Tysalpha wrote:Well I don't think it's closing anytime soon. I was just there on Oct. 28, and a large portion of the parking lot is closed for construction. Looks like they are expanding.
That's the new Cabelas.
The mall has really surprised me. Given its god awful design and location near absolutely nothing, I expected more empty stores. However, I was there recently and it seems to be doing decent business. Some bigger name stores like Gap and Banana Republic moved in that weren't there when it first opened.
South Compton wrote:The mall has really surprised me. Given its god awful design and location near absolutely nothing, I expected more empty stores. However, I was there recently and it seems to be doing decent business. Some bigger name stores like Gap and Banana Republic moved in that weren't there when it first opened.
I've been there a few times recently (twice to buy, twice to exchange stuff I'd bought )and parts of the Mall seemed dead and parts were fairly busy. There's one section that seems to have odd stores and has a distinct "dead flea market" feel to it. Other parts, like around the Gap, Banana Republic, Reebok, etc., seem a bit more lively.
South Compton wrote:...weren't there when it first opened...
Some of those newcomers also have (had?) storefronts at the Warrenton Outlet Mall? How is that place doing? Haven't been by there in ages.....
Have you been there recently? They have more vacant stores now than they did when it first opened. Second, when I pulled up to the Mills I was shocked at how few cars were in the parking lot. The other times I have been there the parking lots have been relatively packed.
Did you go on a weekend on weekday? That makes a big difference in parking levels. Also, those lots always look under-utilized cause they're built too large to accomodate the Xmas rush (a waste of space IMO).
STL Mills suffers from the same problem West County suffers from - there's no Mens stores. Contrary to popular belief, men buy things. Lots of things. And if you turn away 50% of your market, you're going to lose money. I can't buy a present for my Dad at West County OR STL Mills cause there's not a single store (ok, maybe one clothing and a tech shop) I'd want to get something from. The gimmicky stores like Bar Supply or whatever are for college kids who pretend they're old-school - no self respecting 50 year old would ever buy that crap. The one and only time I went to the Mills, I ended up buying like 24 sodas from that specialty shop cause it's the only thing that was unique (good unique) and I know my dad would like.
Sooner or later, mall owners will stop looking at the number that women spend 82% of all retail dollars and understand that they spend that money FOR THEIR MEN as well, not just on themselves.
I could not agree with you more. Our options are very limited.
Luxury retailer Saks Inc. on Friday said it intends to close its Saks Off 5th store in St. Louis, Mo., by Feb. 1.
About 20 associates employed in the 25,000-square-foot store either will be offered transfer opportunities or will receive severance packages, according to the company.
Shares of Saks, which currently operates 54 Saks Fifth Avenue stores, 50 Off 5th stores, and 62 Club Libby Lu stores, added 4 cents to close at $20.21 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Saks has been struggling awhile. It recently sold off many assets and shut down department stores in several cities - including Kansas City. Pittsburgh is struggling to keep its downtown Saks open. Nordstrom is putting the heat on Saks nationally.
I don't think the forthcoming closing of the Off 5th store is a sign that St. Louis Mills is dying just yet. The closing might actually be good for Saks-Frontenac though.
I bought a LoveSac (Oversized Bean bag, which can seat 3) there. That store has since closed.
Last time I went there, more stores had closed. Cabela's opening should spur some new retail to come in to "try" to glean some of he Cabela's crowd.
I hate to see any development fail, may it be city or county. That said, I would rather more development come to the city than the county, to better balance the flow of people back "into" the city.
I'm not advocating this, and I don't necessarily want to see it happen, but St. Louis Mills might secure its future by repositioning itself as a traditional mall.
I hate to see the zero-sum relocation of stores that plagues St. Louis County, especially when incentives are often used to accomplish it, and one suburb simply raids businesses and revenue from another.
However, I cannot imagine that Macy's, Dillard's, and Sears are content with their situation at Northwest Plaza- and the same holds true for Macy's and Sears locations at Jamestown Mall. I could see the potential for repositioning the mall with traditional anchors, and one or more of these stores making the move to Hazelwood.
Northwest Plaza lost JC Penney several years ago, and JC Penney reduced their Jamestown store to clearance outlet status. Dillard's closed their Jamestown store earlier this year; it opened in 1973 as Stix Baer & Fuller and was one of the mall's original anchors. Both aforementioned malls have seen a significant exodus of specialty stores as well.
Again, I stress that it's not something I really want to see. However, I don't foresee a future in which all three North County-area malls can reverse their fortunes in their current configuration. Northwest Plaza seems like a good candidate for a completely new, mixed-use development, the same idea may work at Jamestown, and the Mills mall might benefit from major retailers like Macy's or Sears building new stores there. For whatever reason, the Mills concept isn't working as well in some places (Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh) as it does in others.
