Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M remains bullish on the Atlanta market despite headwinds in their overall business and sluggish sales globally. The retailer, with over 4,000 stores around the world, including a dozen in the greater metro Atlanta area, plans to significantly expand their existing store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta. North Point Mall, owned by mall operator General Growth Properties (GGP), has managed to continue to attract investments and retailers to the mall, despite the (false) narrative that the mall is dying.
The North Point store, which originally opened in 2008 and measures about 12,000 square feet, will swell to nearly 22,000 square feet. The expansion at North Point comes on the heels of the retailer's in-progress expansion of its Atlantic Station store which will grow from 26,000 to 40,000, making it a "flagship" store.
The North Point expansion will engulf an existing mall entrance / hallway next to its current store as well as the former Oakley, Banana Republic, and (partially) DASS Salon spaces. Unused space behind Sur La Table is also being used, for a combined square footage of 21,846. The new store is expected to bring with it a kids' department and expanded offerings of their existing collections.
ToNeTo Atlanta reported in 2014 that there were previously plans for H&M to expand upstairs into the former Pottery Barn space, creating a nearly 25,000 square foot store, but those plans failed to materialize. Local boutique Sugarboo & Co. opened in the former Pottery Barn instead.
H&M currently occupies a temporary space on the first floor of the Sears wing. Sears, as we reported earlier this month, is in the process of closing its two level store at North Point Mall and expects to vacate no later than July 8. The mall is also looking to repurpose other vacant retail space in the Von Maur / AMC Theatres wings into office space.
H&M operates stores in all three GGP owned malls in metro Atlanta. They opened at North Point in 2008, Cumberland Mall in 2009 and Perimeter Mall in 2013. The the Perimeter store, similar to what the retailer is doing at North Point, took the space of a former mall entrance as well as adjacent shop space.
H&M also operates Atlanta area stores in Sugarloaf Mills, Mall of Georgia, Town Center at Cobb, Southlake Mall and The Mall at Stonecrest, among others.
The expanded H&M at North Point Mall could open as soon as late this fall.
Are you an H&M shopper? What is your favorite fast-fashion retailer? Are you surprised to see North Point continue to thrive despite the opening of Avalon?
Please share your thoughts below.
3 comments:
H&M is also expanding into a very large space on the upper level of Town Center at Cobb near Macy's. Construction is already underway. The store will relocate from a much smaller space on the upper level near Sears.
Don't forget about the H&M at Atlantic Station
Millennials love H&M despite the fact much of their stuff is destined for the landfill. The one item I bought from them was ruined in the first wash (instructions followed).
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