Candytopia Elevates Experiential Retail Offerings at Fashion District Philadelphia
Latest tenant joins several other unique concepts and programs that blend art and entertainment that signify Fun at The District
PHILADELPHIA – August 22, 2019 – Fashion District Philadelphia, a joint venture partnership between PREIT and Macerich, today announced that interactive retailer Candytopia will join its expanded line-up of offerings at the vibrant downtown destination. The limited time only installation is the latest in a series of new concepts and programs coming to The District, strengthening its well-curated mix of retail, dining, and experiential offerings.
Opening in September, Candytopia features more than one dozen rooms with larger-than-life interactive art installations and full sensory experiences. Occupying more than 18,000 square feet on the street and second levels, it will have no shortage of Instagrammable moments in its marshmallowy mini-theme park. The Philadelphia location will feature the most popular attractions from its past locations including a marshmallow pit filled with over 250,000 foam marshmallows; an underwater-themed wonderland with fantastical candy covered sea creatures; a rainbow-filled room with flying unicorn pigs and confetti explosions galore, along with many more sweet surprises. Candytopia Philadelphia will also feature new elements inspired by local culture and landmarks unique to the location. Beginning in 2020, this space will serve as a rotating activation area designed to engage customers and provide unique social experiences.
Candytopia tickets must be purchased in advance and are expected to sell out quickly. Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning August 27 at noon ET. Prices are $28 for adults, $20 for kids (4-12), and free for kids under 3 years old. For updates and to sign up for pre-release ticket access, visit candytopia.com.
“The District was designed to combine a local Philly flair with a thoughtfully curated collection of first-to-market tenants and unique concepts,” said Joseph F. Coradino, CEO of PREIT. “Candytopia is just the type of experience that makes The District special — a concept that offers a fun for the whole family. Candytopia complements the diverse mix of food, film, fashion and fun that is coming to the District ensuring it will be engaging and sought-after destination for all.”
This blend of art and entertainment signify what makes The District fun – its arts & culture pillar will be brought to life through a series of tenants, art installations and programs throughout the property. In addition Fashion District’s $1 million in commissioned artwork in nine exhibit locations, Candytopia joins recently-announced revolving art exhibition Wonderspaces to create a unique blend of entertainment and art.
Additionally, REC Philly will open a 10,000 square foot creative facility in The District, including a retail store for members to sell merchandise and artwork. This first-of-its-kind space in the region will offer resources – including recording and podcast studios, visual labs, rehearsal space, production rooms, coworking space and more – to empower creatives to build their business and foster the creative community in Philadelphia.
About Fashion District Philadelphia
Fashion District Philadelphia is the first robust retail and entertainment offering of its kind in Downtown Philadelphia. Spanning three city blocks, The District will feature over 800,000 square feet of dynamic offerings including flagship, traditional full price, off-price and branded outlet retail, experiential dining and entertainment, along with public art and evolving cultural events. With a prime location in Center City, The District is just steps away from Philadelphia’s historic district and connected to Reading Terminal, the Pennsylvania Convention Center and SEPTA’s Jefferson station – a convenient, transit-oriented location offering accessibility for millions of Philadelphia residents, commuters and visitors. Additional information is available at www.fashiondistrictphiladelphia.com or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
About Candytopia:
For anyone who’s ever dreamed of scoring a Golden Ticket or nibbling their way through Candyland, Candytopia transports guests to an imaginative confectionary wonderland with a one-of-a-kind full sensory experience and welcomes people of all ages to explore their sweet tooth like never before. Candytopia was created by global candy artist Jackie Sorkin (star of TLC’s “Candy Queen”), events and production design expert Zac Hartog, and retail veteran John Goodman. Candytopia has drawn long lines and sold-out crowds during its limited run engagements in Santa Monica, New York and San Francisco. In 2019, it open in Atlanta, Minneapolis-St. Paul at Mall of America, Dallas and Houston, with additional cities to be announced soon. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.candytopia.com.
About PREIT
PREIT (NYSE:PEI) is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns and manages quality properties in compelling markets. PREIT’s robust portfolio of carefully curated retail and lifestyle offerings mixed with destination dining and entertainment experiences are located primarily in the densely populated eastern U.S. with concentrations in the mid-Atlantic’s top MSAs. Since 2012, the company has driven a transformation guided by an emphasis on portfolio quality and balance sheet strength driven by disciplined capital expenditures. Additional information is available at www.preit.com or on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About Macerich
Macerich, an S&P 500 company, is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States.
Macerich currently owns 52 million square feet of real estate consisting primarily of interests in 47 regional shopping centers. Macerich specializes in successful retail properties in many of the country’s most attractive, densely populated markets with significant presence on the West Coast, Arizona, Chicago and the Metro New York to Washington, DC corridor. A recognized leader in sustainability, Macerich has earned NAREIT’s prestigious “Leader in the Light” award every year from 2014-2018. For the fourth straight year in 2018 Macerich achieved the #1 GRESB ranking in the North American Retail Sector, among many other environmental accomplishments. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company’s website at www.Macerich.com