Tallinn's Ülemiste shopping centre has a new anchor for fashion fans: American brand Gap opened its first Estonian store there on 15 October, and it is currently the brand's only standalone shop anywhere in Scandinavia and the Baltics.
The shop takes up almost 340 square metres (about 3,700 square feet) on the second floor of the mall, which sits right next to Tallinn Airport — handy if you fancy some last-minute shopping before a flight. The range covers women's, men's and kids' collections, with the classics you'd expect: jeans, logo sweatshirts, chinos and plain T-shirts.
The opening is part of a wider push. Gap, one of the biggest clothing retailers in the US, has been working to build its presence in the Baltics and grow across Europe more broadly. Its portfolio also includes Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta, sold worldwide through company-owned and franchise stores as well as online.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: if you wear Gap and you're hopping around Helsinki, Riga or Vilnius, Tallinn is now the nearest place to stock up in person. Ülemiste is easy to reach — a short walk or tram ride from the airport, and a quick tram or bus trip from Tallinn's Old Town. The mall is one of Estonia's largest, so it works well as a one-stop stop for shopping, especially on a rainy day or during a long layover.
Beyond retail, it's one more reason the area around Tallinn Airport is becoming a small destination of its own, and a sign the Baltics are increasingly on the radar of big international brands.
