Boating supplies retailer West Marine will open it’s new Fort Lauderdale store on Nov. 11, the largest specialty store in its chain of more than 300 locations.
The 50,000-square-foot facility at Andrews Avenue and State Road 84 is twice the size of any of West Marine’s other flagship stores and five times the size of most standard stores.
“Fort Lauderdale is a natural place for this size of a store,” said Erik Rimblas, the Regional Vice President of West Marine who is based in South Florida. “We’re here for the customer. This is the boating capital of the world.”
West Marine, which has struggled along with the rest of boating industry in the past few years, has devised a new real estate strategy that involves fewer, larger stores. This is the first of the larger stores to open.
The previous Fort Lauderdale location at 2400 Federal Highway closed Thursday.
Inside the new store, West Marine will offer a broad selection of marine merchandise ranging from engine parts to anchors, to fishing and water sports gear and clothing to jewelry.
Touch screen displays line store aisles to help customers get to know more about products or to teach “do it yourself” techniques. A rigging station is staffed by experienced employees that can take orders at the store or at boat locations in the area. The store also caters to megayacht captains and crew and have offices where specialty parts and items can be ordered.
An engine and parts area allows customers to pick the parts they need themselves, or use the repair services West Marine offers.
A several story tall mock megayacht flybridge in the center of the store encompasses the electronics department. It took 20 people from Fort Lauderdale-based Hargrave Custom Yachts more than two weeks to install it.
Underneath the flybridge are rows of boating electronics, including two virtual simulators that allow customers to test drive depth finders and GPS devices in a life-like setting. West Marine will provide electronic installation services through Fort Lauderdale-based High Seas Technology.
An apparel department inside the store offers shoes, clothing, sunglasses and jewelry for men, women and children in brands like Guy Harvey, O’Neill, Under Armour, Oakley and West Marine’s own line.
The store sits on a 4-acre plot at 2401 S. Andrews Ave. sold by Causeway Lumber Co. earlier this year and developed by Fort Lauderdale-based commercial real estate firm, Stiles. West Marine is leasing the space from the developer.
“West Marine has built a strong presence not only in this city, but also throughout the country, and we believe this new superstore will further establish Fort Lauderdale as the yachting capital of the world,” said Robert Breslau, President of Stiles Real Estate Investment Services in a news release.
The store was designed by retail architects at Boston-based Bergmeyer Associates, Inc. with the help of the West Marine visual merchandise design team.
Watsonville, Calif.-based West Marine has 319 stores in 38 states, with 73 of those stores in Florida. There are 11 stores in Broward and Palm Beach counties. The other flagship stores are in St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach. A fourth is planned to open in Honolulu, Hawaii next year.
The company will host a grand opening celebration from Dec. 7 through Dec. 11. Every day will be themed around a different aspect of the boating community, from saltwater fishing and sailing days, to an enviromental responsibility day. Each day will have lectures and classes by industry professionals, giveaways and signing events.
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