CINCINNATI — Despite the convenience of online shopping, malls like Kenwood Towne Centre are staying busy and continuing to add more stores. The mall’s newest addition shows how retail growth could change what you see and buy in Cincinnati.
Designed for what it calls “everyday luxury,” Aritzia opened at Kenwood Towne Centre this week, attracting shoppers eager to experience the popular Canadian brand in person for the first time in the Queen City.
Allison Watson told us she made sure she was there for the big opening.
“I've always shopped online, never had the opportunity to go in and try on stuff, so I was really excited to come out,” Watson said.
Kenwood Towne Centre’s vice president of leasing, Britton Burridge, says Aritzia is one of the most requested stores local shoppers have wanted to see.
WATCH: Aritzia's grand opening drew dozens to Kenwood Towne Center
“We’re very excited to finally bring (Aritzia) to Cincinnati," Burridge said.
The grand opening, publicized in part through TikTok posts by store employees, speaks to the way social media and younger shoppers are shaping retail decisions.
“Gen Z shops more in person than any other generation since the baby boomers,” Burridge said. “These are kind of the 13 to 28, 29-year-olds that are just going to continue to have more influence and more spending power, and that’s a really important group for us to lean into.”
Kenwood has been experiencing strong retail growth:
- In the past five years, Kenwood Towne Centre has added 52 stores. Of those, 40 were retailers that had never been in the mall before, bringing entirely new options for shoppers.
- In 2025 alone, Kenwood added 17 new concepts— from retailers like Vuori, Gorjana, Pop Mart and Mango to sit-down restaurants such as Northstar Café and Mi Cozumel, responding to shoppers’ requests for more dining options.
Burridge said many of the additions balance Kenwood’s luxury offerings — Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany — with emerging brands and teen-friendly concepts.
“We have something for everybody,” Burridge said.
Gen Z shoppers like Mia Hamilton say the appeal of in-person shopping is real.
“We love coming to the mall for fun to shop,” Hamilton said. “The help I got from the workers — they brought me my sizes, and I enjoyed trying things on.”
Watson was frank about the prices at Aritzia.
“No good sales,” she said. “You have to have the coin, but it’s quality pieces. If you’re looking to upgrade your wardrobe, this is definitely the place to start.”
If you're on a tight budget, check for deals in the coming months. A few weeks after a store opening, retailers may launch promotional sales to maintain momentum.
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Kenwood’s momentum isn’t slowing down. Burridge says leases for more openings are already signed for 2026 and 2027, and announcements will come soon.
Burridge said Kenwood continues to position itself as a premier shopping destination.
“I think that Kenwood is really known as one of the best shopping centers in the Midwest. Cincinnati is a strong market,” Burridge said. “Good retail wants to be around good retail, so it sort of builds on itself. And I think we’ve got a lot of momentum right now that we’re able to kind of draft off of a little bit.”
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