The outdoor retailer REI and the off-price clothing retailer Burlington Stores will both open new stores in the Village at Waterside in East Brainerd on May 11.
REI is entering the Chattanooga market with its 25,000-square-foot outlet, while Burlington is adding a second store in Chattanooga with its new 40,000-square-foot store at 2521 Lifestyle Way. The retailers are among 162,000 square feet of commercial development taking shape in the retail center north of Shallowford Road along Interstate-75 just north of Hamilton Place mall. A 45,000-square-foot Publix opened at Waterside last month.
"This is a great location just off I-75 and there are a lot of retailers who have wanted to get into that market (around Hamilton Place) for some time, and this is the first new construction in the market in some time," said Brett Horowitz of developer Branch Properties of Atlanta. "We have a great tenant lineup with Publix, REI, Burlington and others we hope to soon announce that will attract a lot of shoppers to this area."
Waterside is projected to eventually include 162,000 square feet of new commercial space in the complex originally developed by the DeFoor Brothers prior to the Great Recession more than a decade ago.
REI , which operates 147 stores in 36 states, has operated stores elsewhere in Tennesseee since 1999 and currently has stores in Brentwood and Knoxville. REI is entering the Chattanooga market for the first time with its Waterside location, which is scheduled to open May 11 and have a grand opening a week later, Horowitz said.
"Chattanooga and the surrounding region is a special place for people who love the outdoors," Gail Kirkland, REI's retail director for the South district, said when the store was announced last year. "We've watched as Chattanooga has become a hub for outdoor recreation because of its central location to so many trails, parks, forests and waterways. We can't wait to join the community, hire a team of local outdoor experts and support local nonprofits who create access to and steward the outdoors."
The single-story, 25,000 square foot REI store will carry a variety of gear and apparel for the most popular outdoor activities in the area, including hiking, trail running, rock climbing and cycling. REI Outdoor School will offer a robust in-store schedule of educational programs about hiking, climbing, biking, backpacking, paddling and more. In addition the store will host presentations by well-known authors and athletes.
Burlington, which already operates a local outlet at Northgate Mall, announced Thursday that it will have a ribbon cutting and open for the first time at 9:30 a.m. Friday, May 11. On Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., customers are invited to a day of family fun where the first 500 customers will receive a free Burlington tote, and there will be opportunities for gift card giveaways, kids' activities and popcorn.
Burlington features ladies' apparel, accessories, men's wear, family footwear, children's clothing, a broad assortment of furniture and accessories for babies, home decor and gifts, and a large selection of coats at up to 65 percent off retailer prices.
The new Burlington store has 75 associates and will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
To demonstrate Burlington's commitment within the local community, the national off-price retailer will mark its opening with two philanthropic initiatives:
» Burlington Gives Back, hosted in partnership with Delivering Good, will donate new merchandise at the ribbon cutting to the locally-based nonprofit organization, Chattanooga Community Kitchen, which strives to meet the most basic needs of hungry, homeless and vulnerable people in the community while offering a clear path to self-sufficiency.
» Burlington, through its partnership with AdoptAClassroom.org, will be donating $10,000 to a nearby school to fund the materials teachers and students need to learn and achieve in the classroom.
Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.