ROSS OPENS 4TH STORE ON UNIVERSITY IN BROWARD

On Tuesday, Ross Stores opened its fourth store on University Drive in Broward County. Count ’em, four.

Ross Dress for Less, which sells discount clothing, opened a store on Tuesday at the University Mall at University Drive and Pines Boulevard in Pembroke Pines. It joins stores at 801 S. University in Plantation, 5755 University in Tamarac, and 3383 University in Coral Springs. Once University Drive was considered the western boundary for Broward, but now it is the retail mecca.

A spokeswoman said the company likes the population growth in western Broward.

“We feel for the long term, they are very good sites,” said Katie Loughnot, speaking from the company’s Newark, Calif., headquarters.

The chain is also opening stores in Hialeah and Dade County west of Coral Gables this week, for a total of 10 in South Florida and 25 in Florida.

One retail real-estate consultant didn’t want to second-guess Ross.

“They’ve been very successful so far,” said William Wholey of Fort Lauderdale. “I assume they know what they’re doing.”

Another consultant, who helped Ross pick the sites, said Ross is not alone in its ambitions on University Drive.

The company’s competitors, Marshalls, JByron, and TJ Maxx, are all expanding along or near the boulevard, said Mark Milgram, president of Florida Shopping Center Group.

“University Drive is where the off-price action is,” he said.

But, Milgram said, “There is a lot of competition in west Broward. It does look scary at times.”