Miller Hill Mall announced Friday that it is getting one new tenant and new versions of a few current tenants this spring.
The additions will help balance what early on appeared to be a rocky start to the new year, with the Gap and Waldenbooks leaving. The Gap plans to close on Jan. 27, and Waldenbooks expects its last day to be Jan. 24. Whitehall Co. Jewelers and Mrs. Fields, a cookie chain, also recently left the mall.
The mall announced these developments:
Aerie by American Eagle, a line of intimates clothing for teens and young women, will open in the mall this spring. The store, an arm of American Eagle Outfitters, which also is located in the mall, will sell workout clothing, lotions and other items as well. The 4,000 square-foot store will open next to Hollister, in part of the current Gap space.
The Buckle is moving to a newly designed store with a more shopper-
ADVERTISEMENT
friendly feel also in part of the current Gap space, nearer the food court.
Limited Too is being converted into the company's Justice brand, offering less expensive clothing and accessories for kids between ages 7 and 14. Miller Hill's Limited Too store is one of about 560 being converted to the lower-budget Justice brand, according to a news release from the mall about the changes.
Pam's Hallmark will open Jan. 16 next to the current Hallmark store. The new store will be larger than the old one and will offer more greeting cards and gifts.
If Miller Hill is able to gain more stores than they lose this year, they'll be bucking a national trend of increasing vacancy rates at malls, according to a Wall Street Journal article, quoting Reis Inc., a New York City market-research firm.
That report said malls and shopping centers in the 76 largest U.S. markets saw their overall vacancy rates rise from 7.8 percent to 8.3 percent between the third and fourth quarters of 2008.
Miller Hill Mall, owned by Simon Property Group, Inc., has more than 100 stores.
"Our retailer mix remains strong and, as always, we strive to fill available space with interesting and compelling retail concepts," said Cindy Rodenhizer, director of mall marketing.
