The retail scene in the Des Moines metro continues to expand, bringing everything from first-to-market stores and national retailers to the community as well as boutiques and shops owned by locals.
Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines continues to dominant the retail landscape with its focus on 12 anchor tenants such as the newest, Davenport-based department store Von Maur, and a tenant since Day One, Fargo, North Dakota-based sports retailer Scheels.
The 49-year-old Valley West Mall found a niche hosting smaller, locally owned businesses, including three newcomers.
And the Outlets of Des Moines in Altoona continues to attract new discount stores, with one on the way by the end of the year.
Independent retail outlets continue to crop up in the metro. Look for two new independent bookstores, a retail boutique, a butcher, two bakeries and more.
Here, a look at some of the new retailers that opened recently along with a few still on the way.
More: Find out what's next at Jordan Creek Town Center and which stores opened this year
What’s new at Jordan Creek Town Center?
After a busy season of openings ranging from Urban Outfitters and Madewell to FP Movement and Lululemon Athletica, Jordan Creek Town Center embarks on its 21st year in West Des Moines with only one opening on the horizon. The shopping mall, which opened on Aug. 4, 2004, retained many of its tenants and remains almost at capacity.
The shopping center is more than just the 1.34 million square feet of retail inside the mall. The largest shopping complex in the state of Iowa includes land surrounding the shopping center with businesses such as Costco Wholesale and Petco, as well as restaurants such as Fleming’s Prime Steak House & Wine Bar, Bravo! Italian Kitchen, On the Border Mexican Grill and long-time tenant P.F. Chang’s. Even the Residence Inn is technically part of Jordan Creek.
Here's what’s new and on the way to Jordan Creek Town Center.
Blue Zoo : The for-profit interactive aquarium geared toward children opened on May 21 in the Villages at Jordan Creek Town Center, 6925 Mills Civic Parkway, in West Des Moines. The center includes a 20,000-square-foot aquarium, saltwater and freshwater tanks, and a tide pool. The zoo includes a “bird forest” filled with parakeets, a reptile habitat with lizards, frogs and tortoises, and a sensory room. There is a section where visitors can feed stingrays and bamboo sharks in a shallow pool. A bamboo shark bit an employee at the zoo in July. The employee suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Find it at 6925 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines.
More: Starfish, stingrays and sharks are coming to West Des Moines at Blue Zoo
LEGO Store : The first outpost for the Danish brickmaking company opened May 31 at center. The 2,142-square-foot store next to Lululemon Athletica sits on the mall’s lower level. Shoppers can find immersive experiences as well as LEGO products not available elsewhere. This marks the first LEGO store in Iowa.
More: Iowa's first LEGO store to open in West Des Moines' Jordan Creek Town Center
Miniso : May was a busy month for Jordan Creek Town Center with Miniso, a Chinese lifestyle brand rapidly expanding into the U.S. market, opening. Shoppers can find plushies, blind boxes, toys, keychains, snacks, drinks, fragrances, beauty, accessories, stationery, home goods, and electronics on Level 2, near Century Theatres.
K Pot : The all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and hot pot restaurant already applied for its liquor license to serve at 7105 Mills Civic Pkwy. #160, West Des Moines. The chain lets customers order from a menu of more than 50 meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu and noodles that are cooked at the table. The restaurant takes over the former Wahlburgers space.
What’s new at the Outlets of Des Moines?
Gap Factory Store : Coming soon, the discount shopping center in Altoona plans to have a Gap Factory Store in the same row as Old Navy Outlet. Shoppers can find casual attire for men, women and children by the end of the year.
What’s new at Valley West Mall?
The Corner Hangout: The chill zone is meant for kids ages 13 to 18 who want a safe hangout. The space includes charging stations, bean bag chairs, and games like giant Connect Four, Uno, jumbo Jenga, oversized checkers, and backgammon.
European Taste : This Ukrainian bakery offers pavlova, caramel cones, waffle cake, oreshki cookies, honey cake, a Napoleon, baklava and more. Customers can pick up hot dogs, coffee and shawarma as well.
The WC Outpost : The boutique specializes in sci-fi and fantasy — think DnD, dragons, light sabers and more.
Other new retail in the metro
Bricks & Minifigs : This one-stop aftermarket LEGO toy shop offers new and used LEGO items. Customers can buy and trade everything LEGO, whether brought in via bulk tubs or in a storage unit. Find it at 2767 86th St., Urbandale.
The Good Butcher : In September, Calvin Schnucker plans to open The Good Butcher, a butcher shop with charcuterie made in house, in Des Moines. Schnucker worked at Old Station Craft Meats in Waukee for three years before going on his own. He plans to work with whole animals "that have been humanely and sustainably raised, including locally sourced non-GMO and grass-finished options," according to Wini Moranville . For now, he has four varieties of house-made sausage available at The Cheese Shop. Find his butcher shop at 555 17th St., Des Moines, between Homegrown and Big Grove Brewery, which is also serving his sausage.
Good Day DSM : This macaron shop moved from Valley West Mall to the District at Prairie Trail with coffee, Vietnamese coffees, Americanas, strawberry milk, and custom orders. Find it at 1515 S.W. Main St., Ankeny
The Little Book : This charming children's bookstore in the Highland Park neighborhood from Bethany and David Fast features everything from books for all ages (including adults) to local art, crafts and events such as a Read & Rhyme Storytime with Miss Rebecca on Wednesdays and a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Local artist and author Nic Roth created the lush mural behind the front counter. Find it at 520 Euclid Ave., Suite 102, Des Moines.
Pop & Nod : Mallory Halverson opened this cheerful boutique with clothing for women and children as well home décor and accessories. Halverson also has clothing sorted by season, meaning based on an analysis of the color family that looks best with your skin tones. A portion of every sale is donated annually to Count The Kicks, a nonprofit to reduce the stillbirth rates by teaching moms to pay attention to fetal movements during pregnancy. Find it at The Shops at Roosevelt, 833 42nd St., Des Moines.
Wandering Raccoon Books : This new independent bookstore opened in July. Jena Best, who owns the pop-up shop Raccoon River Press, brought this brick-and-mortar store to Grimes. Find it at 250 W. First St., Grimes.
Did we miss a new retail outlet? See a new store on the way? Drop us a line with details at sstapleton@gannett.com .
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. You can reach out to her on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram , or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What's new in retail? Meet 14 new or soon-to-open stores in the Des Moines metro
Most Popular
Comments / 0