On Thursday, Saks Fifth Avenue opened the doors to its new Houston store, located in The Galleria entertainment complex.
There to cut the ribbon on the new department store were Saks president Marc Metrick, chief merchant Tracy Margolies, EVP of stores Larry Bruce and Houston VP and GM Bobby Dees.

In the lead-up to the opening, the retailer held special events with the city’s movers and shakers to mark the occasion. On Tuesday, it teamed up with Town &amp; Country to host a private dinner attended by designer Erdem Moralioglu, opera singer Ana María Martínez and Houston socialites Lynn Wyatt and Isabel David. And on Wednesday, Saks invited more than 1,000 guests to a cocktail party and preview of the new Galleria store.

Saks’ 200,000-sq.-ft. location in The Galleria was designed by CBX Agency in New York and represents a significant expansion from its previous Houston store, which closed earlier this month.

New additions to the brand roster include Proenza Schouler and Dries van Noten. The new store also will feature a Christian Louboutin boutique and a reimagined 10022-SHOE department.

Dees told FN sister publication WWD earlier this year that despite the economic slowdown in Texas, Saks is upbeat about the region.“You can’t foresee the economy, but we know over time the local economy will get better,” he said. “We are optimistic about Houston, and we are focused on being the best retailer we can be.”

Originally posted by <a href="http://footwearnews.com/2016/business/retail/saks-fifth-avenue-houston-galleria-store-opening-216751/" target="_blank">Footwear News</a>