Accessories

Las Vegas -- The Las Vegas Strip has a brand new retail attraction: Grand Bazaar Shops. The two-acre, open-air center is located adjacent to Bally’s Las Vegas.

Houston -- Simon is further elevating its signature Houston Galleria by investing in a $30 million renovation of the luxury wing in addition to adding a new Saks Fifth Avenue flagship, 110,000 sq. ft. of new retail space, and a 14,000-sq.-ft. freestanding retail building.

Ross Stores is less than two months into its new fiscal year and already the company is halfway home on its 2015 new store growth plan and asserting its long term potential.

Ross confirmed that since the beginning of its fiscal year on Feb. 1, it opened 32 Ross Dress for Less stores and five dd’s Discounts stores in 15 states.

The company’s full year plan disclosed when fourth quarter results were released on Feb. 26, calls for 70 Ross stores and 20 dd’s Discounts stores.

Peoria, Ill. -- Apparel and accessories retailer Leopard Boutique will open a 1,273-sq.-ft. store at The Streets of St. Charles, in Peoria, Illinois. The trendy boutique has finalized its lease and will join the mixed-used development in May as the newest retail store in the development.

Leopard Boutique will be located in suite 150 at the ground level near the cross streets of Beale Street and Nichols Road at the base of the five-story luxury residential apartment building that is currently 85% occupied.

The store is back, baby! That was the message I heard again and again at the National Retail Federation’s 2015 Annual Convention in New York City. It was sounded by retailers, consultants and tech suppliers alike as they rushed to explain the relevance of offline retail in an omnichannel world.

But the truth is the store never went away in the first place. Sure, some retailers are retrenching and reducing (or, in today’s PC lingo, “rightsizing”) their portfolios. It’s especially evident in the apparel sector, with some teen brands particularly hard hit.

Cincinnati -- Bloomingdale’s will open an outlet store in fall 2015 in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side. It will be the 14th Bloomingdale’s Outlet store and the first in a major urban center.

With 25,000 sq. ft. on three levels, Bloomingdale’s Outlet on Broadway will offer a range of off-price apparel and accessories, including women's ready-to-wear, men's, children's, women's shoes, fashion accessories, jewelry, handbags and intimate apparel.

Meriden, Conn. -- Vestis Retail Group, which operates Bob’s Stores, Eastern Mountain Sports and Sport Chalet, has Susan J. “Sue” Riley to CFO.

Riley brings 30 years of financial management to her new role at Vestis, where she worked on a consulting basis as interim CFO in recent months.

Bealls Inc., the 100-year-old Florida-based department store retailer, is developing a specialty store concept, called Bunulu, which will debut by the end of 2015.

New York -- Bealls Inc., the 100-year-old Florida-based department store retailer, is developing a specialty store concept, called Bunulu, which will debut by the end of 2015.

The new banner, which already has its own website, Bunulu.com, will target a younger demographic, and feature coastal-inspired active lifestyle apparel and accessories for both men and women. National brands will be featured.

New York -- Coach announced it will open its first Paris flagship, timed to coincide with the brand’s 75th anniversary. The store, located on the famed Rue Saint-Honoré, is expected to open this fall.