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Posted on Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 5:59 a.m.

Kerrytown's V2V to open store in Arbor Hills on Washtenaw Avenue

By Lizzy Alfs

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Five weeks away from its official opening, the Arbor Hills shopping center on Washtenaw Avenue has added a new local tenant to its lineup: V2V.

Tes Haas, the owner of the women’s lifestyle boutique in the Kerrytown Market & Shops, signed a lease for a 3,000-square-foot space in the under-construction shopping center on Washtenaw between Huron Parkway and Platt Road.

“I didn’t really want to miss the opportunity to have stores on both sides of town,” Haas said. “Living here, and (Ann Arbor) being my hometown, I felt like it was a good addition.”

Haas opened V2V in Kerrytown in 1982, and later opened V2V stores in downtown Petoskey and Charleston, S.C. The stores sell stylish women’s clothing, accessories, gift items and home products.

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Tes Haas opened her first V2V store in Kerrytown in 1982.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com

Haas also owns retail shops named Emma in Petoskey and Chicago.

She said the V2V store on Washtenaw Avenue will have a similar feel as the store in Kerrytown — which will remain open — but there will be some differences in inventory. The new store will be slightly smaller than the roughly 4,000-square-foot space in Kerrytown.

“I think Ann Arbor is big enough and has enough people to have both stores,” Haas said.

“(Washtenaw is) just such a big corridor in town for shopping, and I think this complex is going to be a really great mix of locals and nationals with wonderful clothes, food and makeup,” she continued.

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Arbor Hills is scheduled to open on Aug. 22 on Washtenaw Avenue.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Renovations are underway and Haas said she’s trying to open the store when the entire shopping center opens on Aug. 22. Haas plans to hire 10 to 12 people to staff the new store.

V2V joins 17 other confirmed tenants opening at the four-building, 90,700-square-foot development. Tenants include a mix of national, regional and local businesses, including a restaurant by the Cafe Zola owners and a Running Fit store.

“We want the really strong local retailers,” said North Shore Properties Group co-founder Max Reiswerg, a partner in the development. “They’re the ones who give the project flavor.”

Reiswerg said they turned space over to tenants earlier this summer, and most are working on renovating their individual spaces. He said he’s working on finalizing another restaurant tenant and possibly a yoga studio.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.

Comments

Magpie

Thu, Jul 18, 2013 : 5:44 p.m.

I hope V2V does well in the new Arbor Hills center. I like their clothing but have never figured out how they could stay in business. Whenever I shopped there I was mostly ignored and never asked if I would like assistance.

A2K

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 4:42 p.m.

Sorry, but flimsy, drawstring/jersey/elastic "knit" clothing or dime-a-dozen boho frocks that make grown women look like they are trying to be 12-years-old (for $300+) isn't my cup-a-tea...nothing without a stitch of tailoring deserves a price-tag over $80.

Tesla

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 4 p.m.

Any bets on what V2V means? *chuckle*

Tesla

Wed, Jul 17, 2013 : 1:34 a.m.

arrrrgh. Well thats cool but not as fun as what I had in mind. Hehe

Lizzy Alfs

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 5:41 p.m.

Vintage to Vogue!

Lauren Erickson

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.

As with any new retail strip mall some tenants will do splendidly while other fall on their faces. The question we have to ask is, how many more folks from Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, are going to be interested in another homegrown boutique when fact the larger, more exclusive brands like North Face will be the main draw to this strip mall which just happens to be so conveniently located right near I-94 and US-23?

KMHall

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 3:07 p.m.

V2V is fairly unique for around here. It will be a good fit. The new corridor (while feeling a bit suburban) sounds exciting.

mr_annarbor

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 1:24 p.m.

So, with V2V that makes 18 tenants overall in the new shopping center. How many total tenants can the center accommodate? What percentage of the total square footage has been leased?

Lizzy Alfs

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 2:15 p.m.

I believe there is space for about two more tenants, and then there might be office space available (there is 9,000 square feet of office space - but the yoga studio might take a portion of that)

SlothluvsChunk

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.

"We want the really strong local retailers," said North Shore Properties Group co-founder Max Reiswerg, a partner in the development. "They're the ones who give the project flavor." Terrible attitude by the development owners! Makes me NOT want to shop there. "Popular" retailers are great, but are fed by greed and socio-economic status, but unique, smaller businesses are what give "flavor" to any community. This is why art & music have been downsized in schools.. no one has any appreciation, imagination or uniqueness anymore.. Society has turned into a bunch of sheep.

newsmuse

Tue, Jul 16, 2013 : 10:40 p.m.

SlothluvsChunk- not sure if you or I am misinterpreting the quote. My interpretation of "the really strong local retailers" is just what V2V is- a strong, local retailer. This is not a national chain.

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