Two locally owned shoe stores will be set to open Dec. 15 in The Mall at University Town Center.
Natural Comfort and Footgear Outdoor will be opening stores on the first level near Saks Fifth Avenue, according to store employees. The stores are looking to fill five sales positions for each store as well.
The stores are owned and operated by Jim Atkinson who maintains a Natural Comfort location on St. Armands and is bringing back Footgear Outdoor after closing on St. Armands.
The Footgear store will also have a Sperry Top-Sider shop-within-a-shop as well.
Resumes can be sent to Atkinson at jim1227@live.com or contact Christopher Agresta at 941-388-1228 or Atkinson at 941-388-1735 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Showing posts with label Mall at UTC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mall at UTC. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Mall at University Town Center H&M to open Dec. 1
The mall made the announcement on Facebook this week, signaling the largest tenant to open before the holidays. H&M occupies 24,000 square feet on two floors at the mall and will have its own escalator to move between each level.
H&M will giveaway up to $300 in gift cards to the first 200 shoppers in line and have some opening day specials starting at $5, according to the mall.
Also, shoppers who bring in a bag of unwanted clothing are entered to win a gift card valued up to $100.
As you can see above from sister paper The Bellingham Herald in Washington, H&M grand openings are quite the event.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Blaze Fast-Fire'd Pizza has projected December opening in University Town Center
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| Blaze Pizza assembly line. PHOTO PROVIDED |
The company, whose investors include LeBron James, is expanding throughout Florida including at 215 N. Cattlemen Road beside Panera and JoS. A Bank.
Other Florida locations to open by the end of 2015 include its first Florida location at Ft. Lauderdale's Uptown Center in November, Gainesville in December. In 2015, Blaze will open in Orlando near University of Central Florida, Davie near Nova Southeastern University and Tallahassee.
The Bradenton Herald first reported Blaze Pizza's deal with Benderson Development in August, when the developer also inked deals with AT&T, JoS. A Bank and DSW.
Todd Mathes, director of development for Benderson Development, expects the pizza joint to be open Dec. 1.
Blaze Pizza is kind of like the Chipotle of pizza with an assembly line set up making thin-crust pies that bake in three minutes. It is very similar to the Rise Pies that opened this month inside The Mall at University Town Center.
Blaze features gluten-free options, vegan cheese, wine and craft beer. The 11-inch pizzas typically cost under $8.
"Our mission at Blaze is really simple -- we're all about bringing the community a place where guests can connect, create and enjoy great pizza at crazy fast speed," said Jim Mizes, president & COO of Blaze Pizza in a news release. "If you think about it, there hasn't been a good way to enjoy a made-from-scratch pizza without the wait. Now there is. We believe this will be a game-changer in Florida."
The first Blaze Pizza restaurant opened on Aug. 6, 2012, in Irvine, Calif.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Celebrity appearances in abundance at Mall at UTC opening
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| Robert Taubman, left, president, chairman and CEO of Taubman Centers with Marigay McKee, president of Saks Fifth Avenue. (Photo by Charles Schelle) |
Several stores will have special appearances during the grand opening weekend and beyond.
Here's a rundown of the appearances:
- HGTV's David Bromstad at Macy's — 10 a.m. ribbon cutting at north entrance and 1 p.m. fashion show in north parking lot
- String Theory at Saks — 9 a.m. performance at ribbon cutting
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans at Champs Sports — 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Photography not allowed
- Lovesac Founder Shawny D. Nelson — Will be in store throughout day.
- Marigay McKee, president of Saks Fifth Avenue — 9 a.m. store ribbon cutting.
- Joe Zeiden, co-founder and SVP Real Estate of Z Gallerie — 9:45 a.m. ribbon cutting appearance
- Alexandra Dillard, granddaughter of Dillard's founder William T. Dillard and corporate merchandising manager for the department stores — 11 a.m. fashion show at Dillard's
- Arthur Levine, designer for Tahari ASL — 11 a.m. fashion show at Dillard's
- Nicole Miller of Nicole Miller Artelier — 1 p.m. fashion show at Dillard's
- Robert Taubman, chairman, president and CEO of Taubman Centers — 9:30 a.m. mall ribbon cutting.
