Charlotte Russe will open at Eastdale Mall on July 20, something Anna Tadlock has been waiting for a long time.

Tadlock is director of marketing at the mall, and she said the new store, which features a selection of modern clothing and accessories for young women, didn’t just happen to open at the mall.

“This is a retailer that we have been seeking out,” she said. “It is someone our leasing department has been trying to get to enter our market.”

She said while other stores in the mall’s 90-store roster may offer some of the same merchandise, few have the same total selection.

Charlotte Russe will occupy a 7,750-square-foot location across from Eastdale’s food court. Tadlock said the store has most of its fixtures in place.

“Eastdale Mall is excited to introduce shoppers in the River Region to Charlotte Russe,” Tadlock said. “This new addition will complement the fabulous array of stores and merchandise selection available at Eastdale Mall.”

Many of the items available at Charlotte Russe appeal to under-35 women for casual wear, but Tadlock said the pieces can be matched for professional wear.

“You can find things to wear to work,” she said. “You can layer that. They have a lot of layer clothing.”

A company statement said Charlotte Russe is looking for even younger customers.

“Stores provide fashion and lifestyle needs of young, fashion-conscious women in their teens and early twenties, offering trend right apparel and accessories at value prices,” the statement said.

Charlotte Russe has more than 400 stores and reports a 30 percent yearly growth rate. The retailer has Alabama stores in Birmingham, Mobile, Spanish Fort and Huntsville.

Eastdale’s Charlotte Russe store will be slightly larger than an average store in the chain. The company’s Web site lists the average store as between 6,500 and 7,000 square feet.

The retailer tries to use lighting and store design to complement its merchandise line.

Eastdale Mall is a 30-year-old retail outlet with 964,717 square feet. It is anchored by Dillard’s, JCPenney, Parisian (soon to be Belk) and Sears.

Aronov Realty Management operates the mall.