Arhaus, Peter Elliot Blue to open stores inside Mall at University Town Center

UNIVERSITY PARK -- Artisan furniture company Arhaus and New York men's shop Peter Elliot Blue will both open stores inside the Mall at University Town Center as will jewelry store Claire's.

The 28-year-old Arhaus filed its building application Friday for a 12,000-square-foot space on the first floor near Macy's. The mall is expected to open Oct. 16 off Cattlemen Road at University Parkway.

Arhaus is known to use natural materials like cherry and elm trees, natural stone, 100 percent organic cotton fabrics and forged iron.

Arhaus, based in Boston Heights, Ohio, has more than 50 locations in the United States, including stores in Naples and Palm Beach Gardens in Florida. A Jacksonville store is expected to open in October as well at the St. Johns Town Center, according to the company's website.

Arhaus will join other stores carrying furniture in the mall including Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn and Z Gallerie.

Peter Elliot Blue is a high-fashion men's store known

for its full line of clothes and blazers. It also carries clothes for boys. The company's men's store started in May 1977 by Eliot Rabin of Charleston, S.C., in Manhattan's Upper East Side and now is on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 72nd Street, according to its website. Rabin worked for Oscar de la Renta and Givenchy before starting his own stores, according to his website.

The store is advertising for a sales manager and a sales associate for a new store inside the Mall at UTC.

This will be Peter Elliot's first store location outside of New York City. The retailer also boasts a women's shop, a concept store and a shoe shop.

Claire's has also committed to a 1,500-square-foot store on the mall's second level near Dillard's, according to its building application. Claire's previously committed to bringing its sister store, Icing, to the mall as well. Both stores offer discount jewelry and accessories to teens and young women.

The 880,000-square-foot, two-level mall will feature Apple, Macy's, Dillard's, Saks Fifth Avenue and 100 other stores and restaurants.

Charles Schelle, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095. Follow him on Twitter @ImYourChuck.

This story was originally published August 16, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Arhaus, Peter Elliot Blue to open stores inside Mall at University Town Center ."