The Corner became a little more international July 22 when the "Fabulously British" clothing store, "Jack Wills University Outfitters," opened its doors. The business, located at 1411 University Avenue, replaced the local grocery store, "The Corner Market," which went out of business in May after 30 years of operation.
Compared to its former occupant, the Jack Wills interior is relatively chic - the walls are painted in the company's signature navy blue and fuschia stripes, with antlers hanging in one corner, a large Union Jack painted on the floor and independent rock music ringing from its speakers.
British foreign exchange student Natalia Scorer said the brand has a connotation of being "rah" - what she described as the "British equivalent of preppy." Scorer is familiar with the brand from her hometown in southwestern England, although she has never bought any items from the company.
"The Jack Wills 'look' is inspired by traditional upper-class British pastimes, such as polo, as well as the elite university lifestyle, and creates the impression it is a long-standing British clothing institution, when actually it was only established a few years ago," she said.
Two friends at University College London founded Jack Wills in Devon, England in 1999, with the idea of creating an upscale British clothing line modeled somewhat after the American brand Ralph Lauren. Business experienced some financial setbacks, but has since exploded into an international corporation selling men and women's clothing, accessories, beauty products, home goods and some school supplies.
With 37 chain stores scattered throughout the United Kingdom, Jack Wills expanded to the United States market in 2010, opening stores in Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Boston. Charlottesville is the company's seventh and southernmost location in the U.S.
"I think Jack Wills might have chosen Charlottesville as it is very much a university town and U.Va is traditionally seen as very preppy [and] therefore probably assumed to be full of exactly the kind of clientele at which JW aims itself," Scorer said. She described this type of clientele as "generally upper or upper-middle class teenagers and university students ... predominantly at traditionally prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrews."
"The East Coast was the perfect place to first enter the U.S. market because of the abundance of universities and picturesque summer towns," Jack Wills marketing manager for America Rachel Romanowsky said. "I have only spent a short amount of time in Charlottesville to date, but the town has been overwhelmingly generous and welcoming."
Scorer said she thinks the business will be successful in Charlottesville because the clothing will appeal to University students, as it is "slightly exotic" and free of the negative view some British students might associate with the brand as overly stereotypical.
"The brand exudes the 'University' lifestyle of youth, excess and adventure ... and these things are something that we see working in Charlottesville," Romanowsky said. "U.Va. is a strong campus and we look forward to getting involved with the community as much as possible, hosting incredible events both in store and around campus."
Jack Wills does not advertise but instead hosts events, such as polo matches, to promote its brand and the kind of lifestyle that the company portrays. As part of its plan for expansion into the U.S. market, Jack Wills has scheduled an "Autumn University Tour" set to land in Charlottesville Oct. 27.
Glenna Pritzlaff, the manager of Elliewood Street women's clothing boutique Duo, said she doesn't see the new British clothing store as a threatening competitor to her small business, but rather a potential growth opportunity for all stores on the Corner. "I'm hoping that the opening of the Jack Wills will bring more business to the Corner," said Pritzlaff, who had never heard of the company before it opened in Charlottesville.
Pritzlaff said she thinks the lack of parking at the Corner is one of the reasons potential customers may prefer shopping at the Barracks Road Shopping Center. "Basically, the more retail and attractions on the Corner, the better. I'm thinking positive," she said.
Finch manager Jocelyn Churchman agreed that more retail on the Corner would be beneficial for all businesses located there. "When you come to the Corner, there are limited options. I would love to have five more retail stores here," she said. She described the trend towards commercialism on the Corner as inevitable because large corporations have more stable financial backing.
Churchman said she's been "super excited" about Jack Wills and has already been there several times.
Jack Wills may have already established itself in the United States, but only time will tell how the University community will receive the British brand.
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