Shopping opportunities increase in The Woodlands

Shoppers in The Woodlands soon will have more options available to them, from a Kate Spade shop at Market Street - The Woodlands to high-end retailers at The Woodlands Mall. Market Street "During the last seven months we've been just boom, boom, boom," said Jenny Taylor, assistant general manager, Market Street. "It's just a good time in the world of retail and leasing here in Texas." Market Street is an open air shopping and dining venue, located at 9595 Six Pines Drive. Kate Spade New York is expected to open this November at Market Street next to Elaine Turner. The shop will carry handbags, clothing, jewelry, shoes, stationery, eyewear, baby products, fragrance, tabletop items, bedding and gifts. Kate Spade products are known for their crisp colors and graphic prints. "We're super excited about Kate Spade," Taylor said. "It's just more to offer to our customers." Set to open Aug. 29 at Market Street is a Lucky Brand Jeans store, which will feature designer clothing and denim products for men and women. Opening this month is Vineyard Vines, a clothing and accessory retailer founded in Martha's Vineyard. "Vineyard's Vines is a really fun store," Taylor said. "They're best known for their whimsical neckties and their whale logo." This October, Market Street will welcome LUSH, which carries organic body products including cosmetics, soaps and lotions. "Anything yummy, sweet-smelling, scrubby that you want to apply to the skin, you'll find it there," Taylor said. "And they're very conscientious about the environment." LUSH will be located by Hyatt Market Street, next to Z Gallerie. Recent Cheap Louis Vuitton arrivals at Market Street include Tumi. The retailer carries briefcases, totes, luggage and similar products. "It's definitely what I would call an upscale retailer," Taylor said. "They have a lot of fun stuff." Madewell opened recently, too. "Madewell is considered J. Crew's hip, trendy sister," said Taylor. The Madewell shop, geared for the 20-something crowd, has a denim bar and more than 20 styles of pants. Also new to Market Street are Calypso St. Barth and Elaine Turner boutiques. The Woodlands Mall The Woodlands Mall, 1201 Lake Woodlands, is a two-story, enclosed shopping mall. It has welcomed several new arrivals lately as well, including a Silver Jeans Co. Loft location that opened July 20. The Silver Jeans brand offers apparel for men and women. "This is their first actual store, and the fact they opened it in The Woodlands is exciting," said Noemi Cortez, marketing manager for the mall. Coming to the mall in mid-month is Tyler's, an Austin-based retailer that carries men's and women's apparel, footwear, eyewear and accessories. "This will be their first store in this area," Cortez said. This winter, Destination Maternity will open at the mall. "We only have one maternity shop at the mall, so we thought it would be nice to have another," belstaff outlet Cortez said. "It will give expectant mothers another place to shop." The mall's current maternity shop is Motherhood Maternity. The new retailers coming this year will complement the mall's newest anchor store, a Nordstrom slated to open in fall 2014. "We've Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis always had good tenants," Cortez said. "We try to meet all shoppers' needs. Nordstrom is providing the high-end we needed in The Woodlands. And with a high-end anchor like that, we needed other high-end retailers." Also coming to The Woodlands Mall this fall is Noodles & Company, a restaurant featuring international noodle selections and a signature macaroni and cheese dish. Area shopping centers also are seeing increased activity from the back-to-school shopping season. "We're always busy with back to school," Taylor said. "We also get some shoppers going back to work," she added. "They might have been traveling during the summer or they're returning to work after their kids go away to school. "It just is a really good time to get back in the swing of things."