5 Shocking Secrets Of Opitz Outlet St. Louis Park: Is The Discount Empire Safe From Redevelopment?
As of late December 2025, Opitz Outlet in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, remains a legendary destination for bargain hunters, a true retail anomaly that has thrived for decades in the Twin Cities metro area. This discount designer clothing store, famous for offering staggering 70% off retail prices on high-end merchandise, continues to draw massive crowds to its original location on Excelsior Boulevard. Yet, despite its enduring popularity and a loyal customer base, the future of the flagship store is constantly overshadowed by the massive, ongoing urban renewal of the surrounding Excelsior & Grand area, sparking continuous speculation among local shoppers and city planners alike.
The story of Opitz Outlet is not just about discount fashion; it's a unique narrative of an entrepreneurial pivot, a deep dive into the unpredictable world of off-price retail, and a cornerstone business in one of St. Louis Park's most rapidly transforming neighborhoods. The success of this local institution is inextricably linked to the vision—and sometimes unconventional methods—of its founder, a man whose journey began far from the world of luxury goods.
The Mogul Behind the Markdowns: Lyn Opitz Biography and Business Profile
The Opitz Outlet empire is the brainchild of Lyn Opitz, a man whose career trajectory is as unique as his business model. His background is a far cry from the high-fashion retail environment he now dominates, lending a fascinating depth to the brand's identity.
- Full Name: Lyn Opitz
- Role: Founder and Owner of Opitz Outlet Stores
- Early Career: Opitz initially worked in social work, a profession focused on community and helping others, which contrasts sharply with the cutthroat world of retail.
- Entrepreneurial Start: Before launching the outlet concept, Opitz was involved in antiquing, a venture that taught him the value of sourcing, pricing, and the art of the deal—skills that proved critical to his future success.
- Business Model: His genius lies in his ability to buy merchandise in large, non-selective lots from luxury boutiques and department stores. This bulk purchasing strategy, where he is not allowed to "cherry-pick," is what allows him to offer such steep discounts, often up to 70% off.
- Store Locations: The original and flagship store is located in St. Louis Park (4320 Excelsior Blvd), accompanied by The Annex next door (4300 Excelsior Blvd), and a second main store in Minnetonka.
- Corporate Office: The corporate headquarters are also situated in St. Louis Park, at 5300 W 35th Street, a warehouse and distribution center Opitz Outlet purchased for $3.9 million from Nelson Development.
Opitz has been described as an "outlet store mogul," a testament to his successful transition from social worker to a powerful figure in the Twin Cities discount retail scene. His journey highlights a key business lesson: the ability to pivot and apply foundational skills to entirely new industries.
The Unconventional Business Model: How Opitz Outlet Achieves 70% Off
The core of Opitz Outlet’s topical authority lies in its distinctive and highly effective business model, which allows it to consistently undercut competitors while stocking genuine designer merchandise. This model is built on secrecy, volume, and an understanding of the retail supply chain's imperfections.
The Art of the Non-Selective Buy
Unlike traditional discount retailers or consignment shops, Opitz operates by purchasing large, undifferentiated lots of inventory. Department stores and luxury boutiques often have excess stock—items that are out of season, slightly blemished, or simply overstocked—which they need to clear quickly without damaging their main brand image.
Lyn Opitz’s strategy is to take the entire lot—the good, the bad, and the slightly imperfect. By agreeing to a non-selective purchase, he secures a drastically lower price per unit. This is the primary mechanism that enables the famous 70% discount for customers on items ranging from men's and women's designer clothing to shoes, handbags, and accessories.
This massive inventory is then brought to the St. Louis Park location, which includes the main store and The Annex. The Annex, located right next door, specifically offers items with "slightly blemished" conditions at an even deeper discount, catering to the most dedicated bargain hunters.
Creating a Treasure Hunt Experience
The store's atmosphere is part of the appeal. It is less about a curated shopping experience and more about a thrilling treasure hunt. Customers, including a recent reviewer in September 2024, often describe the selection as a "little gem" with a mix of new and reused high-quality items. This element of surprise and the potential to find a luxury item at a rock-bottom price is a powerful driver of customer loyalty and repeat visits to the 4320 Excelsior Blvd location.
The consistent rotation of inventory, driven by the bulk purchasing strategy, ensures that no two visits are ever the same, maintaining a high level of curiosity and engagement from the Twin Cities shopping community. The store has become an institution, a staple of St. Louis Park retail history.
The Excelsior & Grand Question: Is Opitz Outlet on the Chopping Block?
The most pressing and curious question surrounding Opitz Outlet’s flagship location is its long-term viability in the face of the massive Excelsior & Grand redevelopment project. The St. Louis Park area where Opitz is located has undergone a profound transformation from a traditional commercial district into a dense, mixed-use urban corridor.
The Excelsior & Grand Vision
The Excelsior & Grand project is St. Louis Park's premier redevelopment effort, centered on the 15-acre Park Commons redevelopment site along Excelsior Boulevard. This community-wide vision aims to create a transit-oriented development (TOD) featuring new studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as retail and public spaces.
As the city continues to push for higher density and modern infrastructure, older, single-story retail buildings—even successful ones—often become targets for acquisition and demolition to make way for new high-rise structures. The area's development plans have been a topic of discussion for years, with speculation that the Opitz site could be "next on the chopping block."
The Future of the Flagship Store
As of the current date, Opitz Outlet remains firmly in place at its 4320 Excelsior Blvd and 4300 Excelsior Blvd locations. Its continued operation suggests that either the land is not yet part of an immediate phase of the Excelsior & Grand master plan, or that the Opitz family is holding firm on its valuable real estate.
The fact that the company invested heavily in a $3.9 million warehouse and distribution center in St. Louis Park (5300 35th St) suggests a strong, long-term commitment to the city, regardless of the fate of the retail storefront. This separation of the retail outlet from the corporate logistics hub provides a critical layer of business continuity.
For shoppers, the uncertainty adds to the store's mystique. Every visit to the St. Louis Park Opitz Outlet is a reminder that they are participating in a unique piece of Minnesota retail history that stands as a popular, if anachronistic, anchor in a rapidly evolving urban landscape. The long-term future of the store is a high-stakes local question, making Opitz Outlet an enduring symbol of successful, independent retail resisting the wave of massive metropolitan development. Entities like Goodwill, Half Priced Books, and Wolfe Park are other key points of interest in the surrounding community, further cementing the area as a major hub for commerce and recreation.
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