Outlets of Des Moines

Outlets of Des Moines is an open-air outlet shopping center in Altoona, Iowa, approximately six miles from downtown Des Moines. The center is positioned as a regional value-oriented shopping destination, combining factory and outlet stores from nationally recognized apparel, footwear, accessories, and lifestyle brands with dining and outdoor-oriented amenities. Its location near Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 65 gives it direct road access from the Des Moines metropolitan area and from travelers passing through central Iowa. The center was developed as part of The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing, a large mixed-use development in Altoona that also incorporated residential, commercial, retail, and entertainment components. New England Development developed and manages the property. Construction followed the economic recovery from the 2008 recession, and the shopping center opened to the public in August 2017. The project represented a substantial retail investment in Altoona and was intended to strengthen the city’s role as a shopping and entertainment destination rather than merely serve as a neighborhood retail complex. At opening, the center had more than 40 stores, with plans to grow to roughly 65 tenants. By 2023, it was reported to contain about 60 stores and dining options. Its tenant mix has included Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Polo Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, Levi’s Outlet Store, Vera Bradley, American Eagle Outfitters, J.Crew Factory, Kate Spade New York, Tommy Hilfiger, Express Factory Outlet, and Eddie Bauer. The outlet format emphasizes branded merchandise offered at reduced prices, with the center promoting savings that can reach up to 70 percent on selected products. Actual discounts vary by retailer, product, and promotion. The property’s open-air layout differentiates it from an enclosed regional mall. Outdoor seating, fire pits, surface parking, and quick-service dining support a visit-oriented environment, while nearby destinations such as Bass Pro Shops, Prairie Meadows Casino, and Adventureland expand the area’s appeal to families, tourists, and leisure shoppers. Public transportation access is provided through Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority Route 17, which connects the center with downtown Des Moines. Outlets of Des Moines has also been associated with Altoona’s broader retail growth. A 2018 study cited in reference material found that a substantial share of visitors came from Altoona, Des Moines, and surrounding suburbs, while another portion traveled from outside Central Iowa. The center serves a trade area approaching one million people and has been described as operating without a major outlet-center competitor within roughly 80 miles. Its opening contributed to Altoona’s emergence as a regional retail hub and helped reinforce the commercial importance of the Prairie Crossing area. The brand remains an operating physical retail destination rather than a standalone merchandise label, and its business identity is tied to tenant curation, accessibility, tourism, and value-focused shopping.

Outlets of Des Moines was conceived as a major retail component of The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing, a 230-acre mixed-use development in Altoona, Iowa. The broader project was intended to combine retail, housing, commercial uses, and entertainment in order to establish Altoona as a prominent destination in Central Iowa. The outlet center’s development took place after the region and the wider United States began recovering from the economic effects of the 2008 recession. New England Development developed and manages the center. The resulting property was planned as an open-air outlet center rather than an enclosed mall, reflecting a format commonly used for branded factory stores and destination-oriented value retail. Construction produced a center of approximately 300,000 square feet. The project was reported as a roughly $100 million development, and its location near Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 65 was selected to provide visibility and access for both local shoppers and visitors traveling through the region. Outlets of Des Moines opened in August 2017 with more than 40 stores and a stated intention to expand toward approximately 65 tenants. Its initial and subsequent tenant mix included fashion, athletic, accessories, outdoor, and lifestyle brands such as Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Polo Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, Levi’s Outlet Store, Vera Bradley, American Eagle Outfitters, J.Crew Factory, Kate Spade New York, Tommy Hilfiger, Express Factory Outlet, and Eddie Bauer. By 2023, the center was described as having around 60 stores and dining options. The center’s physical design supports extended visits. In addition to stores, it provides outdoor seating, fire pits, surface parking, and quick-service dining. Its proximity to Bass Pro Shops, Prairie Meadows Casino, and Adventureland helps connect outlet shopping with broader family, leisure, and tourism itineraries. The property is also reachable by Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority Route 17, which links it with downtown Des Moines. The shopping center became part of Altoona’s wider commercial transformation. A 2018 visitor-origin study cited in reference material indicated that 45 percent of visitors came from Altoona, Des Moines, and nearby suburbs, while 17 percent came from outside Central Iowa. The center’s trade area was estimated at nearly one million people, and it was described as having no major outlet-center competitor within an 80-mile radius. These characteristics allowed Outlets of Des Moines to function as a regional destination rather than only a local shopping facility. The center’s economic significance was also connected to the growth of taxable retail activity in Altoona. Reference material attributes part of the city’s increase in taxable sales to the outlet center and related development, although the available material does not establish a precise standalone sales figure for the property. Outlets of Des Moines remains an active retail destination whose identity depends on its collection of outlet tenants, discount-led value proposition, highway accessibility, and integration with the surrounding Prairie Crossing and Altoona entertainment district.

