illia, Free People Open Shops
illia's Abbot Kinney boutique
Summer’s here, and retailers are opening stores.
On June 22, Los Angeles–based women’s brand illia opened its first boutique, located at 1638 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice Beach. Despite a choppy economy, the time was right to open a boutique, said illia co-owner John Murrough. “Things are fine with wholesaling, and we thought, 'Let’s do it now before rents go up,'” Murrough said.
The 800-square-foot boutique offers illia’s full collection, ranging from camisole tops to dresses and leather jackets. The label is manufactured in Los Angeles, and retail price points range from $80 for a shirt to $1,400 for a shearling jacket. Murrough and business partner Robbie Moray hope to open more illia shops.
On June 25, Urban Outfitters’ Free People division store opened its first Orange County store, located in the South Coast Plaza luxury retail center. The feminine, bohemian store took a 1,520-square-foot space on South Coast Plaza’s Bloomingdale’s Wing on Level 1.
Also, Wet Seal recently opened a pop-up shop for its new Blink by Wet Seal line at the Galleria at Tyler Mall in Riverside, Calif.
Roth Capital analyst Liz Pierce wrote in a June 23 research note that the pop-up shop took up around 1,600 square feet, and 70 percent of its selling space was devoted to denim brands, including the Wet Seal’s Blue Asphalt private label and other brands Vigoss and Doll House. Retail price points range between $15 and $30.
“Given the attractive price points and breadth of assortments, we believe that Blink could be a ’go-to’ source for junior denim,” Pierce wrote.