- George Miliotes, master sommelier and Darden Restaurants executive responsible for Seasons 52 plus wine program at The Capital Grille
- David Gordon, president of Cheesecake Factory
- Tina Goldfield, founder of Tees by Tina/TINA Stephens
- Eddie Muransky, founder of Rise Pies Handcrafted Pizza and largest franchisee of Auntie Anne's Soft Pretzels
Dillard's has several big name appearances scheduled with some mentioned above. The entire list can be read here. Other events planned for Thursday from Dillard's:
- Noon to 4 p.m. Meet Francine Porter, creator of Osmotics, a non-surgical facelift product.
- 4 p.m. Meet Elan Savir for the Elan International Fashion Show.
- 7 p.m. Meet Gail Hail Hartin, designer for Fresh Produce at a store fashion show.
Mall at UTC Apple store opening comes with teaser of new gadgets
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| Apple Store inside Mall at University Town Center. |
Apple is teasing a special event at 1 p.m. EDT to be live streamed from Cupertino, Calif., where the company is expected to unveil a new Mac operating system, computers, new iPads and launch date for ApplePay, the Associated Press reported.
As if the furor over the new mall and new Apple Store won't be enough Thursday, that will surely put it over the top for those in the store at that time. At opening, Apple will give away 1,000 T-shirts to the first customers through the doors starting at 10 a.m.
Stay tuned here for updates of action at the Apple Store inside the Mall at UTC.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Freebies and sales for Mall at University Town Center grand opening weekend (UPDATED)
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| FILE PHOTO |
The Mall at University Town Center announced Thursday a lineup of giveaways and discounts in store.
This list posted on the mall's website is in addition to the giveaways and shows the Bradenton Herald previously reported for Dillard's and Macy's:
Oct. 16
Apple: First 1,000 customers get a free T-shirt
Camicissima Milano: Use shirt fitting services and opportunities to win free cuff links, ties and in-store shirt embroidery, while supplies last.
Champs: Meet Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Mike Evans from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (no photographs)
Oct. 18; stores open at 10 a.m.
- Mall at UTC gift: Spend $350 or more any time through Oct. 16-19 and receive a limited edition UTC wristlet free
- Forever 21: The first 300 customers in line at 10 a.m. will receive a randomly selected gift card valued at either $10, $20, $50, $100, or $210 redeemable at any Forever 21 location in the U.S.
- Robert Graham: Free gift with purchase of $250 or more. Free in-store refreshments
Other deals:
American Eagle: Buy one get one 50 percent off
BRIO Tuscan Grille: Complimentary appetizer, bruschetta or flatbread with purchase of two entrees at lunch or dinner. Offer through Nov. 9.
BRIO Tuscan Grille: Complimentary appetizer, bruschetta or flatbread with purchase of two entrees at lunch or dinner. Offer through Nov. 9.
Camicissima Milano: Free tie with $200 purchase
Chico's: Store will donate $10 for every leopard print scarf purchase through Oct. 31 to support cancer research
Chico's: Store will donate $10 for every leopard print scarf purchase through Oct. 31 to support cancer research
Everything But Water: Exclusive necklace to benefit Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), a national information and support organization for sale for $38 with 25 percent of proceeds going to LBBC.
J.Jill: 20 percent off Oct. 23-26
L'Occitane en Provence: 10 percent off any $25 purchase Oct. 25– 26 and Nov. 1-2
Seasons 52: Sunset at Seasons featuring $5 small plates, cocktails for $8, 52 wines by the glass and more. Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. through Nov. 30
Smoothie King: $5 smoothies on Fridays
The mall opens at 10 a.m. Oct. 16. Find more deals on the Mall at UTC website.
What stores will not be open for Mall at University Town Center grand opening?
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| H&M is among the stores that will not be open for the Mall at University Town Center grand opening. |
Eleven stores that have been building their units for the last several weeks to months will not be open on grand opening. Another 12 newly announced stores also will not be open immediately for the Oct. 16 grand opening.
Here is a list of the stores previously confirmed by the Bradenton Herald that will not be immediately open:
- Anthropolgie
- Arhaus Furniture
- Burger & Beer Joint
- Footgear
- Francesa's Collections
- H&M
- Invicta
- Kiehl's
- Natural Comfort Footwear
- Peter Elliot Blue
- Yo! Sushi
These stores have not been previously announced and will also be coming soon:
- 4D Gelateria -- Traditional Italian gelato
- Aerie -- American Eagle Outfitters' lingerie store
- Branche
- Forever Nails & Spa
- Free People -- Specialty clothing store with Bohemian designs meant for twentysomethings; a sister company of Urban Outfitters
- Naracamicie -- One of the first U.S. stores for this Italian clothing store and first in Florida.
