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The Forum at Carlsbad Adds Two New Stores, Has Two on the Way

The Forum at Carlsbad, a popular high-end shopping mall, has added two new stores and has another two coming on line this month as part of its new “re-tenanting” to attract more top retailers, said Ward Kampf, president of leasing for Thomas Enterprises, the center’s Atlanta-based owner.

Debuting in the county, Free People, a clothing store that’s kin to Anthropologie, owned by Urban Outfitters, opened earlier this summer in 2,300 square feet of space formerly occupied by shoe store Sole Comfort.

Kampf said that Anthropologie was so happy with its sales, which are traditionally among the top 10 of all of its stores nationwide every month, “that they came in here with another concept.”

The Apple Store, which also opened recently, sells computers and accessories in 5,800 square feet. Lululemon athletica, which has 2,800 square feet, is a yoga-inspired athletic apparel shop that opens Sept. 20. Apple and lululemon are located in space formerly devoted to Bombay and Bombay Kids, which filed for bankruptcy late last year.

The Paper Source, a retailer of stationery, paper and craft products, is also making its county debut and plans a grand opening on Sept. 20.

It replaces the New Balance shoe store.


Leases Bought Out

Kampf said that the company bought out the remaining time on the New Balance and Sole Comfort leases to accommodate the new tenants.

Retailers typically keep their numbers close to their chest, and Kampf declined to cite lease rates, their duration or sales figures for the mall’s 50 stores.

Though small in size with 254,000 square feet, the Forum has been able to attract outlets that gravitate toward malls with 1 million or more square feet, said Kampf.

Its popularity with retailers is due to household incomes exceeding an average of $115,000 within a 20-minute driving range.

Kampf refers to them as “captured” as its known their shopping habits rarely take them south of “the split” , where Interstate 805 and Interstate 5 part.

Meanwhile, the Forum is wooing four more retailers that are on its want list of 12. He wouldn’t give their names, only that “they’re as desirable as anyone out there.”

Carlsbad Mayor Claude “Bud” Lewis said the Forum has become a key source of revenue for the city and is a tourism draw.

“The center has become a popular tourist destination for Carlsbad’s growing visitor base,” Lewis said.

Byrnes Lambert, director of property operations for the Forum said that it is 95 percent occupied.

While sales are down nationwide, San Diego County is nevertheless one of the top retail markets, Kampf said.

The Forum opened in 2003. Thomas Enterprises currently counts nine shopping malls with more than 25 million square feet valued at $4 billion. It also owns more than 20,000 acres of undeveloped sites throughout the United States.

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