California Apparel News

Plans for The Bloc, the 1.8 million-square-foot, mixed-use shopping center in downtown Los Angeles, are taking shape with a remodel planned for the center’s Macy’s stores and new tenants signing on to open.

The Ratkovich Co., owner of the building with partners National Real Estate Advisors and Blue Vista Capital, announced the San Francisco men’s store Wingtip will open at The Bloc, as well as a new unnamed “retail gallery concept” being developed by CNTRLgroup and Otto Design Group.

Plans call for the Macy’s to be remodeled to give the 250,000-square-foot store an open environment with new décor and visual presentations. The store will add a fourth selling floor by extending sales space into the lower level. The cosmetics department on the first floor will “get a major facelift,” according to the company. Plus, there will be a new furniture department, as well as an expanded housewares department to service the needs of the downtown Los Angeles community. Shoppers will now be able to access the store from all four levels of the shopping center, including from the new nine-screen Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

When it opens in October, this will be the first Los Angeles location for Wingtip, which features custom and ready-to-wear menswear and leather goods, as well as lifestyle products such as cigars and cigar accessories, rare single malt scotches, fly-fishing gear, and barware.

The retailer will also re-create its members-only social club in The Bloc’s office tower, where members and guests will have access to a private bar, event space and meeting rooms, as well as wine storage and smoking rooms, in a space with 180-degree views of the city.

“Creating a curated experience for the modern gentleman has been my passion for more than 10 years,” said Ami Arad, founder of Wingtip. “The Bloc’s vision and aesthetic made it the natural fit in the evolution of our brand, and we look forward to serving the men of Los Angeles.”

CNTRLgroup and Otto Design Group are the downtown Los Angeles–based creative agencies that designed the Apolis and Alchemy Works stores in downtown Los Angeles as well as the biannual Parachute Market design fair.

“Our vision for a new multi-brand retail concept is to present fashion as art in a non-linear environment that treats visitors to a unique experience,” said Douglas Geller, spokesperson for CNTRLgroup. “We believe that anything interesting has to stem from a place with no rules.”

Plans call for the retail gallery to showcase niche and established brands. The gallery will also host fashion and lifestyle events within its own space and around The Bloc’s “public square.”

“Each of these three retailers represents exactly the types of shopping experiences we envisioned for The Bloc,” said Wayne Ratkovich, president and chief executive officer of The Ratkovich Co. “These partners give Angelenos a taste of the modern, lifestyle-oriented brands they can look forward to at The Bloc, all presented in a fresh and relevant way. You can be sure we’ll have many more unique retail concepts to unveil as we bring our vision for The Bloc to life.”

Ratkovich and his partners purchased the enclosed mall in 2013 and are currently renovating the space to make it a LEED-certified open-air lifestyle center anchored by Macy’s and the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel. Originally built in 1973, the space also features a 750,000-square-foot office tower. Developers say the space will also be the first Delos WELL Building Project in Los Angeles. Construction is expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2015.