In the 1980s, Landfall Center could be counted as one of the only major shopping plazas in the area around Military Cutoff and Eastwood roads.

This month, two new tenants have opened for business – an expanded furniture store and a new fashion accessory boutique.

Mango Furniture Unlimited moved from Market Street to 5,000 square feet of space in the 130,000-square-foot shopping center at 1319 Military Cutoff Road. One of Mango’s new neighbors in Landfall Center is JT Fashion, a store that sells jewelry, handbags, scarves and more, which opened Aug. 10.

“There’s a great group of retailers here, and I think it’s just going to get better and better,” said Bob Bethel, owner of Mango Furniture Unlimited. Bethel leased the space, a combination of three units, through Cape Fear Commercial, the agency that assumed exclusive leasing and management rights to Landfall Center in 2012 from Chapel Hill-based Landfall Ventures LLC.
 
Mango and more
Bethel, who has more than nine years of retail experience, chose Landfall Center to increase sales and traffic.

“In just the first 10 days, our traffic is up substantially,” Bethel said, adding that the new location came with a lot more parking space. “Market Street, a lot of people just don’t want to drive on it, and it seems like everybody’s going up and down Military Cutoff Road.”

Mango Furniture Unlimited sells unique solid-wood furniture in a variety of styles, among other products. The store is offering more home décor accessories and fine art for sale at its new location, as well as a new Mango Select jewelry line.

About half of the store is already open with the other half, in another Landfall Center unit a few steps away, will be open by this weekend, Bethel said. The business plans to hold a grand opening celebration Aug. 27.
 
JT Fashion
By becoming the owner of JT Fashion, a Wilmington mom has gotten back into the retail game.

Sa Jithan-Todt, originally from Thailand, managed a retail clothing store in downtown Bangkok about 15 years ago. On Aug. 10, Jithan-Todt opened JT Fashion, a 1,500-square-foot women’s fashion accessory boutique in Landfall Center next door to Big Thai 2 Restaurant.

“My kids got older a little bit, and I just kind of missed my work,” said Jithan-Todt, who has three children. “I wanted to work. And I love to bring all the new fashions from Thailand to here.”

The store sells fashion and sterling silver jewelry, handbags, some Thai-themed home décor and scarves handmade by villagers near where Jithan-Todt’s parents live in Thailand. Jithan-Todt also makes jewelry on her own to sell in the store. One of her wrap bracelets made with leather and gemstone beads was selling for $31 at the store Wednesday.

The ability to make jewelry comes in handy when, with the help of relatives in Thailand, she is searching for items to include in the store’s inventory.

“I made this one because I love this,” Jithan-Todt said of a turquoise necklace, “and then I tell my sister, ‘Can you find anything that looks like this?’”

The store, in Unit K at 1319 Military Cutoff Road, will hold a grand opening celebration beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 16, that will include traditional Thai beverages and treats, like coconut cake and Thai tea, from Big Thai 2; music; and giveaways.

JT Fashion opened with the help of the Wilmington chapter of the SCORE Association, a mentoring and coaching resource for small businesses.