Bella Bella Bella Gelateria

Remember my Italian adventures that included a gelato, if not two gelatos, a day?

I just had an epiphany!  Could my gelato over-indulgence have led to my pants not fitting????

NAH.

Gelato's too good to be that evil.

Anyhoo, Italian gelato has ruined me for life (just like French coffee - I used to think a Timmy's double double was delicious.  Now it tastes like poop in a cup.) - ice cream from DQ just doesn't cut it.

Until I visited Vancouver's newest Gelateria.  Bella Gelateria.  It shares walls with the new Pacific Rim hotel but isn't part of the hotel.  It does have Fairmont pricing though.  $5.50 for one scoop.

I dashed in one day when it first opened because I had been anticipating its arrival for so long.  I tried 'Chocolate Grand Marnier'.

O. M. G.

The gelato is rich, creamy and FRESHLY made everyday!  No wonder it has a $5.50 price tag!  They fly their lemons in from Sorrento each week.  It's worth it though because the lemon gelato tastes like Italy.  Beautiful and amazing.

I suspect he puts crack into his gelato because just the very next day I had this overwhelming craving for chocolate grand marnier.  I 'dragged' the Engineer (promising him it was as good as our gelato in Sienna) but was dismayed to discover they didn't make that flavour that day.  Apparently it's a hard flavour to make.  They also like to change it up everyday.

I had honey nougat.

It was so good I would take a bath in honey nougat.

Oddly enough, I had a craving the day after that too!  This is when I discovered they always have about four types of chocolate in store.  In varying levels of darkness.  Apparently the owner and gelato master specialized in chocolate. Like, as a job.  Damn, I am pretty specialized in chocolate - how can I get paid for this?

I had milk chocolate.

And would you believe it?  I had a craving the following day!

This time chocolate sorbetto which is made sans dairy.  I poo-pooed this idea at first.  Isn't the whole point of gelato/ice cream is for the creamy texture derived from dairy?

Well, this sorbetto was creamier and richer than any ice cream I have ever had!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

The evil craving that I just can't deny came back the next evening.  I was at the Fairmont with a friend and just before nine I panicked.  I thought that Bella closed at nine so I literally jumped up and RAN as fast as I could around the corner and down the block.  A family stepped out of my way and offered me their spot in line because I clearly needed a fix.

Turns out Bella closes at 10.

Is this what it feels like to be a drug addict?  You go into sheer panic if you can't get a dose (is that what they call it?  Or is it a hit?).

The next day I looked not only at my bank account (which seemed to be missing about $50) but I saw an unflattering picture of my arms.

You know the saying, 'A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips'?  For me it's my arms.  And it appears that in only a week my triceps had become waffle cones of gelato themselves.

Time to wean myself off.

I am allowed to go ONCE a week.

Better for my arms AND my wallet.

Plus it was getting embarrassing walking in there and having them automatically get my order ready.  It's been open less than a month and already I am the freak customer.

The point?

Get your ass downtown for some Bella Gelateria!

Simon Property Cuts Three Centers Out Of Prime Outlets Deal

Simon Property Group Inc. has scaled back its $700 million acquisition of Prime Outlets Inc. by three properties as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission continues to review the deal for antitrust issues.

“There has been a modification to the transaction,” Chief Executive David Simon said during a conference call with investors and analysts Friday. He declined to provide specifics as to why Prime Outlets was maintaining interests in the three properties or how the financials of the deal have changed because of the reduced amount of centers.

The three properties that now will remain with Prime owner Lightstone Group LLC rather than being included in the Simon deal are Prime Outlets in St. Augustine, Fla., and two development sites for outlet centers in Grand Prairie, Texas, and Livermore Valley, Calif.

“Our acquisition of Prime…is still being reviewed by the FTC and we are fully cooperating in that review,” Simon reiterated.

Simon Property announced the acquisition of Prime Outlets in December. Simon Property is already the country’s largest owner of retail properties by number, with 323 malls and other shopping centers. Adding Prime’s 22 centers would cement Simon’s dominance of the resilient outlet-center market, giving it a total of 63 outlet properties. That’s twice as many as No. 2 outlet-center operator Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. (SKT).

Controlling so many properties promises to give Simon an enormous advantage when negotiating leases with retailers. The company would have the clout to do multiple deals, potentially insisting that retailers take space in poorly performing locations as a condition of getting prime real estate in the most popular centers.

“U.S. antitrust authorities have consistently recognized that the retail industry is highly competitive and fragmented,” Simon said.

SOURCE: Gubmint Cheese

Top 10 back-to-school trends for 2010

#1: Think K-12 is the big kahuna? Think again.
I’m all about the younger ones – who isn’t? But with all this talk of back-to-school spending, we’re kind of missing the boat. For years, we’ve seen college spending outpace that of younger students and parents, though this group is almost an afterthought among reporters, analysts, and even some retailers. Why should we be paying more attention? Here’s a statistic that will blow you away: Spending on back-to-college merchandise ($45.8 billion) is twice as high as spending on back to school ($21.4 billion). Memo for the future: Ignore the post-high school crowd at your own peril – they’ve got money to spend!

#2: Don’t discount dads!
In retail, we’re always talking about women: how much they spend, where they shop, ways to get their attention. But when it comes to back-to-school spending this year, dads are where the money is. According to our survey, dads of children in grades K-12 will spend $671 on clothing, shoes, electronics and school supplies. (Moms, on the flip side, will spend $545, or 25% less.) That’s good news for department stores, specialty stores and online retailers, where dads are more likely to shop. What’s the reason? Could be that dads are feeling a little more confident in the economy, aren’t planning to go all over town looking for the best deal, or just have a harder time saying no to their kids than moms. Whatever the reason, an emphasis on dads this year could pay off in a big way.

#3: The recession is over? Shoppers didn’t get the memo.
Yes, the economy is in much better shape than a year ago. Yes, everyone from President Obama to Ben Bernanke has declared an end to the Great Recession. But consumer shopping behavior is hardly back to boom-time levels. According to the survey, the economy is still going to impact the back-to-school season in a major way: more parents say they’ll be buying store-brand or generic merchandise – which is actually good news for retailers with robust private label offerings – and more will be comparison shopping online. (The up-side? Fewer parents say they’ll be making do with last year’s items – after all, second graders probably can’t wear the same pair of jeans they wore to kindergarten two years ago.)



Another particularly interesting finding from the economic portion of the survey deals with lifestyle changes parents are planning to make this year. More parents in this year’s survey say the economy is impacting the type of school their child attends (8.1% this year vs. 5.7% last year) and 13.3% said they’re cutting back on extra-curricular activities or sports, up from 11.4% last year. That could have a big impact on everyone from manufacturers of school uniforms to sporting goods retailers. Why the cutbacks, when all agree that last year’s economic situation was much worse than this year’s? Maybe mom and dad could swing private school or ballet lessons last year, but now that their situation is more long-lasting or permanent, they’re pulling back in more calculated ways.

