Between October 22 and October 30, The Promenade Shops at Briargate opened a Toys"R"Us, the first Mendocino Farms in Colorado Springs, and an L.L.Bean in the space The Container Store left empty in April. Each one moved into a storefront that was already built. Apple had already moved into a larger space earlier in the fall, and three more retailers have said they will open or expand before the year ends. Over the past few weeks, the center has filled its biggest gap and added new reasons to come in from Briargate Parkway, and it did so a few weeks before Black Friday.
Here is the order it happened in:
- October 22. Toys"R"Us opens at 1685 Briargate Parkway, Suite 309.
- October 27. Mendocino Farms opens at 1765 Briargate Parkway, Suite 807.
- October 30. L.L.Bean sets its grand opening at 1925 Briargate Parkway, with a ribbon cutting at 8:45 a.m.
The Biggest Empty Storefront Is Full Again
The Container Store closed in April, and its 13,000-square-foot building on the east edge of the center sat empty through the summer. KOAA reported that L.L.Bean's move into the space came with a $2 million remodel, citing the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. The store is the retailer's second in Colorado.
The retailer is pitching the store around the outdoor access nearby. In a release KOAA quoted, District Manager Kenon Mitchell named "the trails and red rock formations of Garden of the Gods" and "the landscapes surrounding Pikes Peak" as the draw, and called the store "a new way for people across the Colorado Springs area to experience L.L.Bean and spend more time outside."
L.L.Bean's store page for the Briargate location lists the grand opening plan as follows. The ribbon cutting was set for Friday, October 30, at 8:45 a.m., and the first 100 people in line at 9 a.m. were promised an exclusive Colorado Springs Grand Opening Boat and Tote. A Saturday wrap-up followed. The store sits at Suite 611, and anyone checking regular weekly hours should use that page, since a new store's opening-week schedule often changes once it settles in.
The building is the same one shoppers parked beside for years. The store inside now sells boots, flannel and camp gear, where it used to sell shelving and storage bins, and that changes the mix of errands people can run in one stop before the holidays.
A First-In-The-Springs Lunch Option At Suite 807
Mendocino Farms picked Briargate for its first Colorado Springs restaurant and its fourth in Colorado. Its Denver-area locations came first: Cherry Creek in May 2025, then Highlands in March and 16th Street in May. The Southern California chain was founded in 2005, and The Gazette reported its opening date as Tuesday, October 27.
Company spokeswoman Debbie Fitzgerald told The Gazette that the chain looks for "locations where we can really become part of the neighborhood," and said Briargate gives it the chance to serve guests "from lunch during the workday to family dinners, weekend shopping trips, catering and community events."
The menu fits well into a shopping day. According to The Gazette's September report, the most popular orders are the "Not So Fried" chicken and the Peruvian steak sandwiches. Wraps, salads and seasonal soups fill out the menu, along with sides like spicy curry couscous and Southern potato salad. There is a kids' menu, and vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes are available. The chain says it uses antibiotic-free, humanely raised poultry, cage-free eggs and fresh bread.
Toys"R"Us Is Back For The Holidays
The center announced the Toys"R"Us at Suite 309 as a pop-up, "just in time for the holidays," stocking brands like LEGO, Barbie, Hot Wheels, NERF and PAW Patrol. It opened the same season the brand said it was opening 120 stores across the country. The company's announcement on PR Newswire calls those standalone stores, while trade group ICSC described the rollout as seasonal pop-up shops. No closing date has been posted for the Briargate store, so anyone planning to shop there after the holidays should check with the store first.
For now, the center's directory lists the store as open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the phone number (719) 597-8697. Two of this fall's three openings are pitched at families, and the Toys"R"Us is open in time for gift shopping.
Apple Moved First, And Three More Are Still On The Way
Apple's expansion came before the October openings. The Gazette reported in late September that Apple had already reopened in a newly expanded space next to Ulta. Three more changes have been announced but have not yet opened.
| Retailer | What's announced | Timing as reported |
|---|---|---|
| American Eagle | New store, denim and casual apparel | Before the end of 2026; directory lists "coming soon" |
| Kendra Scott | New store, jewelry and accessories | During 2026 |
| Lululemon | Expansion of the existing store at Suite 439 | Fourth quarter of 2026 |
Springs Magazine laid out the full schedule in early September and quoted Lara Silversmith, director of leasing strategy at Asana Partners, the firm that owns the center:
"These openings and expansions reinforce The Shops as the region's premier lifestyle destination while giving guests even more reasons to shop, dine and gather throughout the year."
If all three finish on time, the center will have seven new or upgraded storefronts in its existing buildings by year-end. Earlier this year, Briargate's growth came from different sources, including the aquarium at Chapel Hills and a second Shake Shack, covered in our August look at Briargate. This fall, the change is happening within the center's current footprint.
The Holiday Calendar From Here
The new stores share the center's holiday hours, which are already posted on The Promenade's hours page.
| Date | Hours |
|---|---|
| Thursday, Nov. 26 | Closed for Thanksgiving |
| Friday, Nov. 27 | 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Saturday, Nov. 28 | 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec. 13 | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 14, through Friday, Dec. 18 | 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec. 20 | 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 21, through Wednesday, Dec. 23 | 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Thursday, Dec. 24 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Friday, Dec. 25 | Closed |
| Thursday, Dec. 31 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
Before those dates, two donation programs are running. The center's Winter Coat Drive runs through Friday, November 13. Care & Share Food Bank donations can be dropped off year-round at the property management office.
The holiday events have not been fully scheduled yet. Visit Colorado Springs lists Santa's Cottage at Briargate as free, but its 2026 dates and times are still marked TBA, and the listing sends visitors to the center's Facebook events page. Last year, according to Springs Magazine's 2025 Santa guide, the cottage was in Suite 415 next to Altar'd State, open weekend afternoons from late November into mid-December. Photos were free with a sock donation to Springs Rescue Mission, and the 2025 season also included Santa Paws and Storytime with Santa in December. If the center follows a similar schedule this year, Santa's Cottage will open around the Black Friday weekend.
The same parking lot will now serve a lunch counter that didn't exist on October 26, an outdoor outfitter where the storage store used to be, and a toy store that opened a month before Black Friday. More information on the area is on our Briargate neighborhood page.
The Promenade's corner of Briargate Parkway is one of the parts of north Colorado Springs that Eric Scott follows closely. If you would like to talk about what this fall's openings mean for homes near the center, book a private consultation.
