Here’s a boutique roster that’s notable for real estate pros in Atlanta and beyond: Westport, Southampton, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Buckhead.
Those are the locations of Brochu Walker, which is making a name for itself as a “quiet luxury,” retailer, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported.
The store specializes in women’s fashion and accessories with prices ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars on various items.
The brand’s fourth location, getting ready to open at 260 Buckhead Avenue in Buckhead Village District, puts a shine on Atlanta’s status as top market for luxury goods. It also provides some more polish for hometown developer Jamestown Properties’ portfolio, which ranges from One Times Square in New York to Levi’s Plaza in San Francisco.
Jamestown paid $205 million for the Buckhead Village District, where Brochu Walker will take up residence along a lineup of luxury retailers than includes Dior, Hermes and Vuori, with shoppers able to grab a bite to eat at restaurants such as Bilboquet, The Southern Gentleman and Yeppa & Company, the outlet reported.
The open-air center includes 356,000 square feet of shop space over 2.7 acres. It has more than 50 tenants. It is a leading location in the upscale Buckhead district of the city, where the average retail rent ranges upward of $32 per square foot.
“We choose our markets carefully,” said Karine Dubner, the brand’s owner and creative director. “Each location is considered with the desire to become part of the community, and Atlanta has that big-city, yet smaller-town sensibility we love.”
It also brings a touch of Dubner’s French roots and New York style to the ATL. The boutique features a pastel pink awning, oak floors and olive trees. It was designed by Paul Bennett Architects, a Manhattan firm that works with a roster of fashion clients.
“I wanted to create a space that was serene, yet very welcoming, one that was understated enough to let our collection be the centerpiece while allowing our customers to experience the true Brochu Walker sensibility,” Dubner said.
It is a good time to be a retail landlord in Atlanta, as space is in high demand, and rents are soaring. Vacancy hit a record low of 3.4 percent in the fourth quarter of last year.
“It is the most competitive market I’ve ever seen in my career,” Amy Fingerhut, senior vice president in CBRE’s Atlanta Retail Services Group, said in March.