Banana Republic vacates location

Zen Nail opening site

Clothing and accessories retailer Banana Republic has closed its longtime Hamilton Place mall store, while an adjacent shopping center is adding locally based Zen Nail Spa as the property owner reshuffles some of its offerings.

Banana Republic didn’t renew its lease and another clothing retailer, Justice, will relocate to that space, said mall spokeswoman Kim Lyons.

Altar’d State, the Maryville, Tenn.-based company which last month announced it was opening a store at the Chattanooga mall, will take the Justice and Great American Cookie space, she said.

Great American Cookie has relocated across from the new H&M store that opened late last year, Lyons said.

Meanwhile, Zen Nail Spa will open a 2,428-square-foot location at The Shoppes at Hamilton Place, according to CBL Properties, which operates both the shopping center and the mall.

Owner Tracy Nyugen said the focus of the spa is providing “the highest customer service while [customers] relax in a tranquil setting.”

Construction has begun on the new spa with plans to open in March.

David Meadows, Hamilton Place’s senior general manager, said that having locally owned establishments alongside national tenants improves the shopping experience.

Banana Republic is owned by Gap Inc., which late last year announced it expected to save $500 million over the next three years by streamlining operations, including closing about 200 underperforming Gap and Banana Republic locations.

This week, Gap said it’s closing its Banana Republic New York City headquarters and shifting those operations to San Francisco.

Altar’d State, a boutique clothing retailer, will move into a 5,200-square-foot store and is slated to open this fall.

Also, restaurant chain Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q announced last month it will open an eatery at The Shoppes at Hamilton Place at the former Fox & Hound site. It, too, is planning a fall opening.