Retail Pulse: Rebag Opens Miami Store; Amazon Brings Second Amazon Go To NYC

Online brands are expanding their brick-and-mortar footprints: Online handbag marketplace Rebag, for instance, is opening a new store in Miami’s Design District with more stores said to come.

“The Handbag Heaven” will have designer styles such as the Hermès Birkin Wall, which the company says is “Instagram-worthy” and a mainstay in all of its stores. Shoppers can also authenticate and sell a bag in under an hour at the Rebag Bar. The two-story location will have an outdoor courtyard complete with Rebag Yellow furniture. In addition, the company says it’s bringing the same personalized service, flexibility and transparency to the store as its California and New York City boutiques.

“We are thrilled to expand Rebag’s retail footprint to the Miami community. The city’s vibrant culture and appetite for luxury is the perfect setting for Rebag,” Rebag Founder and CEO Charles Gorra said in an announcement. “Miami has a global reach with customers visiting from all over the world. This new location, with its unique clientele will allow us to reach even more customers looking to both buy and sell luxury designer handbags.”

The location’s opening marks the company’s seventh physical location and comes on the heels of a funding announcement. (Rebag didn’t specify the amount or date of the funding in a press release about the new store, but the firm had a $25 million Series C round in February per Crunchbase.) The company also noted that its “data-driven approach has led the company to open stores in areas of high online adoption, with plans to increase that portfolio to 30 in the medium term.” Its retail footprint will encompass standalone locations in addition to “a continued presence” in luxury malls.

The company recently brought Geronimo Chala on board as VP of retail to help oversee the expansion. It noted the executive’s previous experience includes serving as general manager at Tesla North America and managing director at CH Carolina Herrera. Gorra said in the announcement, “This is a continuation of our strategy to build a world-class executive team at Rebag and our commitment to attract unparalleled talent.” The company also said it is accessible through its website as well as mobile app and pointed out that it offers free shipping to those wanting to sell a designer handbag.

Through stores in locations such as Miami’s Design District, eCommerce marketplaces are expanding their physical footprints in real life that have the ability for consumers to sell their handbags in store.

In Other Brick-and-Mortar News

Green Growth Brands (GGB) announced it has entered an arrangement to open over 70 new locations at the shopping centers of Brookfield Properties throughout the United States. The company added that the agreement will expand GGB’s physical footprint to roughly 280 locations in all by the end of this year, with the potential for more locations in the future. It also sells its CBD products at DSW shoe stores around the country.

“Brookfield Properties operates some of the most exciting and visited malls in the country, and we are thrilled to introduce our CBD shops to their centers,” Green Growth Brands CEO Peter Horvath said in a press release. “We know that consumers prefer to buy personal care and beauty products from physical stores, and this partnership will allow us access to millions of consumers.”

On another note, Kroger will sell CBD in almost 1,000 stores to tap into one of the hottest emerging consumer trends. The supermarket chain will sell topical CBD products derived from hemp such as oils, balms, and creams in 945 locations in 17 states. A spokesperson for Kroger said, per reports, “Like many retailers, we are starting to offer our customers a highly-curated selection of topical products like lotions, balms, oils and creams that are infused with hemp-derived CBD.”

In other news, Amazon’s newest cashier-less store has reportedly entered service marking the 13th Amazon Go location in the United States. The 1,700-square-foot Midtown Manhattan space comes after the online retailer opened one of the concept locations in a New York City mall. The newest store is the second location to offer espresso drinks and brewed coffee. Customers tap into self-service kiosks to make their own Cafe Americanos, lattes and mochas. The store is said to also take cash for payment.

Operating hours span from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. The company’s other locations for the Go concept are mainly on the West Coast in places like Seattle and San Francisco. Amazon Vice President of Physical Stores Cameron Janes said per reports,  “New York really fits … what we’re looking for.” Janes continued, “it’s high density” with “lots of people on the go. It’s a great fit for us.”

To keep tabs on the latest retail trends, check next week’s Retail Pulse.