- Royale -- Professional hair straighteners
- Rudolph and Me -- Seasonal Christmas ornaments
- Paris Paris -- Hair accessories
- PINK -- Apparel by Victoria's Secret
- Proactiv -- Skin care
- Venus Mini Med Spa -- Non-invasive, non-surgical med spa that offer Botox and other injection services
Monday, September 15, 2014
Pre-plan shopping trip with map of Mall at University Town Center
Thanks to the great work of Bradenton Herald designer Alex Barrett, shoppers can try to navigate their first trip to the Mall at University Town Center.
The map below was created with information based on store announcements, interviews and permit information from Sarasota County Building and Development Services. Not all stores shown below will open on the mall's first day, Oct. 16. At least one restaurant confirmed as much, Beer and Burger Joint, which aims to open by Black Friday.
Spaces are shown to be representative of the mall and could change by opening, especially the size of the vacant spaces as permits continue to be filed. Mall officials expect store openings to last through spring of 2015.
The map below was created with information based on store announcements, interviews and permit information from Sarasota County Building and Development Services. Not all stores shown below will open on the mall's first day, Oct. 16. At least one restaurant confirmed as much, Beer and Burger Joint, which aims to open by Black Friday.
Spaces are shown to be representative of the mall and could change by opening, especially the size of the vacant spaces as permits continue to be filed. Mall officials expect store openings to last through spring of 2015.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Banana Republic to hold job fair for new Mall at University Town Center store
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| Courtesy of Banana Republic |
The job fair will run from 1 to 4 p.m. at CareerSource Suncoast Sarasota, 3660 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota.
Banana Republic is looking to hire store associates, according to the job posting.
All job candidates must register at www.employflorida.com, and upload a resume before the hiring event.
The two-level, upscale mall is expected to open Oct. 16 on the corner of Cattlemen Road and University Parkway.
For more job postings for the Mall at UTC, visit this listing of Mall at UTC job openings on this blog and on the CareerSuncoast website.
Cache to hold job fair for new Mall at University Town Center store
Cache's job fair will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CareerSource Suncoast Sarasota, 3660 N. Washington Blvd., Sarasota.
Cache is looking to hire a store manager, retail stylist and assistant manager, according to the job posting.
All job candidates must register at www.employflorida.com, apply for the jobs by emailing careers@cache.com before attending the job fair and gain a referral for the job before interviewing.
The two-level, upscale mall is expected to open Oct. 16 on the corner of Cattlemen Road and University Parkway.
For more job postings for the Mall at UTC, visit this listing of Mall at UTC job openings on this blog and on the CareerSuncoast website.
Monday, August 18, 2014
I've seen the lights on (Saks) Fifth Avenue
While the Mall at University Town Center is still much of a construction zone, at least part of it has turned into some nice drive-by entertainment.
Saks Fifth Avenue's building will have a nighttime glow and light show as its building is projected with white, yellow and blue hues. I drove by the site Sunday night and captured it in the video below:
It's a much better sight in person, and the light show won't be relegated to Saks Fifth Avenue. The rest of the mall is expected to have blueish-purple lights beaming through its louvered-glass ceiling.
The flagship store in New York City is known to have 3D Christmas light shows on the exterior of its store. I'd have to wonder if that would be possible here, too.
The lighting, design and glass treatment for the Mall at UTC suddenly makes the area seem much more cosmopolitan.
The mall, and Saks, is expected to open Oct. 16.
Saks Fifth Avenue's building will have a nighttime glow and light show as its building is projected with white, yellow and blue hues. I drove by the site Sunday night and captured it in the video below:
It's a much better sight in person, and the light show won't be relegated to Saks Fifth Avenue. The rest of the mall is expected to have blueish-purple lights beaming through its louvered-glass ceiling.
The flagship store in New York City is known to have 3D Christmas light shows on the exterior of its store. I'd have to wonder if that would be possible here, too.
The lighting, design and glass treatment for the Mall at UTC suddenly makes the area seem much more cosmopolitan.
The mall, and Saks, is expected to open Oct. 16.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Vera Bradley now hiring for Mall at University Town Center store
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| Vera Bradley is now hiring for its Mall at University Town Center store. PHOTO PROVIDED |
The company's website is advertising for a store manager, a part-time retail team leader and a part-time sales associates. Those interested can apply online through Vera Bradley.com.
