CBL lands Cheesecake Factory and Pop Mart at St. Louis mall
One of the nation’s largest mall owner-operators will soon be debuting two new brands at its 1.1 million-sq.-ft. property in the St. Louis suburb of Des Peres.
Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL Properties has announced that construction has begun on a Cheesecake Factory with an opening set at West County Center for this fall and that a first-to-market food-and-beverage brand will soon be revealed as another new tenant in the mall’s Restaurant Village.
“The Cheesecake Factory is very pleased to be opening a restaurant at West County Center, allowing us to serve West County families and visitors,” said David Overton, founder, chairman and CEO of The Cheesecake Factory Inc. “The Cheesecake Factory has enjoyed being a part of the greater St. Louis area since first opening there in 2002, and we look forward to being a part of the Des Peres community.”
In early May, Pop Mart opened its first Missouri location and its first store in CBL’s portfolio at West County Center. Known for its designer toy characters, Pop Mart is a significant driver of Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha mall traffic, according to CBL.
“With more than 7.1 million annual visitors, 98% occupancy and sales just under $900 per square foot, West County Center is one of CBL’s top properties,”said Stephen Lebovitz, chief executive officer, CBL Properties. “Our recent leasing activity underscores its dominant position in the broader St. Louis market.”
Other key brands recently added to West County Center’s tenant list include Levi’s, L’Occitane, Perfumania, and Urban Outfitters. Two existing tenants in the mall--American Eagle Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret--are investing in their stores at West County Center through renovations that are also set to debut later this year.
Des Peres, Mo., which is about 20 miles west of downtown St. Louis, is located at the intersection of Interstate 270 and Route 66.
CBL’s owned and managed portfolio is comprised of 88 properties totaling 55.6 million square feet across 23 states. The big developer’s portfolio is made up of 55 enclosed malls, outlet centers and lifestyle retail centers as well as more than 25 open-air centers and other assets.
