ZARA OPENS NYC FLAGSHIP STORE IN SOHO

Spain-based fast-fashion retail chain Zara has opened the doors of its new 47,361-feet flagship store at 503-511 Broadway in New York’s historic SoHo neighborhood. The new store is Zara’s eighth location in Manhattan.

The building, which was designed in 1878 by architect John B. Snook, now houses three floors of apparel for men, women, and children’s. Zara’s in-house architecture team ensured that the store kept the building’s original cast iron façade, interior and brick wall, which now blends with a rationalist and airy interior that features beauty, clarity, functionality and sustainability, the guiding principles of Zara’s image.

In keeping with owner Inditex Group’s aim to have 100% eco-efficient stores by 2020, Zara SoHo implements highly demanding sustainability measures across all its processes, combining these efforts with energy efficiency and recycling in order to consume 30 percent less energy and 50 percent less water compared to a conventional store. As a result, Zara SoHo has applied for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, awarded to green buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a third-party organization.

“This store is particularly relevant for several reasons: the quality and size of its location, the environmental component that promotes the goals of our eco-efficient store project, its design, and its technological proposal,” said Pablo Isa, chairman of Inditex Group. “From today forward this new flagship will undoubtedly be a global benchmark.”