Hermès Coming to WS Development’s Wilmette Retail Center

French luxury brand Hermès is coming to Wilmette, bringing high-end fashion to the North Shore with a storefront in the historic Plaza del Lago shopping center.

The boutique will span two stories and roughly 8,000 square feet, according to WS Development, the Boston-based firm that owns and is revitalizing the shopping center, The Record reported. The store is slated to open next year on the south-facing side of the property, WS spokesperson Jill Segal told the publication.

The Hermès deal marks one of the first new retail leases for WS at Plaza del Lago since the landlord purchased the 100,000-square-foot property on the shore of Lake Michigan for nearly $59 million in 2022 with plans to perform major upgrades. That transaction solidified WS as a major retail player on the North Shore as it followed the firm’s $110 million purchase of Eden’s Plaza, a 343,000-square-foot shopping center in Wilmette.

The Wilmette location will be Hermès’ second in Illinois, joining its flagship store on East Oak Street in downtown Chicago. The retailer operates more than 290 stores globally across 45 countries.

Samantha David, president of WS Development, called the addition of Hermès a milestone in Plaza del Lago’s transformation. She said the retailer’s appreciation for “community, quality and tradition” aligns with the developer’s plans to restore Plaza del Lago to its status as a local landmark — the property claims to be the nation’s second-oldest outdoor shopping center.

Although David described Hermès as the first official retail partner in the center’s revival, other tenants have been previously confirmed. Boutique fashion brands Jenni Kayne and James Perse also plan to open stores at the property, according to earlier reporting by the publication.

Plaza del Lago remains open during ongoing renovations, which include updates to signage, façades, parking, and landscaping. WS scored a $46 million construction loan to finance the upgrades.

Several former tenants, including Yellow Bird Stationery, Chantilly Lace, Cluckers Charcoal Chicken, and Rosati’s, have recently left the center, according to The Record. Some, like Yellow Bird and Chantilly Lace, have relocated to downtown Wilmette.