Oregon Coast Shopping and Antiques: Reelin' in The Big Ones

By Peg Miller

Tanger Outlet dressed up for the holidays

Some of us who live full-time at the Coast know that we live in Paradise and really have all that we need. There comes a time, however, when our perfectly broken-in Levi's, our well-worn PolarFleece vests and our favorite sneakers begin to wear thin - and when that happens, we shop. Many of you who are regular readers of this column know that I am a proponent of mall-ternative shopping, preferring to buy original design from craftspeople and antique and specialty shops. So when a shopping expedition outweighs the charm of the beach, it's time to head to the ultimate alternative to the mall: the factory outlets.

There are two such centers in BeachConnection.net territory: The Factory Stores in Lincoln City and the Seaside Factory Outlet Center. Major brands and labels abound in apparel, footwear and home furnishings with savings up to 70% in many cases.

These collections of national chains have their own identity by now after a rocket-like beginning in the 1990s as the fastest-growing segment of the shopping center industry. The grandfather of them all is the Tanger Outlet Center, which operates The Factory Stores, just off 12th Street and Highway 101 in Lincoln City (541-996-5000). With over 65 stores that sell a large variety of national and designer name brands, it is the largest outlet center in the Pacific Northwest. In 1981, Tanger Outlet Centers began the trend with the Burlington (N.C.) Manufacturer's Outlet Center and now operate in 23 states. "The basic concept of the outlet center remains consistent with what it was 20 years ago," says Steven B. Tanger, president and COO of Greensboro, N.C.-based Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. "People still like to buy direct from the manufacturer and cut out the middle man."

Dealing with the visiting public here in Wheeler, I've met many Europeans and Japanese who ask to be pointed to the nearest outlet center, one of the lures being Oregon's tax-free status. The Seaside Factory Outlet Center at 1111 N. Roosevelt on Highway 101 (503-717-1603) boasts over 100,000 square feet of shopping. Seaside has 25 manufacturer outlets and features both fine designer labels and national name brands, ranging from the upscale fashion labels to the affordable casual lines.

So whether it's recreational shopping or brutal necessity, north or south, you can stock up at these centers without maxing out your credit cards. Their success proves that Americans, by need or by preference, love nothing so much as a bargain.

'Til next month I leave you with wisdom from comic Elaine Boosler:

"When women are depressed, they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It's a whole different way of thinking.".

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