• 2023

  Tenant base reaches about 60 stores

  [1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  The center was described as housing approximately 60 stores and dining options, expanding substantially from its opening configuration.

• 2021

  Altoona retail activity continues to expand

  [1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material identified the outlet center as part of the retail momentum accompanying Altoona’s growth as a regional shopping destination.

• 2018

  Visitor-origin study highlights regional reach

  [1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  A study cited in reference material examined visitor origins and reported that the center attracted both nearby residents and visitors from outside Central Iowa.

• 2017

  Public opening

  [1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  Outlets of Des Moines opened in August 2017 in Altoona as an open-air outlet center within The Shoppes at Prairie Crossing development.

A regional, open-air outlet destination offering branded merchandise at value prices, supported by convenient highway access, dining, outdoor amenities, and proximity to major Central Iowa attractions.

• Apparel retail · 2017

  Fashion and apparel outlets

  The center’s principal offering is a collection of outlet and factory stores selling men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing. The tenant mix has included brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, American Eagle Outfitters, J.Crew Factory, Tommy Hilfiger, Express Factory Outlet, and Eddie Bauer. Merchandise and discounts are determined by individual tenants and can include outlet-specific products, seasonal inventory, and promotional selections.

• Athletic and outdoor retail · 2017

  Sportswear and footwear outlets

  Sports and active-lifestyle shopping is represented by outlets including Nike Factory Store and Under Armour, alongside other footwear and apparel offerings. These stores provide athletic shoes, sports clothing, training apparel, and related accessories through the outlet format, with assortment and pricing varying according to each retailer.

• Accessories and specialty retail · 2017

  Accessories and lifestyle outlets

  Accessories and lifestyle merchandise form another major part of the center’s tenant mix. Examples identified in reference material include Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Vera Bradley, and Levi’s Outlet Store. These outlets typically offer handbags, wallets, luggage, accessories, denim, and gift-oriented products, subject to tenant-specific assortments.

• Food service · 2017

  Dining options

  Quick-service restaurants and other dining options complement the retail stores. Food service supports the center’s role as a destination for longer shopping visits and as part of the wider Prairie Crossing and Altoona leisure district.

• 2017

  Launch as an open-air regional outlet destinationStrategy

  Background

  The developers planned the property as a destination outlet center within the larger Prairie Crossing development, using highway access and a multi-tenant branded retail mix to attract shoppers from the Des Moines area and beyond.

  Action taken

  New England Development opened and managed an approximately 300,000-square-foot open-air center with more than 40 initial stores, dining, outdoor amenities, and room for tenant expansion.

  Aftermath

  The center became part of Altoona’s growth as a regional retail and entertainment destination and later expanded to approximately 60 stores.

  Reported development cost. $100 million (Development and opening period, 2017)

  Source

• 2023

  Center reaches approximately 60 stores[1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Reference material describes Outlets of Des Moines as having about 60 stores and dining options by 2023, following expansion from its opening tenant base.

• 2017

  Outlets of Des Moines opens in Altoona[1]Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The open-air outlet center opened to the public in August 2017 as part of the Prairie Crossing development in Altoona, Iowa.

1. 1Outlets of Des Moinesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official Outlets of Des Moines websiteoutletsofdesmoines.com