5 Retailers Making Their DC Debuts

July 13, 2015 | 8:00 am ET Tania Anderson

2015 may just be shaping up to be the year for retail in DC, which has one of the most educated and wealthiest populations in the US. And, of course, international and luxury brands all want a piece of the action. Check out these five retailers making their District debut.

1. Morgenthal Frederics

Location: CityCenterDC
Type: Luxury eyewear
Opening: July

Morgenthal Frederics was launched by a New York optician in 1986 in New York. Since then it’s opened boutiques all over the US, including Palm Beach, Bar Harbour, Aspen and Beverly Hills. CityCenterDC will be its first in the region and will open this month. The designer makes the frames by hand and uses unique materials like buffalo horn.

2. Lilith

Location: CityCenterDC
Type: Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories
Opening: November

This French designer has a handful of stores in New York and San Francisco and will open its first DC location in November. The fashion is described as artistic, chic and timeless, and expensive with pieces averaging in the hundreds.

3. Cabela’s

Locations: Gainesville, Short Pump and Bristol
Type: Hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise.
Opening: Bristol will open this fall; Short Pump next spring; and Gainesville will open spring 2017.

The Sidney, NE-based publicly traded company was founded in 1961 and has over 60 stores throughout the US. The company also has been expanding internationally, opening stores in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Its biggest store is in Hamburg, PA, at 250k SF. The company plans to open three stores in Virginia in the next two years, starting with Bristol in the fall, Short Pump next year and Gainesville in 2017.

4. Topman

Location: Springfield
Type: Men’s fashion
Opening: July

Nearly a year after opening Topshop at Springfield Town Center, the company will bring its men’s line to the same location. It’s all part of the UK company’s expansion in the US, where it’s opened stores in New York, San Diego, Houston and Atlanta.

5. Uniqlo

Location: Tysons
Type: Clothing
Opening: Spring/Summer 2016

Uniqlo launched in Japan in 1984, evolving from a chain of roadside stores to over 40 stores in the US. It will open its 10k SF store in Tysons in 2016. Its style for men, women and children is described as clean and classic basics, at affordable prices. (Jeans for under $40.)