Shelby’s Sugar Shop® Sweetens Town Center Experience through Nostalgic Confectionary Wonderland

COLUMBUS, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Striving to provide guests with unique, multi-sensory experiences, Washington Prime Group (NYSE: WPG) continues to find new ways to expand and enhance its brands. One example, Shelby’s Sugar Shop^®, a sweet creation by the Company, has been creating cheer through its array of classic, craft and novelty candies since its initial launch in 2017. The sweet shop provides a colorful, curious environment full of discovery and an added dose of nostalgia delighting both children and adults alike. Now, Shelby’s is bringing joy to more people than ever before through new common area locations, providing an experiential opportunity for guests of all ages.

The expansion of Shelby’s Sugar Shop includes brand-new locations at Polaris Fashion Place^® in Columbus, Ohio; The Outlet Collection^®|Seattle in Auburn, Washington; and The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Dayton, Ohio. Additionally, the expansion will feature a reinvention of the current location at WestShore Plaza in Tampa, Florida. The four new locations join existing Shelby’s Sugar Shops in Mentor and Youngstown, Ohio; Aurora, Colorado; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“Shelby’s Sugar Shop adds such a unique energy and experience – not to mention flavor – to our town centers,” said Jennifer Moretti, Senior Vice President and Chief Activation Officer at Washington Prime Group. “We’re thrilled to offer guests an opportunity to enjoy sweet treats, both new, beloved and unexpected, while also providing a meaningful experience that aligns with our core values of inclusion and respect.”

Shelby’s Sugar Shop follows the journey of a spirited young girl named Shelby from a picturesque country setting to the heart of a big city, enjoying life’s sweetest adventures along the way. Shelby travels the world looking for sweet, fun treats to enjoy, from the rural landscape to the bustling city. Expanding on her special story, the Company has created new friends for Shelby to interact with and share with guests. Wielding bravery and acceptance, Shelby understands the importance of inclusivity, and her new friends represent the Company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Shelby believes that no matter how old you are, where you’re from, how you talk or even what you look like, we are all a lot more alike than we are different. Shelby reminds town center guests of the importance of celebrating our differences and that life’s adventures are sweeter with friendship, acceptance – and candy!

Shelby’s Sugar Shop offers candy lovers a light-hearted, adventurous experience while intertwining a deeper message of friendship, kindness and inclusion. When visiting Shelby’s, guests will have the opportunity to step away from the hustle and bustle of life and step into a confectionary wonderland reminding them to always remain a kid at heart.

Shelby’s new common area retail units will offer a curated collection of sweets and treats from classic and nostalgic candies, to craft candy and chocolates, to a branded “create your own” collection and scented novelty offerings. The new retail units will also provide unique specialty products and beverages for added fun. The selection of products have been specially curated to bring the very best sugary confections to surprise and delights our guests.

About Shelby’s Sugar Shop^®

Shelby’s Sugar Shop^® is a concept from Washington Prime Group which presents a colorful, curious and dynamic environment that will delight children and adults alike, as a spirited young girl named Shelby journeys from a picturesque country setting to the heart of a big city, enjoying the sweetest parts of life along the way. Learn more at www.shelbyssugarshop.com.

About Washington Prime Group

Washington Prime Group: National footprint with local flavor. With 100 town centers throughout the US, we’re as American as apple pie. As a matter of fact, we are also as American as deep dish pizza in Chicago, Hawaiian poke salad, vegan spring rolls in Malibu, El Paso Tex-Mex, Maryland crab cakes, kimchi in Orange County, Memphis barbeque and a Kansas City porterhouse. Our well regarded infrastructure, from Hawaii to Connecticut, and pretty much everywhere else in between, allows our tenant and sponsor partners to benefit from the operating efficacy and economies of scale at a large national real estate company, alongside local management who possess comprehensive knowledge of the specific locale within which they reside. Washington Prime Group^®, Polaris Fashion Place^®, The Outlet Collection^®, and Shelby’s Sugar Shop^® are a registered trademarks of the Company. Learn more at www.washingtonprime.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent the current expectations and beliefs of management of Washington Prime Group Inc. (“WPG”) concerning the proposed transactions, the anticipated consequences and benefits of the transactions and the targeted close date for the transactions, and other future events and their potential effects on WPG, including, but not limited to, statements relating to anticipated financial and operating results, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, cost savings and other statements, including words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “confident,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “may,” and other similar expressions. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of WPG’s management, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of WPG to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation: changes in asset quality and credit risk; ability to sustain revenue and earnings growth; changes in political, economic or market conditions generally and the real estate and capital markets specifically; the impact of increased competition; the availability of capital and financing; tenant or joint venture partner(s) bankruptcies; the failure to increase store occupancy and same-store operating income; risks associated with the acquisition, disposition, (re)development, expansion, leasing and management of properties; changes in market rental rates; trends in the retail industry; relationships with anchor tenants; risks relating to joint venture properties; costs of common area maintenance; competitive market forces; the level and volatility of interest rates; the rate of revenue increases as compared to expense increases; the financial stability of tenants within the retail industry; the restrictions in current financing arrangements or the failure to comply with such arrangements; the liquidity of real estate investments; the impact of changes to tax legislation and WPG’s tax positions; losses associated with closures, failures and stoppages associated with the spread and proliferation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; to qualify as a real estate investment trust; the failure to refinance debt at favorable terms and conditions; loss of key personnel; material changes in the dividend rates on securities or the ability to pay dividends on common shares or other securities; possible restrictions on the ability to operate or dispose of any partially-owned properties; the failure to achieve earnings/funds from operations targets or estimates; the failure to achieve projected returns or yields on (re)development and investment properties (including joint ventures); expected gains on debt extinguishment; changes in generally accepted accounting principles or interpretations thereof; terrorist activities and international hostilities; the unfavorable resolution of legal or regulatory proceedings; the impact of future acquisitions and divestitures; assets that may be subject to impairment charges; significant costs related to environmental issues; changes in LIBOR reporting practices or the method in which LIBOR is determined; and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in WPG’s statements and periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described under “Risk Factors”. The forward-looking statements in this communication are qualified by these risk factors. Each statement speaks only as of the date of this press release and WPG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from current projections, expectations, and plans, if any. Investors, potential investors and others should give careful consideration to these risks and uncertainties.

Contacts

Investors: Kimberly A. Green, VP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, 614.887.5647 or kim.green@washingtonprime.com
Media: Kimberly Flaherty, Senior Director, Public Relations, 614.887.5715 or kimberly.flaherty@washingtonprime.com