Bargain hunters in Lutz are about to get a new reason to swing by Tampa Premium Outlets. A budget-friendly clothing chain is set to move into the anchor spot that once belonged to Saks Off 5th, filling one of the center's most visible vacancies and nudging its lineup further toward wallet-friendly fashion.
According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, the incoming retailer will sell men's and women's apparel, but the company name and official opening date are still under wraps.
Saks Off 5th's exit
The off-price chain largely pulled out of malls earlier this year after parent company Saks Global moved into Chapter 11 restructuring and opted to close most Saks Off 5th locations while winding down its online clearance business, as reported by the AP. That retrenchment freed up dozens of former Off 5th anchor boxes for landlords looking to backfill large spaces.
What Tampa Premium Outlets is adding
At Tampa Premium Outlets, owned by Simon Property Group, those backfill moves are clearly skewing toward brands that lean into value. The center's online listings feature several "coming soon" and "headed your way" tenants aimed at mainstream families, including Old Navy Outlet, The Children's Place and Timberland Outlet. Per the Tampa Premium Outlets directory, management is leaning into accessible price points as it reshapes its anchor roster.
Retail trend: Value chains fill vacancies
Industry watchers note that when large anchors go dark, landlords often turn to affordable or family-oriented retailers to steady traffic and rents. The Saks Off 5th pullback has only sped up that pattern, creating a wave of big-box openings that value chains can step into relatively quickly, as noted by Retail Dive. That backdrop helps explain why an affordable apparel brand is zeroing in on the former Saks space in Lutz.
The specific retailer and timeline for opening had not been disclosed at the time of publication, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported. Lease filings or an official announcement from the mall or the company are expected to confirm the brand and schedule, and this story will be updated once those details are released.
