Spring is fast approaching, and as St. Louis continues to shake off the frosty winter weather, we all can look forward to sunshine and blooming flowers. But the seasonal shift isn’t limited to the weather. From visits with the Easter Bunny to new restaurants and stores, there’s a lot springing up at West County Center, too.
As part of the spring fun at the shopping center, a very special guest is hopping by. Through March 31, shoppers can enjoy a meet and greet and purchase a photo package with the Easter Bunny. And furry family members are welcome as well! March 19 and 26 are Pet Nights when you can bring your cat or dog and get their picture snapped with the big bunny. “We’ve also done pet photos with Santa, and it’s always very popular,” says Sean Phillips, marketing director for West County Center. “We get just as many questions about pictures with pets as with kids!”
New spring styles and accessories aren’t the only fashionable changes the shopping center is anticipating. Guests may have noticed a huge barricade by J.C. Penney, and Phillips says it’s hiding some exciting expansion. H&M, which focuses on affordable and sustainable fashion, will expand its collections for women, men and teens to two levels. The expanded location, set to open in fall 2018, also will add a children’s section. Fashionistas can look forward to Dry Goods opening this summer. The subsidiary of Von Maur focuses on the latest trends in women’s fashion, accessories and giftables.
Phillips says another big change is happening in the former Elephant Bar space. The restaurant and wine bar Copia will move in this summer. “Everything you get at Copia downtown on Washington Avenue, you’ll get at West County Center,” says its owner, Amer Hawatmeh. “Food, wine, barrel-aged cocktails and the love we put into it all!” He is excited to expand the restaurant farther west and says the shopping center was the logical place to do so. “It will help us reach more customers, and I love the concept of a free-standing building,” he says. “I’m looking forward to being there, and working with the mall’s management has been nothing but phenomenal.”
Hawatmeh is making some renovations to the space, like creating a patio and turning the old bar into a banquet space to accommodate 100 people. He says it will be unlike anything in the West County corridor. “We’re reconfiguring the space to have a whole different feel, something more like a winery,” he adds. Phillips is equally enthusiastic about the partnership and the changes Copia is making at the shopping center. “It’s been very exciting to help Copia expand into West County,” he says. “It is locally owned and will be a great addition to our lineup of restaurants.”
While this spring is bringing a lot to West County Center, even more is on the horizon, according to Phillips. To keep in the know about what’s new, stay tuned to the mall’s social media accounts and website for announcements about new stores and more.
West County Center features many exciting spring activities, including pictures with the Easter Bunny through March 31 and an Easter basket giveaway. Pictured on the cover: Michael Kors at West County Center, located on Level 1 by Nordstrom, has the new spring collection of women’s handbags and accessories. For more information, visit shopwestcountycenter.com.
Cover design by Julie Streiler | Cover photo by Tim Parker Photography
Pictured at top: Shoppers can enter to win an exciting Easter gift basket.
Photo courtesy of West County Center
