Brandy Melville Expands Gold Coast Presence with Acadia

Italian fashion brand Brandy Melville has inked a deal for a larger retail storefront in Chicago’s Gold Coast, delivering a win to landlord Acadia Realty Trust and, with its expansion, the overall retail market in the high-end shopping district.

The company is renting 6,000 square feet at 8-12 East Walton Street, a deal that will nearly triple the size of its previous location, which spanned just over 2,000 square feet at 64 East Walton Street, CoStar reported.

But the brand isn’t leaving 64 East Walton, either. Instead, it’s revamping the space as a concept that could target older women than Brandy’s current Gen Z following as well as men, and continuing to lease the space from its current landlord Fred Lev, according to people familiar with the deal. Lev confirmed the brand will keep a store at his property.

“Their sales are so significant that they just needed more space,” Lev said, adding he believes the new store at his property will be branded as a St. George, which offers a greater array of clothing sizes than Brandy.

Brandy’s new location occupies the former BHLDN space, Anthropologie’s bridal boutique concept, and represents the final available storefront on Walton Street for Acadia, the property’s New York-based owner. Brandy Melville didn’t return CoStar’s request for comment.

Recent deals involving Acadia-owned properties include a lease with streetwear label Kith at 50-54 East Walton Street and a major agreement with Spanish retailer Mango at 664-670 North Michigan Avenue.

John Vance of Stone Real Estate and Mike Schaffer of Schaffer & Associates facilitated the lease negotiations on behalf of Brandy Melville, while Canvas Real Estate brokers Anthony Campagni and Elan Rasansky represented Acadia.

Known for its high-end retail and luxury clientele, the Gold Coast has become a sought-after location for global fashion retailers. Major brands such as Chanel, Cartier, and Bottega Veneta have recently shifted from the Magnificent Mile to Walton, Rush and Oak streets in the Gold Coast, solidifying its reputation as a prime destination for luxury shopping.

“It just shows that the Gold Coast continues to perform in terms of sales numbers,” said Vance.

Brandy Melville’s relocation follows this trend, further solidifying Walton Street’s reputation as a high-end retail hub. This new location, which celebrated its grand opening on Monday morning, remains its only Illinois store. It’s unclear how quickly the men’s store planned at Lev’s property could be ready to open.

Founded in Italy in the 1980s, Brandy Melville, headed by CEO Stephan Marsan, is renowned for its curated selection of clothing and accessories, catering to a younger demographic with items such as sweatshirts, cardigans and dresses.

Even though the company saw large crowds of people lined up for the grand opening, the brand is not without its controversies. Brandy Melville’s one-size-fits-all policy has been controversial, drawing criticism for promoting unrealistic body standards.

These issues, along with employee treatment allegations, were recently explored in the HBO documentary “Brandy Hellville & The Cult of Fast Fashion.”