^ a 'real' H&M would be great. Having been in one in Oslo (at least the size of the downtwon Macy's) it's disappointing to see what was put in here.
ThreeOneFour wrote:Although I'm not a big fan of zero-sum relocation of existing retailers, I'd like to see H&M abandon their Galleria location for a larger one on this side of Brentwood, complete with a men's section. The West County store has men's clothing but the selection there is underwhelming IMHO.
I was just at the H&M at 5th avenue and 51st street in Manhattan this past weekend, and I have to say their men's collection is pretty blah this fall. It didn't look much different than Old Navy, which surprized me. I'd still like to see them open an StL store with a "real" men's department, though.
I was just at the Union Square H&M in SF a few weeks ago and was very impressed. Maryland Plaza would've been a great location for a "real" store.
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"Big" retail in the CWE would be great - but I don't know where the space could be found - I'm guessing not in Maryland Plaza. I know, put it in infill on Manchester (just a plug for the Grove)
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Zezuz wrote:Maryland Plaza would've been a great location for a "real" store.
Here here! I think that would've been an ideal location.
Since that's probably out of the question, though, how about a location in 600 Washington (St. Louis Centre), or the ground level of the former Stix Baer & Fuller (Dillard's) store just across the street? I think in this location, a "real" H&M would actually benefit the nearby Macy's location, as it would give shoppers another reason to come downtown.
I do agree that "big retail" would be a nice addtion to some parts of the CWE, particuarly if the upper income population continues to grow. I have recently thought that if the CWE does reach its population goals (a density eqaul or greater than the Back Bay in Boston) combined with good transit access to the surrounding communities (FPSE, Gaslight, and Cortex) a ground floor location in a new condo tower off of Euclid would be a great Bloomingdales location, a major anchor for transforming the CWE into a shopping destination.
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From the StL Business Journal (also, Archetypes is moving from the Loop to the Boulevard):
Phase II construction on The Boulevard - Saint Louis will begin this summer with an additional 165,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The new phase is expected to open late 2008.
i heard that they were not profiting as well as they would have liked in the loop. lots of kids without money. I'm not sure if this is true. I've never seen the loop so busy in my life, as it has been over the last year. what do others think? how much is spent on individual purchases in the loop? is it a lot? or is it just a lot of foot traffic?
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I just think that Archetypes (as well as MacroSun) didn't really fit in well along Delmar. There's a younger, more eclectic crowd there.
Full article:
The Boulevard adds four tenants
St. Louis Business Journal - 1:54 PM CDT Tuesday, April 10, 2007
The Boulevard residential, restaurant and retail center, located in Brentwood, Mo., on Brentwood Boulevard across from the Saint Louis Galleria, is managed and owned by Pace Properties Inc. and Prudential Real Estate Group.
The new leases are with Archetypes, Mitchell_Jams Salon, Orthodontic Consultants of St. Louis and Portrait Innovations.
Home accessory and gift retailer Archetypes, owned by Gene Koch, plans to open this month. The store is moving from its former location in the University City Loop to a 1,100-square-foot space next to Strasburg Children at The Boulevard.
Mitchell_Jams Salon, owned by James Mitchell, and Orthodontic Consultants of St. Louis both are set to open late this summer on the second floor above retailer Soft Surroundings. The salon will occupy 2,921 square feet, and Orthodontic Consultants will lease 3,312 square feet.
Portrait Innovations has already opened at The Boulevard, next to retailer Ann Taylor Loft. Portrait Innovations leases 2,430 square feet from Pace.
Phase II construction on The Boulevard - Saint Louis will begin this summer with an additional 165,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. The new phase is expected to open late 2008.
Link
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the kids on the loop have money - I just don't think they fit into their market. Its a good store though.
STLgasm wrote:Is it true that Kayak's closed at the Boulevard?
Yes. There's black paper over the windows.
That wasn't long: slightly over a year?
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No way! 
I can't imagine that a coffee shop wouldn't work there - especially after the second phase is completed and foot traffic increases. Maybe the development was just too small?
I can't imagine that a coffee shop wouldn't work there - especially after the second phase is completed and foot traffic increases. Maybe the development was just too small?
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^ strange. i went there quite often and there were always other people in there eating. Infact I was there about 2/3 weeks ago and every table was taken including the ones outside.
dweebe wrote:STLgasm wrote:Is it true that Kayak's closed at the Boulevard?
