DOWNTOWN — As summer nears, Santa Monica Place emerged from its two-year renovation to announce the addition of 14 new retailers to its already robust line-up of shopping and dining attractions.
In addition to brands like Burberry, Hugo Boss, and Swarovski, the property revealed on Thursday that Betsey Johnson, Barneys Co-Op, L’Occitane, and White House | Black Market will also be among the new additions to its roster.
Other names include Johnny Was, which offers urban bohemian style clothing; Pandora, a jewelry shop featuring handcrafted Danish designs; Bird Pick Tea and Herb, the L.A. Chinatown-based retailer of teas, Asian imports, and fine wines; Chilli Beans, a Brazilian sunglasses company; Tous, a popular international jewelry brand; Foreign Exchange, a California clothing concept for men and women; Kensington Luggage, a local luggage purveyor; Sea of Silver, a local jewelry concept; and GNC, a popular stop for nutritional supplements.
Since the old mall closed in March 2008, the property which lies just a block south of the Third Street Promenade has undergone a complete stylistic and conceptual transformatiion. Slated to open on August 6, 2010, the new three-level open-air shopping and dining destination will focus on creating an urban beach experience, reflecting the Santa Monica lifestyle.
“As we get closer to opening and, now, at the peak of construction activity, it’s exciting to see these strong retail names become part of Santa Monica Place,” said Anne Singleton, vice president of leasing for Macerich, the parent company of Santa Monica Place. “With each announcement of new retailers, more and more we are delivering on the balanced retail mix that is right for Santa Monica.”
In keeping with Santa Monica’s commitment to environmental responsibility, the new mall will focus on sustainability by adding a solar power and utilizing new technologies and water-efficient landscaping to reduce water usage. Unlike the previous indoor mall, the new incarnation of Santa Monica Place will take advantage of its outdoor design to utilize more natural light and air-flow ventilation.
The property’s August grand opening comes with the unveiling of a rooftop dining deck which will offer ocean and city views in conjunction with casual and chef-driven dining concepts. Last month, the property announced the addition of The Market, a boutique-sized complement to the local Farmer’s Market, which will feature independent vendors of gourmet chocolates, fresh-roasted coffee beans, wines, and other offerings.
