Designer toy brand POP MART has introduced a new brick-and-mortar store at Westfield Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, expanding its physical presence in the region. The opening represents POP MART’s sixth location in Illinois, underscoring the retailer’s continued growth in the state and its strategy of building out a network of storefronts in established shopping destinations.
The new POP MART store is located on the north side of Westfield Old Orchard, positioned next to Macy’s and in close proximity to Zara, Shake Shack and Molly’s Cupcakes. The store is opening with a lineup of collections from the brand, giving shoppers access to POP MART’s curated range of designer toys within a traditional mall setting.
POP MART was founded in 2010 and has grown into a global retailer with more than 550 offline stores and 2,500 ROBO SHOPs across over 20 countries. Its presence at Westfield Old Orchard adds another international brand to the mall’s merchandising mix and places the retailer alongside a roster of established national and global concepts.
Westfield Old Orchard, situated on Chicago’s North Shore, serves as a regional retail destination. The property is anchored by Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and CMX Cinemas, providing a combination of fashion, department store and entertainment offerings that drive consistent foot traffic to the center. In addition to these anchors, the mall features brands such as Apple, Fabletics, lululemon, Kendra Scott, SoulCycle, TUMI, Tiffany & Co. and Vineyard Vines.
The addition of POP MART comes as other tenants have recently opened at the redeveloped mixed-use project led by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. As part of Westfield Old Orchard’s ongoing revamp, Puttshack opened a 30,000-square-foot social entertainment venue at the property last year, adding a large-format experiential component to the center’s tenant mix.
With POP MART joining a lineup that includes traditional anchors, digitally native brands, food and beverage operators and entertainment concepts, Westfield Old Orchard continues to evolve its merchandising strategy. The combination of new-to-market concepts and established brands reinforces the mall’s positioning as a North Shore destination for shopping, dining and entertainment.
