Here's some business news to get pumped about, the fresh-faced Mills (5640 Spring Garden Road, 429-6111) announced today that it had acquired Spring Garden and Queen's ladies' footwear funhouse Kick Ass Shoes (5475 Spring Garden Road, 444-7527).
Lisa Gallivan, one-fourth of Mills' ownership, says it was a very "natural decision" to take over the already successful shop and its inventory—an idea that KAS' Sonia Felix approached the Mills crew with in the spring.
"Certainly Sonia did a great job building the brand," says Gallivan, of KAS, which opened downtown in 2004. "Acquiring it will take Mills to the next level, offering a range of price points and brands. It made totally sense for us. It will compliment our shoe department upstairs."
The nearly century-old Mills, which recently re-opened in two spaces at the Spring Garden Place mall, will have KAS' current stock—all those Cole Haans, Steve Maddens, Kate Spades and other beauties— in-store by August 1 and (though it's hard to think of summer as over) fall and winter inventory should arrive shortly as well.
"This will make it a much easier shopping experience," says Gallivan of the potential for major one-stop shopping with clothing, accessories, lingerie and footwear available. " You'll be able to get a complete outfit. I just think it's going to be a wonderful addition to the new Mills."
Though some of the details are still under discussion, Gallivan says Mills will keep using the Kick Ass brand in some capacity, which we think is a perfect celebration of the new, the old and the soon-to-be.
