Zara Opens At Cherry Hill Mall Thursday

CHERRY HILL, NJ — International fast-fashion retailer, Zara is set to open at the Cherry Hill Mall on Thursday. It is Zara’s first location to open in suburban Philadelphia. Zara will occupy about 26,000 square feet of space between Macy’s and Nordstrom. Zara offers apparel and accessories for men, women and children.

The mall’s owner, PREIT, built a 5,000 foot expansion to accommodate the new store, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. Additionally, five stores — including Banana Republic, Hollister, Aveda, Clarks and Call It Spring — had to relocate. They have reopened in new prototype store designs. As a result, PREIT says it has created an opportunity for shoppers to ultimately discover six new retail experiences following the addition of Zara.

PREIT also announced a lease with Italian lingerie retailer, Intimissimi to make the Cherry Hill Mall among its first U.S. homes. Intimissimi will open in the space currently occupied by LUSH, which is relocating and expanding into a new prototype concept for the 2017 holiday season.

The Cherry Hill Mall will host two pop-up shops this holiday season. Balsam, the world's leading online retailer of artificial Christmas trees and related holiday décor products, opened its first pop-up shop in New Jersey. Joining Balsam is global fair trade retailer, Ten Thousand Villages, which offers crafts and housewares from around the world.

The addition of these pop-up shops validates the importance of having a physical presence in retail, particularly during the high-traffic holiday season, PREIT said. In fact, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers' Holiday Shopping Intentions Survey, 96 percent of shoppers plan to make a purchase from a retailer who has both a physical and an online presence, with 91 percent of shoppers buying at physical locations.

"As shopping patterns continue to evolve, PREIT will provide a compelling and innovative experience at our properties with the addition of top tier, new-to-market concepts," PREIT CEO Joseph F. Coradino said. "Attracting leading international retailers, Zara and Intimissimi, coupled with unique offerings found at our new pop-ups as well as new store designs for existing tenants are evidence of PREIT's commitment to diversifying and improving its tenant mix."

Patch file photo