String of new stores opens at Westfield UTC

Starting Thursday, shoppers at Westfield UTC will be greeted with slightly less of a construction zone and more shopping, eating and lounging options.

Among the store openings are several new-to-San-Diego retailers, including home furnishing store Arhaus, New Zealand-based menswear brand Rodd & Gunn and clean beauty company Credo Beauty. MAC Cosmetics, American Eagle and Johnny Was are also scheduled to open their doors to the public.

In addition, the property is debuting new public areas and landscaped open-air plazas, which are emblematic of the mall’s mission to flip the retail script and emphasize a stay-and-play-and-eat resort ambiance over shopping.

Thursday, Apple, too, will show off its new store format at its relocated UTC venue. Plus, the farm-to-table eatery True Food Kitchen is slated to open its second San Diego location on Thursday.

The coordinated openings are part of Westfield UTC’s second phase of development, a $600-million gamble on the brick-and-mortar property as an amenity-rich mall of the future.

The dust isn’t fully settled, however, as a number of retailers and restaurants are still preparing to debut later this year and next. Some of the more notable coming-soon names include jewelry seller Kendra Scott and the trendy cycling studio SoulCycle.

Last month, Nordstrom ushered in the latest transformation of the La Jolla-adajcent facility with the opening of its larger storefront, a light-filled space with broader offerings, including a full-service restaurant called Bazille.

Back in November 2012, the mall showed off its first major overhaul, a $180-million makeover complete with ArcLight Cinemas and a revamped food court.

jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin