On Thursday, a ribbon cutting was held at Destination Outlets in Jeffersonville — with several in attendance including members of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.
Destination Outlets took ownership of the outlet mall at I-71/US 35, formerly known as Tanger, in late January. According to public land transfer records, ownership from Tanger Jeffersonville LLC to JY Destination LP transferred for $8 million.
As previously reported and according to the new management team, the company is excited about transforming the outdoor mall into a destination for visitors to “shop, eat and play.”
“We were surprised and encouraged with the engagement from the community and how much great history people have with the property,” Alex Hofstedter, co-managing partner of Destination Outlets, said on Thursday after the ribbon cutting. “So many people we spoke with worked here as teenagers and were very much looking forward to a revitalized and refreshed center. The feedback we’ve received has been fantastic! We are a small and nimble group and very much rely on input from the community, and to incorporate smart suggestions in to the center. We are here to listen and we want to provide a great experience. ‘Shop, eat, play,’ that is our mantra, our motto, our mission. We want to make it more than just plain old shopping. The centers performance and the shoppers response have exceeded expectations, and were thrilled for everyone to be enjoying the fruits of our labor. Our goal is for everyone to enjoy their visit to Destination, and have a unique and memorable experience We are excited to be rolling out some exciting and unique tenants and events over the next few months, so stay tuned.”
One of the first steps toward making the mall a place for people to “shop, eat and play” was bringing in a variety of food trucks until an expanded food court can be created. It was also planned to upgrade vending options.
Recently, the mall offered its first annual Spring Carnival along with a vaccination day with the help of Fayette County Public Health.
The traveling Chiketti Family Amusement Park was at Destination Outlets on May 15-16 and will be there from May 20-23 with rides and food: Thursday May 20 from 3-8 p.m., Friday May 21 from 3-8 p.m., Saturday May 22 from 12-8 p.m., Sunday May 23 from 12-6 p.m.
As for shopper loyalty programs, those who have Legacy Tanger coupons and rewards can still use them as they will be accepted by the retailers at Destination Outlets until they expire. The new owners are developing a new rewards program to replace the Tanger rewards program.
“Our goal is to transform Destination Outlets into an exciting destination for the surrounding local counties and for shoppers from near and far,” said Jeff Weissman for a prior news release—a partner in the new management team. “We are thrilled that Chiketti Family Amusement is coming to Destination Outlets. The Spring Carnival will be a great family event and is just the start of what promises to be a fun-filled spring and summer at Destination Outlets.”
To share feedback and ideas, visit www.destinationoutlets.com or call 800-213-9083. More information on the future of the outlet mall will be shared as it is available.
