Kirna Zabête plans further retail expansion

Kirna Zabête, the four-unit luxury multi-brand retailer, is in expansion mode.

With stores in SoHo; East Hampton; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and Palm Beach, Kirna Zabête will open three more stores over the next 15 months. The plan calls for a new 3,000 square foot store at 943 Madison Avenue (between 74th and 75th streets) in New York City by the end of this year, a 4,000 square foot store at Green Hills in Nashville, Tennessee, in March, and a 3,000 square foot store in the Miami Design District by the end of next year.

"Madison was a no-brainer. Although I had a store in SoHo for 23 years, I I've had a residence on the Upper East Side since 2001. I really understand who this client is,” said Beth Buccini, owner of Kirna Zabête.

Buccini almost had a store on the Upper East Side in 2016, "but the rent was too much raised to that point. Now she's on the same block, with the same owner, and said she thought it was meant to be.

There are loads of downtown customers at Buccini's SoHo outpost, including including buyers who will not come downtown and have products delivered by couriers.

"This downtown shopper really does shop at my other stores in East Hampton and Palm Beach ", said Buccini. . "This is a great opportunity for us to have a more direct conversation with this client," she said. She said the store will take over from Joe Bananas, the Australian men's casual clothing company.

The Nashville store at 2001 Warfield Drive opening in March will be in a free-standing building in Green Hills, in the former home of retailer Shindigs & Celebrations. Buccini said she loves Nashville because she's from the South, her husband is a real estate developer, and she's seen this city explode. "It's absolutely electric, I've never seen anything like it. It was ranked the top US city for the most economic growth in 2021," she said.

She chose Miami because these customers come to her store in Palm Beach every day, via the Brightline high-speed train or car service. She actually watched the Design District in 2008. “I believed it then, and my God has come a long way. There is no multi-brand store in the Design District, it's basically a sanctuary for all mono-brands,” she said.

"I love the artwork. I think it's really fun…c "is a younger, international and sexy fun customer. It's so much fun to buy. We've seen how successful Florida has been for the business," she added.

Kirna Zabête in Palm Beach.

Buccini enlists residential interior designer Steven Gambrel of S.R. Gambrel for the three new stores. He designed the Palm Beach and Bryn Mawr stores. “I wanted there to be a residential side. I want these spaces to feel like very special, very personal jewelry boxes, like going into the closet of your best friend, who has the most exquisite taste in fashion,” she said. Each of the stores will be location-specific with products and designs, and will feature exclusives.

Buccini finances the company herself, after buying out her partner...