One more economic side note before moving on: we see many of these same trends play out among the college crowd, with one notable exception. This year, fewer students will be living at home as a result of the economy, which bodes well for both electronics and dorm furnishings. Students who are still holed up with mom and dad wouldn’t need their own computer or extra-long twin sheets, but the bills get higher when you leave the nest.

#4: The early bird grabs the deal.
It’s not unusual for some parents to think about sending their kids back to school as soon as the final bell rings in May or June, but this year parents seem eager to begin back-to-school shopping early. In fact, 21.6% of parents plan to start back-to-school shopping at least two months before school starts, which is the highest number since we started conducting this survey in 2003. Another 47.6% of parents say they’ll start shopping at least three weeks before school starts. Of course, much of this could be based on the economy – parents want to spread out their spending or are planning to spend weeks if not months finding the best deal on a new computer. Regardless, parents will not wait until the last minute to start this year, even if they’re going to wait until the last minute to pull the trigger on buying.

#5: Want to find the big spenders? Go online.
Parents who are spending on the web for back to school this year will spend $266 more than parents who will only shop in stores. And with an increasing number of parents using the Internet to comparison shop before getting in their car and heading to the mall, retailers need to ensure their website is as much a representative of the company’s overall brand as their stores. (Check out the blog post by Shop.org’s Research Director Fiona Swerdlow on the topic. This is fascinating stuff.)

#6: Price is important, but it isn’t everything.
I’ve heard so many retail CEOs talk about “value” this year that it’s hard to keep track of them all. While price may have been the end-all, be-all for purchasing decisions last year, parents have a bit more of a financial cushion this year to include quality, convenience and service into the mix when deciding what and where to buy. So instead of blindly grabbing the $6 blue jeans, moms and dads might be spending more on the pair with reinforced stitching or thicker denim in the hopes they last a little longer. The computer with a larger amount of memory might not be the cheapest, but it could enable parents to go several more years before having to invest in another one. That’s value.

#7: Freshmen aren’t the cash cow of college this year.
If there’s one rule that a back-to-college retailer lives by, it’s this: Freshmen outspend everybody, especially on electronics. But as with a handful of other well-known assumptions, that’s not the case in 2010. According to our survey, freshmen spending will drop by an astonishing 19% – from $1,086 last year to just $882 this year – and will be only slightly higher than that of average college students. Also, freshmen will spend far less on electronics ($280) than a year ago ($439). This dramatic shift can be hard to understand – maybe freshmen plan to forgo the laptop for awhile and use the school’s computer lab, or cart away mom’s and dad’s old hand-me-down desktop until they’re sure of what they need. Maybe they’re just totally out of touch with how much college is going to cost. Whatever the reason, freshmen won’t be bankrolling college spending this year.

#8: College guys aren’t only buying electronics.
Remember trend #2 about not discounting dads? The same goes for college guys. When looking at the survey’s breakouts by gender, men will spend 35% more than women on back-to-college merchandise ($965 vs. $713). Sure, you say, that makes sense – guys spend more on electronics, and those purchases tend to be more expensive. Well that’s true – guys do spend more on electronics than gals ($284 vs. $192) – but I might not be the only one shocked that men are also planning to spend more in traditional “female” categories: clothing, personal care and dorm décor. Clearly, there’s more than one college guy in America trying to make a good impression on someone this year.

#9: Kids are spending through their parents.
There’s been a lot of talk about how historically high teenage unemployment may – or may not – impact back-to-school spending. While it’s never good news for teen retailers when high schoolers don’t have any of their own money to spend, there is a bright side. For starters, teens don’t do the lion’s share of spending for back to school anyway: the average teen will only spend about 30 bucks on BTS this year, which is comparable to previous years. And even though teens won’t be shelling out their own cold, hard cash, it doesn’t mean they’re not being heard: over 60% of parents say their children influence at least half of back-to-school purchases – on everything from jeans and school supplies to the all-important family computer. So basically, even though teens are having a hard time finding jobs this summer, they’re still doing a heck of a job spending their parents’ money.

#10: Beware of over-emphasizing the holiday implications.
Ah, the age-old question: Can we look at sales expectations for back to school and apply that to the holiday season? Yes…and no. Certainly some of the behaviors outlined above – like consumers using the web more to comparison shop or being willing to try private label products – will transcend into the holiday season. Retailers can and should pay close attention to many of those trends to tweak holiday plans. But we can’t just look at BTS as the holiday season’s crystal ball. It’s important to remember that back to school is a necessity for most parents: they have to buy their kids new clothes if last year’s don’t fit. They have to follow a teacher’s school supply list to the letter. College students have to fork over hundreds of bucks for books. When it comes to holiday spending, there’s a bit more wiggle room in each family’s budget – and a lot more people spending, which can dramatically alter results.

SOURCE:   By Ellen Davis, VP and NRF spokesperson Published: July 29, 2010


FOR BIG SAVINGS ON BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES - CLICK HERE


FOR REALLY FUN TOY STORY SCHOOL SUPPLIES - CLICK HERE

Coach Factory Outlet store opens next month in Katy

The Coach Factory Outlet will open at the Katy Mills mall Friday Aug. 13 and shoppers will have an incentive to be there on opening day. As part of grand opening festivities, the store is offering 20 perfect off of items in the entire store all day on opening day only.

You'll find the mall's newest retailer in Neighborhood 3 occupying about 8,000 square feet of space. The store will feature a selection of lifestyle accessories, including leather handbags, business cases, wallets, weekend and travel accessories, footwear, watches, scarves, sunwear, jewelry and fragrances for men and women.

Earlier this year, the first Off Broadway Shoes store in Texas and an A'GACI store opened at Katy Mills.

SOURCE: UltimateKaty

Florentia Village - Designer Outlets in China

Florentia Village – Jingjin Designer Outlets, is developed by RDM, one of the key Italian real estate development companies specializing in luxury commercial and residential developments. RDM has solid track records in developing and managing 17 designer outlets throughout Europe and Florentia Village – Jingjin Designer Outlets is the first authentic Italian style outlet village in China, providing a wide range of world famous luxury brands with irresistible discount prices all year around.
Florentia Village – Jingjin Designer Outlets is characterized by the authentic Italian style with fabulous architecture, including a canal running through the entire village with gondolas, elegant arena and bridges, beautiful fountains, romantic squares and porticoes, not to mention a variety of gourmet from all over the world and outdoor cafés. Florentia Village – Jingjin Designer Outlets provide Chinese shoppers the kind of shopping experience unavailable to them before, and it’s a perfect destination for a shopping day-trip for families, friends and lovers.