The Herald previously reported in May that the store would be opening a retail store in the mall, as its pop-up outlet in the Ellenton Premium Outlets continues to extend its run there.
The store will be located on the first level of the mall beside Johnston & Murphy, near the center court. Several other stores started hiring as well. Furniture store Lovesac is also advertising for a store manager.
The two-level, 880,000-square-foot mall off of Cattlemen Road and University Parkway is expected to open Oct. 16.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Layout of Mall at University Town Center gives sneak peek (updated)
(Updated)
After more than 80 percent of the tenants were revealed through building permits -- and an impending Taubman announcement on the remaining -- it's time to show what the mall layout will look like.
Below is a PDF I obtained from Sarasota County and have used as a reference for a while now of where stores will be located. Zoom in to see each unit number.
The largest tenant space left is Unit 266 on the second floor, taking up 13,127 square feet. You'll also notice that stores like H&M and Crate & Barrel are listed on both levels--yes, they are two-level stores.
[Find out how to apply to Mall at UTC jobs here]
Notice, also, the Apple store in Unit 162. You'll see accessory units with letters A-L. This is a combination of class roooms, break rooms, stock and repair areas used by Apple employees for the store.
The mall won't have a food court per se, as several fast food tenants are built in-line with seating inside, but a nice grouping of fast food businesses are being clustered in the main court on the first floor. A few others have strategically placed themselves beside department stores.
Below these images are numbers corresponding to the stores. Smoothie King is the only announced store that doesn't have a readily available assigned space. Again, more stores are coming if you don't see your favorite store listed below. Also, the mall will not be 100 percent full when it opens Oct. 16.
(The image has zoom tools below.)
Plan your strategy for the grand opening now.
After more than 80 percent of the tenants were revealed through building permits -- and an impending Taubman announcement on the remaining -- it's time to show what the mall layout will look like.
Below is a PDF I obtained from Sarasota County and have used as a reference for a while now of where stores will be located. Zoom in to see each unit number.
The largest tenant space left is Unit 266 on the second floor, taking up 13,127 square feet. You'll also notice that stores like H&M and Crate & Barrel are listed on both levels--yes, they are two-level stores.
[Find out how to apply to Mall at UTC jobs here]
Notice, also, the Apple store in Unit 162. You'll see accessory units with letters A-L. This is a combination of class roooms, break rooms, stock and repair areas used by Apple employees for the store.
The mall won't have a food court per se, as several fast food tenants are built in-line with seating inside, but a nice grouping of fast food businesses are being clustered in the main court on the first floor. A few others have strategically placed themselves beside department stores.
Below these images are numbers corresponding to the stores. Smoothie King is the only announced store that doesn't have a readily available assigned space. Again, more stores are coming if you don't see your favorite store listed below. Also, the mall will not be 100 percent full when it opens Oct. 16.
(The image has zoom tools below.)
Plan your strategy for the grand opening now.
FIRST LEVEL
103—Seasons 52
109—Auntie Anne’s
110—Macy’s
115—Yankee Candle
121—Express
124—Teavana
125/126—Yo Sushi
131—Brighton
132—Swarovski
133—Vera Bradley
142—Natural Comfort Footwear
143—The Art of Shaving
143—The Art of Shaving
147—Soma
149—Papyrus
149A—Lenscrafters
150—Rise Pies
150A—Mandarin Express
160—See Eyewear
162—Apple Store
164—Tommy Bahama
173—Kona Grill
176—Zales
178—Solstice
182—Gap
190—Icing
193—Pac Sun
199—T-Mobile
SECOND LEVEL
200—Dillard’s
208—FootLocker
215—Forever 21
218—Loft
221—MAC
222—Aveda
223—Anthropologie
225—Michael Kors
228—Brooks Brothers
229—Stuart Weitzman
237—kate spade
240—Mayors Jewelers
242—Boston Proper
244—Lilly Pulitzer
245—TINA Stephens
248—Jackie Z. Style Co
250—Oil & Vinegar
250A—OndadeMar
251—Francesca's Collections
248—Jackie Z. Style Co
250—Oil & Vinegar
250A—OndadeMar
251—Francesca's Collections
253—Williams-Sonoma
256—Pottery Barn
257—Crate & Barrel
261—Omega
263—Chico’s
271—J. Crew
279—Sephora
281—Ann Taylor
283—Banana Republic
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Taubman banking big on Mall at UTC after selling 7 malls
Taubman, based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., announced Wednesday a $1.4 billion deal to sell seven malls to Starwood, targeted for a fourth quarter 2014 closing.
