One of the world’s largest women’s apparel retailers agreed to move its headquarters to the Capitol East District – a move city officials say will jump-start Madison’s economy.
Shopbop’s new headquarters in Madison is expected to be part of the beginning of a plan expected to revitalize Madison’s Capitol East District and spark entrepreneurial business throughout the city.
Brian Mullins of the Madison development company Mullins Group said the long-time developers and property owners successfully completed a significant transition to lease more than 200,000 square feet of space in a historic building located on East Washington Avenue to the international Shopbop company.
Shopbop owns Bop Fashion Boutique, located on West Gorham Street in Madison – one of the many stores around the world the new headquarters will supply.
“This is a great day in Madison and this is a great partnership of a venerable Madison company,” Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said. “This is so important for the economic future of our community that it is hard to put in words – it’s all about the modern economy and it’s all about the new economy and it’s all about recognizing what works to attract creative entrepreneurial spirit to our community.”
Cieslewicz said the addition of Shopbop to the Madison community, particularly in the Capitol East District, perfectly fills the plans he had set out for the area at the start of his first term as mayor.
Former Dane County Executive Rick Phelps said he helped Cieslewicz design the plan for the area and said the newest addition to the already developing location is going to mark a moment Madisonians will remember and be affected by greatly.
“This does not happen instantaneously in a day,” Phelps said. “So now we have it and I think you’re all going to remember this day in the future of your lives because this area, the 280 acres that is this area, represents the most important opportunity and challenge in my lifetime in Madison – the public needs to know this will direct the future course of the city of Madison for the next 100 years.”
Mullins said Shopbop has leased space in the historic 1301 E. Washington Avenue building as well as in the 1245 E. Washington Avenue building and will be joining tenants such as the Metro Innovation Center and the CCH International publishing company. He said the current tenants in combination with the newest addition will play a role in what he said was an emerging employment district.
The development, Mullins said, will re-energize the building with types of businesses that represent Madison’s “new economy.” He said it would also create vital operations that will provide well-paying jobs and bring new life to East Washington Avenue and the East Capitol District.
Shopbop General Manager Jeff Yurcisin said the company was looking forward to contributing to Madison’s economy and bringing new talent to the city. He said based off the company’s record, the city could expect to see the “best of the best” talent soon calling Madison home.
“When we started this out, our hope was that we would be able to make a step forward in our plan for the Capitol East District this year, but this is not just a step forward, but a leap forward,” Mullins said. “This is the start of something great.”
