Disney Springs has been losing retail tenants at a pace that is hard to ignore. Three stores have closed in a short window, and the visible gaps in the Town Center section of the shopping district have sparked the kind of conversation any major retail destination wants to avoid.
But the story of what is happening at Disney Springs right now is not simply one of contraction, and a new coming soon announcement from a well-known American footwear brand is the clearest signal yet that the district is actively replacing what it has lost.
Cole Haan just teased an upcoming Disney Springs location on Instagram and the announcement is specific enough to be taken seriously.
What Cole Haan Posted
The brand published a short video on Instagram showing an unseen traveler packing a suitcase with clothing items before placing a pair of tan Cole Haan sneakers on top of a sealed rollaboard. A caption reads Save Room for More before cutting to a small card on a luggage tag that reads Coming Soon Cole Haan at Disney Springs Town Center.
That last detail is the one that matters. A brand posting its own coming soon announcement with a specific location name is more committed than a permit or an industry rumor. Cole Haan did not say it was considering Disney Springs or that it was exploring the market. It posted a video naming the location directly on its own official account.
Cole Haan is an American footwear and accessories brand founded in 1928. The product range covers men’s and women’s dress shoes, loafers, sneakers, sandals, boots, bags, and outerwear. The brand describes its design philosophy as future familiar, a combination of classic American style with comfort-focused construction and modern materials.
It is a recognizable name with a product lineup that works for both the business traveler who needs dress shoes and the theme park visitor who needs something that can handle a full day on their feet.
An exact opening date has not been announced. The specific storefront has not been identified. Whether the location will be a full retail store or a smaller format has not been confirmed.
What Has Been Closing
The Cole Haan announcement comes after a difficult stretch for Disney Springs retail. Shore, one of the original tenants in the Town Center section when it opened, permanently closed on May 1 following a clearance sale. Johnston and Murphy, a footwear and apparel retailer, closed on May 7. Francesca’s closed its Disney Springs location earlier in 2026 as part of the chain’s broader shutdown.
A permit recently surfaced suggesting that Vuori may be the incoming tenant for the former Shore space, though nothing about that has been officially confirmed. If Vuori does land in the Shore space, it would represent another active footwear and lifestyle brand taking over a slot vacated by a similar retailer, which follows the same pattern as Cole Haan moving into the footwear space recently left by Johnston and Murphy.
Why This Matters for Disney Springs
Disney Springs works as a destination when its retail and dining lineup gives people a reason to be there beyond the parks. That requires tenants with enough recognition and appeal to attract both tourists already in the area and locals making a specific trip.
Cole Haan has the brand recognition and the product range to pull both audiences, and its arrival signals that the district is not simply losing ground but actively cycling toward a next chapter.
The closures are real, and the gaps are visible. But the incoming pipeline, Cole Haan confirmed, Vuori possibly coming, Six Ravens from Gideon’s on the way, tells a different story than a retail district in decline.
Cole Haan is coming to Disney Springs Town Center. The date is not set. The storefront is not named. But the brand said it themselves and that is enough to pay attention to.
