Posted on March - 28 - 2010
Anthropologie opens its first Memphis area store in Saddle Creek
Photo by Karen Pulfer Focht // Buy this photo
Memphians Leslie Rochkind (left) and Marcy Milman check out the merchandise at Anthropologie, which recently opened at Saddle Creek in Germantown. “We are so happy. It is just great,” Milman said.
She’s cosmopolitan. She’s savvy. She’s global.
If she’s those things, she’s likely an Anthropologie shopper, according to a store official. And, now, she can shop in Germantown.
Anthropologie, the hip, trendy women’s fashion and home decor brand from Urban Outfitters Inc., opened its doors to an invited and excited crowd Thursday night at its new Saddle Creek location. Nearly 300 packed the 7,000-square-foot sales floor with a chatty din that filled the space.
The store opened after an October announcement in the space once occupied by Yia Yia’s Euro Cafe and The Sharper Image, according to Saddle Creek management.
The new location is the second Tennessee store, the 27th in the Southeast and the 138th in the U.S.
Elizabeth Cooksey, Southeast regional manager for Anthropologie, said the company’s Nashville store in Green Hills has beaten expectations in the past three years.
“The Southeast region of the country is pretty hot,” Cooksey said. “But we don’t put stores in places simply because we deem that to be the right real estate.”
Cooksey said Anthropologie “listens to our customers’ voices” through blogs, e-mails and mailing lists. The brand has a well-known street cachet, and its fans follow it as many follow the Apple brand.
“This is a brand that fits very well at Saddle Creek,” said Kenneth Taylor, manager of the retail hub. “It fits perfectly in our merchandise mix and is a tenant we’ve been after for quite some time.”
Taylor said with Anthropologie open, Saddle Creek is now 96 percent occupied, despite a weak economy.
Cooksey said an economy that continues to stifle retail spending was not a consideration when opening new stores, like the one in Germantown.
“Some of the best decisions and some of the most entrepreneurial ideas come out of challenging economies,” Cooksey said. “That’s when you dig deep and really figure out where your priorities are.”
Anthropologie’s parent, Urban Outfitters, reported record earnings of $78 million in its fourth quarter that ended Jan. 31, a 92 percent jump over the same period last year. The company reported record sales of $1.9 billion last year.
Anthropologie stores reported $704 million in sales for 2009 and $211 million in net sales for the last quarter.
The Germantown store officially opened Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
– Toby Sells: 529-2742
Urban Outfitters Inc.
Headquarters: Philadelphia
Brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Leifsdottir and Terrain
Stock ticker: URBN
Web sites: urbanoutfitters.com, urbn.com
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