Saks Fifth Avenue unveils offerings for Mall at University Town Center store
UNIVERSITY PARK -- When Saks Fifth Avenue opens its 80,000-square-foot, multi-level store this month, it will come with a breadth of offerings.
Saks is set to open Oct. 16 at the Mall at University Town Center, moving from the Westfield Southgate Mall with a retro-modern store prototype. Saks will close its Southgate store at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
The store will offer Saks' full line with a men's shop -- something the Southgate location lacked.
The Saks men's store includes everything from formal wear to denim, including shoes, watches, jewelry and other extras from designers Isaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Ermenegildo Zegna, Giorgio Armani, Etro, Sand, Vince and Burberry Brit.
"It is with great pleasure that I announce the new Saks Fifth Avenue store location in the Mall at University Town Center in Sarasota," said Marigay McKee, President of Saks Fifth Avenue in a news release. "The new location only signifies another milestone for Saks Fifth Avenue, and we are excited to offer the Sarasota customer our wonderful and unparalleled selection of designer fashion and merchandise."
The latest offering for Saks will be a new shoe shop called 10022-SHOE, a shoe department big enough for its own ZIP code. The shoe shop features new vendors including Giuseppe Zanotti, Saint Laurent Paris, Sergio Rossi, Alexandria Birman, Christian Dior, Brian Atwood, Tabitha Simmons and Salvatore Ferragamo.
The new Saks will also have in-store beauty shops from Chanel, Tom Ford, Dior and Jo Malone.
Other designers offered on the racks will be Alexander McQueen, Brunello Cucinelli, Cartier, Chloé, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, Donna Karan New York, Emilio Pucci, Hermès Watches, Pomellato, Saint Laurent, H. Stern, and Valentino as well as the exclusive brands by Kilian, Cle de Peau, Dip
tyque, Chantecaille, and Valmont.
A VIP section is also getting an upgrade. The expanded Fifth Avenue Club for men and women offers personalized style consultations, exclusive fashion shows, trunk shows and personal appearances by designers.
Sophie's, located on the second floor of new store, will offer both indoor and alfresco dining. This is only the second Sophie's for Saks in the world, the Herald previously reported. The first opened in Chicago earlier this year. The 2,600-square-foot space includes an indoor 60-seat dining room and bar plus a 60-seat outdoor terrace for dining along with a second bar. The restaurant's name salutes American designer Sophie Gimbel, who married Saks co-founder Adam Gimbel and was responsible for some of Saks' iconic offerings in a post-World War II era.
Sophie's will serve entrees focusing on local, seasonal ingredients at lunch and dinner during store hours.
"I am very excited about the new space, the new designers, the new mens area, 10022-SHOE, Sophie's and more," said Joel Ellzey, general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Sarasota in a news release. "Saks Fifth Avenue really is the new star of the Sun Coast, and the store will help position the entire Sarasota community as a fashion leader in Florida."
Saks will also have special shopping bags for October, breast cancer awareness month. The black-and-white bags will be tied with pink grosgrain ribbon to honor Key To The Cure, Saks Fifth Avenue's charity shopping weekend to fight women's cancers, one of the first events at the new store. A private Key To The Cure cocktail party will be held on Oct. 14 from 5:30 to 9. Tickets cost $100 per person and are still available for purchase at SMHF.org (click on News and Events) or by calling 941-917-1286.
This story was originally published October 4, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Saks Fifth Avenue unveils offerings for Mall at University Town Center store ."