February 20, 2025
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Aritzia's first Philadelphia location, at 1725 Walnut St., is now open seven days a week.
While Center City has seen the closures of retailers Macy's, Vans and the North Face over the last few months, a luxury fashion company moved in to the neighborhood Thursday.
Aritzia's first Philadelphia location, at 1725 Walnut St., is now open seven days a week, and shoppers can peruse the store, pick up online orders and make personal styling appointments.
The store features white oak flooring, 20th century European furniture and an "elevated lounge area," a statement said. Brands available include Wilfred Free, Sunday Best, Citizens of Humanity and New Balance.
The building, squished between fellow luxury clothing retailers Madewell and Reformation, was a Borders Bookstore until 2003. Since then, a number of fashion stores, including Ann Taylor, the Loft and Steve Madden, have occupied the space. It was most recently an H&M, which closed early in the pandemic in 2020.
The opening comes after last month's announcement that the three-story Macy's at the historic Wanamaker building, which had been there since 2006, would be closing. At the end of last year, skateboard shoe brand Vans and outdoor clothing company the North Face also announced they were shutting down stores in Center City.
However, Abercrombie is scheduled to open this year in the former Vans space at 1702 Walnut St., and a November report from the Center City District said retail occupancy in the area was still strong at 83%, with nearly 1,800 businesses.
