Skechers has cut the ribbon on its largest East Coast store to date.
The California-based comfort brand opened a 22,000-square-foot “superstore” at one of New Jersey’s biggest shopping destinations this week. Showcasing shoes and apparel for men, women and kids, the new location at The Mills at Jersey Gardens replaces a 2,900-square-foot store at the same shopping center.
Located on the mall’s second floor, the space has been subdivided into sections to facilitate navigation between product categories, with digital displays and fabric light boxes offering an interactive gallery for shoppers. A 4,000-square-foot area houses apparel, and casual and athletic footwear styles, while other shop-in-shops feature Skechers’ safety footwear and performance athletic shoes.
Skechers said the store incorporates eco-friendly concrete, recycled vinyl flooring, recycled rubber seating, LED lighting and energy-conserving ceiling fans.
“To help us meet consumers’ growing demand for our product, Simon Property Group found the ideal size and location for our new home,” Skechers president Michael Greenberg said, noting the store’s proximity to New York City and Newark International Airport with daily transport from Manhattan’s Port Authority Bus Terminal. The store offers “a complete fashion, lifestyle and performance destination that enables regional consumers, locals and tourists to explore our entire comfort offering,” he added.
Earlier this week, Greenberg took to LinkedIn to address the fall of Roe v. Wade, saying Skechers would reimburse up to $4,000 in travel expenses for employees going out of state for care.
“While those at our corporate headquarters reside in a state that respects and protects a woman’s right to make decisions that affect her health, many of our team members across the country live in ‘trigger’ states that have already or will soon ban this medical procedure within the next 30 days,” he said.
“Good corporate citizenship means equal opportunity for all employees, and as a company with employees in all 50 states, we believe it is up to us to do what we can to provide the same rights across our U.S. workforce,” he added. Any employee, spouse or dependent enrolled in Skechers’ medical plan is eligible for financial support.
“We understand that some team members or our loyal customers may not agree with our decision,” he added.
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Levi’s, Nike, Adidas, Gap, Target and LVMH also released statements confirming their commitment to covering expenses for employees traveling to receive care outside their home state. Allbirds also said it will cover employees’ abortion-related travel expenses and any childcare needs. Patagonia said it will bail out employees arrested while peacefully protesting for abortion rights.
