Sara Blakey gets a lot of (well-deserved) attention for being the youngest self-made woman to make the Forbes billionaire list. Spanx, the ever-expanding line of sleek shapewear that put her there, has millions of devoted fans around the world. (We will personally remain forever indebted to her for making this season’s peplum sheath look extra smooth while we were trying to impress high school friends at fall weddings.) And though the brand is sold at countless department stores and lingerie boutiques throughout the country, NOVA shopping mecca Tysons Corner was the lucky mall chosen to house the first-ever standalone Spanx shop.
“With a growing product collection and fan base, our own dedicated space was inevitable,” Spanx CEO Laurie Ann Goldman says in a press release. “After signing the lease, we were happy to learn that [Tysons Corner] is home to the first Apple store . . . not bad retail karma!”
The store opens this Friday, November 2, and festivities begin at 10 AM with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Blakely and Goldman, who will stick around to chat with fans. The first 100 people to arrive at the store get a complimentary Spanx product, and store employees will hand out gift cards ranging from $10 to $100 throughout the day. The store is located on the second level of the shopping center, across from the American Girl store and by the Bloomingdale’s entrance. No word yet on if there’s any special merch being debuted for the shop, but you can expect one-on-one help matching your shapewear to the type of garment you’ll be wearing it under. The Spanx folks have dubbed these sessions Transformation Consultations; customers are encouraged to call ahead (703-848-8029) to schedule.
Meanwhile, some not-so-good news for those of you also hoping to hit up the new C. Wonder store come Saturday: we just got word that the opening has been pushed back, possibly due to some permit delays.
Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.
