<PAGE>
                                                                  Exhibit 10.140


                                 PROMISSORY NOTE

$8,575,000                                                   New York, New York
                                                           As of April 17, 2001

                  FOR VALUE RECEIVED RIVER VALLEY VENTURE, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company, as maker, having its principal place of business at
20 South Third Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215 ("BORROWER"), hereby unconditionally
promises to pay to the order of LEHMAN BROTHERS BANK, FSB, a federal stock
savings bank, as lender, having an address at Three World Financial Center, New
York, New York 10285 ("LENDER"), or at such other place as the holder hereof may
from time to time designate in writing, the principal sum of Eight Million Five
Hundred Seventy Five Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($8,575,000), or so much
thereof as may be advanced by Lender to Borrower pursuant to that certain Loan
Agreement of even date herewith between Borrower and Lender (the "LOAN
AGREEMENT") in lawful money of the United States of America with interest
thereon to be computed from the date of this Note at the Applicable Interest
Rate, and to be paid in accordance with the terms of this Note and the Loan
Agreement. All capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the respective
meanings set forth in the Loan Agreement.

                            ARTICLE 1: PAYMENT TERMS

                  Borrower agrees to pay the principal sum of this Note and
interest on the unpaid principal sum of this Note from time to time outstanding
at the rates and at the times specified in Article 2 of the Loan Agreement and
the outstanding balance of the principal sum of this Note and all accrued and
unpaid interest thereon shall be due and payable on the Maturity Date.

                      ARTICLE 2: DEFAULT AND ACCELERATION

                  The Debt shall without notice become immediately due and
payable at the option of Lender if any payment required in this Note is not paid
on or prior to the date when due or on the happening of any other Event of
Default.

                           ARTICLE 3: LOAN DOCUMENTS

                  This Note is secured by the Mortgage and the other Loan
Documents. All of the terms, covenants and conditions contained in the Loan
Agreement, the Mortgage and the other Loan Documents are hereby made part of
this Note to the same extent and with the same force as if they were fully set
forth herein. In the event of a conflict or inconsistency between the terms of
this Note and the Loan Agreement, the terms and provisions of the Loan Agreement
shall govern.

                           ARTICLE 4: SAVINGS CLAUSE

                  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, (a) all agreements
and communications between Borrower and Lender are hereby and shall
automatically be limited so that, after taking into account all amounts deemed
interest, the interest contracted for, charged or received by


<PAGE>

Lender shall never exceed the maximum lawful rate or amount, (b) in calculating
whether any interest exceeds the lawful maximum, all such interest shall be
amortized, prorated, allocated and spread over the full amount and term of all
principal indebtedness of Borrower to Lender, and (c) if through any contingency
or event, Lender receives or is deemed to receive interest in excess of the
lawful maximum, any such excess shall be deemed to have been applied toward
payment of the principal of any and all then outstanding indebtedness of
Borrower to Lender, or if there is no such indebtedness, shall immediately be
returned to Borrower.

                           ARTICLE 5: NO ORAL CHANGE

                  This Note may not be modified, amended, waived, extended,
changed, discharged or terminated orally or by any act or failure to act on the
part of Borrower or Lender, but only by an agreement in writing signed by the
party against whom enforcement of any modification, amendment, waiver,
extension, change, discharge or termination is sought.

                               ARTICLE 6: WAIVERS

                  Borrower and all others who may become liable for the payment
of all or any part of the Debt do hereby severally waive presentment and demand
for payment, notice of dishonor, notice of intention to accelerate, notice of
acceleration, protest and notice of protest and non-payment and all other
notices of any kind. No release of any security for the Debt or extension of
time for payment of this Note or any installment hereof, and no alteration,
amendment or waiver of any provision of this Note, the Loan Agreement or the
other Loan Documents made by agreement between Lender or any other Person shall
release, modify, amend, waive, extend, change, discharge, terminate or affect
the liability of Borrower, and any other Person who may become liable for the
payment of all or any part of the Debt, under this Note, the Loan Agreement or
the other Loan Documents. No notice to or demand on Borrower shall be deemed to
be a waiver of the obligation of Borrower or of the right of Lender to take
further action without further notice or demand as provided for in this Note,
the Loan Agreement or the other Loan Documents. If Borrower is a partnership,
the agreements herein contained shall remain in force and applicable,
notwithstanding any changes in the individuals comprising the partnership, and
the term "Borrower," as used herein, shall include any alternate or successor
partnership, but any predecessor partnership and their partners shall not
thereby be released from any liability. If Borrower is a corporation, the
agreements contained herein shall remain in full force and applicable
notwithstanding any changes in the shareholders comprising, or the officers and
directors relating to, the corporation, and the term "Borrower" as used herein,
shall include any alternative or successor corporation, but any predecessor
corporation shall not be relieved of liability hereunder. (Nothing in the
foregoing sentence shall be construed as a consent to, or a waiver of, any
prohibition or restriction on transfers of interests in such partnership which
may be set forth in the Loan Agreement, the Mortgage or any other Loan
Document.)

