377 replies to this topic

[xyhamiltonboi]

I talked to Rusty Phillips with CBL today and they have been talking to a number of names for the old JCPenney space.  They want to make sure the fit really helps Columbia Place.  Please leave your suggestions on department stores or concepts here.

[DigitalSky]

Belk!

(hehe)

[waccamatt]

cantnot, on Dec 8 2005, 11:46 PM, said:

Belk!

(hehe)

Belks is building their 4th Columbia store at the Village at Sandhill, so it definitely won't be them.

[Temeteron]

waccamatt, on Dec 9 2005, 12:37 AM, said:

Belks is building their 4th Columbia store at the Village at Sandhill, so it definitely won't be them.

Might as well add a 5th...since nothing else seems to want to enter the Columbia market!

[waccamatt]

Temeteron, on Dec 9 2005, 01:40 AM, said:

Might as well add a 5th...since nothing else seems to want to enter the Columbia market!

There are a number of new stores entering the Columbia market at Sandhill so I really don't see your point.

[DigitalSky]

waccamatt, on Dec 9 2005, 12:37 AM, said:

Belks is building their 4th Columbia store at the Village at Sandhill, so it definitely won't be them.

I know, I was joking

Temeteron, on Dec 9 2005, 01:40 AM, said:

Might as well add a 5th...since nothing else seems to want to enter the Columbia market!

haha

waccamatt, on Dec 9 2005, 02:14 AM, said:

There are a number of new stores entering the Columbia market at Sandhill so I really don't see your point.

I think he means no new department stores want to enter the market.

[StevenRocks]

Boscov's

[DigitalSky]

StevenRocks, on Dec 9 2005, 04:29 AM, said:

Boscov's

Honestly, I'd love to see them enter the Carolinas.  We could use a little variety right now.

[csedwards72]

Tapp's again?

Just kidding. Unfortunately I think that the dominant chains in the Carolinas- Parisian (which I consider upscale, like Lord & Taylor), Belk, Dillard's, Macy's, JC Penney and Sears- are all we'll have for a while.  Saks is in Charleston mainly because of upper-income tourists, and upscale department stores elsewhere- from Bonwit Teller to the Hilton Head Saks- have failed.

[DigitalSky]

csedwards72, on Dec 9 2005, 09:01 AM, said:

Tapp's again?

Just kidding. Unfortunately I think that the dominant chains in the Carolinas- Parisian (which I consider upscale, like Lord & Taylor), Belk, Dillard's, Macy's, JC Penney and Sears- are all we'll have for a while.  Saks is in Charleston mainly because of upper-income tourists, and upscale department stores elsewhere- from Bonwit Teller to the Hilton Head Saks- have failed.

Parisian has yet to enter the North Carolina markets though...

[Temeteron]

I honestly dont see what is so upscale about Parisian......maybe the ones in atlanta are...but the ones here honestly dont carry anything different than what Belk or Dillard's carries....for men anyways....what you can really call a upscale department store is: Bloomingdales, Neiman, Saks, and Lord & Taylor......those are stores where you can find $200+ jeans and brands like French Connection, Diesel, Armani, D&G, True Religion and so on.....

Edited by Temeteron, 09 December 2005 - 09:23 AM.

[csedwards72]

Temeteron, on Dec 9 2005, 11:16 AM, said:

I honestly dont see what is so upscale about Parisian......maybe the ones in atlanta are...but the ones here honestly dont carry anything different than what Belk or Dillard's carries....for men anyways....what you can really call a upscale department store is: Bloomingdales, Neiman, Saks, and Lord & Taylor......those are stores where you can find $200+ jeans and brands like French Connection, Diesel, Armani, D&G, True Religion and so on.....

I always considered Parisian upscale because no junk is sold there.  Any Belk's or Dillard's will have plenty of nice things there but will also have some $9.99 track suits.  Parisian's high-end things aren't usually any fancier than at a nice Dillard's or Belk's but Parisian just doesn't have the cheap stuff.

That Richland Parisian needs some updating- when I first visited in '95 it was nice, but now it looks kind of ragged.  I'm really surprised that the Columbiana one was the one that closed- thought it would have been Richland.

I'm also surprised that Parisian hasn't come to NC yet.  Northlake Mall and SouthPark in Charlotte would be perfect for Parisian.

Edited by csedwards72, 09 December 2005 - 09:32 AM.

[HAMMETTM]

I don't know how many Parisian's Atlanta has, but the one in Phipps seems to have the same things as the ones here. Parisian's really doesn't impress me.

What Columbia probably needs in Columbia Place is a store that caters to the demographic of that area. Something different like Hecht's or a similar dept. store would be a nice anchor for Columbia Place.

It seems that Columbia either doesn't have the demographic or our leaders just do not want upscale stores here.

