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| Photo / Jeremy C. Ruark |
SEASIDE – Operators of the Seaside Factory Outlet center are stepping up the south city mall’s efforts to reach new customers and retain existing shoppers.
Located just northeast of downtown Seaside along U.S. highway 101, the Outlet Center now sports a brand new digital sign and water fountain at its front entrance.
“We are trying to figure out ways to help generate sales at our Outlet stores,” Brett Howard, with Northwest Capital Investment, LLC. the owner of the Seaside Factory Outlet Center said. “We are trying to do our part to get the sales up. This new sign will help generate activity.”
The new sign is designed to list store sales and hours and Outlet events to attract drivers along busy Highway 101.
The $115,000 digital advertising sign is part of an aggressive approach the California-based company is taking to market the Outlet Center.
Howard is also looking at attracting new tenants. Northwest Capital Investments hired an East Coast leasing firm, WAS Group, to help achieve that goal.
“The Seaside Factory Outlet Center should have another food vendor that specializes in sandwiches, hot dogs, and pizzas to help feed families and to keep them at the mall while they shop so they don’t have to leave to go eat,” Howard said. “I’d also like to see a sporting goods store as well as a toy store locate here.”
The Factory Outlet, built in 1997, houses 28 stores. Currently, the 453,459-square-foot center holds 25 tenants.
Since 2009, the recession and brand-name store downsizing lead to
KB Toys, Big Dog Clothing Store, women’s clothing store Liz Claiborne, and Medford-based gourmet gift store Harry and David to leave the Outlet Center.
Howard acknowledges the recession has impacted retail sales, but he remains encouraged by customer counts, saying the Factory Outlets are stronger than a regular mall.
“When people have less income they tend to shop at the outlet malls," he said. "They are looking for discounts and feel like they are getting a better deal at the Outlet Centers.”
Howard believes Seaside Factory Outlet Center’s location, centered in a high tourist area and a good distance away from other such competition, has an advantage in attracting across the board demographics.
“We aren’t just targeting one or two demographics,” Kendra Bradham, Seaside Factory Outlet Center’s assistant manager said. “We are targeting across the board to try to reach everyone.”
The Outlet Center is also partnering with various Seaside groups and non-profits in its marketing outreach.
“We are going to be a sponsor with the Seaside Chamber of Commerce for the annual summer soccer tournament,” Bradham said. “We will also have a presence on the beach during the Seaside Beach Volleyball and the annual Hood-to-Coast Relay Race.”
The Outlet center has added a presence at local hotels and motels by providing visitors with coupons to encourage them to shop at the Center while in Seaside.
“We are also quite involved with social media and combining that outreach with our radio and print advertising,” Bradham said.
Part of that marketing strategy includes a fashion show scheduled for the Outlet Center March 24 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Jones of New York, Van Heusen, Bass, Dress Barn, Eddie Bauer and Pendleton.
The Center has partnered with the Women’s Resource center to help collect good used clothing for the needy during the fashion show.
The companies contracted to place the new sign and water fountain include ES & A Sign and Awning Company of Portland, Johnson and Sons Electric of Seaside, Keith Keranen Excavating of Seaside and Dennis Seven Dees of Seaside.
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