Southern Tide coming to Naperville's riverfront Water Street District

A brand of activewear that's difficult to find in the Western suburbs is coming to downtown Naperville's Water Street District.

Southern Tide apparel, “an active lifestyle brand with a little bit of southern, coastal influence,” is targeting a September opening on the south side of Water Street, under a new Hotel Indigo near a new 520-space parking garage, owner/operator Loren Beadle said.

The shop sells clothing for men, women and kids including sport shirts, T-shirts, polos, dresses, shorts and swim wear. The Naperville location will be a signature store of a brand that launched in 2007 in Greenville, South Carolina. Besides having lines in a few department stores, Southern Tide mostly “doesn't exist” in the suburbs, Beadle said.

The details of the Water Street District attracted him to open what will be his third Southern Tide store. He and his wife, Amy, opened their first Southern Tide on Kiawah Island, South Carolina last year, where it joins a sporting good store, footwear shop, wine bar and spirits bar they also own and operate. Their second Southern Tide is set to open in the coastal state in July.

But in Naperville, where the $93 million Water Street development has been under construction since April 2015, Beadle found what he thinks will be a great business environment. The development sits on a 2.4-acre site east of the Naperville municipal center and includes a hotel, banquet center, restaurants, shops, parking, Riverwalk improvements, an art wall, a plaza and a fountain.

Several versions of the plan were floated beginning in 2007, but developer Marquette Companies of Naperville says the revisions resulted in the best design to enliven the south side of the downtown.

“We're just absolutely in love with the Water Street development,” Beadle said. “That location, the design, the fact that it's right on the river, the new hotel, the 500-plus parking spaces, which are pretty needed in Naperville — all those things are going to contribute to making Water Street a success.”

Having an assortment of uncommon stores such as Southern Tide also will make the area a draw for shoppers, he said.

Other shops and restaurants announced for the district include London Skye boutique, a children's drop-in play space called Traveling Tots, Bien Trucha Mexican restaurant and Blue Sushi Sake Grill.