Florentia Village – Jingjin Designer Outlets is located in Wuqing, a fast-growing town between Beijing and Tianjin. The location is conveniently connected to the adjacent metropolitans by highways and national roads, as well as the Jingjin high-speed railway. There are 22 daily trains stopping at Wuqing and the train station is only 100 meters from the center’s main entrance.

MARK LIBELL

News 14 Carolina update on Tanger Outlet Center in Mebane, NC

For more information follow this link. 

SOURCE: News 14 Carolina

16 states have Tax-Free holidays during Back-to-School

Dating back to the Boston Tea Party, there’s just something about taxes that really irks the American public. While nearly all types of tax relief are a big hit with most of us, the current climate of budget shortfalls at both the state and federal level mean that relief is not in abundance in 2010. However, there may be a glimmer of hope in sight with the upcoming Back-to-School season in the form of state sales tax holidays.

Here are a few reasons why sales tax holidays represent a big check in the “win” column for shoppers, retailers and the states that implement them.

Since 1997, a number of individual states (New York was the first) have offered sales tax holidays each year to help soften the blow of back-to-school expenses on families. NRF’s recently released Back-to-School survey found that the average family will spend $606.40 on back-to-school merchandise in 2010 – meaning a sales tax holiday in a state with a 5 percent tax rate would save the average family $30.32. (Granted, this assumes all items purchased were tax-free, when in actuality the list of items exempted from tax varies from state to state.) While those savings may seem small, a few extra dollars saved here and there is crucial for families trying to stick to a budget in the current economy.

But consumers aren’t the only winners when it comes to the tax-free days. First off, retailers win because they sell more. NRF members report that stores in states with sales tax holidays see significant increases in traffic and sales during these periods. Retailers also report that increased sales are especially significant in the first year or two that a sales tax holiday is held. While it is true that some of these sales are just shifted from other weekends when people would shop, the importance to retailers is that the traffic in the stores results in many additional sales that would not otherwise be made.

States win, too. Shoppers that are attracted to sales tax holidays generally make additional purchases of items that are not eligible for the tax holiday, raising additional sales taxes for the state and additional income taxes for the state. So far in 2010, 16 states have announced sales tax holidays for back to school, the first of which begins this week. These tax-free holidays usually include a list of non-taxed items which range from clothing and footwear to school supplies, books and even computers and sports equipment. Politicians know that saving constituents money is always popular – and the limited-time offer means the impact to state treasuries remains minimal. In many cases, residents of bordering states without a sales tax holiday will cross the state line to do their spending, shifting state sales and income tax revenue from the state without the holiday to the state with the holiday.

Regardless of the type of sales tax holiday put into practice, the positives that this action brings about – increased spending, saving budget-focused customers a few extra bucks, and the perception that state governments are being benevolent – should put this movement at the top of the radar for retailers, shoppers and states alike.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF THE 16 STATES HAVING A TAX-FREE HOLIDAY ALONG WITH LINKS TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL STATE INFORMATION - CLICK HERE.

FOR BIG SAVINGS ON BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES - CLICK HERE

FOR REALLY FUN TOY STORY SCHOOL SUPPLIES - CLICK HERE


SOURCE: NRF By Margaret Case Little, Communications Manager

Published: July 28, 2010

Under Armour factory outlet stores surge - 60 percent direct-to consumer increase

Under Armor Inc (UA.N) posted on Tuesday a far stronger than expected quarterly profit as it saw heavy demand for its sports apparel and boosted its full-year financial outlook, driving shares to their highest levels in almost two years.

However, the company's footwear business is struggling and the profit outlook was conservative given the strong results, said Susquehanna International Group analyst Christopher Svezia, who has a "neutral" rating on the stock.

"At the end of the day, good numbers, apparel continues just to be very impressive, footwear continues to be challenged," he said. "That being said, it was good execution on the margin."

Under Armor, a smaller but fast-growing rival of Nike Inc (NKE.N), makes products touted for their moisture-wicking qualities. It has made efforts to reach more women shoppers and cater to a wider swath of athletes.

Net income in the second quarter more than doubled to $3.5 million, or 7 cents a share, compared with $1.44 million, or 3 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. This year's profit was more than double the 3 cents per share analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S had expected.

Sales rose 24 percent to $204.8 million, topping the $189.9 million analysts had expected. Sales of athletic clothes increased 34 percent -- the highest growth rate in 10 quarters -- as the company saw strong demand for both men's and women's apparel.

The company's direct-to-consumer revenue surged 60 percent due to the addition of new factory outlet stores, strong retail same-store sales growth and higher demand on the Internet. However, footwear sales fell 4.5 percent to $35.8 million.

Chief Executive Kevin Plank said the company expects the footwear business to grow again in 2011 after a decline that the company previously warned it had expected this year.

"After years of growing pains, we are now starting to see the initial payback take hold," Jefferies analyst Taposh Bari said in a research note.

"Apparel is set to expand its addressable market through new silhouettes, styles, and fabric while we see 2011 as the break-out year for footwear," added Bari, who has a "buy" rating on the stock.

Under Armor raised its full-year financial outlook, citing the strong second quarter and a better ability to predict future results.

It now expects 2010 earnings per share of $1.11 to $1.13, up from a range of $1.05 to $1.07 that had disappointed analysts when the company provided it in April. Analysts have been expecting $1.10 a share.

Under Armor also boosted its full-year sales outlook, saying it now expects a range of $990 million to $1.01 billion, up from $965 million to $985 million before. Analysts were expecting $982 million.

It said it will bring its accessories business -- hats and bags -- in house from a licensing partner in January, adding $60 million in revenue next year. It said that would increase operating income in 2011, but not by how much.

Under Armor said it would add 17 to 19 factory outlet stores this year, hitting 52 to 54 by year-end, and would add a similar number next year.

Chief Financial Officer Brad Dickerson expects the company's gross profit margin to be higher year-over-year in the next two quarters. He also said product costs are locked in through spring 2011, meaning there would be a minimal near-term impact from cost inflation.

Under Armor shares initially rose to $40 a share -- the highest level since $43 in September 2008 -- but were off 40 cents at $37.83 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

SOURCE: Reuters

K Village set to attract 1.5 million visitors to Kendal

KENDAL Riverside bosses believe 4,000 coachloads of shoppers a year will be attracted to the new K Village complex, which opens to the public on Wednesday.

The company said the factory outlet could get around 1.5 million visitors a year, many travelling from around the country on special tour buses.

K Village manager Mandy Dixon predicted the number of coaches could double from the 2,000 which each year visited the old K Village, and was demolished in 2007 to make way for the new centre.

