AUBURN – The Auburn Mall will be home to one of the fastest-growing teen retailers in the nation.
PacSun, a California-based apparel store that caters to teens and young adults, plans to open its fifth store in Maine by July 1.
“We’re very excited about PacSun,” said David Lee, manager of the mall. “They’ll start building this week.”
The store is expected to occupy about two-thirds of the former CVS pharmacy space, which closed in 2001. Blueprints show a 3,577-square-foot store with dressing rooms.
Late last year, Lee had said the mall was negotiating with several teen-apparel retailers. He said Wednesday that those discussions are ongoing.
“We still think the teen category is a place that will bear fruit,” he said. “Unfortunately, these (negotiations) take a lot more time than we wish.”
PacSun sells a mixture of casual clothes and accessories for teenagers and young adults up to age 22. Among its best-selling items are cargo shorts, tank tops, surfer wear, sandals and perfume. Brands such as Billabong and Roxy are offered, as well as the company’s own fashion lines.
The retailer would be the 47th store in the mall, which has space for 58.
PacSun expects to open 120 stores in 2005. Plans call for 70 PacSun stores, 10 PacSun outlet stores and 40 of its spinoff sister stores called d.e.m.o. After starting as a small surf shop in Newport Beach, Calif., the company decided to move into a local mall in 1981 to attract shoppers during the off-season. In 1989, the company expanded beyond California, growing to 60 stores by the time the company went public in 1993. Ten years later, there were 677 PacSun stores.
According to its corporate filings, PacSun operated 743 PacSun stores in the United States as of Feb. 26.
It is focusing on building its young female client base through a national advertising and marketing campaign in teen-focused magazines such as Seventeen, Teen People, CosmoGirl, Teen Vogue and Elle Girl, and through national and regional promotions.
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