Fashion retailer expanding into new markets

South Moon Under is on the move.



The on-trend fashion retailer, which carries a variety of contemporary brands, will open its first stores in the South in April, with locations at Ponce City Market, Atlanta, and Avalon, Alpharetta, Georgia. In the fall, the company will open a store at Shops Around Lenox, Atlanta.



South Moon Under plans to open more than 20 stores by 2019, with locations in Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and parts of the Midwest. The expansion marks South Moon Under's first foray into growing its presence as a nationally recognized retail brand beyond its existing 24 East Coast and Mid-Atlantic locations.



The Atlanta openings will also introduce a new interior store design inspired by the brand’s 1968 origins as a surf shack selling surfboards and swimsuits. The company has since evolved into an upscale casual clothing retailer known for an eclectic mix of young women’s clothing, swimwear, accessories, and gifts.



In March 2016, investment firm JPB Capital Partners made a majority stake purchase in South Moon Under.



“It is always exciting to watch the potential of a brand you believe in, be realized," said CEO Michael Smith, former owner of White House | Black Market. “Atlanta's thriving economy, culture, and warm climate make it the perfect fit for South Moon Under's beach-wear roots.”