KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Shoppers looking for a new style made their way to Old Navy in Tullahoma this past Saturday for its grand opening.

The grand opening took place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, after months of construction at Northgate Mall at 1600 N. Jackson St., Suite 104. Old Navy takes up residency in the previous location of Big Lots, next to JCPenney, alongside with neighboring store Five Below. The grand opening ceremony consisted of a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the special occasion with store employees, members of the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce and other city dignitaries. As part of the grand opening, the first 100 customers received a small canvas bag at checkout.

Also on hand for the grand opening were members from the Tullahoma Fire Department, with Fire Pup on hand, PFLAG and the Coffee County Humane Society. The fire department gave out hats and bracelets to shoppers while the Coffee County Humane Society brought out some puppies looking for forever homes. The humane society also had Cosmo, who was selected as Old Navy’s Welcome Dog, in full gear ready for photos, giving kisses and taking donations. According to Linda Becar, Cosmo’s owner, the donations were being raised for the humane society’s spay/neuter and emergency medical funds.

According to an Old Navy representative, Old Navy is focused on opening new stores in smaller markets to reach new customers who have had the opportunity to shop the brand online but haven’t had access to a local store as a part of its growth strategy,

“Last year, the brand opened 25 new company-owned store locations (mostly in smaller markets), with approximately 23 new stores planned in 2023,” the representative said.

Old Navy is a clothing and accessories retailer owned by Gap, Inc., that has been in operation under its well-established brand since 1994. Old Navy representatives stated that the retailer is the first value retailer to integrate the shopping experience by offering the broadest assortment of women’s sizes in stores and online, with no price difference. They added that Old Navy believes in the democracy of style and service for all, and value inclusivity, opportunities for youth and a future that’s sustainable for its customers, employees and communities.

There are approximately 1,100 locations across North America, with its flagship stores in New York City, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, Manila, and Mexico City.