The final ground-level retail store to open at Arbor Hills Crossing was J. Jill, a women’s retailer. Like many national brands, J. Jill struggles to find its niche in the huge retail ocean of mid-priced clothing for women. People confuse it with Talbot’s, which used to own it, and J. Crew, because they sound alike. The irreverent website Jezebel imagined J. Jill as J. Crew’s sometimes stodgier, sometimes more elegant older sister (“Eileen Fisher at a lower price point”), and in an item-by-item comparison, J. Jill did tolerably well. Manager Sharon apologized that she couldn’t provide a description of her own–corporate rules prevent her from talking to the media, and corporate didn’t return calls.
Hidden behind the facade of the Bigalora building is a recessed second tier. Vie Fitness & Spa will be opening a second, slightly stripped-down location there. Owner Heather Dupuis says it will include “a small retail segment: salads, but no smoothies, and some lifestyle clothing, like scarves and mittens.” No yoga wear (there’s a lululemon store for that across the parking lot). She hopes to open in January.
J. Jill, 3030 Washtenaw (Arbor Hills Crossing), 677-6606. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Vie Fitness & Spa, 3050 Washtenaw (Arbor Hills Crossing), 677-7800. Hours not available at press time. Viefit.com
