Aritzia’s new U.S. stores are lifting online sales for the brand. At Aritzia’s new store in St. Louis this weekend, teens shopped in groups, mothers browsed with daughters, and customers moved between racks of white dresses, denim, linen separates and soft tailoring. The store follows Aritzia’s now familiar retail language: pale stone floors, warm wood, low tables, lounge seating and generous fitting-room areas. Together, Aritzia’s recent store openings in new U.S. markets, including Birmingham, Fort Worth, New Orleans and St. Louis, have had a desired effect for the brand. According to Aritzia’s chief digital officer, Margot Johnson, opening a boutique in a new market like St. Louis produces a “strong and sustained lift” in digital sales in that region, in the high double digits. That dynamic is central to Aritzia’s U.S. expansion strategy as the Canadian retailer pushes into more cities beyond its earliest U.S. strongholds of New York, California and Chicago.
It presents a strong case for opening stores at a time when retailers are scrutinizing the profitability of new locations. According to Johnson, for consumers, stores are increasingly becoming the first brand touchpoint. Johnson said a new boutique raises awareness in the market, brings in new clients and then helps drive local digital sales.
