Where.. oh where... could this fashion retailer possibly go?!

Well... we are finally getting to this post (sorry once again for the delay). No, the post yesterday on Coach officially beginning the hiring process for their new Miller Hill Mall store and therefore solidifying the fact that are opening in Duluth was NOT the major fashion retailer that we had mentioned on facebook. If you didn't see our facebook (and if you haven't liked our facebook page you should get on that for the latest news!) we had mentioned that a major fashion retailer has put Duluth on their radar for a possible store opening possibly in 2014 or 2015. Any guesses? Here's a hint. They currently have five Minnesota locations with a sixth on the way opening in the fall! Their name is quite simple... composed of only three letters actually... well... that's when it's abbreviated. Get it yet??? If not, you've probably already noticed the bright red letters below.

Well, on the heels of announcing a brand new store to open in Minnetonka, MN at Ridgedale Center, H&M is apparently looking into the broader Minnesota market for possibly a new store or two in the next two to three years. If you're not familiar with the company we of course will give you a little background information. Hennes and Mauritz started back in 1947 as just "Hennes" back in Vasteras, Sweden. Since then the company has expanded globally, now with over 2,700 locations worldwide, and is still based out of Sweden. Known for their fashion forward garments and low prices, H&M only recently came to the U.S. back in 2000 with their flagship NYC location. Since then, the company has added eight more stores in NYC alone, and oh yeah, almost 300 other locations in the U.S. In fact, their expansion plans are so aggressive, that they plan to open anywhere between 80-100 new stores in the U.S. in the next two years alone.

Now, Minnesotans can see this expansion first hand due to the fact that the company just opened a new location in the Uptown neighborhood in Minneapolis in December of 2012 and a mere month a half later announced plans for their next location to open less than a year later in Minnetonka. Plans also include an additional store in a northern Minneapolis suburb in the coming years.

Not much is known about the potential Duluth location, only the fact that representatives of the company currently are looking for space within the city. H&M only operates stores in high trafficked, highly visible locations, meaning that the most logical choice for a location in Duluth would be at the Miller Hill Mall. Here's the only issue.. where in the world is there a space between 17,000 and 24,000 square feet? To be honest, it doesn't exist. That's not to say that it couldn't one day exist. Look at Dick's Sporting Goods for instance. If H&M did decide to locate in Duluth, they could be the much needed push for the Miller Hill Mall to expand and renovate. After all, space does seem to be running low at the mall.

As always, we'll keep you updated.