VF Outlet Village

Today, outlet malls are popping up across the country. People love the combination of brand-name stores, inviting eateries and shopping fun. But did you know it all started right here in Reading, PA, with what was then called the VF Outlet Village? That's right.

America's original discount destination began in 1970, with opening of the VF Outlet Store. It was built on the site of the former Berkshire Knitting Mills - at one time, the world's largest hosiery mill. The original store was separated from the manufacturing floor by a simple drop cloth. But from those modest beginnings, it soon became known as the best place to buy Vanity Fair brand lingerie, sleepwear and robes. Because the VF Outlet Store began to draw customers from far and wide, other brands soon saw the value of offering deep discounts in a centralized location. Obviously, it's an idea that caught on.

So, in an area's whose history boasts German settlers, armament makers for George Washington's Continental Army and railroad magnates, add the mother of all outlet malls. Literally.

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