Premium Outlets brings new stores to the area

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MONROE — Ashley Weeda’s three young daughters were pretty excited about picking out their Crocs for the new school year.

“They’re fun to wear, I can wear them in the rain, and I can put little animals on them,” explains Maggie, who’s selected a pair of Mary Janes from the hundreds of styles on display at the Crocs outlet in Monroe.

Though prices on her shoes are just a few dollars less than they’ve seen at area department stores, the Oakwood family says it’s the great selection that’s the real attraction.

That extensive inventory of well known brands is just one of the draws of Cincinnati Premium Outlets, the new 100-store complex that opened Aug. 6 in Monroe. A case in point is Naturalizer, the popular shoe brand that focuses on comfort. While a department store might carry 10 styles in the line, the outlet gets a few shipments every week and carries several hundred.

Although regular outlet prices are often about the same as you’d find at a good department store sale, a wise outlet shopper will seek out the day’s special deals and racks of mark-downs. She’ll check out the Clearance Corners and register online for the free VIP coupon book. The “50 Plus Shopper Perks” offer 10 percent added savings at some stores for seniors every Tuesday.

“I go right to the sale rack when I walk into an outlet store,” said Diane Kolleck of Washington Twp., who visited the new mall recently with a group of friends who gather monthly to check out various shopping destinations.

The women were impressed with the new mall’s compact racetrack lay-out and design, with many of the stores, and with the overhead covering that offers protection from the elements.

Other pluses: spacious and plentiful rest rooms, a playground for the kids, and a coffee shop — Saxbys – that’s conveniently located out in the mall area.

The Chelsea Property Group touts its collection of upscale brands. The attractive complex contains a number of stores that are either new to our area or much larger than those we’ve seen in the past.

Some examples:

HanesBrands is three times the size of its outlet store in Jeffersonville, and carries the entire Champion line and an expanded Hanes line. There's a Last Chance Clearance Center, too.

The Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store is huge — 15,000 square feet — and the largest Polo outlet store in the company. This attractive store carries men's and women's shoes, and has a room devoted to kids fashions. The popular mesh tops that retail for $79 elsewhere sell for $39.99 here.

Maidenform Women's Apparel, Brown Shoe Closet (Aigner, Franco Sarto), and Columbia Sportswear Company are all the first of their kind in Ohio. So is Kenneth Cole, which stocks both men's and women's shoes, handbags, men's ties, watches and fragrances, and graphic tees.

Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th closed in Cincinnati and opened at Monroe.

But if you're into fancy labels, this is the place for you: Ellen Tracy, Burberry, Marc Jacobs, Carlos Fachi, Valentino, Escada, Chanel, St. John, Christian Dior. You get the idea.

“It’s a lovely store but still really expensive,” shopper Kolleck said. “I saw a $2,000 blouse marked down to $1,000 and a $2,900 purse marked down to $1,700.”

But we found less expensive items as well: bracelets marked down to $34.99, a sequined $256 top for $52.98.

To date, this mall has slim pickings when it comes to housewares and home furnishings. The big attraction is Le Creuset, the enameled cast iron French cookware that's in the news with the film release of "Julie & Julia." You'll see Julia Child's favorite pots and pans in a variety of colors (she used the orange or "flame") in Ohio's only outlet store. Most items are "seconds" with minor cosmetic flaws. If you're lucky, you'll also find some "firsts." All carry a lifetime guarantee. There's an extensive line of kitchen gadgets as well — from olive ladles to Screwpulls.

Riley's Furniture Gallery is a local company that also has a retail store in the vicinity. It sells the Stressless line of recliners from Norway and Howard Miller clocks.

Cole Haan's outlet store is the only one in Ohio. The company got its start in 1928 as a men's shoe store in Chicago, and now sells traditional men's and women's shoes with a "modern twist." Now owned by Nike, the women's shoes have Nike air technology built into high-heeled pumps. In order to offer deals, calfskin may be substituted for deerskin or treated to look like exotic leathers.

Marin Cilic from Croatia was just one of the Masters tennis players who'd found his way to Hugo Boss the day we visited. He said he and others came to America with empty suitcases so they could "fill them up." The upscale men's store, in temporary headquarters, stocks suits from $600 to $800 and an assortment of men's accessories and sportswear separates as well.

If you're a Project Runway fan, you'll know the name of designer Michael Kors. This outlet's the first in our region, selling apparel, handbags and the trench coats and aviator glasses for which Kors is famous.

Though you might not anticipate personal service at an outlet store, that’s simply not the case these days. Employees know their stock, know which items are “firsts” or “seconds,” can tell you which lines are produced exclusively for the outlet, and what merchandise is coming directly from the retail shops.

Be sure and ask about returns and exchanges. Policies vary by store.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or mmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.