Accessories

Seattle -- REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) said Tuesday it will make its state debut in Kansas in fall 2013, with a new store in Overland Park, Kan., a suburb of Kansas City.

The 23,500-sq.-ft. REI Overland Park will be located at Prairiefire at Lionsgate. Approximately 50-60 new hires are planned.
 

Foot Locker is debuting a new retail brand, The Locker Room, in the United Kingdom. The format was unveiled at the end of 2011, in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, North London. Two additional stores opened in spring 2012, in Birmingham’s Bullring shopping center, and in London’s Lakeside center.

Philadelphia -- Ascena Retail Group CEO David Jaffe has pledged to preserve the jobs of 7,500 employees at soon-to-be-shuttered Fashion Bug stores, as well as 600 workers at the headquarters of Charming Shoppes, according to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Ascena, which owns the Dressbarn, Justice and Maurices banners, acquired Charming Shoppes – and its Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherines brands – on June 15.

Willow Grove, Pa. -- Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust said that Francesca’s Collections has opened a 1,046-sq.-ft. store at Willow Grove Park, located in Willow Grove, Pa.

Laila Rowe is slated to opena 1,181-sq.-ft. store in September.

Tucson, Ariz. -- Commercial Real Estate Advisors said that Rock’N Babies has relocated its store to Plaza Sonora, located in Tucson, Ariz.

The new 1,800-sq.-ft. resale boutique opened July 1.

 

Austin, Texas -- Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners said that three new store locations have been finalized for Baskins Western and Work Wear in Baton Rouge, La.; Lafayette, La.; and Katy, Texas. 

The new stores will include 12,000 to 15,000 sq. ft., and will bring the western apparel retail chain to 28 total locations.

The past few months have seen a flurry of store openings in New York City. Here’s a rundown on some of this summer’s hottest new must-sees as chosen by my go-to expert on Big Apple retail happenings Faith Hope Consolo,  chairman of the retail division at Prudential Douglas Elliman:

Chestnut Hill, Mass. -- WS Development said that Pottery Barn, along with Swedish children’s apparel retailer Polarn O. Pyret and locally based Treat Cupcake Bar, will open at its Chestnut Hill Shopping Center.

The new stores are scheduled to open in spring 2013 in a new building at the site of the former Macy’s.
 
Other new stores to open in the 406,000-sq.-ft. shopping and dining destination include The Sports Club/LA, Cinema de Lux, Shake Shack, Pinkberry, and gourmet Asian restaurant Bernard’s.

SECAUCUS, N.J. — The Children's Place Retail Stores is expanding its presence in the Middle East with franchise agreements to open stores in the Arab Gulf States of United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman as well as Saudi Arabia. The first stores are scheduled to open in the UAE in September 2012 in Dubai and Sharjah. The first two stores in Saudi Arabia are scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2012.

This new concept makes its retail debut with a unusual store design that has created lots of buzz. The central element of the 1,800-sq.-ft. boutique is a continuous surface made from 25,000 stacked paper bags‹that arches from floor to ceiling. Creating a warm atmosphere, the honeycomb-like structure contrasts with the existing industrial brick and concrete space. All clothing, accessories and jewelry are displayed on quartz slab tables, blackened steel hang bars and steel and glass vitrines.