Luxury Specialty Store Henri Bendel, and many others, opening at Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center

Who says the Magnificent Mile gets to have all the fun? With a highly successful Henri Bendel re-opening in downtown Chicago after a 13 year absence in the Windy City, this famed luxury retailer will be opening a second location at Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie this May. The new store will occupy 2,352 square feet near Lord & Taylor.

Known for its lavish and trendy fashion accessories, handbags and cosmetics, Bendel’s is a highly anticipated treat for all of Chicagoland’s fashion savvy!

The iconic brown and white stripes of the self-proclaimed “girls’ playground” will be seen just in time for spring.  The opening of the Henri Bendel store is just one of many steps the shopping center has taken to create a more upscale and interactive shopping experience for customers.  “Henri Bendel is a perfect match for our center,” Westfield Old Orchard General Manager, Tim Geiges exclaimed. “We draw from a very diverse crowd and Bendel’s is well suited to our sophisticated North Shore and Chicago shoppers.” Henri Bendel is in good company at Westfield Old Orchard, joining other key retailers like Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Tiffany & Co.

This opening is a key component of the resurgence of the Henri Bendel brand, as it expands into shopping centers throughout the country. In addition to its flagship Fifth Avenue location in New York, it currently operates 19 stores in the U.S. and plans to have 9 more operating by the end of 2012.

New Store Openings

Henri Bendel won’t be the only business triggering change at the shopping center— new store openings are also causing a buzz. The first and only location in the Chicago area, Madewell opened its 3,300 square foot boutique located near Macy's, between Swarovski and Godiva in Fall 2011. Madewell has a tradition of old-school quality that goes into everything they do. Specializing in timeless jeans and accessories, this women’s jean emporium has an edgy take on casual with a few vintage details and a modern twist.  

Also making a recent debut, Timberland opened for the first time at Westfield Old Orchard in Fall 2011. The Timberland lineup features tough, rugged footwear and apparel made with the environment in mind. All traditional styles as well as the new Earthkeepers boot collection are available.  The Earthkeepers collection uses bionic canvas yarn made up of 50% organic cotton and recycled materials including 38% plastic from recycled bottles.  The 2,299 square foot space located near Lord & Taylor has been a mecca to those adventurous shoppers who feel at home in the great outdoors.

Epic Burger has opened its first location outside of Chicago city limits at Westfield Old Orchard. Opening in Fall 2011, the 1,498 square foot restaurant, is located next to Crate & Barrel, across from L. L. Bean and provides Westfield shoppers with delicious cooked-to-order burgers made of 100 percent fresh chuck, all natural beef  – no hormones, no antibiotics, and fed a strict vegetarian diet.  Additional offerings include tasty turkey burgers, all natural chicken breast sandwiches, BLTs and a very veggie portabella sandwich.  Complete your sandwich with high-quality toppings such as all natural Wisconsin cheese, cage-free organic fried eggs and nitrate-free bacon. Fresh cut fries, hand crafted malts and shakes round out this tasty new option at Westfield Old Orchard. 

New Locations
Since 2004, Soma Intimates has created pieces to make women feel beautiful and comfortable in their own skin.  Westfield Old Orchard’s location has moved from its current space near Lord & Taylor, to its new 1,642 square foot space near Crate & Barrel. 

Known across the board or their smart and sophisticated men’s suiting, Brooks Brothers will be moving from its current location near Nordstrom, and re-opening a 7,704 square foot flagship store next to Barnes & Noble this April. 

Specialty women’s retailer Coldwater Creek will be re-opening in April 2012, after moving to its new 5,075 square foot space easily located right next door to its existing location.  No need to roam far to stay fashionable!

About Westfield Old Orchard
Westfield Old Orchard is conveniently located in Skokie, Illinois at the intersection of Skokie Boulevard and Old Orchard Road.  The center is home to Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom Lord & Taylor and Macy’s, along with 140 specialty shops, restaurants and cinemas.  The center abounds with fantastic choices including Anthropologie, Crate & Barrel, L.L. Bean, Tiffany & Co., William Sonoma and Zara to name a few.  Dining options include California Pizza Kitchen, The Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano’s Little Italy, McCormick & Schmick’s, Wilde & Greene, as well as fast casual options including Johnny Rocket’s, The Corner Bakery, Potbelly Sandwich Works and more.   For more information call 847.673.6800 or visit http://www.westfield.com/oldorchard

About Henri Bendel
Henri Bendel was purchased by Limited Brands in 1985, and chose to sell fashion accessories, cosmetics and gift items exclusively after the 2009 decision to stop carrying apparel.  Its flagship New York store was established in 1895 and is currently located at 712 Fifth Avenue. It was the first retailer to bring the designs of Coco Chanel over to the United States from Paris and still continues to maintain this tradition of introducing influential socialites to what's new and next in fashion.