[EXCLUSIVE] Golden Goose Deluxe Brand to Open in Lenox Square

Sources have been telling ToNeTo Atlanta for months that a new Golden Goose Deluxe Brand boutique would be opening in Lenox Square this fall.  [Golden Goose Atlanta LLC was registered with the Georgia Secretary of State's office March 13.]  Finally, we have confirmation of the planned store.  Permits filed October 18 with the City of Atlanta indicate that Golden Goose will open a new store in suite 3029D at Lenox Square in Buckhead.  The space, in the first floor Luxury Wing, is currently occupied by Escada, and will likely not open until the first half of 2020.

A Golden Goose Deluxe Brand flagship store in Milan

Escada, which occupies a space previously home to Herve Leger and before that, Bobby Jones, is not currently liquidating and its employees seemed unaware of a pending closure.  When reached for comment Monday, representatives from Lenox Square indicated they had nothing to share.  Golden Goose never responded to our online inquiry.  

Sources at the mall tell ToNeTo Atlanta that Escada, which opened in October of 2015, will likely stay open through some, if not all, of holiday but close no later than January 2020.  

According to the permits, Golden Goose, the luxury retailer known for their iconic, and at times controversial shoes, will spend $350,000 to renovate the approximately 1,500 square foot space.  Among the changes planned are new walls, new ceilings, floors, and fixtures, according to the permit. 

The current Escada store at Lenox Square 

The brand, which started in Italy in 2000 and initially focused nearly exclusively on footwear, has more recently expanded into other categories including clothing, handbags, backpacks, hats and other accessories.  

Golden Goose currently operates just seven boutiques in the United States: New York (SoHo), New York (East Hampton), Miami, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.  At least one additional store is in the works for Chicago. 

In addition to their own shops, Golden Goose footwear and accessories are carried at several department stores and boutiques in Atlanta including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Jeffrey, deka society in Buckhead Village and Sprong in Chastain Park, which carries the girls' collection. 

Private equity firm The Carlyle Group and a pool of investors acquired Golden Goose Deluxe Brand in early 2017. [The firm also purchased a 50 percent stake in streetwear line Supreme in 2017 for a cool $500 million.]  The investment in Golden Goose was meant to drive international retail expansion and expand e-commerce sales.  

A pair of distressed Superstar Golden Goose shoes which retail for $460 

In September, Bloomberg reported that The Carlyle Group had hired Bank of America Corp. to work on a potential sale of the brand, which sources told the publication could fetch as much as $1 billion.  

Have you ever heard of Golden Goose Deluxe Brand?  Do you own or do you plan to purchase a pair of Golden Goose shoes?  What brand not current in the market would you like to see open at Lenox Square?

Please share your thoughts below.