Welcome to Racked Philly, where we'll report on retail and fashion comings and goings around town. Seen a store open, close, or otherwise claim your attention? Hit the tipline, and we'll get right on it. The below post was contributed by Julie Davis.
1) A Change is in Store for Omoi. The Pine Street boutique, which specializes in Japanese and international sundries, is planning on closing briefly this summer for renovations. Store owner Liz Sieber tells Racked Philly that when Omoi debuts its new look in August, customers can expect a sleeker, updated version of the zakka shop. Think: a fresh coat of interior paint, a relocated fitting room, upgraded displays and fixtures, plus a new awning and signage to make Omoi stand out from the rest of the block.
Indoors, Omoi will feature a wider line of accessories with capsule collection apparel for both men and women, while expanding its vast selection of Japanese boutique stationery and housewares. To make room for new inventory, Omoi will host its fifth annual backyard tent sale during the last weekend in June (Friday, June 22 to Sunday, June 24). Items will be 40 percent to 70 percent off; select t-shirts will be marked down to as low as $5. Stay tuned to Omoi's blog for updates.
2) Nordstrom Rack Opens Today in Willow Grove Park Mall. Willow Grove Park's new Nordstrom Rack officially opened its doors to the public at 9 a.m. this morning. The third Nordstrom Rack to settle in the Philadelphia metro area after locations in Cherry Hill and King of Prussia, the outlet department store encompasses 41,000 square feet of retail space adjacent to the Cheesecake Factory, on the mall's third level. This fall, JC Penney will also open at Willow Grove Park, joining anchors Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, and Sears with a 114,000-square-foot store on the mall's first and second levels.
3) Not to Be Outdone, the King of Prussia Mall Welcomes Longchamp. The King of Prussia Mall maintains its reign as the largest shopping mall on the East Coast with the addition of French label Longchamp. Known for its luxury leather goods, Longchamp owns 236 boutiques worldwide; the 12,000-square-foot K.O.P. location opened today and marks our region's first Longchamp store. The new store is part of Longchamp's plan to ramp up its presence in the U.S., where the label reported revenue growth in 2011. Longchamp CEO Jean Cassegrain tells WWD that “the U.S. has now become [Longchamp's] second-biggest market after France." You'll find the store on the second floor of the Plaza, next to Neiman Marcus.