DeKALB — Old Navy is set to return and replace the previous Barnes & Noble site at 2439 Sycamore Road in the Oakland Place shopping center by Aug. to Sept.

About eight years ago, Old Navy stood in the shopping center with 20,000 square feet of space, but ended up closing down and being replaced by DSW and Five Below.

“In a midsized market like DeKalb, a 20,000 square foot store is too large for the retailers to handle,” Director of Retail Properties Paul Shand said. “They need to pay rent on the size of the store, so they want to be the right-sized store for the right amount of merchandise.”

Old Navy plans on returning, but this time with 12,500 square feet of space, which is two-thirds the size of the Old Navy from eight years ago. This way, the retailers will pay less for rent due to the smaller amount of space.

“Old Navy applied for permits to start their interior work,” principal planner Dan Olson said. “We’re not sure exactly when construction will start because their plans are being reviewed by the city.”

Old Navy’s construction crew will begin in the summer, and their target is to be open for business by the fall semester, Shand said.

Shand hopes that opening an Old Navy in DeKalb will also help to attract the younger generation, such as students, to their store.