The malls are:
- MacArthur Center (Norfolk, Va.)
- Stony Point Fashion Park (Richmond, Va.)
- Northlake Mall (Charlotte, N.C.)
- The Mall at Wellington Green (Wellington, Fla.)
- The Shops at Willow Bend (Plano, Tex.)
- The Mall at Partridge Creek (Clinton Township, Mich.)
- Fairlane Town Center (Dearborn, Mich.)
Taubman's presentation went on to show that after the sale, all of its properties will be in areas with larger tenant sales per square foot, higher rents, better educated, wealthier and in more densely populated areas.
One of the largest demographic jumps Taubman will see with its new portfoliois a 17.4 percent increase in average households earning $200,000 and up within a 30-minute drive. That increase goes from 51,440 before the sale and 60,386 after the sale.
That should be no surprise to close watchers of this mall which is attracting high-end tenants and fashion anchors like Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple and boutiques Michael Kors, Omega and Calypso St. Barth.
Taubman reported that its portfolio will be stronger for having 80 percent of its department stores as high-demand fashion anchors as opposed to 67 percent before. Taubman includes Bloomingdales, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue in that category, representing 35 of its 44 department stores at its properties. Dillard's, which is coming to the Mall at UTC, would not fall into that category.
The Mall at UTC, which is a 50-50 partnership with Benderson Development Co., is expected to open Oct. 16.
The Mall at UTC, which is a 50-50 partnership with Benderson Development Co., is expected to open Oct. 16.
Monday, June 16, 2014
H&M opening in Mall at University Town Center could be worth dancing for
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| H&M employees hype the crowd at the grand opening of H&M, Thursday at the Bellis Fair Mall. MATT MCDONALD — THE BELLINGHAM HERALD |
And while the mall will have opening festivities, I haven't given any thought about whether any individual stores will have their own grand opening party.
Then I saw this video below from our sister publication The Bellingham (Wash.) Herald of an H&M grand opening. H&M will be one of the 100-plus stores coming to the Mall at UTC, and will be on both levels of the mall.
Check out how the Swedish clothing store pumps up its shoppers at the Bellis Fair Mall when it opened Thursday:
That's quite a crowd for one new store in a 26-year-old mall. It's fun to see how a store with such a following can get people energized to empty empty their wallets while some stores open without a mob.
The Mall at UTC have a grand opening celebration in the works for Oct. 16 while tickets are being sold for an Oct. 15 exclusive preview. I've reached out to Kim Dominguez, who is the mall's newly hired marketing director to find out whether stores will be allowed to have their own opening party or if everything is going to be rolled into one big party. When she responds I'll add the details here later.
The Bellingham Herald detailed how dedicated people were for showing up:
Claudia Braam, 19, showed up at 4 a.m. and was the first of 400 people in the store when doors opened at noon Thursday, June 12. The first 100 shoppers in line got scratch gift cards worth $10 to $300. Braam's reward: $300.I clicked through the Bellingham Herald's photogallery to see the crowd and the reality of 400 people showing up for a single store sunk in. The Mall at UTC will have more than 100 stores, big and small. Some shoppers will be drawn to the excitement of the mall while others will come just for the special deals. To me, the opening is going to be like Black Friday on crack with people nudging their way past one another for something on the shelf.
Braam, who lives in Bellingham, said she loves all the high-quality clothes and cheap prices but was most excited for the summer dresses.
Let's estimate -- based on the anticipation for the mall and the 400 people who showed up for H&M opening -- the Mall at UTC could have 30,000 people show up the first day for the 100 stores and restaurants.
Car traffic is one thing to be worried about, sure, even though trolleys are planned for the shopping centers. But all the bodies inside that mall?
I'm not sure if there will be room to dance in front of H&M.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Mall at University Town Center Dillard’s to be first opening in years
LAS VEGAS--When Dillard’s opens inside the Mall at University Town Center this fall, it will mark the first store opening in years
for the Arkansas department store.
The University Park location and one planned in Las Vegas
will be the only Dillard’s to open this year, and in several years, according
to a retail and restaurant expansion guide by Cassidy Turley.
