New Saks Fifth Avenue Store Opens At Tanger Outlets

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa.,None — A new Saks Fifth Avenue store opened its doors at the Tanger Outlet Center in Washington County Thursday.

Off 5th is split into three main areas, spreads out over more than 25,500 square feet and will act as an anchor store at Tanger, which opened in August 2008 and mostly is filled with brand stores such as Nike, Timberland and Van Heusen.

Off 5th is in growth mode at New York-based Saks, which like several other retailers has expanded its outlet concepts as the recession pressed shoppers to hunt for bargains.

The South Strabane location will be the 11th in the chain of 56 stores to feature the new Off 5th "luxury in a loft" concept -- with brighter lighting, open floor plans and more fine jewelry, shoes, handbags and sportswear. A Philadelphia-area Off 5th is the only other store in Pennsylvania.

The Tanger center's Off 5th bears little resemblance to a Saks outlet that closed in early 2005 at the Prime Outlets at Grove City, said Robert Wallstrom, president of the Off 5th division.

"The Pittsburgh customer appreciates quality and fashion, so that's a good fit for us," Wallstrom said. Saks' Downtown location "is an important store for us," he said, adding he knows of no plans for its status to change in light of recent Saks' announcements of department store closings in Portland, Ore., San Diego and Charleston, S.C.

Merchandise in an Off 5th store is a mix of top brand styles that are specially stocked for the outlets -- Juicy Couture purses, 7 for All Mankind jeans and Konstantino jewelry -- plus Saks' private labels. Less than 20 percent is end-of-season clearance items from Saks stores.

"The merchandise, when it comes in, is 30 to 60 percent off, and there are other offers on top of that," he said.

The Off 5th opening raises the Tanger center's occupancy rate from 87 percent to 94 percent. The center has just over 75 stores.

To read more about the store opening visit pittsburghlive.com.

WPXI