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Gloucester Premium Outlets enjoys robust first year

Gloucester Premium Outlets, the outdoor mall near the Atlantic City Expressway in Blackwood, marks its one-year anniversary Saturday. The mall, which offers 25 percent to 65 percent off designer brands on a daily basis, had a "fantastic" first year, helped by a warm winter and strong holiday sales, according to management.

Jamie Annise holds onto children Luke (left) and Rylee at Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood.
Jamie Annise holds onto children Luke (left) and Rylee at Gloucester Premium Outlets in Blackwood.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Gloucester Premium Outlets, the outdoor mall near the Atlantic City Expressway in Blackwood, marks its one-year anniversary Saturday.

The mall, which offers 25 percent to 65 percent off designer brands on a daily basis, had a "fantastic" first year, helped by a warm winter and strong holiday sales, according to management.

A celebration will include free live entertainment, face painting and raffle prizes to selected retailers from noon to 4 p.m.

Outlet malls are popular among value-conscious consumers and more are on the way nationally. Retail experts say they offer not only significant cost savings, but also satisfy shoppers who love hunting for treasures.

"It's both," said Christa Hart, senior managing director at FTI Consulting. "If the shopper's just into value, there are lots of other places with 'stuff' at great prices. If she's just into the brand, there are wonderful traditional malls. However, at the outlet mall, she has the best of both. So it's a value-conscious shopper that loves name brands - that's the core."

The strongest retail categories in the first year included athletic apparel, and women's fashion and accessories, according to Shannon Palzer, director of marketing and business development for the mall.

She said top performers included Nike Factory Store, Under Armour, Vera Bradley, Banana Republic Factory, and Express Factory Outlet. But others enjoyed strong sales as well.

"We've done really well," said Cora Liska, area manager for #Makeup, which also has stores at Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick and Jersey Shore Premium Outlets in Tinton Falls. "Traffic here has been consistent with our other two locations. The mall's layout is really inviting and enticing, and we've partnered with the mall's management team on working together on outdoor events."

Being outdoors and having a park for her children, Rylee, 3, and Luke, 18 months, was clearly the selling point for Jamie Annise, 29, and her husband, Jake, 34, of Williamstown. They made it an afternoon Friday under 90-degree temperatures. They also bought discounted items from Sunglass Hut, Old Navy, and Lucky.

"I really like the setup," Jamie Annise said as she held Rylee's hand and walked around the courtyard fountain. It was their fourth trip to Gloucester Premium Outlets.

It's a regular trip, though, for "marathon shoppers" Sheila Biagi, 53, of Vineland, N.J., and Mary DiLuzio, 52, of Somers Point, N.J. Both work for the Vineland School District.

Each left with bag loads of goods Friday. Biagi was especially elated over Sperry boots with a listed original price of $250, on sale for $39.99.

"Look at these," she said as she pulled out one of the camel-brown boots. "I can't believe how much I got them for. Aren't they nice?"

A clear advantage for the mall is its ability to intercept those going from Philadelphia to Atlantic City and other Shore towns and back, as it did on the busy Memorial Day weekend.

"Gloucester Premium Outlets is in the immediate sight line of those traveling on Route 42 towards New Jersey's Shore points," Palzer said. "This immediate access has benefited us tremendously."

That was clear Friday, as traffic stretched for miles on Route 42 as crowds headed early to the Shore, and some made the turn off Exit 7B toward the mall.

sparmley@phillynews.com

215-854-4184 @SuzParmley