The Closet Wants to Move to NikeTown
NikeTown Orange County will leave a big space when it shutters its doors on Jan. 30. Since 1993, the store has been one of the anchors at the Triangle Square shopping center in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Nike’s neighbor, The Closet, hopes to move into the 22,000-square-foot space, said Billy Stade, owner and founder of the fashion boutique.
“We need to expand,” Stade said. “Nike- Town is bigger than what we’re used to, but our concept is strong enough to carry that space.”
Stade said he is speaking with Triangle Square management about acquiring the space.
The proposed move would be a big leap for The Closet. The boutique’s current space in Triangle Square is 2,500 square feet. But the store has been steadily expanding since 1993, when it opened its first store in a closetsized shop in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Stade now manages a 2,500-square-foot store on Huntington Beach’s Main Street, considered one of the most important retail areas for the surf industry. In 2004, the retailer opened a 3,000-square-foot store in the exclusive Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach, Calif.
The Closet created a reputation as a forward- looking retailer by offering the latest from new Orange County fashion lines such as Howe Denim and RVCA Clothing, as well as contemporary clothing lines such as Ben Sherman and G-Star.
Nike Inc. decided to close its Triangle Square operation because occupancy rates fell below 70 percent for 18 consecutive months, according to a spokesperson for the Beaverton, Ore.–based athletic footwear and activewear manufacturer.
Representatives for Triangle Square did not return phone calls. Gap and Barnes & Noble are among the current tenants at the shopping center. —Andrew Asch
