Sales stretch to the back of the new H&M store at the new Mall at University Town Center. Every other employee stocks clothing racks to bridge the gap between the store opening and the rush of holiday shopping, but they still make sure customers have the help they need. Seasonal colors dominate available apparel—whites, blacks, reds and every combination of the three, like maroon and pink.  The men’s section sticks to classic colors—grey, navy, khaki, black, forest green and brown—in cuts and cloth that range from timeless to retro to modern.

Big names like Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Dillards have already made their presence known since the opening of UTC in October, but H&M and other stores have opened just in time for the holiday season.

A fascination for the past permeates every aspect of Anthropologie: some display cases are made with mortise-and-tenon construction. Vintage swing music, complete with record crackles, bubbles out of the sound system. A cleverly-placed display of red dresses attracts the eye from more eclectic thrift-store styles and beckons customers into the store. Like H&M, staff stocks racks and offers advice if needed; unlike H&M, sales are tucked away in a back corner nook. Kiehl’s Since 1851 styles itself a modern apothecary. A photo mural of the original location dominates one wall section, while others have empty designs of molecule chains for decoration. Opaque, silvered Erlenmeyer flasks and quadratic equations written on the tables help the store sell the image. Within the bright yellow and white walls, modestly-stocked display cases of luxurious watches and cleverly-placed mirrors give Invicta Watches convincing illusion of size. A wide screen plasma display showcases models wearing the company’s more exclusive watches.