Grove City outlet mall celebrates shopping with event

Jun. 13—SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — National Outlet Shopping Day wasn't on the lips of most consumers for its debut this year.

Then again, that was the sentiment when Small Business Saturday was created to scoop up holiday shoppers for small retailers following Black Friday.

With 90 outlet properties Simon Property Group created and marketed this shopping extravaganza to attract customers, including its Grove City Premium Outlets in Springfield Township. Saturday was the first day for the event, which spilled over into Sunday. Simon said it will be an annual event.

"We're jamming," said Michele Czerwinski, director of marketing and business development for the outlet mall, which is located at Interstate 79 and state Route 208 west of Grove Cityt.

Along with free spiffy tote bags stores were encouraged to offer extra discounts over the two-day run, Czerwinski said.

Shoppers throughout all of Simon Property's outlets can enter a chance to win a prize package valued at $75,000, she added.

The Grove City mall, which opened in 1994, is showing strength. Of the 127 retail spaces available at the complex, 120 are filled with more tenants on the way, Czerwinski said.

Thyme In Your Kitchen is its newest shop opening earlier this month. The name should be familiar to local residents; the retailer has a downtown Sharon store.

"The mall reached out to us because their No. 1 request from people was to have a cooking store," Pat Evans, Thyme's owner said.

Evans' outlet mall store offers a variety of kitchen products. But at least for now it won't have cooking classes like the Sharon shop continues to offer.

But the outlet mall gives the business a new venue, Evans noted.

"I think we offer a very unique selection of products and we have an expert staff that can help you shop," she said. "Online shopping doesn't offer this."

Retro kitchen products such as hand-cranked egg beaters have been a hit at the store, Evans said.

"They like the look of it," she said of shoppers.

Anna Niglio and her aunt Allison Niglio could be found shopping at the mall's Rue 21 store on Saturday. Both live in Edinburg, Lawrence County, and made the trek not knowing about Outlet Shopping Day.

"I like coming here," Anna said.

Rue 21 is an example of a revitalized traditional retailer.

Based in Warrendale, a northern suburb of Pittsburgh, the teen apparel and accessories shop was among the retailers that got hammered with the onslaught of online shopping. The company had a store at the Shenango Valley Mall in Hermitage that was among the 400 stores it shuttered.

Filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017, Rue 21 was able to shed a huge amount of debt and is now opening new stores.

"We became very picky and choosey about where we open stores," Emily Craker, manager of the Grove City outlet store said. "We had one of our best years ever last year."

Older customers will recognize the retailer's retro '70s clothing — but maybe not their modern style names. Bell bottom pants are now called "flared" with midriff tops getting the updated moniker "crop tops."

"We always want to be on top of the trend," Craker said.