Construction on the combo Toys “R” Us/ Babies “R” Us at Raleigh’s Poyner Place shopping center is making for a some tricky maneuvers in the parking lot, but that should all end by October. That’s when the store is scheduled to open.

Its opening means the Babies “R” Us in Emporium Plaza – just down Capital Boulevard – will close. But the space, all 38,400 square feet of it, won’t be empty for long. Ty Thomas, a broker with Lincoln Harris who handles leasing for the plaza, said Ollie’s Bargain Barn will take all but 10,000 square feet. Thomas said he’s close to signing another tenant for the remainder of the space. This would be the second Ollie’s Bargain Barn in the area; the other is in Cary. Thomas said the store, which sells closeout, surplus and salvage merchandise, should open in the fall.

Toys “R” Us started integrating the two stores six years ago and now has 180 of what they call side-by-side stores throughout the country.

In our area, this is the first they’ve built from the ground up. Last year, the company renovated the Toys “R” Us at Crossroads Plaza and turned it into a side-by-side store, which basically means the toys co-exist with the baby clothes, strollers and other baby products.

For the second time since opening in January 2008, the Mulberry on Main Italian Restaurant in Clayton is expanding. The downtown eatery has opened a “Pub” side Monday through Wednesday. It features a tapas menu along with antipasto and salads, pizza, draft beers and full bar from 5 to 10 p.m.

Over at Cameron Village, go in early Saturday to get your Bargain Box fix. The store is closing at 3 p.m. – three hours early – and won’t re-open until July 16. The store, run by the Raleigh Junior League, is getting a bit of a re-do: new floors and some rearranging. The early closing hours Friday and Saturday are to facilitate packing. If you’re not familiar with the Bargain Box, it sells gently used donated clothing with the money going to benefit the Junior League’s community projects.

Also at Cameron Village, WhichWich, the sandwich shop, and Sushi Gami, a sushi and burger place, will both open in August. WhichWich is going in near the ABC store, and Sushi Gami will go into the space that Uncle Fatty’s recently left.

Hobby Lobby, a privately held chain of arts and crafts stores, continues its expansion into North Carolina by opening at the Rocky Mount Towne Center.

That brings the Oklahoma chain’s total in the state to eight, but two more – in Wilmington and Mooresville – are slated to open before the year is out. So far, none is planned for the Triangle.

Staff writers Amy Rue, Mary Cornatzer

Send retail items to arue@newsobserver.com