The Shops at The Old Mill District recently finalized lease agreements with three new retailers offering a mix of shoes, professional women’s clothes and Western wear.

All three tenants – Ann Taylor Loft, Desperado and The Foot Path – will occupy space north of Greg’s Grill, part of the district’s second phase of construction, said Heidi Berkman, marketing director for The Shops at The Old Mill District. Greg’s Grill is under construction across from REI and is expected to open March 26.

The new stores are expected to open in October and construction is close to commencing, Berkman said.

”The Old Mill is excited about the diversity of what’s starting to come into it,” Berkman said.

The second and final phase of the old Brooks-Scanlon mill site development will add 46,000 square feet of retail space and is expected to be finished this fall, she said. The Shops at The Old Mill District opened in 2001.

The three recently signed stores are the latest to join the Old Mill lineup, which today boasts 40 stores and restaurants.

Ann Taylor Loft will occupy roughly 5,500 square feet, Desperado about 2,000 square feet and The Foot Path about 1,500 square feet, Berkman said.

Ann Taylor Loft, which competes in the ”upper-moderate” price category, offers collections designed ”for value-conscious women with a more relaxed lifestyle both at work and at home,” according to the company Web site.

Desperado will carry Western wear, accessories and home furnishings, said owner Joanne Sunnarborg.

This will be Sunnarborg’s second Desperado in Oregon. Her first store has been in Portland’s trendy Pearl District for 10 years, she said.

Her hottest items are custom-made cowboy boots, Sunnarborg said.

”Fashion Western isn’t an oxymoron,” she said. ”I first opened this store in Portland because that’s where my family is, but in reality, the store belongs in a place like Bend. There’s a better demographic over there for Western wear.”

Sunnarborg will move to Bend when her store opens, saying she likes the area and is free to move because her youngest child has moved away to college.

The Foot Path owner Hillary Hickman was born and raised in Bend but hasn’t lived here since 1995. Hickman has operated another shoe store, Beach Soles, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for the past 1 1/2 years. Hickman will retain her ownership interest in Beach Soles after she moves to Bend to run The Foot Path.

Hickman already owns a home in Bend, saying she always knew she’d return. She added that she’s always loved the Old Mill District.

”I feel like Bend is at the point where you shouldn’t have to go to Portland to do your shopping,” she said.

The Foot Path will feature name brands often found at specialty and high-end stores like Nordstrom, Hickman added.