                              ARTICLE 7: TRANSFER

                  Upon the transfer of this Note, Borrower hereby waiving notice
of any such transfer, Lender may deliver all the collateral mortgaged, granted,
pledged or assigned pursuant to the Loan Documents, or any part thereof, to the
transferee who shall thereupon become vested


                                       2
<PAGE>

with all the rights herein or under applicable law given to Lender with respect
thereto, and Lender shall thereafter forever be relieved and fully discharged
from any liability or responsibility in the matter; but Lender shall retain all
rights hereby given to it with respect to any liabilities and the collateral not
so transferred.

                             ARTICLE 8: EXCULPATION

                  The provisions of Section 9.4 of the Loan Agreement are hereby
incorporated by reference into this Note to the same extent and with the same
force as if fully set forth herein.

                            ARTICLE 9: GOVERNING LAW

         (A) THIS NOTE WAS NEGOTIATED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND MADE BY
BORROWER AND ACCEPTED BY LENDER IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND THE PROCEEDS OF
THIS NOTE WERE DISBURSED FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHICH STATE THE PARTIES
AGREE HAS A SUBSTANTIAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE PARTIES AND TO THE UNDERLYING
TRANSACTION EMBODIED HEREBY, AND IN ALL RESPECTS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITING
THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, MATTERS OF CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY AND
PERFORMANCE, THIS NOTE AND THE OBLIGATIONS ARISING HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED IN SUCH STATE (WITHOUT REGARD TO
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT LAWS) AND ANY APPLICABLE LAW OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BORROWER HEREBY UNCONDITIONALLY
AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY CLAIM TO ASSERT THAT THE LAW OF ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION GOVERNS THIS NOTE AND THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK PURSUANT TO SECTION 5-1401
OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

         (B) ANY LEGAL SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST LENDER OR BORROWER
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS NOTE MAY AT LENDER'S OPTION BE INSTITUTED IN
ANY FEDERAL OR STATE COURT IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF NEW YORK, PURSUANT
TO SECTION 5-1402 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW, AND BORROWER WAIVES
ANY OBJECTIONS WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE BASED ON VENUE AND/OR FORUM
NON CONVENIENS OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING, AND BORROWER HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF ANY SUCH COURT IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR
PROCEEDING. BORROWER DOES HEREBY DESIGNATE AND APPOINT:

                  CT CORPORATION SYSTEM, INC.
                  1633 BROADWAY, 23RD FLOOR


                                       3
<PAGE>

                  NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019
                  ATTENTION: SERVICE OF PROCESS DEPARTMENT

AS ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT TO ACCEPT AND ACKNOWLEDGE ON ITS BEHALF SERVICE OF ANY
AND ALL PROCESS WHICH MAY BE SERVED IN ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN
ANY FEDERAL OR STATE COURT IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK, AND AGREES THAT SERVICE OF
PROCESS UPON SAID AGENT AT SAID ADDRESS AND WRITTEN NOTICE OF SAID SERVICE
MAILED OR DELIVERED TO BORROWER IN THE MANNER PROVIDED HEREIN SHALL BE DEEMED IN
EVERY RESPECT EFFECTIVE SERVICE OF PROCESS UPON BORROWER IN ANY SUCH SUIT,
ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. BORROWER (I) SHALL GIVE PROMPT
NOTICE TO LENDER OF ANY CHANGED ADDRESS OF ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT HEREUNDER, (II)
MAY AT ANY TIME AND FROM TIME TO TIME DESIGNATE A SUBSTITUTE AUTHORIZED AGENT
WITH AN OFFICE IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK (WHICH SUBSTITUTE AGENT AND OFFICE SHALL BE
DESIGNATED AS THE PERSON AND ADDRESS FOR SERVICE OF PROCESS), AND (III) SHALL
PROMPTLY DESIGNATE SUCH A SUBSTITUTE IF ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT CEASES TO HAVE AN
OFFICE IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK OR IS DISSOLVED WITHOUT LEAVING A SUCCESSOR.

                              ARTICLE 10: NOTICES

                  All notices or other written communications hereunder shall be
delivered in accordance with Section 10.6 of the Loan Agreement.

                         [NO FURTHER TEXT ON THIS PAGE]



                                       4
<PAGE>


         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has duly executed this Note as of the day
and year first above written.

                      RIVER VALLEY VENTURE, LLC
                      a Delaware limited liability company

                         By:  GLIMCHER RIVER VALLEY, INC., a
                              Delaware corporation, its managing member

                               By: /s/ George A. Schmidt
                                   -------------------------
                                   Name:
                                   Title:





                                       5
<PAGE>


                                 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

State of Ohio              )
                           ) ss.
County of ________         )

The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this 13th day of April,
2001, by George A. Schmidt, the Executive Vice President of Glimcher River
Valley, Inc., a Delaware corporation, the managing member of River Valley
Venture, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, on behalf of the company.

                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and official
seal.

                                                   /s/ Joyce D. Hunter
                                                   -------------------
                                                   Notary Public

Commission
Expiration: 3/22/05


                                       6