Fred Segal continues to shrink a boutique retail footprint that had at one time courted an aggressive growth strategy.
The retailer, which defined the shop in shop concept and was the springboard for several fashion brands, closed its Studio City location at The Shops at Sportsmen’s Lodge about two years after opening. It was Fred Segal’s first door in the San Fernando Valley.
In more recent weeks, most of the store had been on markdown with 30 percent off. A store associate in late May had said the promotion was ongoing. Online, the retailer has been running a similar, nearly storewide promotion across apparel, beauty and home.
Fred Segal was part of a buzzy roster of brands inking deals to open doors at The Shops in 2022, including The Great and Reformation. Today, the center, which was redeveloped in 2021, is anchored by an Erewhon and Equinox.
Quiet Contraction
Fred Segal’s Studio City closure comes on the heels of the retailer’s shuttering of its Marin and Santa Monica stores earlier this year after brief stints in their respective locations.
Both stores opened less than a year prior, in Fall 2023, as part of a focus on growth through real estate and category expansion under parent Global Icons.
The company bought a majority stake in Fred Segal in 2019 and, much like the retailer’s previous parent, touted growth.
However, the growth has come in fits and starts, with former parent Sandow Media also aiming to aggressively take what had led to Fred Segal’s successes at its flagship Melrose Avenue location and bring it to other parts of the region and country.
An inquiry to Global Icons CEO Jeff Lotman at the time of the May Santa Monica store closure was not returned and the company has remained quiet on the future of the chain.
Fred Segal’s U.S. fleet now consists of its 21,000-square-foot Sunset Boulevard flagship, a Malibu location at Cross Creek Road and a door at Resorts World Las Vegas.
The contraction follows the winddown of another iconic Los Angeles boutique retailer in Ron Herman, which closed its Malibu and Brentwood stores in November. The following month, the retailer shuttered its last door on the U.S. Mainland on Melrose Avenue. The company’s Waikiki location remains its sole U.S. location.
2 Comments
Most of the stores at that location may die once the planned construction of the 520 units next door start. It appears the developer may have to failed mention to these businesses that the entire parking lot that is overflowing daily will be removed for a good part of a year during construction and their patrons will need to find alternate parking. Unfortunately there isn’t any near by. Can’t imagine those who drive G Wagons to frequent these stores will take the bus.
No, Peter. Fred Segal closed because they are terrible operators under their new ownership. They had terrible merchandise and service.