The Summit at Fritz Farm to open with local and national stores

Birmingham, Ala-based Bayer Properties has announced that April 27 is opening day for many of the stores and business at The Summit of Fritz Farm, the mixed-use development at Nicholasville Road and Man o’ War Boulevard.

“We will have a little over 30 retailers opening on April 27, along with a lot of our restaurants,” said Lindsay Bayer-Shipp, creative director brand strategist at Bayer Properties. Other businesses will open through the spring and summer. According to its website, The Summit at Fritz Farm will include 70 street-level shops and 22 dining options.

The property’s mix of local stores and national brands was part of a vision, Bayer-Shipp said, to create something that was unique to Lexington. As creative director brand strategist her job, “was really trying to make sure everything we do at Summit at Fritz Farm feels very local to the market, very purposeful to the market and has a distinct point of view.”

Many of the property’s retailers, including the J.Crew-owned apparel and accessories store Madewell, Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James, and the Atlanta-based décor and gift brand Sugarboo & Co., are new to the Lexington market. Other businesses, including Sheila Bayes Fine Jewelers, Crank & Boom, and Crittenden Clothes of Midway, have a local following, part of what Bayer-Shipp calls “local flair.”

Also planned are special events including live music, yoga and rotating art displays. It’s what the changing business of retail demands, Bayer-Shipp said.

“Online, I think, has been the biggest driver of why the industry is changing and is continuing to change. As a result of that, I think it’s really forcing us to be more creative,” she said. “You’ve got to give your customers, your guests, a reason to not sit on their couch, have their laptop on their lap and order something online.”

More shopping news

▪  AJ’s Casuals at 867 East High Street will host a trunk show of spring designs from SuedeJewel, a collection of handcrafted necklaces by Lee Milward, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Pieces include accents including bone, shell, horn and pearls.

▪  Get 50 percent off all prom gowns at the Miss Priss pop-up shop, open at Fayette Mall through Sunday. The pop-up shop is between Victoria’s Secret and Francesca’s.

You’ll find the Miss Priss prom and pageant boutique at 906 North Broadway.

▪  More than 400 hat samples priced at $75 and lower, many as low as $18, will be offered at the annual hat sample sale, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 6 at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville.

The evening will include pop-up shops from local boutiques and specialty stores, hors d’oeuvres and drinks, live music and raffles. Early-bird tickets, $20, get you into the museum 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. General admission tickets with entry at 5:30 p.m. are $10. DerbyMuseum.org.

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 10:17 AM with the headline "The Summit at Fritz Farm to open with local and national stores."