Cherry Creek Mall Milestone

Now in its 20th year, the shopping center remains a huge draw
By Rita Wold

The Denver Post
Age is just a number for Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center, whose allure for shoppers and tourists appears as strong today as at its inception.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the opening of the mall that replaced a 1950s-era shopping center. And although outdoor shopping centers have become the hot new trend for retail development, the center remains the dominant shopping center in a six-state region.

Over the years, the center also has remained the No. 1 or No. 2 tourist destination in Denver, said Rich Grant, communications director for Visit Denver, the city’s convention and visitors bureau.

About 20 percent of the Cherry Creek mall’s transactions come from out-of-town visitors, said Nick LeMasters, general manager of the center.

“There’s a lot of wealthy people in the states around us, and there’s not a place like Cherry Creek,” Grant said. “A lot of people do shop.”

Cherry Creek aims to maintain its relevance to shoppers by having the right mix of products. To do this, LeMasters said, merchants are reevaluated annually, and targets are set to attract retailers that are in high demand.

Seven new stores have recently opened or are set to open soon, including Façonnable, a high-end French retailer, and the first S.A. Elite, a new format from Sports Authority that sells high-performance apparel.

“This center is a powerhouse of business,” said Cynthia Petrus, fashion director of the center’s Saks Fifth Avenue. “This is an extremely competitive place.”

The center includes about 1.1 million square feet of space with more than 160 shops. It houses boutiques unique to both the region and the nation. For example, Denver-based Classic Creations Eyewear opened its doors along with the mall 20 years ago and remains the only one of its kind.

“We’ve been successful here,” said Ray Ressin, the store’s owner. “We have a very loyal customer base that keeps us going even through tough times like these.”

Nordstrom joined the lineup at Cherry Creek in 2007 after years of trying to garner a spot that would be conducive to its needs.

The Cherry Creek location has exceeded expectations, said Dan Jones, general manager of the center’s Nordstrom.

“We had been looking for ways to better serve our Denver-area customers and knew this was a premier shopping destination that we needed to be a part of,” he said.

Many things have changed since the center first opened its doors.

Originally, jewelry and apparel were the primary shopping categories, LeMasters said. But recently, trends that have come to dominate include electronics and home furnishings.

The age of the shopping center comes as a surprise to many shoppers because of its appearance, LeMasters said.

“To be 20 years old and to perhaps still look like a teenager is a compliment,” LeMasters said. “We feel like we have a lot to celebrate right now.”