Womens clothing label Bebe will be taking a big piece of the former first level of Crate & Barrel at Lenox Square. Bebe is relocating and expanding from its current location just across thehallway. If memory serves, this will mark Bebe's third move in the mall as its current space was for many years HMV, before which Bebe was elsewhere in the mall.
I heard that Bebe had signed on for this space over two months ago from someone who is usually a reliable source, but I could not believe this was true. But signage announcing their new store is already up and the new store should be open late this fall.
Many shoppers and readers had hoped that either a new to market retailer like Mango or new to the mall retailer such as H&M would open in some of the vacant space, but it seems that may not happen.
The Bebe store will occupy the a significant portion along the right hand side of the store, and continue down the short hallway where Panera has additional seating.
Months ago sources told me that both Apple and Urban Outfitters were interested in relocating to the former Crate & Barrel space, but I have since learned that there are a number of obstacles in their way. Although Urban Outfitters intentions were confirmed by store management, their move seems less likely given the fact that a move to the front of the mall would come with much higher rent, something they may be hesitant to cough up, given their success in their current location.
As far as Apple goes, despite the fact that a Apple store on the front of the mall sounds great to me, Simon feels that Apple is a people magnet in the mall and prefers them inside where they can draw customers into it. To have them so close to the parking lot would make it easy to lug your Mac to your car, but make it less likely that you would walk through the mall and stop in other mall stores along the way.
Nothing seems to have been confirmed as of yet, and if it has been, no one at Simon is saying anything. The one thing I do know is that PF Changs continues to be mentioned as a replacement for Lenox Square Grill and that although Cheescake Factory was also at one time in talks to come to the mall, they balked at the rent and opted to remain at their stand-alone building on Peachtree south of the mall.
What would you like to see open in the front portion of Lenox Square? Do you share my disappointment at just a relocation of a ubiquitous retailer? Would you rather have another relocation like Apple or a new to the mall retailer like H&M?
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