North County is pretty much devoid of land for building new houses. It really would not be a bad thing IMO for NWP and James Town to close and then redevelop the land to build new housing.
Traditional malls with department store anchors have been taking a beating over the years because department stores have really lost their appeal for the new generation of shoppers. Whereas you used to go into the electronics section of Dillards, now you go to Best Buy. Whereas you used to go to Famous to pick out furniture, now we have Ikea. Wheras you used to buy hardware from Sears, now you go to Lowes or Home Depot. Not to mention the rise of Wal-Mart for other mid-range goods that you might used to have gotten at a department store.
These stores are going to continue to struggle against the big box retailers because they offer a more specialized product at lower cost than a department store, and malls that are tied to them will invariably suffer. As such, more and more malls are now tying themselves to these types of stores, using Best Buy or Borders as an anchor, not to mention movie theaters or big draw restaurants (cheesecake factory anyone?)
Curious to know how chesterfield mall is doing now after their what, $100 million facelift? We hear a lot about the Mills and North County, but what's going on out west?
Curious to know how chesterfield mall is doing now after their what, $100 million facelift? We hear a lot about the Mills and North County, but what's going on out west?
I was at Chesterfield Mall Saturday night and the place was packed. The parking lot was filled, we had to park across the street in an office parking lot. The Cheesecake Factory had an 80-90 minute wait. A bunch of new stores have opened and there were signs for more coming. Recently opened are a 2 level Borders, J Jill, Wet Seal and Build a Dino by Build A Bear Workshop. Also, in August a huge H&M opened in the former food court. The signs for places coming soon were Swarovski, The Discovery Channel Store, Cheeburger Cheeburger, Melt Gelato, Sports Fan Attic and a Brazilian Steakhouse.
This place is amazing. I ate there quite a bit during my undergrad days. Once it opens you guys should definitely check it out. The burgers are AMAZING.
Went to the Mills yeaterday. That place was FULL. It is at the least getting holiday shoppers.
Saw a curious thing. There were about 50 teenagers sitting outside a book shop (Books a Million I think). I wonder if they were protesting the under 17 issue.
Mills Corp. warned Tuesday that a heavy debt load could force the mall developer into bankruptcy if it is unable to follow through with its plans to sell all or part of the company.
The warning came in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that also detailed the results of an internal audit showing accounting errors and possible executive misconduct.
Mills, which is based in Chevy Chase, Md., said it may not have enough cash to continue operating beyond March 31 and that it would be forced to sell all or part of the company to pay off a $1 billion loan that is due on that date. It could be forced into bankruptcy, which would cause shareholders to "lose their entire investment," the company wrote in the federal filing.
Mills is looking for a buyer while it works to restate its earnings due to accounting errors. In past filings, Mills has said it has some possible suitors, and the Israeli real estate firm Gazit-Globe Ltd. has already made a bid.
Mills took out a $1.5 billion loan from Goldman Sachs Mortgage Co. last May to help it stay afloat. The loan was originally due Dec. 28, but Mills was able to negotiate an extension through March 31.
Mills shares fell $3.39, or nearly 18%, to $15.55 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company's shares have ranged between $12.27 and $44.50 during the past 52 weeks.
^Because they tried to put an extremely upscale place in the Mills Mall. I really think the guys out in LA just didn't research the STL Metro area very well when they selected that location for their bowling alley. Everyone I ever knew who went to that Lucky Strike made the same comment, "This place belongs on Wash Ave."
I really liked the bowling alley...they were great for watching sports because they had satellite and could get every game, something which is rare in this "sports town".
Urban Elitist wrote:^Because they tried to put an extremely upscale place in the Mills Mall. I really think the guys out in LA just didn't research the STL Metro area very well when they selected that location for their bowling alley. Everyone I ever knew who went to that Lucky Strike made the same comment, "This place belongs on Wash Ave."
Which is exactly where they should have put it. Or even in a revamped Union Station. But I'm sure they were scared to go with anything other than a "proven" location.
A Chicago area developer plans to break ground this spring on the first hotel near St. Louis Mills Mall.
The hotel's developer says its plans won't be affected by serious financial problems reported Tuesday at the mall's owner.
The hotel — a project Hazelwood officials have long awaited — would be part of a proposed $50 million complex called Crescent Pointe at the Mills, which includes 80,000 square feet of retail space.
The site, which is near the Mills shopping center, has proved attractive for development. Sporting goods retailer Cabela's is planning to open there this spring
wow. They must really be displeased with his performance if they're going o sell him. You'd think they could have settled for banishing the poor guy ..... slavery seems a little harsh
)and parts of the Mall seemed dead and parts were fairly busy. There's one section that seems to have odd stores and has a distinct "dead flea market" feel to it. Other parts, like around the Gap, Banana Republic, Reebok, etc., seem a bit more lively.