The 180,000-square-foot department store will join Macy’s
and Saks Fifth Avenue as anchors in the Taubman Centers-managed mall Oct. 16. The Las Vegas Dillard's will open the same month.
The company closed six locations in 2013, according to the
report, as the Little Rock, Ark., company reevaluates smaller, under-performing
stores. Dillard's closed a 64,000-square-foot store, a 90,000-square-foot store and a 195,000-square-foot store last year, according to the company's annual report.
Dillard’s left the DeSoto Square mall 2009 and it’s
uncertain if the Sarasota location at the Westfield Southgate Mall will shutter
in favor of the newer store. For comparison, the Southgate Dillard's is about 97,000 square feet. A Hudson's Furniture store will be replacing the DeSoto Square Dillard's this summer.
The company saw a 2 percent increase in store sales during
the first quarter, marking the 15th consecutive quarter of increased
sales, CEO William Dillard II stated in the company’s earnings statement.
Sales were strongest during the first quarter for men’s
apparel and accessories while home and furniture sales lagged, according to the
earnings report.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Crate & Barrel will stack store inside Mall at UTC
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| This Crate & Barrel in Annapolis, Md., is built into a Westfield mall, but the Sarasota location will be entirely inside the Mall at University Town Center on two levels. Photo Provided |
The upscale furniture store's building plans shows that the store will consume two levels of the mall. Plans also call for an elevator, escalator and stairs within the 25,800-square-foot store. Total construction cost is listed as $1.3 million, according to the application.
While the mall's mini-anchor will take out a sizable chunk of the mall, the design will be on the smaller end of the Chicago retailer's full-line stores.
The Mall at UTC location will not have its own exterior entrance and will be fully contained within the mall, according to documents filed with Sarasota County. Having the store self-contained shaves the space down about 3,000 to 10,000 square feet off a full-line store.
The Tampa location at International Plaza features 35,000 square feet on two levels with a separate entrance when opened in 2009 while another two-level Crate & Barrel with its own entrance at Westfield Annapolis in Maryland is about 28,000 square feet. These types of Crate & Barrel stores are considered the "home store" version, offering a full line of furniture and accessories.
The mall's mock-up plans showed that the only retailers with their own entrances would the be the six main restaurants plus the department stores--Dillard's, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Still, the Crate & Barrel represents a few surprises in the design the mall is incorporating. After subtracting the department stores, the mall has 460,000 square feet of space to lease. As leasing is confirmed and added, the square footage totals are confirmed and allows mall management to shift spaces and locations, which is one reason why you're not hearing an exact number of stores coming to the mall, mall general manager Octavio Ortiz said during previous presentations. That number ought to be well nailed down by now because the mall is more than 90-percent leased.
This game of leasing Tetris will be in turbo mode 90 to 120 days out from opening when most smaller stores are ready to build. So come mid June, it'll be a race to Oct. 16.
He also said during a Manatee Association of Realtors meeting on March that "some" of the stores will be on two levels, hinting that Crate & Barrel might not be the only one to take up both floors, aside from the department stores.
It doesn't sound like there would be a food court, per se, but permits for fast-food joints are popping up for the mall including Mandarin Express and Cold Stone Creamery. Smoothie King representatives said early on they would commit to the mall and an area below an escalator shows a space perfect for a Starbucks kiosk.
The biggest flexibility Taubman and Benderson have is for expansion. A fourth anchor store, which likely could be Nordstrom, could be built adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue, said the mall's general manager, Octavio Ortiz, during a luncheon in March.
Still, I don't think there's room for a water park as one reader suggested.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Saks Fifth restaurant Sophie's now hiring for Mall at UTC
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| Sophie's, shown in this rendering in Chicago, will open in the Mall at UTC in October. Photo Provided |
Sophie's is the namesake of the 2,600-square-foot dining room at the Saks Fifth Avenue set to open inside the mall on Oct. 16.
Sophie's is operated by Centerplate, which oversees hospitality, team stores and catering services at a wide range of arenas, theaters and stadiums. This will be the only second Sophie's in the world, after Saks opens its first one in the seventh floor of a Saks Fifth in Chicago this year.
Sophie's is hiring for a general manager, assistant general manager, executive chef and executive sous chef so far.
Here is some more info on Sophie's from colleague Sabrina Rocco's March 5 story:
To apply, visit hcareers.com.
