Near 40, Utah’s Fashion Place mall refuses to show age

May 5, 2011, 8:07 am

The first Cheesecake Factory restaurant in Utah opened at Fashion Place mall, along with the first Sephora cosmetics store. By the end of the year, specialty retailer Crate and Barrel, apparel chain H&M and a BRIO Tuscan Grille restaurant will follow suit with their first locations.

Built nearly 40 years ago, Fashion Place stands out among scores of older, enclosed shopping malls. Many are in decline or have been demolished, but the Murray property remains one of the most successful regional malls in the West — if not in the country.

Its formula for success combines the bromide of location, location, location with the attraction of strong anchors and a willingness by its owner to pump in money, even in challenging times.

“If you want to open one location in Utah, you want to be centrally located along the Wasatch Front — and there’s no better place to do that than Fashion Place mall,” said Chad Moore, managing principal of Mountain West Retail-Investment, a commercial brokerage in Salt Lake City. “It’s in a densely populated area, close to a high-income population and it’s easy to get to from all parts of the valley.”

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New to the neighborhood » That prime location is what lured Bravo BRIO Restaurant Group to Fashion Place, where its BRIO Tuscan Grill is under construction. Chief Operating Officer Brian O’Malley, said his company considered a handful of sites, including City Creek Center, the massive development now under construction in downtown Salt Lake City. “We felt like Fashion Place was a better first entrance into the area,” he said.

O’Malley said the restaurant’s location next to popular Crate and Barrel and H&M couldn’t be more ideal, adding, “we feel like this was the perfect spot for us.” BRIO Tuscan Grill, which has 39 locations in 19 states, plans to open in Fashion Place in September.

Crate and Barrel and H&M have announced plans to open 20,000-square-foot stores this fall, on the mall’s west side. Both retailers add even more prominence to Fashion Place.

Property Management