News

More retailers to open shop at Northshore Mall

By Stacie N. Galang
Staff writer
Published: May 6, 2008

PEABODY — Northshore Mall is playing its version of musical chairs, shuffling storefronts, adding big-name retailers and renovating old digs.

Trendy clothing retailers H&M, Forever 21 and Hollister have signed on with the Northshore Mall and are expected to open by this fall, parent company Simon Property Group said in a press release last week.

The mall also announced beauty chain Sephora, international fashion house Zara and tea guru Teavana as three of the 24 retailers expected in the mall's new 165,000-square-foot wing.

It's all part of the mall's three-phase renovation plan, which culminates with the opening of upscale department chain Nordstrom in April 2009.

With all the changes, shoppers may not recognize the Northshore Mall.

Existing tenant Eastern Mountain Sports has moved to a larger storefront. H&M is hoping for an August opening in the former Limited and Sam Goody spots. Hollister will settle in where the Baby Gap and Gap Kids once stood, and the child Gap retailers are moving to larger digs across the mall.

The Los Angeles-based Forever 21 will open as a two-level storefront at the Northshore Mall.

Footwear chain Skechers also opened a store in the Peabody mall late last month, and a freshly remodeled Brookstone will reopen this week.

All this comes on the heels of an updated Food Court, which boasts better lighting because of what is called a "wave roof," which basically lifted up a portion of the ceiling and added glass panels to let in the light. The Food Court will open restaurants Chipotle Mexican Grill on May 20 and a Shrimp Market this spring, the company said.

The mall is also anticipating the area's first P.F. Chang's China Bistro late this summer. Restaurants Legal Sea Foods, Joe's American Bar and Grill, and Bertucci's will be undergoing their own makeovers, the release said.