The name salutes American designer Sophie Gimbel, who presided over couture at Saks for more than 40 years. When the world focused on fashion coming from Europe, Gimbal embraced her American style. "I like my wardrobe simple, correct, perfect in every detail," she is quoted as saying.
Sophie's menu and design is modeled after the woman herself: elegant, contemporary, sleek.
The 2,600-square-foot
space will feature an indoor, 60-seat dining room and bar as well as a 60-seat outdoor terrace for dining, lounging and a second bar. The color palette will be centered around black and white with Florida colors incorporated throughout.
Executive Chef Alex Reyes, who is responsible for Sophie's overall culinary direction, will work closely with a chef hired for the Sarasota restaurant. The menu will feature Sophie's signature salads, appetizers and drinks but will skew closer to flavors found in Florida.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Flurry of activity at Mall at University Town Center
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| The Mall at University Town Center is six months away from opening . CHARLES SCHELLE/Bradenton Herald |
At this point, I know it's hard to keep up with all the stores that are starting to build and those that have been officially announced.
To help, here is a round-up of stores and restaurants that are coming to the Mall at University Town Center so far. This list will be updated.
Updated May 30
Stores
- American Eagle Outfitters
- Ann Taylor
- Anthropologie
- Apple Store
- The Art of Shaving
- Bebe
- Boston Proper
- Brighton
- Calypso St. Barth
- Champs Sports
- Crate & Barrel
- Dillard's
- Edward Benier
- Everything But Water
- Express
- FootLocker
- Forever 21
- Gap
- Gymboree
- H&M
- J. Crew
- J.Jill
- Journeys
- Kay Jewelers
- LensCrafters
- Lilly Pulitzer
- LOFT by Ann Taylor
- Lululemon Athletica
- Macy's
- Michael Kors
- Oil & Vinegar
- Omega
- Organic Nail Bar
- Pottery Barn
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Sephora
- Solstice Sunglasses
- Soma
- Swarovski
- Teavana
- Things Remembered
- Tommy Bahama
- Tumi
- Vera Bradley
- Victoria's Secret
- Williams-Sonoma
- The Walking Company
- Yankee Candle
- Z Gallerie
- Zales Jewelers
Restaurants/Food
- BRIO Tuscan Grille
- The Capital Grille
- The Cheesecake Factory
- Cold Stone Creamery
- Godiva
- Kona Grill
- Mandarin Express
- Seasons 52
- Smoothie King
- Sophie's (inside Saks Fifth Avenue)
- Starbucks
- Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar
Remember that the 880,000-square-foot mall is expected to open Oct. 16, with an exclusive preview night Oct. 15. It will feature 100 stores, half of them expected to be new to the Sarasota-Bradenton market. So we're about a quarter of the way through with the list of stores that are confirmed. Some of the store lease signings and commitments could come in the final 90 days before the mall opens.
When open at Cattlemen Road and University Parkway, the Mall at UTC will be the first truly enclosed mall opened in America since 2006. (Sorry, Salt Lake City and your retractable roof mall. You don't count.)
Friday, April 4, 2014
Bradenton's Champs nears construction of Mall at UTC store
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| Champs Sports will open a concept store with this layout at the new Mall at University Town Center. (Provided Photo) |
Bradenton-based Champs Sports is getting closer to starting construction for its concept store at the Mall at University Town Center.
Champs applied for building permits Friday with Sarasota County Planning & Development Services and are still being reviewed.
The Herald first reported Champs' commitment to the 880,000-square-foot mall at Cattlemen Road and University Parkway in March when Scott Burton, director of marketing for Champs said the store would be 5,300 square feet and be one of the newer concept stores:
"It will allow the product to shine more so than you've probably seen at retail stores," Burton said. "This new look for our store is one that started about a year and a half ago, and we've expanded it ever since."
Both the Westfield Countryside Mall in Clearwater and WestShore Plaza in Tampa feature the new concept stores, and it will mark the first such design in the Bradenton-Sarasota market.
The layout is also larger, allowing the store to display more shirts, shorts and plenty of hats catering to high school varsity athletes. Brands will be matched up with their corresponding apparel so the Air Jordan shoes will be across from the Air Jordan shirts to make it feel like there are mini-shops inside, Burton said.
Champs is part of the FootLocker family, which is also planning a store in the mall. The mall is expected to open Oct. 16.
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