Novelty and Brands Drive Sales at the Grove

Shiny newness is keeping the Grove shopping center in Los Angeles—home to Nordstrom, Gap, Banana Republic and a 14-screen cineplex—bustling with shoppers. The $160 million development bowed in March, and new stores have continued to open, creating more reasons for shoppers to return.

“It’s been wonderful—we’re really happy with the results,” said Jennifer Gordon, the Grove’s director of marketing and tourism. “Movies are another major driving factor that have kept the weekends busy.”

Recent store openings include contemporary boutique Arden B., Gymboree’s toddler store Janie and Jack and Crate & Barrel. Crate & Barrel’s two-story, 33,000- square-foot unit features both home accents and furnishings, serving as the company’s flagship in Los Angeles. In December, San Francisco-based Max Nugus Couture will debut a 1,000-square-foot boutique featuring Nugus’ handcrafted suits, dresses and gowns.

And the novelty continues. Beginning Nov. 27, it will snow nightly at the Grove as Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” or Harry Connick Jr.’s version of “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” accompanies the fountain show.

The Grove’s location adjacent to Farmers Market and CBS Studios has drawn an arty, edgy entertainment crowd looking for strong clothing brands, Gordon said.

At Nordstrom, both male and female shoppers are picking up Seven and Diesel jeans and Burberry accessories such as scarves, handbags, shoes and luggage, according to spokesperson Kylie Allensworth.

“We’ve found the customer to be very fashion-forward at this location,” Allensworth said. “As soon as something comes out in a fashion magazine, we have customer requests for it.”

The Lucky Brand Dungarees 2,400- square-foot store is among the top 10 performing units in the Los Angeles-based chain of 69 stores, according to executive vice president Trent Merrill.

“We’re happy with our performance here,” said Merrill, adding that the company’s overall same-store sales were up 8 percent in October compared to last year. “It’s a difficult retail environment, but there’s always room for improvement. We won’t accept the economy as an excuse for us not performing well.”

Cooler weather has brought shoppers in for outerwear, such as women’s denim jackets with fur lining and V-neck and crewneck sweaters for both men and women. Also, knit scarves are “blowing out” of the store in both solid and print varieties, Merrill said.

What is not checking? The mid-rise jean has lost momentum, according to Merrill.

“They’re not moving,” he said. “The midrise is now the high-rise. What’s interesting is that what used to be our lowest rise is now our mid-rise.”

At the Hawk Skate store—the brand’s only California location—Hawk boys’ denim jeans and T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts in darker colors are checking strong, said store manager Jerod Day.

“Boys like to keep it simple,” Day said. “They don’t get into tech-driven clothes, which are more expensive and they’re relying on moms to pay for them.”

For men, hooded sweatshirts by Hawk and T-shirts by Flip and Baker are popular buys. Volcom and Circa are driving the more fashion-oriented items such as shortsleeve woven tops in Western patterns.

Uniqueness is the key to sales success at M. Frederic, said Fred Levine, owner of the 19-store chain based in Agoura Hills, Calif.

“Most of the stores [at the Grove] are showcases for major chains, and we stand out as a specialty store,” Levine said.

Riley and Hard Tail activewear, including yoga pants, are driving sales. Apple Green’s tie-dyed sweat suits are another standout, he said.

“The line has a great eye for color, which is popular with our shoppers,” Levine added.

Tank tops by Project E and the reversible designs of One Life To Live are other key vendors for the store.

The Grove marks the first central Los Angeles location for M. Frederic, so Levine said he’s stepping up his marketing strategy to include cross-promotions with the theaters.

“We’re trying to develop a local following and build credibility with the customers here,” he said. “People know us on the Westside and in the Valley, but we’re still new to this area.”