Self-described shopoholic Ashley Miller has had Nov. 1 circled on her calendar for weeks.
That's
when the Lehigh Valley's first outlet center — The Shoppes at the Sands
— will open nine of its 31 stores. And where Miller, who is
budget-conscious but recession-weary, expects to get a jump on her
holiday shopping.
"I shop in a lot of different places, like the
Lehigh Valley Mall, but in this economy, you want the best deal for your
money," said Miller, 26, of Bethlehem.
With Talbots, Ultra Diamonds, Nine West, DKNY,
Guess, Spritz Designer Fragrances, Lenox, Old Farmers Almanac General
Store and Hartmann Luggage opening Tuesday, Sands will hold off its
grand opening until Coach and Corning arrive in February.
Before
the recession hit at the end of 2007, research indicated a market for
outlets in the Lehigh Valley, Sands Bethlehem President Robert DeSalvio
said. Even now, as some shopping centers struggle to fill vacant
storefronts, all 100 shops at The Crossings outlet complex in
Tannersville are leased.
"If you look at the segment that's really
growing, it's the outlets and online," DeSalvio said. "Those are the
two growth segments, and retailers have really changed the way they view
and market outlets."
Outlets comprise a small percentage of
retail space, but indicators show their sales growing at a much faster
pace than discount stores.
The holiday shopping forecast, for
example, has the number of people planning to shop at outlets increasing
from 16 to 17 percent while shopping at discount stores is expected to
fall from 54 percent to 51 percent, despite people expecting to spend
the same amount of money this year, according to the NPD Group Inc., a
market and research company. Other indicators show an even more robust
growth for outlets.
Apparel sales from factory outlets rose 18
percent from April 2010 to April 2011, while online sales increased by
12 percent, according to the NPD Group. In contrast, sales at department
stores and national chains rose less than 3 percent.
Consumers value the brand names sold at outlets, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD.
"They want products that are tried and trusted and they don't mind spending money on them," he said.
FOR A VIDEO OF THE NEW CENTER FOLLOW THIS LINK
For leasing information on The Shoppes at Sands please contact:
Jeffrey T. Was
President
862-203-4352
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