H&M will open its first Baton Rouge location at the Mall of Louisiana in 2019, taking over a 22,000-square-foot space that was once home to The Gap and Banana Republic, both of which closed earlier this year.
The global fashion retailer, which will open at the mall next fall, offers clothing and accessories for women, men, teens and children. H&M expects to hire about 20 local employees, says Mall of Louisiana Senior General Manager Jacob Wilson.
The new store will expand H&M’s footprint in Louisiana, with the retailer already operating stores in New Orleans, Gretna, Houma, Shreveport and Monroe.
H&M, a Swedish company with 553 locations throughout the U.S., is among the largest clothing retailers in the world, known for its fashionable yet affordable apparel.
The Mall of Louisiana has seen a number of tenants come and go in recent years. Three new tenants—Smashburger, Amazing Chi and Burn Boot Camp—joined the mall earlier this year, while older stores, such as Brookstone and The Gap, have closed.
In addition to H&M, Main Event Entertainment also plans to open at the Mall of Louisiana in the former hhgreg location sometime next year. The Dallas-based entertainment company offers bowling, laser tag, arcades, ropes courses, food and alcohol.
“We are excited to add H&M to the Mall of Louisiana,” says Wilson in a statement. “Along with the addition of The Main Event, we will have nearly 75,000 square feet of new shopping and entertainment opening in 2019.”
