FOLEY — Victoria’s Secret has opened at Tanger Outlets Foley, and Pandora Jewelry is set to follow in November, the outlet center said.
The two national brands are the latest additions to a tenant list that has turned over noticeably in recent months at the shopping complex along Alabama 59, which has been working through a multi-phase renovation.
What Is Opening and When
According to Tanger Outlets, the Victoria’s Secret store is already open. The Pandora store is scheduled to open in November, putting it in place for the holiday shopping season.
They join several other recent arrivals at the center, including Buckle, Toys “R” Us and Shake Shack — a mix that spans apparel, toys and fast-casual dining rather than concentrating in a single category.
What the Center Says About the Additions
“We’re continuing to strengthen our retail mix with top national brands that resonate with our shoppers, while investing in updates that enhance the overall guest experience,” said Debra Brown, marketing director at Tanger Foley.
“Victoria’s Secret and Pandora bring new retail experiences that complement our existing lineup and reinforce Tanger Foley as the region’s premier shopping destination.”
Why Location on Alabama 59 Matters
The center’s position is central to its business. Alabama 59 is the main north-south route carrying beach traffic from Interstate 10 down through Baldwin County to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, which means a very large share of the visitors heading to Alabama’s beaches drive directly past Foley on the way in and on the way out.
That geography gives an outlet center in Foley a customer base that few inland shopping properties can match: a steady flow of vacationers with time to spend, plus a permanent residential market in one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. Rainy beach days and changeover days — when one set of renters leaves and another arrives — reliably push traffic inland to shopping.
How Outlet Centers Fill Space
Outlet retail operates on a different model from a conventional mall. Brands typically use outlet stores to move overstock, past-season merchandise and made-for-outlet lines at lower price points, which lets them reach shoppers who would not buy at full-line prices without discounting inside their primary stores.
For the landlord, the priority is a mix of recognizable names strong enough to make a stop worth a detour off the highway. Anchors in outlet centers are less about square footage than about drawing power — a handful of brands that a shopper will specifically plan around, surrounded by tenants that capture the rest of the trip.
The recent additions read as an attempt to broaden that draw. Apparel and jewelry aim at the traditional outlet shopper; a toy retailer and a fast-casual restaurant aim at families and at keeping visitors on the property longer, which is the single most reliable way to raise spending per visit.
A Renovation Running Alongside the Leasing
The complex has been undergoing a multi-phase renovation, and the timing of that work alongside new tenant announcements is not a coincidence. Physical upgrades and leasing tend to move together at shopping centers: refreshed common areas, signage and storefronts help attract national brands, and signed national brands help justify the capital going into the property.
Phasing the work also keeps the center open and earning through the process, which matters at a property whose peak revenue months are tied to a fixed tourist season.
The Baldwin County Retail Picture
Baldwin County has been among Alabama’s fastest-growing counties for years, and retail follows rooftops. Growth in Foley, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the communities along the Alabama 59 and Baldwin County corridors has steadily raised the year-round population supporting stores that were once built almost entirely for seasonal traffic.
That shift changes what a shopping center can support. A property that depends only on summer visitors has a narrow window; one with a growing local base can hold tenants through the shoulder seasons and into the winter, which is when a November store opening starts to make particular sense.
What Shoppers Will Find Now
For the moment, the Victoria’s Secret store is open to shoppers. Pandora is scheduled to open in November, and the center’s renovation work continues in phases.