Lululemon Athletica to open store in downtown SLO

Another specialty chain is set to set up shop in downtown San Luis Obispo — Lululemon Athletica, a Vancouver-based yoga and dancewear retailer, has signed a lease for the space on Higuera Street that previously housed Jim’s Campus Camera.

“I think (Lululemon) will be a complementary business to Coverings, which we all know went through a huge transition last year,” building owner Rob Rossi said. Coverings is located next door at 780 Higuera St. “Of all the different tenants we talked to, we thought they would be the best to take the place of Jim’s.”

Rossi said that because no renovations were needed — the shop is planning on keeping the building’s historic façade and decorations — Lululemon should be able to open by as soon as late April.

“They can really just move their merchandise in and get started,” Rossi said.

Rent for the 2,276 square-foot space was listed on the Anderson Commercial Real Estate Services website as $3.75 per square foot.

Lululemon has more than 200 stores worldwide, and reported an estimated annual revenue of $1.37 billion in 2013, according to The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch.

This story was originally published March 20, 2014 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Lululemon Athletica to open store in downtown SLO."