Saks Fifth Avenue

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group announced that it has acquired 50% of Silver Sands Factory Stores, an outlet shopping destination located in Destin, Florida. Howard Group, developer of the center, will remain 50% owner of the center. Simon will assume primary responsibility of leasing and management duties.

The 465,000-sq.-ft. Silver Sands center is home to over 100 stores including Ann Taylor Factory Store, Coach, Cole Haan, J.Crew, Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors, Nike and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.
 

Short Hills, N.J. -- Mulberry has opened a new store at Mall at Short Hills (N.J.), on the upper level near Bloomingdale’s, and will be followed by Robert Graham and Vilebrequin openings this summer.

Robert Graham will make its New Jersey debut this summer in its third freestanding U.S. boutique. And men’s swimwear retailer Vilebrequin makes its New Jersey debut this summer as well.

Newly opened stores recently added to this list include Ermenegildo Zegna, Miu Miu, Prada, Victorinox Swiss Army and
Vineyard Vines. 

Kansas City -- The area’s first White House Black | Market Outlet boutique opened on May 24 at Legends Outlets Kansas City.

The concept features not only collections designed specifically for the outlet boutique, but also an assortment from its full-price boutiques as well.

The White House Black Market Outlet boutique will occupy 2,955 sq. ft. next to Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

Woodbridge, Va. -- Indianapolis-based The Mills, a Simon Property Group company, said that Potomac Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Virginia, will soon expand its footprint with the addition of an exterior transformation and two new restaurants: The Cheesecake Factory and Bobby’s Burger Palace.

The project also includes the relocation of Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th and the introduction of Buybuy Baby and Christmas Tree Shops.

Bloomfield Hills, Mich. -- Taubman Centers said Thursday that it will begin construction this summer on its 640,000-sq.-ft. Mall of San Juan, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Formerly known as Plaza Internacional, The Mall of San Juan will be a state-of-the-art, two-level, enclosed mall anchored by a 138,000-sq.-ft. Nordstrom and a 100,000-sq.-ft. Saks Fifth Avenue. It will be the first upscale mall on the island and the first and only location in Puerto Rico for both Nordstrom and Saks. 

Indianapolis -- Simon Property Group announced that Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th will open a total of seven new stores in the next two years in its Premium Outlets division, including new centers and existing centers.

Keeping a store open during a remodel versus closing it until the work is completed was the theme of the SPECS session, “Open Store Remodels: Best Practices for Maintaining the Customer Experience and the Focus on Sales.” The session was part of the Ground-Up Construction and Remodeling workshop track.

Although the speakers had experience with both methodologies, they focused more on ways to keep the store open during the process.

While there still is not enough new shopping center construction to warrant a “Fastest-Growing Developers” ranking system — as Chain Store Age provided for 20 consecutive years, from 1989 to 2008 — progress continues to be made.