Somerset Collection is a super regional, luxury shopping mall, located in Metro Detroit, in Troy, Michigan with more than 180 specialty stores. Somerset Collection, developed, managed, and co-owned by The Forbes Company, is among the most profitable malls in the United States not owned by a real estate investment trust. Mall developers consider Somerset Collection to be among the top privately held mall properties in the United States. Of the 100 most profitable malls, 76 are owned by real estate investment trusts.
History
In 1969, Saks Fifth Avenue opened a stand-alone store on Big Beaver Road in Troy, an affluent suburb 16 miles north of downtown Detroit. A one floor, upscale "Somerset Mall" designed by Louis G. Redstone Associates, was built onto the existing Saks, anchored by it and a new Bonwit Teller. Thirty five additional stores opened, including I. Miller, Abercrombie & Fitch, Mark Cross, and FAO Schwarz. Bonwit significantly renovated its store in 1988, only to close in 1990 after the chain went bankrupt. In 1991-1992 the center was renamed Somerset Collection, a second level was added, and Neiman Marcus opened a store on the site of the razed Bonwit Teller. Completed in August 1992, Saks was renovated and expanded and more luxury stores, like Tiffany's, opened as well. Following the success of the revamped mall, co-owners Forbes/Cohen Properties and Frankel Associates opened a new three-story $200 million, 940,000 sq ft expansion across from Somerset Mall in 1996, designed by JPRA Architects. Michigan's first Nordstrom and a Hudson's anchored the three-story expansion, named Somerset North. When Marshall Fields was converted to Macy's in 2006 Somerset became one of only three malls in the country to boast all four department stores. Connecting the two malls is a 700 ft enclosed bridge known as the "Skywalk" over Big Beaver Road. The enclosed, climate-controlled skybridge was one of the first of its kind in the country, featuring moving walks to move shoppers between Somerset Collection South and Somerset Collection North. In 2004, Somerset South, the original part of the Collection, was renovated. The mall features award-winning lighting by Paul Gregory, a continuous skylight, glass elevators, and fountains designed by WET. Somerset Collection includes several notable sculptures, including a Finnish Sorvikivi Floating Stone fountain. Mall at Millenia, in Orlando, Florida, also designed by JPRA Architects, was based on Somerset Collection and is similar in design. Neither mall has kiosks. In December 2009, the Forbes Company acquired an adjacent site on which an open-air mixed use development known as the Pavilions of Troy has been proposed. Although plans were approved, the project has not moved forward and no further plans have been announced. In 2012, calling it "strategic capital investments", Saks renovated its store after it identified the Somerset location as having "high growth potential". In 2016, Chick-fil-A opened a location in the Peacock Cafe food court, the first in Metro Detroit not at the food court of a college campus or airport. In 2017, Zara opened its first store in Michigan on the first and second floors of the Macy's wing. On January 6, 2020, Crate & Barrel closed. It was planned to close on the 15th, but closed early due to fast sales. They will move to Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, with a new store
Shops and restaurants
The Somerset Collection contains of gross leasable area with over 180 stores. The four department store anchors are: Nordstrom and Macy's in Somerset North, and Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue in Somerset South. Dining options can be found in both North and South and range from fast food staples to casual, sit down restaurants. The third level of the Somerset Collection North features a grouping of 10 eateries which are called The Peacock Cafes, with combined seating for 650 patrons.
Services
Somerset provides valet parking and a full-service concierge staff. The concierge service includes a variety of services such as gift wrapping and stroller and wheelchair rental. Wi-Fi internet access is available in the Somerset North Grand Court, Peacock Cafes, and Somerset South Rotunda.
Special events
Special events are hosted at Somerset Collection year round. The layout includes stages for the performing arts. These events include yoga classes, special savings, visiting Santa, fashion shows, and other events sponsored by the Collection and individual stores. In 2011, the Forbes Company debuted a group of pop-up mini-shops called Somerset Collection CityLoft in Downtown Detroit, specifically at the Lower Woodward Avenue Historic District, which had been a major Detroit shopping district. Various stores from Somerset have opened pop up shops on Merchant's Row in the 1200 to 1400 block of Woodward Avenue, generally open the last Thursday to Saturday of the month from June through August, and occasionally September. Created to honor the history of Detroit and also promote local, existing stores and restaurants retailers such as The Buckle, Cache, Coach, Eddie Bauer, Gap, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Hallmark, Saks Fifth Avenue, Vera Bradley, and Williams-Sonoma have participated in the event. In 2012 this concept was extended to the Christmas season, with CityLoft Holiday "Yappy" Hour.
