Fueled by the shopping habits of international tourists, a second Ross Dress for Less location is set to open in an International Drive shopping center that is already home to a highly successful Ross store.
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Dublin, CA-based Ross Stores Inc. will open its second Ross Dress for Less location in the International Drive Value Center, according to GrowthSpotter. The retail strip already features a Ross store as well as dd’s DISCOUNTS, another popular off-price chain owned and operated by Ross Stores.
The decision for a retailer to double down in a single shopping center is rare, but the location’s sky-high sales figures justify the move.
The existing Ross location at the plaza stands among the absolute best-performing stores in the nation, fueled heavily by international tourists visiting Orlando, according to Jorge Rodriguez, executive managing director of retail services at Colliers, the shopping plaza’s leasing agent.
“They crush it,” he said.
“The store does so well because of the foreign nationals that shop there,” said Alex Evans, Colliers’ senior managing director. “They come in by the busload, buy luggage on site, fill the luggage with stuff from Ross and send it back to their country.”
Rodriguez said three nearby discount stores should offer a unique draw for shoppers interested in finding deals.
“It’s sort of like a treasure hunt. People enjoy that,” Evans said.
Together, the three stores operating under the Ross Stores Inc. umbrella will encompass a massive combined footprint of over 81,000 square feet within the retail center. The current, long-standing Ross Dress for Less occupies 28,220 square feet in unit 145, while the forthcoming second Ross location will add another 28,054 square feet in unit 130. Supplementing the two flagship brand spaces is dd’s DISCOUNTS, which takes up 24,913 square feet in unit 100.
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Another major upcoming tenant arrival is coming to the plaza, too. Luxury home furnishings brand Restoration Hardware is set to open an RH Outlet in the former U.S. Foods supermarket, taking over 27,854 square feet directly adjacent to Ulta Beauty.
The retailer operates outlets in Vero Beach, Jacksonville and Clearwater, but this will be its first in Central Florida, where it will sell new and returned items at heavy discounts.
“What’s really cool is that the merchandise changes daily,” Rodriguez said. “They have lighting, they have carpets, outdoor furniture, bedding … So I’m really excited about that.”
With these anchor additions underway, leasing agents anticipate that the center’s remaining vacancy will quickly attract new retail interest.
Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at [email protected] or (407) 420-5246. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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