Banana Republic Boise Store Becomes Factory
Gap, Inc. converted its Banana Republic store at Boise Towne Square to Banana Republic Factory, a lower-price line sold under a different brand.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Retail
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The Banana Republic store at Boise Towne Square closed permanently one day last month and reopened the next morning as Banana Republic Factory. The store had operated since 1999, and its conversion follows 27 years at the mall.
Why it matters
The change puts a lower-priced, made-for-outlet Gap brand in a Boise mall that already hosts Gap Factory, giving Boise shoppers a Banana Republic option at lower price points. Items bought at the former Banana Republic store or online cannot be returned to the Factory store.
The Banana Republic store operated at Boise Towne Square for 27 years, opening there in 1999 before converting to Banana Republic Factory. The source does not provide sales figures or pricing comparisons between the two brands.
The players
Gap, Inc.
Gap, Inc. is a publicly traded American apparel retailer that operates the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Gap Factory brands.
J. Crew Factory
J. Crew Factory is the outlet brand of J. Crew, a American apparel company that sells made-for-outlet clothing at lower price points.
The details
Gap, Inc. flipped the lower-level Banana Republic store to the Factory brand, which sells a separate line of lower-priced clothing made with different fabrics and manufacturing processes. Banana Republic Factory is not an outlet for surplus regular Banana Republic items, and Gap Factory and competitor J. Crew Factory use the same made-for-outlet model.
Timeline
1999: Banana Republic first opens at Boise Towne Square.
October 2026: The Banana Republic store closes permanently and reopens the next morning as Banana Republic Factory.
Market Landscape
The made-for-outlet approach has been adopted by Gap Factory and J. Crew Factory, which sell lower-priced clothing lines distinct from their full-price counterparts. Banana Republic Factory extends this model to a brand that previously sold only full-price items at this mall.
Shoppers at Boise Towne Square will find lower-priced Banana Republic Factory clothing in place of full-price Banana Republic items. Purchases made at the former Banana Republic store or online cannot be returned to the Factory location.
The takeaway
Shoppers who want Banana Republic styles at lower prices now have that option inside Boise Towne Square, but should check return rules before buying. Keep receipts from the former Banana Republic store in mind, since they cannot be exchanged at the Factory location.
Further reading
For more on the local shopping scene, browse Retail coverage for Boise.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BoiseDev.
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Would you buy clothing from a lower-priced factory version of a brand you know?