It was replaced by a temporary town centre outlet which continued to attract thousands of visitors.
Ms Dixon said the riverside complex with its shops, restaurants and Heritage Centre would have a major benefit for Kendal town centre and beyond.

“K Village is hugely important, not just for Kendal but for the rest of South Lakeland and, indeed, Cumbria,” she said.

“While the development has been ongoing I have worked very hard to push the interests of Kendal as well as K Village. Now the work is completed I’m confident not only the centre will be put on the map as a fantastic place to visit, but the town will too.

“It will be of both national and international significance.

“We’ve already seen more Chinese and Japanese coming to K Village, along with an increasing number of eastern Europeans, and I believe this can only grow.”

So far, 20 companies have taken space at the new outlet, with the flagship Clark’s Factory Outlet commanding the lion’s share of the retail space.

Eighteen of the stores are set to open their doors when the new complex is officially revealed to the public for the first time on Wednesday, with the remaining two expected to begin trading early in August.

Meanwhile, the main contractors employed by Kendal Riverside are busy completing general construction work, including the £800,000 road improvements to Lound Road as part of a planning agreement.

The company has also spent £2m on 40 affordable apartments for local occupancy on a nearby site, contributed £140,000 towards a pay-on-foot parking scheme at Westmorland Shopping Centre and has been a key funder in Kirkland’s pedestrian enhancement scheme.

SOURCE: The Westmorland Gazette

Vacaville Premium Outlets help the Boys & Girls Clubs

Vacaville Premium Outlets is sponsoring a back to school drive to collect school supplies for students in the coming school year.

Donations of new backpacks and other school supplies such as ruled paper, notebooks, crayons, pencils, pens, rulers and glue are being collected to help the Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Clubs.

The back to school drive started July 17 and will be running through Aug. 8. Donations to the supply drive can be made Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Information Center located at 321-2 Nut Tree Road.

Vacaville Premium Outlets has more than 120 designer and name-brand outlet stores and brands including Adidas, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Coach, Gucci, Guess, Kenneth Cole and a variety of others that offer savings of 25 to 65 percent everyday.

SOURCE: The Reporter

Huskies Coach to appear at Aurora Premium Outlets

Northern Illinois Head Football Coach Jerry Kill will be in attendance at the Adidas Outlet Store in the Premium Outlets Mall (Farnsworth Rd. and Route 88) in Aurora to celebrate NIU Day on Saturday, July 31.

The leader of the Mid-American Conference West Division favorite Huskies, Kill will meet and greet fans and sign autographs from 10:45 a.m. to noon. Fans can register to win an Opening Day Fan Pack that includes four tickets, parking and a tailgating pass for the Huskies' home-opener Sept. 11 against North Dakota.

Northern Illinois mascot Victor E. Huskie will also be on hand for autographs and photos. Huskie posters and schedules will be available free to NIU fans. adidas is the official outfitter of Northern Illinois athletics and supplies the Huskies with their jerseys, sideline wear, practice gear, shoes and other apparel.

The Huskies open the 2010 campaign Thursday, Sept. 2 in Ames, Iowa when Northern Illinois faces the Iowa State Cyclones. The NIU home slate includes five games with season tickets starting as low as $74. For tickets, call 815-752-6800 or log on to http://www.niuhuskies.com/.

SOURCE: NIU Huskies

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Second Quarter 2010 Results

On Tuesday Tanger Factory Outlet Centers released its 2nd quarter results. Here are some excerpts from the report.

Net income available to common shareholders for the three months ended June 30, 2010 was $3.3 million or $0.08 per share, as compared to net income of $10.2 million, or $0.30 per share for the second quarter of 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010 net income available to common shareholders was $4.5 million or $0.11 per share, as compared to net income of $39.1 million, or $1.19 per share for the six months ended June 30, 2009. Net income available to common shareholders for the six months ended June 30, 2009 also includes a gain of $31.5 million related to the acquisition of our partner's interest in a shopping center previously held in a joint venture.

Portfolio Operating Results

During the first six months of 2010, Tanger executed 294 leases, totaling 1,222,000 square feet throughout its wholly-owned portfolio. Lease renewals during the first six months accounted for 899,000 square feet, generated an 8.7% increase in average base rental rates and represented 60.5% of the square feet originally scheduled to expire during 2010. Base rental increases on re-tenanted space during the first six months averaged 22.4% and accounted for the remaining 323,000 square feet.

Same center net operating income increased 2.4% for the second quarter of 2010 and 1.7% for the first six months of 2010, while reported tenant comparable sales for Tanger's wholly owned properties for the rolling twelve months ended June 30, 2010 increased 4.6% to $345 per square foot. Tenant comparable sales for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased 4.8%. Tenant comparable sales exclude the Company's Commerce I center, which was held for sale as of June 30, 2010 as well as its Hilton Head I center currently under redevelopment.

Development Update

Scheduled to open on November 5, 2010, the company's 317,000 square foot outlet center in Mebane, North Carolina now has leases signed or out for signature on 90.5% of the leasable square feet. Tanger field personnel are already in place in a temporary headquarters trailer as construction crews work towards completion of this $65 million outlet shopping center. This new addition to the company's portfolio is located on Interstate 85/40 between the major North Carolina metropolitan markets of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and Greensboro/High Point/ Winston-Salem.

Demolition is now complete and a redevelopment is in process on the company's Hilton Head I center in Bluffton, South Carolina. Currently, this center has leases signed or out for signature on 53.6% of the leasable square feet. When completed, the new 176,000 square foot center, with an additional four outparcel pads, will be the first LEED certified green shopping center in Beaufort County. The company's $50 million redevelopment in Hilton Head is projected to open during the second half of 2011. The company's other property on Highway 278, Hilton Head II, remains open during the construction and redevelopment of Hilton Head I.

$300 Million Offering of 6.125% Senior Notes Due 2020 Successfully Closed

On June 7, 2010, Tanger announced that its operating partnership, Tanger Properties Limited Partnership, had completed a $300 million public offering of 6.125% senior notes due 2020 in an underwritten public offering with Banc of America Securities LLC, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, LLC, as joint book-running managers.

The notes were priced at 99.310% of the principal amount to yield 6.219% to maturity. The notes will pay interest semi-annually at a rate of 6.125% per annum and mature on June 1, 2020. The net proceeds from the offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and offering expenses, were approximately $295.5 million. Tanger used the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to repay its $235 million unsecured term loan due in June 2011, to pay approximately $6.1 million to terminate two interest rate swap agreements associated with the term loan and to repay borrowings under its unsecured lines of credit and for general working capital purposes.

