A privately held company, Burke’s has 165 outlets in 16 Southern states. It will open 21 new stores in the next six months and possibly more, Webster said.

The same company also owns Bealls Outlets.