219 replies to this topic

[NCMike1981]

*a random observation* I was driving past Four Seasons on my way back from TN earlier this week and glanced over at the mall and noticed how absolutely tiny the new Belk signs (featuring the new logo) were on the store. I recall the old logo being so much larger, these appeared to be about the size the store would use on an interior entrance. Any Triad folks notice this? Are they like small temporary banners I saw from I-40 or are those the permanant signage in all their tiny glory? :-)

[DigitalSky]

I noticed, what's funny is - in contrast the Belk sign at Friendly Center looks huge

[cityboi]

NCMike1981, on 28 January 2011 - 08:22 PM, said:

*a random observation* I was driving past Four Seasons on my way back from TN earlier this week and glanced over at the mall and noticed how absolutely tiny the new Belk signs (featuring the new logo) were on the store. I recall the old logo being so much larger, these appeared to be about the size the store would use on an interior entrance. Any Triad folks notice this? Are they like small temporary banners I saw from I-40 or are those the permanant signage in all their tiny glory? :-)

It is small. They need a larger sign. I'm actually a big fan of the old logo. I guess i'm just so use to it. But I do understand they needed a more updated look.

[DigitalSky]

Border's is closing its Greensboro location near Four Seasons on High Point Road, but not its Winston-Salem store at Thruway.

[StevenRocks]

I think Borders has been headed out of Oakwood Plaza for a while.  This was a convenient excuse to leave.  The place was starting to get run down, and none of the other stores in the shopping center have stuck around for more than a few years.

[StevenRocks]

Brookstone has closed...

[DigitalSky]

Seems like the only Brookstone in the Triad is at Hanes Mall now.

[citykidd]

Putting it plain and simple, if Four Seasons wants to survive it needs to beef up security and stop catering to teens and the ghetto fabulous!!

Edited by citykidd, 26 June 2011 - 06:59 PM.

[sean]

citykidd, on 26 June 2011 - 06:58 PM, said:

Putting it plain and simple, if Four Seasons wants to survive it needs to beef up security and stop catering to teens and the ghetto fabulous!!

they're fighting a losing battle with rising temperatures.  go look at aerial photography of four seasons, or hanes mall for that matter.  hundreds of acres of asphalt; we're hard-wired to subconsciously avoid such inhospitable environments.  who in their right mind would want to visit four seasons or hanes mall and have to park their car on that giant skillet today at 2 o'clock?  malls are dead.

[StevenRocks]

I'm not sure what will eventually kill this mall, but I'm certain size or asphalt coverage of the parking lot will have little to do with it.

[StevenRocks]

Sorry, double post

Edited by StevenRocks, 28 June 2011 - 10:03 PM.

[DigitalSky]

I agree, it will take a lot more than asphalt to kill this mall lol.

[NCMike1981]

I have a feeling that public perception will eventually kill it....once enough suburbanites form a negative opinion the mall will be a goner.

[StevenRocks]

Stores are still remodeling, Aeropostale and Champs to name a few,  but I worry because the high end stuff is leaving. It feels like a fallen empire.

[cityboi]

unless another brand new indoor mall is built in a safer area, I think Four Seasons will stick around. Its Greensboro's only indoor mall now after Carolina Circle closed and there will always be a need for a mall in the Greensboro retail market.

Edited by cityboi, 29 June 2011 - 08:23 AM.

[ct36]

I really can't see some stores staying at Four Seasons, especially Nine West, Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Aldo. The problem is that VS and A&F are more teen oriented, but their more upscale than most teen-oriented stores. So I can't tell if they'd choose the more upscale option, or the teen option. At Friendly, shrink rates would go down, there would probably be less customers, but they would spend more. At Four Seasons, most likely the opposite would occur. But I could see A&F, NIne West, and Aldo opening at Friendly if there ever is space, or they announce an expansion. I think Greensboro could support 2 VS stores, but if they had to cut the rope on one then it would probably be Four Seasons. I would definitely give the edge towards Friendly though, having a more welcoming and upscale atmosphere, with more upscale stores.

[StevenRocks]

Friendly doesn't have the demographics or the space for the upscale teen chains. Four Seasons still has that edge.

[cityboi]

StevenRocks, on 14 July 2011 - 09:15 PM, said:

Friendly doesn't have the demographics or the space for the upscale teen chains. Four Seasons still has that edge.

yeah and teens still prefer shopping and hanging out at indoor malls

[citykidd]

cityboi, on 29 June 2011 - 08:22 AM, said:

unless another brand new indoor mall is built in a safer area, I think Four Seasons will stick around. Its Greensboro's only indoor mall now after Carolina Circle closed and there will always be a need for a mall in the Greensboro retail market.

Four Seasons has become a dump, the mall needs remodeling and more public restrooms, and the so called customer base is too young and rowdy. If security is not beefed up like someone else said, and the mall does not get inside and outside renovations (including the grounds) it will eventually close.

[cityboi]

I think If Joe Koury were still alive he would not have sold the mall. I know he is rolling over in his grave. Also he would have gone through with plans to expand the mall and connect it to the Koury Convention Center and hotel. I remember seeing a model of the whole complex around 1989 or 1990. At the time the convention center and 28-story hotel tower addition didn't exist. The model showed the planned triangular shaped tower which originally had a sleeker design that was almost entirely glass with cylinder shaped corners. It was certainly something you'd expect to see built in Los Angeles or Atlanta. The plan still called for a triangular shaped 28-story tower but the design became a little more conservative with a white concrete exterior. In those days it was the Holiday Inn Four Seasons. The model also showed a new parking deck attached to Dillards and a new retail wing which connected the Koury Convention Center. There was suppose to be a restaurant over Koury Blvd. In addition there was another hotel tower on the other side of High Point Rd near the clover leaf. Apparently Koury had plans for another large hotel and it was to be built near the convention hotel. Joe Koury had vision and after his death, Koury Corporation lost its drive to do great things in Greensboro. Today Koury Corporation is just another real estate development company and they have done very little in Greensboro since Joe Koury's death. Joe Koury had big plans for his Grandover Resort too. It was suppose to be much bigger in scope. His plan for Grandover included an upscale European style outdoor shopping village with waterway canals like Venice. Shoppers could choose to walk or take the boat. The Grandover Resort would eventually expand to 900 plus guest rooms. I saw renderings of an expanded Grandover Resort. There use to be renderings online but over time they all disappeared and plans for expansion have also likely disappeared. Joe Koury built much of Greensboro. Many residential neighborhoods were built by Koury in the late 1960s and early 1970s. If Joe Koury were alive today, his company would very much be a part of downtown revitalization efforts.

Here is a little info about the Grandover property. In the late 1960s the Busch company wanted to build a brewery along with a theme park called Busch Gardens on the property. But the land deal went sour and the company chose WIlliamsburg, VA instead. (leave it up to Greensboro to screw things up) That may have been why the waterpark up the road had the working name of "Aqua Gardens" before eventually becoming Water Country USA and then Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe. Emerald Pointe is the 12th largest waterpark in the country and it ranks 10th nationwide in attendance. Of the many waterparks around the world it also ranks 20th in attendance worldwide.

An old article about the original owners of "Aqua Gardens" filing for bankruptcy

http://news.google.c...pg=3731,1636225

Edited by cityboi, Today, 06:04 PM.