Second Quarter Conference Call

Tanger will host a conference call to discuss its second quarter results for analysts, investors and other interested parties on Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at 10:00 A.M. eastern time. To access the conference call, listeners should dial 1-877-277-5113 and request to be connected to the Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Second Quarter 2010 Financial Results call. Alternatively, the call will be web cast by Thomson Reuters and can be accessed at Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.'s web site under the News Releases section at http://www.tangeroutlet.com/investorrelations/news. A telephone replay of the call will be available from July 28, 2010 starting at 1:00 P.M. Eastern Time through August 6, 2010, by dialing 1-800-642-1687 (conference ID #86718953). Additionally, an online archive of the broadcast will also be available through August 6, 2010.

The full report is available on Tangers Investors Relations page.



Mark Libell

Tanger Factory Outlets expands it Board of Directors

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE:SKT), announced Tuesday that its Board of Directors has approved an expansion of its board from seven to eight members and has elected Thomas J. Reddin as a member of Tanger's Board of Directors.

Mr. Reddin brings close to 30 years of collective executive and management experience in consumer marketing and e-commerce to Tanger's Board.

Mr. Reddin is the former CEO of LendingTree.com and current owner of Red Dog Ventures, a venture capital and management consulting firm focused on helping early stage companies in the digital arena achieve the next level of growth.

Mr. Reddin has held senior leadership positions at several organizations. Prior to joining LendingTree.com, the nation's leading online lending exchange, he spent 17 years in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry including 12 years at Kraft Foods in various finance and brand management capacities, and five years at Coca-Cola USA where he ran the Coca-Cola brand as Vice President of Consumer Marketing, along with other responsibilities. In 1999, Mr. Reddin became LendingTree's Chief Marketing Officer and launched the successful "When Banks Compete, You Win" advertising campaign. He then became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2001 and was named CEO in 2005. In 2008 and 2009, Mr. Reddin served as the CEO of Richard Petty Motorsports (previously Gillett Evernham Motorsports), a top Nascar team that fielded four cars in the Sprint Cup Series. The team achieved three wins in 2008 and expanded from three to four teams in 2009.

"We are pleased to add to our Board of Directors someone with Mr. Reddin's outstanding credentials and impressive track record in developing and marketing brand named consumer products," said Jack Africk, Interim Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.

Steven B. Tanger, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc., added, "Mr. Reddin's insights into brand awareness and demonstrated experience growing and building businesses will add great value and perspective to our board."

Currently residing in Charlotte, NC, Mr. Reddin also serves as a Director of Valassis Communications Inc. (NYSE:VCI) and is a member of the board of trustees of Queens University of Charlotte.

Mr. Reddin is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Business (1982) and holds an M.B.A., with distinction, from New York University (1987).

Mark Libell

Cincinnati Premium Outlets help the United Way

The Warren County United Way is partnering with Cincinnati Premium Outlets in Monroe for special one-day shopping discounts at about two dozen participating stores on Aug. 7.

Patrons can purchase a "Shop for Cause" ticket for $5 at the Warren County United Way office at 645 Oak St. in Lebanon in advance. On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased at a United Way table set up at the mall.

Individuals who buy a ticket will be eligible for raffle prizes that will be given away every two hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Winners do not need to be present to win.

Mall hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Funds raised will benefit the United Way's 29 partner agencies.

Information: Jerri Langworthy, 513-932-3987.

SOURCE: Cincinnati.com

The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City ground breaking news video

Oklahoma City is overcoming the odds of a bad national economy with construction starting on a new $50 million factory outlet mall.

Officials with Horizon Group Properties admitted Thursday that at one point they lost all of their leases for a factory outlet mall they hoped to start as the national economy crashed in 2008.

At a ceremony Thursday celebrating the start of construction on the $50 million mall at Reno and Council, Horizon Chief Executive Officer Gary Skoien said only two other such developments are being built in the United States.

"You've got a great economy," Skoien said when asked how the project was revived. "I'm constantly extolling the values of Oklahoma City."

The 65-acre, 348,000-square-foot development, The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, is set to open in August 2011 with stores including Nike, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Brooks Brothers, Guess, Coach, Chico's, Banana Republic, Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour, Levi's and Carters.

The mall will front Interstate 40, which carries 112,000 cars a day and is within a few minutes of I-35 and I-44. The design calls for a shopper-friendly racetrack design with covered walkways and landscaped courtyards. The center will feature a food court, children's play area, stage and fountains.

"We believe that The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City will draw shoppers from a large area throughout Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas," Skoien said. "We are happy to bring the roster of tenants to Oklahoma City, including a number that currently are not present in the market."

Mayor Mick Cornett said he was glad to see Horizon was able to rebuild its list of leases and get construction started. The deal included $8.9 million in economic incentives ranging from infrastructure improvements to $5.5 million in reimbursements for regional marketing costs.

"We've been working on this quite a while," Cornett said. "This is destination retail. It's a reflection on Oklahoma City's economy and all the things we've done. It's taken longer than we thought, but we got it done, which is something in this economy. We rely on sales taxes, so we have to have things like this that will bring in shoppers from outside the city."

SOURCE: NewsOK

Heritage Square mall owners suing Simon over leasing tactics

One of Indiana’s largest privately held developers is suing Simon Property Group Inc., alleging the nation’s largest mall owner abused its “market power” to bully two national retailers into backing out of leases at a lifestyle mall near Mishawaka.

An entity tied to South Bend-based Holladay Properties Inc. alleges in court filings in St. Joseph County that Simon used “anti-competitive tactics” to pry Ann Taylor Loft and Lane Bryant, committed tenants of its Heritage Square lifestyle mall, to open stores in the nearby Simon-owned University Park Mall instead.

Holladay says Simon also tried unsuccessfully to persuade Coldwater Creek and Eddie Bauer to back out of lease deals at the 230,000-square-foot Heritage Square, which broke ground in 2006.

In the case of Eddie Bauer, Holladay claims Simon CEO David Simon personally appealed to the retailer’s CEO to break the Heritage Square deal and open in Simon’s answer to the new Holladay-owned mall: a 100,000-square-foot lifestyle component added in 2008 to University Park Mall.

Simon for years has leveraged its vast power with national retailers to thwart efforts by competitors to open viable shopping centers, claims Holladay, which has developed $2 billion worth of real estate in 15 states, including AmeriPlex-branded business parks in Indianapolis, South Bend, Merrillville and Portage.

“One former Simon employee reported that there was a big meeting of various Simon executives concerning Mishawaka in which they discussed their intent to kill the Heritage Square deal,” Holladay attorneys allege in the lawsuit, filed April 22. “This former Simon employee also indicated that Simon’s tactics regarding Mishawaka is like what happens all over the country.”

Simon Property Group says in court filings that its actions in Mishawaka were nothing more than “the intense cajoling, negotiating, and horse-trading one would expect when landlords compete for tenants in the highly competitive market for commercial real estate.”

