When it comes to retail, the new normal looks bright in Southlake thanks to a continually relevant mix of shopping, dining and entertainment. As we hit the peak shopping month of the year, it’s easy to see that this has been an impressive year for Southlake’s original shopping district.
The future of retail always seems to find Southlake. When the Apple store opened in town square in 2006, it became the focal point of the next generation of high-end retail. A decade later, next-gen companies like Tesla, Warby Parker and Peloton all opened physical locations for what were primarily digital-first companies. The new hybrid locations were places to showcase products and assist customers with online purchases. How else could a car dealership thrive in a space originally designed for clothing retail?
Today, successful retailers and Southlake-area consumers alike understand the shopping experience is no longer just about convenience.
“Over time, the internet became all the convenience the customer needs,” Cooper and Company president Frank Bliss says. “What the customer now demands is the experience. As a result, we’re seeing a massive shift from convenience-focused stores towards more strategically-focused experiential stores.”
As retailers continue to reimagine their overall experience and offerings, they prove the “clicks-and-mortar” model is more than just a catchphrase — it is the way of retail in 2022. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, nine of the Top 10 e-commerce websites are run by retailers that also operate physical stores. According to Bliss, the integration of online and physical stores gives consumers the flexibility they are looking for.
To this day, when ultra-successful retailers are looking for the right place to serve their customers, they often find a home in the heart of a small city. The original vision behind the development of Southlake Town Square is alive and well.
“While our core customer is willing to drive from as far as two hours away, we routinely poll Southlake regarding what they’d like to see in town square. The vision remains to be a small-town downtown that is a gathering place for the community,” says Jason Kasal, vice president and senior leasing director of Kite Realty Group. “Over the last 12 months, Southlake Town Square has taken the most significant leap forward in attracting more premier retail brands than the project has experienced in its 20-plus-year history.”
Consumer sentiment may have hit a record low in June, however, the mood in Southlake continues to pace the national market and see new store openings. Many of the most relevant retailers have prepared themselves for the new normal where physical proximity is crucial not just for local fulfillment, but also in building awareness and demand from sought-after consumers.
Southlake nightlife has also gotten an upgrade, from several new restaurants spearheaded by Moxies and the newly-renovated Copeland’s inside the Hilton. Moviegoers are also enjoying an updated experience from the new EVO Entertainment, which opened in March.
Whether they’re names you’ve known for years or ones your kids just have to have, Southlake Town Square continues to evolve for the next generation of Southlake shoppers. Here’s a rundown of the best and brightest retail shops now open for the holidays in the heart of our city.
Nike swooshed into its Grand Avenue location between Bath and Body Works and Victoria’s Secret just in time for the holiday season. With brand representatives known the world over like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Rafael Nadal and Cristiano Ronaldo, Nike has built their brand and reputation on delivering innovative products, experiences and services to inspire world-class athletes and casual enthusiasts alike. The Southlake location with its clean minimalist aesthetic fits right into the company’s newer smaller footprints as it offers the latest merchandise as a digitally-enabled brick-and-mortar brand experience for area shoppers.
Located between the Boardroom Salon and Mi Cocina, The Vault DTX is a vintage shoe store that buys, sells and trades rare and exclusive shoes. The store itself feels like stepping through a time machine, with retro T-shirts, sports posters and a VHS player taking you back to the ’90s. But don’t be mistaken — the stars of The Vault DTX are the shoes. With notable brands such as Air Jordan, New Balance and Yeezy, The Vault DTX’s walls are lined with dozens of polished pairs of shoes, with some as high as $4,000 in value.
The fashion movement of athleisure has officially taken over the world, or at least the former space held by the one-time world’s most famous clothier in Brooks Brothers. Those looking for their signature yogawear will find they have twice the space in which to shop. Lululemon will need every bit of its new 7,000-square-foot flagship location to house an expanded line of men’s and women’s gear that include shoes, hiking and cool weather apparel and accessories.
Founded in Italy in the early 1980s, Brandy Melville opened their first U.S. store in Los Angeles in 2009 and more recently found their way to Southlake mid-year. Economically and environmentally efficient thanks to its “one size” policy, Brandy Melville is widely popular with young women for their beachy crop tops, high-waisted bottoms and oversized sweaters.
Aerie, which is a shorter and more stylized version of American Eagle lingerie, is another lifestyle retailer popular with young women that recently made its way to Southlake. Aerie, which opened in the former Gap location near Starbucks, sets itself apart from its parent brand thanks to a unique take on athleisure including this season’s velour leisure set, high-waisted leggings, tops and undergarments at the crossroads of comfort and style.
Step one: keep Austin weird. Step two: open flagship location. Step three: open a store in Southlake. Like Tylers, Torchy’s and others, Yeti is the latest Austin-based company to bring its wares to Southlake. The company best known as the gold standard for camping coolers and rugged tumblers has elbowed out room between Travis Mathew and Peloton. Just the second DFW location for the premium outdoor brand expects to lure in shoppers with its ability to customize your favorite YETI products.