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OREM — The owners of University Place said Tuesday that nearly a dozen new stores have already opened, will open or will expand this year as a part of a large-scale revitalization of the nearly 50-year-old mall.
Personal care and beauty product retail giant Sephora and Temple in Mind have already opened, according to Woodbury Corporation, which owns the 120-acre facility. The latter of the two had a temporary location at the mall where it sold apparel and novelties associated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Woodbury Corporation announced there were another eight retail stores or restaurants also opening or expanding in the coming months. Those are:
- Bath & Body Works: The body care and fragrance retail company first opened at University Place more than 20 years ago but is expanding to a 5,600-square-foot store. The expanded store is expected to open at the end of May. Until then, it relocated to a temporary location next to a Victoria's Secret in the mall.
- Bunz Burgers: Expected to open in the Seasons Food Court later this month.
- Chubby's Neighborhood Cafe: The seventh restaurant location for the Pleasant Grove-based business since it was established in 2010.
- Cotton on BODY: An Australian-based clothing brand. It's slated to be the company's first Cotton on BODY retail store in the United States after 30 years of global business. The location at the mall will be about 2,500 square feet and is expected to open this summer.
- Red Tacos: The first permanent brick and mortar restaurant location for the popular Provo food truck business.
- Teton Toys: The second Utah County location for the toy company that has locations in Lehi and Jackson, Wyoming.
- The Churro Company: A handcrafted, made from scratch churro businesses.
- Villa Ceramics: A Utah-based pottery studio company that began in 2019. The 5,600-square-foot studio won't just sell handmade products but offer lessons for patrons who want to learn how to make their own clay pottery pieces with the help of an instructor or on their own, according to Woodbury Corporation.
Randy Woodbury, the president and CEO of the company, said in a statement Tuesday that he believed that 2021 is "destined to be an exciting year" for University Place.
"These include long-sought-after brands, new and creative concepts, expansions of proven favorites and a host of new dining options," his statement continued.
University Place first opened in 1973 and currently includes over 100 stores. Owned by the Woodbury Corporation, it's in the middle of a $500 million revitalization project that was first announced in 2015. The project has transformed it to include residential and office space in addition to retail business.
According to the Deseret News, the Governor's Office of Economic Development officials at the time lauded the project, saying that they believed it would make University Place the "economic epicenter of Utah County" for the next 40 years.