The company, which declined to discuss the case with IBJ, has called for a judge to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds Holladay failed to allege any antitrust violation—“conduct that has no legitimate business purpose, sacrifices short-term profits, and makes sense only because it eliminates competition.”

The Simon filing says the Heritage Square mall has managed to compete “vigorously” with the Simon-owned mall, winning at least four of the most sought-after tenants for lifestyle retail centers: White House Black Market, Coldwater Creek, Eddie Bauer and Aveda.

Simon also points out that Lane Bryant had a store at the Simon-owned mall and was targeted by Holladay—which in doing so “engaged in the same conduct it says Simon engaged in.”

The Indianapolis-based company also points out that any interference with the lease agreements would have occurred more than two years ago, outside the statute of limitations for such allegations.

Women’s wear retailers Ann Taylor Loft and Lane Bryant were poised to open at Heritage Square in 2006 but later backed out and opened in University Park instead.

The Holladay entity alleges Simon used a series of tactics to lure the retailers to its center, including “refusing to renew existing leases or making renewals conditioned upon the tenant not opening stores in a competing development in another market” or “increasing rates or otherwise making the terms of renewals less favorable in retaliation if a tenant opens a store in a competing center.”

Simon’s interference made Heritage Square less attractive to other potential tenants, driving down rents and impairing the property’s value by “tens of millions of dollars,” said Henry J. Price, an attorney for Holladay and partner in Indianapolis-based Price Waicukauski & Riley LLC.

“They’re trying to get retailers—regardless of quality or location of a property—to effectively deal exclusively with Simon, in Simon properties or certainly not in properties that compete with Simon,” Price said.

The lawsuit says an appraisal when construction began in 2006 put the value of Heritage Square at $46.3 million. An updated figure was not available, Price said. Holladay still controls the mall, which is anchored by a Martin’s Super Market, and has not defaulted on any loans, he said. The company declined to provide occupancy figures for the property.

Simon has faced numerous similar lawsuits over the years as it acquired competitors and became the nation’s largest publicly traded real estate company.

A shopping center developer in Texas alleged in a 2006 case, later settled out of court, that Simon intervened to prevent a Macy’s store from taking space in a non-Simon center. A co-developer with Simon in the Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas alleged that Simon reduced the value of a partner’s stake by offering retailers cheaper rent in Las Vegas in exchange for taking less desirable space elsewhere.

The Federal Trade Commission is looking into possible antitrust issues relating to Simon’s pending purchase of 22 Prime Outlets malls. Some of the malls’ tenants are concerned the $2.3 billion deal, announced in December, would give Simon too much power over retailers.

Anti-competitive concerns also helped prevent Simon from succeeding in a $10 billion bid earlier this year to take over its chief U.S. rival, the debt-laden Chicago-based General Growth Properties.

Competing bidders, including Canadian real estate giant Brookfield Asset Management Inc., argued that combining the nation’s top two mall owners would stifle competition among retail landlords and attract attention from federal authorities.

“At a minimum, regulators would likely conduct a full-scale investigation into the threat to competition posed by Simon’s proposal, delaying the transaction for months,” a Brookfield official wrote in an April letter to the General Growth board.

SOURCE: Indianapolis Business Journal

Tanger Outlets Bucks for Schools program distributes big checks

THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM. IT HELPS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, IT HELPS THE CENTER BY SELLING COUPON BOOKS, AND TANGER GETS A LOT OF POSITIVE PRESS FROM IT.

Tanger Outlet Center’s 2009-2010 TangerBucks for Schools program yielded a big check for each of the participating schools this year before school let out for summer vacation.

Tanger donated an additional $1,000 to each of the schools. The five participating schools sold Tanger savings books and were given an equal share of the profits during the campaign period. The net result was a combined $10, 925.

Participating schools included San Marcos Baptist Academy, San Marcos High School, Goodnight Middle School, De Zavala Elementary School and Miller Middle School.

“Nothing is more important in our community than giving our students the tools they need to reach their full potential,” said Tanger General Manager Michelle Carswell. “Tanger is proud to help provide the needed funds for materials and educational programs to help our schools and kids continue to succeed.”

The schools were also provided money-making opportunities by hosing TangerBucks for Schools fundraising events during the school year. The events allow the school to retain 100 percent of the proceeds.

Nationally, the TangerBucks for Schools program distributed more than $135,000.

“We appreciate the support that we receive from local businesses like Tanger Outlets,” said Carol Fernandez, the Gifted and Talented Facilitator at DeZavala Elementary School. “DeZavala teachers and students greatly appreciate your friendship and the support that Tanger has provided De Zavala over the years.”

The schools used their funds for a variety of activities and programs.

“We used our funds to support our after school Garden Club with about 40 students in grades K-5 participating,” said Fernandez. ” We sowed our own seeds and grew some of our own plants. We planted some native plants, started a vegetable garden, an herb garden, a water garden, and a compost pile,. Students kept a weekly journal about what they were learning. Everyone had a great time. As a result, we are all enjoying the beautiful blooming flowers and the new birds that are attracted to our school grounds and we are ecstatic and thankful to Tanger for our outdoor learning program.”

SOURCE: San Marcos Local News

JoS. A. Banks Factory Outlet Store Strategy Not Without Risks

With its new everyday-low-price factory outlets, will the men's clothier profitably extend its brand or cause confusion?

JoS. A. Bank Clothiers, a no-week-goes-by-without-a-sale retailer, is looking to burnish its credentials as a company that saves guys money on high-quality clothing with the launch of its first factory store concept in Riverhead, N.Y.

JoS. A. Bank's aggressive growth among apparel retailers that have generally held back on expansion during the recession has put it on many an investor's watch list. In issuing a "buy" recommendation for the stock this week, Zacks wrote, "JoS. A. Bank has been bucking the convention that retail, especially clothing, is dead in the water," and noted a return on equity of 22.1%, "well above the industry average of 13.1%."

However, the opening of the factory outlets begs the question: Will JoS. A. Bank be cannibalizing sales from its own customers or extending its reach to a new demographic?

"Outlet stores can be a growth vehicle, if Joseph A. Bank chooses its sites carefully to avoid overlap with its full-line stores," wrote Richard Seesel of Retailing in Focus LLC in a recent RetailWire online discussion. "But the company needs to be careful not to let everyday low prices undermine the perception it has built its brand around--that it is offering huge savings when it puts merchandise 'on sale.' I would advise the company to be careful about the content it develops for the factory stores--other than using them as liquidation centers, there ought to be a lot of 'everyday low' content that can't be found in their regular stores."

Especially in light of its new website, other experts on the RetailWire BrainTrust expressed concerns about the ease of making price comparisons and the way price strategies alter consumer perceptions. "Sometimes you don't want your customers thinking too hard about your offer," said Ryan Mathews, founder and CEO of Black Monk Consulting.

