What kind of impact can a high-end, boutique hotel have on a lifestyle shopping and entertainment destination? At Market Street-The Woodlands®, the answer is plenty. Less than two weeks after Market Street welcomed its newest anchor tenant, the sophisticated, 70-room AVIA hotel, Market Street’s fashion tenants and restaurants immediately noticed an increase in customer traffic and sales, particularly on weekends.

While guests at the posh hotel vary from couples enjoying weekend getaways to individual U.S. business travelers and families traveling from Mexico, they all have one trait in common – they enjoy shopping!

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in customer traffic, particularly on Saturdays, since the hotel opened,” noted Kristen Dougherty, General Manager of the Baby Gap and Gap Kids in Market Street.

“Our launch at Market Street has been very successful so far,” said Kendra Smith, Manager of Tattu Denim, a purveyor of premium, custom jeans for men and women that opened in Market Street just before the AVIA hotel opened.

“Our sales are up 10-15 percent since AVIA opened,” noted Frank Barnard, President of Flatbread Ventures, LLC, owners of Pizza by Marco. “The hotel certainly has brought an exciting element to the area.”

Each of AVIA’s guestrooms and suites features an elegant, contemporary design with custom lighting, 42-inch flat screen TV, MP3 docking stations, wired/wireless Internet and an in-room laptop safe. The property’s second-floor Terrace is a comfortable outdoor space with an infinity pool, outdoor seating and a fire pit overlooking Market Street.

Besides its immediate impact on Market Street’s existing tenants, the presence of the new, boutique hotel has led to an avalanche of new lease deals at the 500,000-square-foot, open-air shopping and entertainment destination. Market Street is well over 90 percent leased with occupancy levels at their highest point since the award-winning project opened in 2004. Market Street currently houses 90 tenants, including 18 restaurants.

New tenants at Market Street include 1252 Tapas Bar, Stadia Sports Grill & Bar and fashion tenants LMD Boutique and Langford Market. Other newcomers include Charming Charlie, All About Feet, the home furnishings and accessories store Belle Maison, and Red Mango, serving all-natural frozen yogurts.
Source: TWDC