J.Crew is leaving Las Vegas! At the end of this month, J.Crew is closing their last retail store in the city, located at Town Square. The official last day is set for January 21, 2013. In order to move out merchandise, they are offering an additional 50% off their Sale items.
It is unclear why J.Crew is leaving the area. MegCrew (in this post) mentioned the following: "...I can't believe they are closing down the one and only Retail Las Vegas store left! What does Jcrew have against Las Vegas? We went from 2 retail, 2 outlets and 1 Madewell to....1 outlet store?! I don't understand how all the other stores in Vegas make it but Jcrew can't..."
I cannot understand why J.Crew is leaving as well. Years ago, I remember visiting the J.Crew at the Fashion Show Mall in Vegas, and was surprised to see it was gone the last time I went. Las Vegas gets a lot of tourists (not just from the states, but all over the world). So it seems like it would be a good idea to have at least one store present in the area.
At least there is still a Factory Store in the area. But it is not the same...
What are your thoughts on this latest store closing from J.Crew? Are you surprise that J.Crew has no regular retail stores in the Las Vegas area?
As much as it seems weird that they would close the only remaining store in Las Vegas, a very populated and touristy area? I know they have people smarter than me working for them who have a very good reason for it (namely not making the revenue they wanted).
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if they also found that the statistics in terms of LV customers purchasing online vs. in stores were favorable towards closing their B&M.
All speculation on my end of course but I just don't think companies do this on a whim. It's very costly to close a store.
The location of the store is far from the main strip, so am not surprised. Too bad they didn't keep the location in the Fashion Show Mall.
ReplyDeleteThe JC in Fashion Show Mall had a really bad location in the mall. I found it difficult to find. I visited a couple times and the employees couldn't be bothered to greet anyone or provide service. They talked amongst themselves and with customers that were obviously locals. Too bad because I think they would've gotten a lot of business from domestic & international travelers.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Las Vegas JCAs!
I'm sure JC will pop up elsewhere on the Strip, at a much better location for all the tourists who didn't rent a car and therefore wouldn't go to Town Square. There's plenty of available retail space still, and I imagine a better location would be in the Forum Shops at Caesars (where there's an Anthropologie and the huge H&M - similar JC shoppers) or the Miracle Mile shops. I like Fashion Show but god it's far to walk if you're staying closer to Mandalay Bay! So JC has been way far up the Strip and all the way down - I'm sure they're now looking for something in the middle.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I also have a sneaking suspicion they are revising themselves to be "boutique" store, hence will open a small boutique store that is "collection" and super super expensive.
DeleteI saw on the sales page the bow tie pants, which are marked down, but they require you to call CS to see about pricing and ordering. "Hot" designers with exclusive collections will restrict their e-commerce sales doing just this.
I don't see J. Crew being able to afford the rent in the middle of the strip. Not unless, like Pathos says, they go really high-end collection. They would have to sell a hell-of-a-lot of pencil skirts!
DeleteMy local store in Orland Park, IL is also closing on January 21st. I'm so disappointed and sad. Great staff at this store; it's terrible that they're going to be out of work.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I was in Vegas the store in the Fashion Show mall was great. The staff was very attentive and helpful and I walked out with bags filled. Few years later I had to ride the bus out to Town Square. Nice enough store, but far too small.
ReplyDeleteThe outlets are hit and miss for me. Much prefer the regular store. Considering there are about five or six BR store you think there could be one for J.Crew.
Quite a few of JC's mall locations are puzzling, it's like they want to be a little hidden source. It's a lot easier to roam around in an empty store, but it doesn't bode well....
ReplyDeleteI used to look forward to visiting the Fashion Show Mall location when I was in town. I was surprised when that store closed. I'm amazed that they're closing the remaining location unless, like eeps suggested, they're planning to open another store on the strip.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen what the tourists on the Strip wear?
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing Forever 21 and Ver-sace have the highest sales per square foot in the city.
Thank you for the "Ver-sace", I always enjoy a good Showgirls reference ;)
DeleteHa! I love your point Raina! I dont imagine a lot classily prepped out Las Vegas tourists are out on the strip looking for a good Perfect Shirt or knee length pencil skirt.
DeleteI live in Vegas and I too miss the Fashion Show location. I wouldn't go to a J.Crew in the middle of the strip as a local. I haven't been on the strip for 6 years. I loved it as a tourist; hate it as a local. Of course, I couldn't afford a high-end Collection store anyway so it really wouldn't matter. Honestly, people in Vegas are really into labels and I just don't think they are interested in a paying 1800 bucks for something from J. Crew when they can get it from an actual designer and not a mall brand.
ReplyDeleteWe do have the Summerlin mall project starting up again...hoping J. Crew opens up a location there.
DeleteJ. Crew was the only reason why I would brave the heat at Town Square in the summer. Sad to see it go.
I feel like the LV store has suffered from the same problems as J Crew has in general; that the quality hasn't been there for the price and some of the clothes have been uninspiring. We never got the nice stuff here, always capri pants in 100 colors and t-shirts. I was surprised when I was there yesterday that only the sale stuff was marked down, but everything else was full-fare. I get a sense they never knew how to stock the store. Their locations have both been odd, at the end of a corridor at FS and then as probably the highest price point at TS.
ReplyDeleteI was there yesterday and thought the same thing. You would think offering some percentage off full price items would help them clear out more merchandise so they would not have to pay so much for shipping everything back. I was disappointed. Only left with this top for myself: http://thepetitefittingroom.blogspot.com/2013/01/j-crew-perfect-shirt-in-black-watch.html
DeleteAs a fairly regular visitor to Vegas, I prefer to outlet shop when I'm there. I can shop at regular stores at home. I have family in the area and they steer very clear of the Strip and the surrounding area, which includes Town Square. I've only ever been once when it opened and wasn't impressed. I think it's a little too far from the Strip for tourists and a little too close to the Strip for locals. And as many others have said, J Crew style isn't really congruent with Vegas fashion.
ReplyDelete