Ready, set, shop!
Fashion Outlets of Chicago, the first fully-enclosed mall to open in the Chicago area in more than 20 years, opened its doors in Rosemont Thursday morning.
- PHOTOS: Fashion Outlet of Chicago
And it's a doozy.
The outlet mall houses more than 130 stores, including Bloomingdale's The Outlet Store, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th and Forever 21.
If it's high-end goods you're after, head to the second floor of the mall and eyeball posh retailers such as Gucci, Tory Burch, Hugo Boss, Barneys New York and more.
Sounds expensive? Well, mall officials say the stores are true outlets, not regular retailers posing as such in a different setting, so there should be deals to be had.
Some of the facts and figures that stand out:
- 530,000 square feet of retail space.
- The mall is 95 percent leased.
- The Chicago mall marks the first outlet stores for Longchamp, Vince Camuto, Ports 1961 and L'Occitane.
- The owner, AWE Tallisman, also operates Fashion Outlets Las Vegas and Miracle Market Place in Miami.
- The project cost $250 million to complete.
The mall offers a variety of special transportation packages to get there, both from downtown Chicago and O'Hare Airport, as well as free shuttle buses from the Rosemont Blue Line.
Airport travelers have the option of checking their luggage and printing boarding passes at the Guest Services location at the mall.
Visually, the mall is a stunner, with a special Arts Initiative integrating interactive visual art into the decor of the property.
After Thursday's grand opening, the mall will celebrate with four days of celebrations, including entertainment throughout the mall.
Be prepared. Your wallet is about to get a workout.