I would like to see upscale chain stores come to Columbia (and eventually they will), but it wouldn't do me any good because I can't afford, nor am I willing to pay $300 for jeans (at least right now )

[HAMMETTM]

OH! and to add to the above: COLUMBIA DOES NOT NEED ANOTHER BELK OR JCPENNY.

[krazeeboi]

I think that either the higher-end department stores overlook Columbia because of the population of the region (hasn't yet hit 1M) or because no one is really courting those stores. I think Kahn could have easily landed something different at the Village; perhaps he did, but they weren't interested? I'm not sure. I guess I could email them and find out.

[csedwards72]

Wasn't Bonwit Teller in the '80s pretty upscale?  If that could be attracted then, why can't something similar be attracted now?

If you look at Saks Inc.'s annual reports, Parisian is described as a store aimed at upper-middle to upper-income residents of large markets.  If Columbia meets that target, it should be able to get more good stores.

[xyhamiltonboi]

Hechts will not come.  Federated Department Stores bought May Co. and will do away with all of the regional nameplates changing them to Macy's.

Bonwitteller closed due to bankruptcy.  Their prices were outrageous for our city.  

When talking to Columbia Place management, I was told they are courting both Traditional anchors and specialty retailers to fill the JCPenney space.  They are not yet sure what they want to put in there and are looking at the outlines of what different tenants could do with the former JC Penney space.  

Malls are moving away from the traditional department store format to compete and remain viable against newer Lifestyle Center formats.  If you think for a minute that Columbia Place would go under.  Let me send you the link to their home office.

www.cblproperties "Take a new look at CBL"

[StevenRocks]

It's kind of like xyhamiltonboi was saying to an extent.  The department store as a retail type is at a low point right now, and it probably won't recover until somebody in the investment community understands that people aren't that thrilled with Wal-Mart and big box stores.

Most people want fair prices, and the big boxes are living up to that end of the bargain, but they also want the appaerance of customer service and a modiucum of style, which most big boxes don't offer.  People as a whole really like the concept of a department store, but want to pay next to nothing to get it.

The disconnect comes when people vote with their pocketbooks rather than with their senses and the sales at Target et al keep going up, typically at the expense of department stores.  It makes it very hard for an investor to put his money into department stores, and those companies try to save what they can by focusing on their most profitable stores.

What that means for midsized markets like Columbia, which has solid cores of loyal customers at stores with relatively low productivity is that they lose their stores with nothing to take their places, which in turn feeds into the big-boxes hands.  Poeple will shop and need to shop, and presented with a somewhat viable option, will adjust and keep shopping.

If someone came up with a department store concept that embraced big-box style variety with more style, slightly higher prices and good service and focused on the neglected small to midsized markets in this country, they could make a fortune.  Not only that, they'd have their pick of prime locations, because the big guys are throwing them away like old newspaper.

But I digress...

Edited by StevenRocks, 09 December 2005 - 11:23 PM.

[Temeteron]

What I dont understand is.....look at all the big huge houses in the Forest Acres and Arcadia Lakes areas.....One would think that there are people who can afford things from high-end stores......so why is Richland mall so empty?  Why is Columbia Mall lacking in high-end stores?  It really makes no sense......either these residents who live in these areas shop online or they must drive to columbiana or to Charlotte......I guess its kind of a domino effect.......most people dont go to richland mall because there's nothing there....and there's nothing in richland mall because most people dont go there....its just too bad because it honestly is a beautiful mall.....reminds me of the Atrium mall in Boston....very urban.....but there is very few stores in there......as for columbia place, I think it has found its niche in the urban wear section, which isnt a bad thing....just isnt really a mall that has a good mix.....But if you look at other malls like Columbiana...they dont have urban stores at all.....same thing in Charlotte with SouthPark....theres no urban wear in there at all....Eastland is the dominant urban mall in Charlotte.......there are a few urban wear stores in NorthLake though, theres that DTR store & D.E.M.O.(first in Charlotte)......but most malls are either one or the other......

Edited by Temeteron, 09 December 2005 - 04:28 PM.

[Spartan]

The problem with Richland Mall was not its clientel, but its lack of stores worth going to. That mall keep strying to act like a regional mall, when it is nothing of the sort. There are no other significant stores around that mall, unlike other malls where you see major retailers by the truckload.

I completely agree with those of you who have said that department stores are all the same. I see no major difference between them. They all have the same clothiers within generally. I find that Dillards has a better selection of quality ties, shirts, pants and such, but thats about it. I simply don't go to department stores for anything else. I'm a huge fan of Old Navy though.  I never saw anything special about the Parisian at Colubiana.

Edited by Spartan, 09 December 2005 - 05:07 PM.