50 new stores, restaurants coming to expanded King of Prussia Mall

Source: Philly Voice, Hayden Mitman

A 155,000-square-foot expansion at the King of Prussia Mall adds 17 new restaurants and retail stores, and unite its two formerly separate halves under one roof.

The project, which began in the summer of 2014, increases the mall’s footprint to 2.9 million-square-feet, according to the Simon Property Group, owners of the shopping center.

The 1.68-million-square-foot Plaza opened in 1963 and was joined in 1981 by the 902,000-square-foot Court, a fully-enclosed mall. The shopping areas were separated by a parking lot and connected only by an outdoor walkway. Beginning Thursday, shoppers can shop at new stores in the multi-level extension that connects the two malls.

According to Simon, the new stores and restaurants that opened Thursday include Altar’d State, Calligaris, Cartier, CH Carolina Herrera, Club Monaco, David Yurman, Diane von Furstenberg, Gap, Jimmy Choo, MCM, Robert Graham, Stuart Weitzman, Superdry, Vince, Hai Street Kitchen, Nicoletta and Shake Shack.

Additional new stores will continue to open in the coming months with the last retail space expected to be filled by early 2017.

“Today is a milestone day for Simon,” said Rick Sokolov, president and COO of Simon, in a statement on the opening. “King of Prussia has reached new heights….Customers now have greater access to the best names in retail and dining in one, seamless shopping environment.”

The expansion includes a state-of-the-art parking garage with speed ramps, space location technology and valet service that provides shoppers easier access to the shopping center, the mall’s owner said.