Two new clothing stores set to open in SLO Chinatown project
Clothing stores Francesca’s and Marine Layer are the newest additions to Monterey Street in downtown San Luis Obispo as part of the Chinatown project.
Francesca’s, a boutique store that carries women’s clothing, accessories and gifts, is at 846 Monterey St. The 1,400-square-foot store will carry a hand-picked selection of goods, including California-specific items and new products almost daily, a company representative said.
The store is slated to have its grand opening celebration Oct. 29. Each Francesca’s boutique typically has a staff of eight to 10, with a mix of both full- and part-time positions. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company has more than 600 stores in 48 states, according to its website.
Next door at 844 Monterey St. is Marine Layer, a men’s and women’s clothing and accessories store that sells “absurdly soft clothes that have a California seven-day weekend vibe,” described Brand Manager John Ferrin.
Marine Layer is slated to open Friday afternoon. The 1,000-square-foot store will likely be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, depending on how busy it is, Ferrin said. There are typically three to five people, a mix of full- and part-time, employed at each store.
The San Luis Obispo location will be San Francisco-based Marine Layer’s 22nd store nationwide, Ferrin said, adding that they only open stores in areas they’re “excited to travel to.”
Other stores slated for the mixed-use development include a Lululemon Athletica store, an H&M clothing store, a Williams-Sonoma kitchenware and home furnishing store and Paso Robles bistro Thomas Hill Organics.
“We’re thrilled to have them all a part of the downtown community,” said Therese Cron, property manager for Copeland Properties, which is developing the site.
She declined to disclose information about potential tenants for the remaining spaces, saying that the tenants are announcing themselves.
According to a sign in the store’s window, Lululemon Athletica is slated to open Sept. 23. The other stores in the area are also pushing for a third-quarter opening, Cron said.
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This story was originally published September 15, 2016 at 3:54 PM with the headline "Two new clothing stores set to open in SLO Chinatown project."