Yes. There's black paper over the windows.
That wasn't long: slightly over a year?
Correction: about 7 months. From their website:
ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Second Store, Located Across From Crate & Barrel on Brentwood Blvd, Opening Early August.
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bpe235 wrote:strange. i went there quite often and there were always other people in there eating. Infact I was there about 2/3 weeks ago and every table was taken including the ones outside.
I don't get it either. I made it there several times, and it was always quite busy. Strange indeed.
I hope it's not a case of overreacting about the forthcoming Highway 40 construction, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case.
I'd like to see another coffeehouse locate in The Boulevard, but hopefully it won't be Starbucks. I know, I defended Starbucks in another thread, but there are already several near this area (two in the Galleria, two in Clayton, one in Brentwood, the Ladue B&N serves Starbucks, etc.).
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It was because the owner of kayaks was sold on this locale by the development company's original timeline. The condos have now been scrapped, the second phase and offices aren't even begun and rent is like $35/sq ft.
The owner expected a helluva lot more from the developers (like fulfilling their promises and completing the project as sold to tenants.
His other location is still very profitable, and had actually been covering this locations losses for some time.
Hopefully he'll get out of that lease and go somewhere else...like Downtown with its ~$13.00/sq ft retail.
The owner expected a helluva lot more from the developers (like fulfilling their promises and completing the project as sold to tenants.
His other location is still very profitable, and had actually been covering this locations losses for some time.
Hopefully he'll get out of that lease and go somewhere else...like Downtown with its ~$13.00/sq ft retail.
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TheWayoftheArch wrote:It was because the owner of kayaks was sold on this locale by the development company's original timeline. The condos have now been scrapped, the second phase and offices aren't even begun and rent is like $35/sq ft.
The owner expected a helluva lot more from the developers (like fulfilling their promises and completing the project as sold to tenants.
His other location is still very profitable, and had actually been covering this locations losses for some time.
Hopefully he'll get out of that lease and go somewhere else...like Downtown with its ~$13.00/sq ft retail.
Makes perfect sense. I like The Boulevard, but the delays and downscaled plans are quite disappointing.
Like you, I wish Kayak's would consider downtown. I know there are many coffeehouses in downtown already, but Kayak's could do well there IMHO.
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The owner expected a helluva lot more from the developers (like fulfilling their promises and completing the project as sold to tenants.
Geesh - I'd read/heard that the Kayak's proprietor was smart, but holding a developer to account?! That's genius. (Good for him)
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ThreeOneFour wrote:bpe235 wrote:strange. i went there quite often and there were always other people in there eating. Infact I was there about 2/3 weeks ago and every table was taken including the ones outside.
I don't get it either. I made it there several times, and it was always quite busy. Strange indeed.
I hope it's not a case of overreacting about the forthcoming Highway 40 construction, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case.
I'd like to see another coffeehouse locate in The Boulevard, but hopefully it won't be Starbucks. I know, I defended Starbucks in another thread, but there are already several near this area (two in the Galleria, two in Clayton, one in Brentwood, the Ladue B&N serves Starbucks, etc.).
I'd like to see Caribou Coffee come to STL.
No way man. What St. Louis needs is Peet's. It's all over the West Coast and, by golly, they're far far superior to the other chain-y places. And why does this new wave of coffee places have the "outdoors" theme? Why can't some entrepreneur just get a good architect to design a nice, contemporary coffee house and put it in a high-profile location? They say brand recognition is what gets people in the doors, but if a place looks clean and contemporary, I'll give it a go.
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What St. Louis needs is Peet's. It's all over the West Coast and, by golly, they're far far superior to the other chain-y places.
In Boston too - looks like "fly-over country" has been flown over again. I'd agree about the outdoors-themed places. To be honest, I didn't like Kayaks the first time I went - chee-zzy, but after reading about it in the RFT I go there quite a bit (finicky we customers are). At one point the mountain bikes hanging in the store were from Big Shark - a nice local touch. And I once went there with orders to bring back the stoutest coffee I could find - they have some beans called "Kick in the Face" - perfect.
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PACE made promises it apparently did not keep and Kayaks was reportedly bleeding cash.
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The amazing thing is that if the second phase doesn't get off the ground soon I wouldn't be surprised to see other stores leave. This could be one of the shortest lived developments in StL history! Of course, everything will probably be OK once 64 is done.