A new women's fashion retailer has taken over the large second-floor space once occupied by Forever 21 at Deptford Mall, giving South Jersey shoppers their first local outpost of the Chicago-based chain Akira. The store sits next to the Round1 arcade and bowling alley and stocks a wide selection of women's clothing, shoes and accessories.
According to 42 Freeway, the store quietly opened at the end of last week, with the outlet's visit coming the following Monday. Founded in Chicago in 2002, Akira has grown into a retailer with more than 40 stores along with an online shopping presence, the outlet reports.
What Shoppers Will Find Inside
Inside, the outlet describes a full decor redo of the former Forever 21 footprint, with distinct sections for casual everyday wear and glamorous night-out fashion. The center of the store features a shoe section, with fitting rooms located toward the center rear, per the same report.
During the author's visit, some items were marked 90% off, the report notes. Some commenters responding to 42 Freeway's original article on Facebook said they had previously traveled to other Akira locations, including King of Prussia Mall and Delaware, to shop the brand before it arrived in Deptford.
Grand Opening Festivities Planned for November 14
Akira has a bigger celebration on the calendar. A grand-opening line is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 14, with doors opening at 9 a.m. and the first 100 customers receiving a free gift, according to 42 Freeway's reporting. An in-store raffle is scheduled for 10 a.m., and a DJ is set to perform in the store from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that day.
Shoppers can also book a complimentary styling session with an Akira stylist, according to Patch. The same listing notes Akira is advertising a gift with purchase on Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, while supplies last.
Part of a Broader Wave of Mall Activity
Akira's arrival is one piece of a larger retail shuffle at Deptford Mall as the holiday season approaches. Patch describes the mall as kicking off the season with fresh storefronts, pointing to Pandora's grand opening of its expanded store on October 27, as well as American Eagle and Offline by Aerie opening side-by-side on November 6. A stand-alone Aerie store is also expected to open on the mall's lower level later this month, per the same listing.
Separately, 42 Freeway has reported that a Golf Galaxy location is planned for the mall on the other side of Round1, in a space larger than 20,000 square feet. Forever 21's exit from the Deptford space followed a broader retrenchment at the chain: NorthJersey.com reported the retailer was preparing to close at least 200 more stores, with liquidation of its roughly 350 remaining locations described as possible if no buyer emerged. That report noted the Deptford store had displayed closing-sale signs advertising discounts between 10% and 40% before it shut down.
