MANCHESTER — At a time when many corporations are closing stores nationwide, two name brand retailers — kate spade and Kenneth Cole — are opening new stores in town.
kate spade — which among other things deals in handbags, shoes and accessories — opened in the former Baccarat building on Route 11/30 near the intersection with Route 7A about one month ago. Kenneth Cole — who deals in some of the same items — opened over Memorial Day weekend at their new location next door.
One of the unique features the retailer's buildings share is the heating and cooling system, which uses geothermal technology.
"We're doing our part. We as a
Co-owner of Vanderbilt Equities, Lana Hauben, said they believe Ben Hauben's concept of creating more environmentally friendly buildings — something the company has been doing for about 20 years — is part of the reason they have been able to attract some of the brand name stores to the region.
"Overall we haven't really waited for anyone to step to the plate. We stepped to the plate first," said Lana Hauben.
Outfitting the two buildings that house kate spade and Kenneth Cole with geothermal
Providing buildings that utilize green technology may be an attractive attribute for some prospective tenants, but Hauben said he believed it was the company that drew the name brands to the town. Vanderbilt Equities has a team of people searching the market trying to match the needs and size of the building with that of the possible tenants, he said.
In an e-mail from director of public relations, Lori Tesoro, Tesoro said the vice president of retail for kate spade said Manchester Center has a "great reputation and attracts a client base that aligns nicely with the brand." However that was not the only reason the company wanted to open a store in Manchester.
"The closest kate spade location from Manchester is Boston," the e-mail stated. "We thought the [Vermont] customer would be excited to shop our product at a more convenient location."
After two months of construction and four days preparing, the store had its grand opening on April 23.
Ben Hauben said Manchester appeals to many tenants, in part, because it is a smaller environment that also provides access to the tourist trade. Also, he said when people visit the stores in Manchester it is a different experience than shopping at an outlet center.
"When people come here they feel a sense of place and we want to keep that integrity," he said.
However, the Haubens believed that they did not have to pass up the opportunity to bring big name brands to town to the keep that integrity in tact.
"We thought that there were a community of people that would appreciate some of the brands we brought in initially," said Lana Hauben. "We consistently went after the kinds of brands we thought would fit in here and that's how it all started."
Attempts to contact corporate officials at Kenneth Cole were unsuccessful.
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