Business & Tech

Gap Confirmed for Southport Ann Sather, Piperlime Still Rumored

The Lakeview Chamber of Commerce confirms a Gap will take the place of Ann Sather on Southport, but according to an anonymous source, there's a major twist.

After remaining a highly guarded secret by both the developer and Lake View officials, the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce confirms a Gap will fill the space of the former Southport Avenue Ann Sather.

Heather Way, the executive director of the chamber, said the store at 3461 N. Sourthport Ave. next to the Brown Line CTA stop will open in late summer.

“The Gap is confirmed,” Way said. “It’s a 10-year lease for a 10,000-square-foot flagship store. And what I was told by the landlord representative yesterday is that the kids and baby section are on the second floor, and the men’s and women’s department will be on the first floor.”

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However, there’s a twist.

According to a source close to the project who asks to remain anonymous, the store is also rumored to feature Gap’s brand Piperlime, a boutique formerly only sold online. Piperlime first launched in 2006, and according to the source, there are only two other brick-and-mortar stores for Piperlime in the nation, located in Manhattan.

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Rumors Gap might land on Southport began swirling after Patch published a story about a secret business eyeing up space on the popular business corridor. And it may come at no surprise considering the real estate agent.

Joe Padorr of Seneca Real Estate Advisors facilitated the deal to bring Gap to Lake View’s Southport corridor, just as he did for Gap’s other brand Athleta. He says the demand for retail space on Southport is booming.

“The recent activity over the last year or so with regard to the Athleta and Noodles has kind of created an interest, a resurgence in retail on Southport,” Padorr said. “It’s really created quite a demand as well as a lack of inventory. So those two have a tendency to affect pricing, and therefore, we’ve seen some decent increases in retail square foot cots.”

Demolition began Nov. 9 at the former Ann Sather building. Construction at the new Gap is already under way.

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