SoCal retailer Fred Segal opening 2 stores at Resorts World
A Southern California experiential retailer will open two stores in Resorts World Las Vegas’ 70,000-square-foot retail district.
Fred Segal, which has stores on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, in Malibu and at Los Angeles International Airport, will open its doors when the 3,500-room megaresort debuts in the summer, the companies jointly announced Tuesday.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Fred Segal to offer our guests this unique and luxurious Southern California-style shopping experience,” Scott Sibella, president of Resorts World Las Vegas, said in a release.
“It’s exciting to be able to bring such an iconic brand with a renowned global presence to our Resorts World Las Vegas retail portfolio,” Sibella said. “Through this collaboration, we will offer guests the only Fred Segal experience in Las Vegas and look forward to bringing a taste of L.A. culture and style to the Strip this summer.”
Two mini-flagship Fred Segal locations, a women’s and a men’s shop, will be located in the retail district. Fred Segal offers a shop-in-shop concept so both stores will have one-of-a-kind pieces and brand activations featuring a collection of fashion apparel, accessories, beauty, gifts and jewelry from brands including Libertine, MadeWorn, Danielle Guizio, John Elliott and On Running. Some items will feature offerings available only at Resorts World Las Vegas.
The retail destinations also will feature a sundry shop, offering a hand-picked selection of beverages and snacks inspired by the culture and lifestyle of Los Angeles.
“As Fred Segal continues to expand globally, we’re also excited to grow the brand in the U.S. especially in markets like Las Vegas that have such a natural connection to the Los Angeles scene,” said Jeff Lotman, owner and CEO of Fred Segal. “Resorts World Las Vegas is bringing a hospitality experience and international presence to the Strip and we can’t wait to transport guests to Los Angeles through our unique retail experience.”
In addition to its Southern California locations, Fred Segal has stores in Taipei, Taiwan, and Bern, Switzerland.
A retail analyst said he believes the Fred Segal-Resorts World collaboration has a good chance for success because the stores will be in a casino resort.
“Every story that has been written for the last year has been about the death of brick-and-mortar retail due to the pandemic and the fact that consumers all land online,” said James Dion, founder and president of Chicago-based Dionco Inc., a retail consultant. “There’s no doubt about it that brick and mortar has suffered horribly, and there have been a few bright spots, but not very many.”
But Dion thinks the stores will appeal to millennial shoppers who will patronize Resorts World.
“Fred Segal is a good retailer for them because they’re not high end, they’re not low end, they’re pretty fashionable,” he said. “They’ll certainly play well with that consumer.”
Fred Segal debuted in 1961, and Dion said, “You don’t get to be around for a long time unless you’re doing something right.”
It won’t be the first time that Fred Segal has dipped its toe into the Strip retail market.
The company opened seven retail concepts throughout SLS Las Vegas, now the Sahara: He, a men’s sportswear and accessories store; She, women’s sportswear and accessories; Jeans, which offered both men’s and women’s denim; Play, intimate and adult-oriented apparel; Goods, which featured housewares and novelty items; Jewels; and Shoes.
Fred Segal opened at SLS in 2014, recruited by the resort’s visionary, Sam Nazarian, the CEO of SBE Entertainment, but closed its stores and exited the market a year later.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.
