Camarillo Premium Outlets

The Camarillo Premium Outlets is a well known outlet mall west of the San Fernando Valley and just off the 101 Freeway at the Las Posas exit.  The mall has an expansion which it calls "The Promenade" and it features many of the big name, popular stores that you would expect to find in a major outlet mall.  The Promenade is anchored by Neiman Marcus Last Call, and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th which has relocated to a larger store with a new store design.  Gap Factory Store has also relocated to a larger suite in the expansion phase.  Other stores in the expansion phase include: Aldo, Charlotte Russe, Columbia Sportswear Company, Converse, Crocs, DC Shoes, Ecco, Esprit, Etnies:exs, Journeys, Karen Kane, Le Creuset, Loft Outlet, Michael Brandon, New Balance, Papaya, Rack Room Shoes, Robert Wayne Footwear, Tommy Bahama, Vans, Zumiez and more.

Camarillo Premium Outlets has an impressive list of stores including AG Adriano, Goldschmied, Banana Republic Factory Store, Barneys New York Outlet, BCBG Max Azria, Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, Coach, Cole Haan, Diesel, Giogio Armani, J.Crew, Juicey Couture, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Puma, Restoration Hardware, Theory, Tommy Hilfiger, Ugg and others.

SHOPPING TIP:  Be prepared to shop for several hours in this outlet mall, and be prepared either for a very long walk or to take your car from one section of the mall to drive to the other two sections -- yep, it's that big.

SHOPPING TIP:  The best shoppers in an outlet mall know their prices, and know their merchandise.  Several years ago the major labels discovered that shoppers were attracted to stores with the name "outlet" and so these manufacturers started to make lines of clothing and products just for their "outlet" stores.  In many cases, this outlet merchandise was never sold at regular retail stores or in department stores.  If you are in an outlet that features department store and retail store merchandise, be sure you know the prices so you know if you are getting a deal.

RACK ROOM SHOES:  We were attracted to this store because of its name and thought that Rack Room Shoes might have some connection to Nordstrom Rack and its shoe department.  But, we were wrong.  Rack Room Shoes is part of Off Broadway Shoes, which is the discounter of shoes in many cities.  We found the prices and styles at Rack Room Shoes to be attractive and the store was featuring discounted prices below those that were printed on the boxes.  But if you shop outlet mall stores, you will know that this is common.

Remember these important shopping tips: 

Give yourself time to shop and never shop on an empty stomach.  I'm not kidding, either.  You need time to shop so you never feel that you have to decide quickly and this is especially important in an outlet where there might be flaws to check or discover and tags and prices to compare.  You don't want to shop on an empty stomach for several reasons including that you don't want to be thinking about lunch or a snack when you should be doing your comparisons and trying on clothing when you can.  And if you do shop on an empty stomach, you run the risk that the clothes you buy will feel tight after you eat.   And one more tip if you are buying shoes: don't buy shoes early in the morning because feet tend to "enlarge" or swell during the day.  So try on and buy shoes in the late afternoon or even in the evening when your feet are more likely at their "true size."  And if your feet swell when you eat salty foods, be aware of your diet before you shop for your new shoes.