Topshop Kicks Off The Grove’s 10th Anniversary
British retailer Topshop is set to open its first West Coast flagship at The Grove in Los Angeles, kicking off a slew of new additions and changes at the lifestyle center, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
The earliest opening date for the Topshop store is Holiday 2012, said Paul Kurzawa, chief operating officer of Caruso Affiliated, the owner of The Grove. The Grove attracts 17 million visitors annually and averages annual sales of $1,400 per square foot.
Topshop is the first of eight new fashion tenants moving into the exclusive retail center, including retailers not currently operating in Southern California and new concepts by high-profile specialty retailers. The Grove’s 10-year anniversary also will be celebrated by new services such as personal shoppers and stylists, which are scheduled to premiere in June.
The center will unveil a new technology initiative for shopping. It also will renovate the lobby and concierge areas of the mall, a project in which Caruso Affiliated invested a couple of million dollars, Kurzawa said. Another project in the works is developing a section of independent boutiques at The Grove. “Urban street retail is popping up with retailers that have a big following,” he said. “It’s an interesting business model to pursue.”
Topshop will move into a 25,0000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Banana Republic, which relocated into a former Victoria’s Secret space by The Grove’s Barnes & Noble store. The Grove Topshop will offer a similar merchandise and selection to its popular flagships in New York and Chicago. Along with offering contemporary women’s looks, The Grove’s Topshop will offer men’s fashions at its Topmen store, part of the same location.
“We’re looking at adding more men’s apparel on the property,” Kurzawa said. “Women’s apparel and accessories have always been strong. Men’s will come back in a big way.”
The Grove founder Rick Caruso and Topshop’s Sir Phillip Green had been talking to each other since 2010 about opening a Topshop at The Grove. A decision was not made until an appropriate site at The Grove was found. The Grove flagship will be Topshop’s fourth American location. It is opening a Las Vegas store March 8 at the Fashion Show mall on the Las Vegas strip.
When Topshop opens at The Grove, its neighbors will include Forever 21 and Nordstrom. While Topshop’s fashion-forward looks and speed-to-market capabilities are often compared to Forever 21, the British retailer offers a price point that is contemporary. Mercedes Gonzalez, director for New York–based buying office Global Purchasing Companies, said Topshop’s prices are often three times Forever 21’s price points.
While Topshop maintains a worldwide reputation, it still is an unknown quantity for many Southern Californians. However, Topshop should have no problems in finding an avid crowd of shoppers, said Barbara Fields, founder of the Los Angeles–based Barbara Fields Buying Office. “They experienced their growing pains in New York. They know how to compete here,” she said. Fields often shops and visits the Topshop locations in New York and London.—Andrew Asch
