URBN will invest up to $60 million to establish a new fulfillment center for its clothing rental brand Nuuly in Raymore, MO. The retail corporation — which has a portfolio of consumer brands including Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People and Nuuly — plans to locate the new, 604,000-square-foot facility at the Raymore Commerce Center, pending local approval. The project will create 750 new jobs.
“Nuuly has experienced significant growth since our launch in 2019,” said Dave Hayne, Chief Technology Officer of URBN and President of Nuuly. “We are excited to open our second U.S. fulfillment center to support our next phase of growth, and proud to work with the State of Missouri and the City of Raymore to bring new jobs to the Kansas City region.”
(Photo credit: Jacia Phillips | Arch Photo KC)
Nuuly is a subscription rental clothing service for women that offers more than 15,000 styles from over 300 designer and contemporary brands. URBN’s new facility represents its growing presence in the Kansas City region. In 2020, the company announced its plans to establish a $403 million, 1.5 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Kansas City, KS, which celebrated a ribbon cutting in October 2022.
“Missouri is a strategic choice for companies like Nuuly that are searching for a location in the middle of America for their expansion projects,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Missouri is winning more large-scale projects than ever before, and we’re carrying that tremendous momentum into 2023. We look forward to welcoming URBN to the long list of global powerhouses in Missouri.”
The Kansas City region is a leading North American logistics hub and key location for distribution and e-commerce, with access to rail, air, water, and road transportation. At the crossroads of North America, 85 percent of the U.S. population can be reached from a Kansas City location in two days or less.
“We’re thrilled to see the Kansas City region continue to grow by attracting leading companies,” said Maggie Kost, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development. “URBN’s expansion in the area is another example of our state’s business advantages resulting in increased opportunities for Missourians. We appreciate all our partners who helped make this significant investment a reality.”
For this expansion, URBN will benefit from the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company is also receiving assistance from Missouri One Start, which assists eligible businesses with recruitment and training needs.
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“We are excited to begin 2023 with this outstanding win for Missouri,” said Subash Alias, CEO of Missouri Partnership. “URBN is a creative and unique worldwide retailer. Companies like URBN can locate facilities anywhere in the world, and they chose Missouri. We are proud of our state’s pro-business environment, and we sincerely thank URBN for recognizing the benefits of doing business here and selecting Missouri for this impactful project.”
“As URBN’s second fulfillment center in the KC region, the Nuuly facility reinforces our area as a top U.S. logistics hub,” said Chris Gutierrez, President of KC SmartPort, an affiliate of the Kansas City Area Development Council. “Global supply chain demand is ever-increasing, and the KC region’s central location, robust infrastructure and access to skilled workforce continue to attract leading brands to our region. We are excited to see URBN’s ongoing growth here.”
Missouri-Based Food Company Expands In St. Louis
Earlier this month, Confluence Food Group, owner of three St. Louis-based food businesses, completed an expansion of its new 113,000-square-foot facility in St. Louis, MO. Confluence Food Group invested $6.3 million and created 17 new jobs in the region.
“Relocation to our new facility on Garfield Ave. enables both Dogtown Pizza and Fox River Dairy to meet the growing needs of their businesses,” said Jeff Tottleben, Managing Partner for Confluence Food Group. “Remaining and expanding in the City of St. Louis was a top priority for us, and we believe a lot of good things are happening in and around the Jeff Vander Lou neighborhood. There’s great access to a capable local workforce, and we’re very excited for the next steps in the growth of these companies.”
Confluence Food Group owns Dogtown Pizza, Crust & Sons LLC, and Fox River Dairy. The company will produce frozen pizza, pizza crust, and dairy products at the new facility, as well as provide wholesale distribution of food products to grocery and food service industries.