"Being known as a retailer that offers great sales keeps consumers looking and checking on your offering," wrote Camille Schuster, president of Global Collaborations. "Being known as a 'factory' or outlet store means consumers can come when they want and expect low prices. Does JoS. A. Bank really want to make this switch?"

Doug Fleener, president and managing partner of Dynamic Experiences Group, expressed concern that the sister websites may "blur the line between the regular channel and the factory outlets." However, he believes having a presence in outlet centers is wise.

"As someone who ran a chain of both factory and full-price [stores] for Bose Corporation, I like the move to the factory outlets," wrote Fleener. "The centers offer great traffic with consumers who are out to spend money."

With plenty of successful precedents in this vertical, the overall message to JoS. A. Bank seems to be that it's all about execution.

"Saks has done a good job with its positioning at very high-end fashion stores and keeping the message coherent across the online, specials, promotions, and its Off 5th Premier Outlets," commented Anne Biele of Packaging and Technology Integrated Solutions.

SOURCE: FORBES

Four legs or two?

In England, there is a myth that a certain beer reaches the parts that other beers cannot reach.

In Gabriola, the myth applies to the deer, not the beer!

 

Secret Tips to Maximize Your Outlet Shopping

Millions of budget-conscious shoppers hunt for deals every year at outlet malls across the nation.

The mega-shopping complexes are popular but can be overwhelming for those who aren't savvy.

Gayle King and Adam Glassman visited "Good Morning America" to share the best ways for people to maximize their outlet mall shopping experiences.

King is the editor at large of "O, The Oprah Magazine", and Glassman is the magazine's creative director. The two spent nine hours shopping at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets mall in Central Valley, New York. The mall has 220 stores offering merchandise from nearly every major designer.

They answered some key questions about outlet shopping.




Q: If it's cheap, isn't something wrong with it? Why are these clothes in an outlet mall?

A: Outlets used to be a dirty little secret, but now designers are making items specifically for them, Glassman said. Items tend to be less expensive than at retail for several reasons. For example, popular styles from a previous season may be re-issued using materials the designer already has. Also, a shipment may arrive late or miss its retail window, or may be labeled incorrectly. These are all reasons for which the merchandise could end up in an outlet store. Because clothing could be labeled incorrectly, Glassman suggested that shoppers not be afraid to go up a size or two. The garment may just be a perfect fit.  

Q: How can I prepare for my outlet mall trip?
 
A: Dress the part. Wear comfortable shoes and remove nonessential items from your purse so you're traveling light. Glassman also suggested that women wear makeup and have their hair done. That's because the lighting in dressing rooms is horrible, so you can help yourself out by looking good.

Q: Is there a correct way to shop once I'm inside the store?

A: You should start shopping at the outer edge of the store, Glassman said. That's because the bigger markdowns and last season's pieces tend to be placed on the perimeter and the back of the shopping area. Managers know that it's human nature to automatically walk to the center of the store, so that's where they generally put the pricier items. Shop from the outer edge to the center of the store, and finish with accessories, Glassman said. 

Q: What should I buy at an outlet?

A: Go for the classics. They will be in style for a long time. But if you love a trend from last year and don't mind being a season behind, go for it as long as the price is deeply discounted.  

Q: Is there a best time to shop at an outlet?

 A: Yes. Go early in the morning on a weekday. The outlets are packed on the weekend, making it harder to find the best deals.

Q. When is the best time to get the best deals?

A. You can get excellent deals if you purchase items in the off-season. Even though merchandise is already discounted, there are additional markdowns when those out-of-season garments hit the outlets.

SOURCE: ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA 

Today's visitors

This morning's visitor to the garden.....

....... and in the evening ........

Liz Claiborne Will Close Its Outlet Stores

Liz Claiborne Inc. plans to exit its namesake-branded outlet business in the U.S., aiming to cut losses and redirect its capital.

The apparel company, which has reported 10 straight quarters of red ink, expects to take $7 million in impairment charges in the fiscal second quarter as a result.

Chief Executive William McComb said Tuesday that the current fleet of Liz-branded outlets—87 locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico—was designed to handle clearance for many brands in its portfolio, a plan he called outdated, adding that it no longer makes economic sense, given changes to the company's business strategy. The company said its outlet stores for other brands—Juicy Couture, Kate Spade and Lucky Brand jeans—won't be affected.

Mr. McComb said the capital would be better used to support the company's operations at J.C. Penney Co. and Liberty Media Corp.'s QVC. Penney will begin selling an exclusive line of Liz merchandise next month.

Liz Claiborne has been rebuilding its brands, some of which were struggling before the recession hit consumer spending and mall traffic. It has also been moving to focus more on direct brands.

Along with the second-quarter charge, Liz Claiborne said it may incur added charges in future periods and will provide more information when it reports results Aug. 5.

The action "is another big structural move for Liz," said Brian Sozzi, retail analyst at Wall Street Strategies. "It greatly reduces their overhead, and that is something they still very much need to do. Their next move will likely be to change their name."

SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal By LAUREN POLLOCK And KAREN TALLEY

42 Rules for Success on LinkedIn

Do you know how to use LinkedIn to achieve your business goals? There are millions of registered users on LinkedIn. Relatively few of them seem to have any real understanding of how to effectively use LinkedIn. With registered users on LinkedIn projected to grow to 70 million by the end of 2009, business professionals are searching for ways to leverage this new communication medium. Although Social Networking is exploding, there are very few resources that teach what users are craving - solutions to increase their desired business success.

'42 Rules of 24-Hour Success on LinkedIn' is a user-friendly guidebook designed to help you leverage the power of LinkedIn to build visibility, make connections and support your brand. There is a theory that everyone in the world is connected by no more than 6 people. You know who you are, but who else in this socially-networked world knows you?

Click here to browse the Outlet Insider Book Store

Mark Libell

Tanger Outlet Scheduled to Open in November

It's official, the new Tanger Outlet Center in Mebane will open less than one year after contractors broke ground.

Mona Walsh, spokeswoman for Tanger, said the scheduled opening date is November 5, 2010.

The outlet mall has space for 80 stores. Walsh says 86 percent of the space is currently leased or with leases out for signatures.

The stores will include Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, Banana Republic Factory Store, Coach Factory, Gap Outlet, J. Crew, Michael Kors, BCBG/Girls, Nike Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger, and more.

The center is expected to generate $308,000 in local property taxes and more than $12 million in state sales tax revenue, according to information provided by the company at the time of the groundbreaking.

SOURCE: digtriad.com

Job Growth at Round Rock and San Marcos Outlets

Williamson posted 58.9 percent employment growth between 2000 and 2009, ranking it second in the nation, according to a recent CNNMoney.com report.

The study “Where the Jobs Are” attributed the increase to Dell Inc. in Round Rock and a tech-savvy community that attracts businesses nationwide. The North Austin county also has a growing young population with a robust public school system.

Hays County also made the list, ranking third with 56.4 percent employment growth in the past 10 years. The report attributed most of growth to government hiring and growth at Texas State University—San Marcos. The Prime Outlets of San Marcos and Tanger Factory Outlet Center were also listed as contributors to the rapid increase.

“In a time when most communities are focused on just retaining jobs, San Marcos and other Hays County communities have seen significant job growth,” said Amy Madison, executive director for Economic Development San Marcos.

Texas had the strongest showing in the report with five counties ranked in the top ten, including Williamson and Hays. Fort Bend, Webb and Collin counties were also near the top of the list.

SOURCE: Austin Business Journal

Premium Outlet Center Back to School Sale

Visit the VIP LOUNGE

Mark Libell

Fashion House Development Officially Launches Outlet Center in Moscow

Here is a follow-up to my May 20th post Outlets in Moscow. 

FASHION HOUSE Outlet Center Development has a pretty cool web site. http://www.fashionhouse.com/
when you get to the site it will be in Russian. If you can read Russian thats awesome. If not look in the upper right hand corner and you will see a link to an English version of the site.

Also you can follow this link to a great pdf presentation about the center.

FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Moscow is FASHION HOUSE Development’’s first live project in Russia. They completed the acquisition of their site in Moscow in 2009 and then went on to develop the plans and artistic impressions for the site which were unveiled at a press launch event in Moscow.

Representatives of Russian and international brands attended including Mango, Sportmaster, Marks and Spencer, Miss Sixty, Reserved, Rive Gouche, Fabi and Podium.

Neil Thompson, Chief Commercial Officer, FASHION HOUSE Development, the leading developer of outlet centers in CEE, outlined its design and concept and highlighted the opportunities FHM has to offer. Neil explained: ”As well as attracting European and International brands with an established outlet offer there are many brands in Russia who have excess stock but no outlet offer as part of their retail strategy, so this provides an ideal opportunity for them to manage this stock and protect their brand. The few that do have an outlet offer are spread out so far the attraction of nearly 200 outlets under one roof is a first for Russia. It is ideal for the retailers and consumers.”

 The FASHION HOUSE Moscow site is 38,580 sq m with 28,765 sq m GLA, it will be home to 192 outlet units, foodcourt and cafes, 1865 parking spaces and a children’s play area. The grand opening is planed on November 2011.

Neil explained; “We considered several sites in the Moscow region, but decided on the site North West of Moscow near the Sheremetyevo International airport turned out to be the best place for our Outlet Centre. It has a catchment area of 13.4 million within a 90 minute drive time and is in a close proximity to Moscow and Khimki. It will also benefit from the future construction of highway between Moscow and St. Petersburg.”

The brands present were very supportive of the projects potential: “For us the issue of stock control is not critical, as Mango outlets are part of our business strategy. We already have stand alone outlets situated in Moscow and Ufa. Participation in FHM would allow us to diversify our distribution channels and be part of a larger draw to potential customers. Mango outlets are present in other Fashion House projects in CEE, that’s why FHM is an interesting project for us and in our opinion has very good prospects” – comments Andrey Vinogradov, director of RAMO company (brands Mango, Promod)

Neil is delighted with the response: “We have built a great offer and take great care in developing Outlet Centers that work for, retailers, investors and consumers alike – and that also look beautiful. We are very proud of the work we do and professionalism of the whole of the FASHION HOUSE team and it is great to see the success we have achieved in all of the marketplaces we have gone into. All our Outlet Centers have interesting architectural features that correlate with the culture of a particular area. FASHION HOUSE Moscow will be themed with a traditional Moscow classic architecture style, giving our consumers a unique shopping atmosphere.”

The architecture concept has been developed by Jan Demeyere of JDM. GVA Sawyer Moscow is acting as local project manager with the contractor yet to be appointed. The construction on site will begin in April 2011 with the grand opening of FASHION HOUSE Moscow planned for November 2011. The Outlet Centre will be managed and operated by Outlet specialists GVA Outlets. The £92,000,000 project is funded by the Liebrecht and Wood Investment Fund.

GVA Outlets will be responsible for international leasing “This is a new and exciting marketplace that we feel is ready for the FASHION HOUSE branded Outlet offer. There is high brand awareness amongst consumers who have money to spend and extremely high demand from our current tenants wanting to move into this market. We see a lot of interest for FHM from our current European and International tenants” adds David Carver, Head of Leasing at GVA Outlets.”

The Russian based consulting company MAGAZIN MAGAZINOV part of CB Richard Ellis has been appointed exclusive domestic letting agent.

Neil Thompson adds: “We were the first Outlet operator in Poland and now in Romania and we will be the first in Russia. We are the leading name in the Outlet Sector in the CEE and that is a fact we are very proud of. Currently Russia has no factory outlets and yet there is the potential for at least 20 based on population, brand awareness and potential spend. So far we have secured two locations with Moscow due to open in Nov 2011 and St. Petersburg in 2012 and we have a feasibility studies being carried out on a further 11 sites.”

Outlets provide first quality, excess stock of famous brands sold at a discount in a high value environment. An Outlet Centre brings together a collection of outlets under one roof in an out of town location with easy access and parking providing consumers with a wide range of brands offering 30-70% discounts.

FASHION HOUSE Development (FHD) launched in 2008 as the successor to Warsaw-based The Outlet Company (TOC), which developed the market leading portfolio of successful Fashion House Outlet Centers in Poland.

The FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre portfolio currently includes three successful Outlet centers in Poland and one in Bucharest. A second Bucharest site currently in planning and the Moscow and St. Petersburg sites will be opened under the FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre brand in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

FHD is the leading developer in CEE and is an expert in emerging markets. A FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre has won the EuropaProperty CEE Factory Outlet of the Year for the last two years running with FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Warsaw in 2008 and FASHION HOUSE Outlet Centre Sosnowiec in 2009. Two out of their four open Outlets ranked within the Top Ten Best Performing Outlet Centre in Europe 2009 and GVA Outlets, who manage and operate all FHD outlets, were tipped to be the rising stars of the Outlet sector in 2010 according to the ICSC Outlet Report 2009.

FHD offers investors and developers an Outlet-dedicated, premium quality, experienced team, expert in the fields of Outlet shopping centre design, development, finance, operation and management across Europe. Consequently, the FH brand has built up a notable following of world-famous branded retail tenants. For further information see http://www.fashionhouse.com/

SOURCE:  GATEO Das Lifestyle Portal für Menschen im besten Alte