260 replies to this topic

[Aporkalypse]

turboturtle, on Sep 21 2006, 09:32 PM, said:

I hope you are all sitting down for this.  A new tenant to Park Plaza Mall discovered by cleaver detective work in the Plan Review site.  A big round of applause for the Ozark Mountain Nut Roaster.  Whoooooooo Pig!

If the same store were located in University it would be called "Deez Nutz".

[johnnydr87]

Aporkalypse, on Sep 21 2006, 10:11 PM, said:

If the same store were located in University it would be called "Deez Nutz".

hahahahahahhah

[Architect]

The article in Arkansas Business that someone quoted on another thread regarding 3 pending downtown developments also stated that a "major" tenant announcement is forthcoming in November for the First Level of Park Plaza.  Any guesses?  Apple?

[Aporkalypse]

Architect, on Sep 28 2006, 05:53 PM, said:

The article in Arkansas Business that someone quoted on another thread regarding 3 pending downtown developments also stated that a "major" tenant announcement is forthcoming in November for the First Level of Park Plaza.  Any guesses?  Apple?

I figured it would be a large tenant because of all the space they would have where the theater vacated.  Anthropologie?


If it only it were a Cheesecake Factory...

[mcheiss]

^
Borders?

[Aporkalypse]

mcheiss, on Sep 28 2006, 06:47 PM, said:

^
Borders?

I would think that would be a good idea but Architect mentioned they had a shot at Midtowne and opted not to go in.  In addition, Brentano's lease may stipulate no other bookstores could go in the mall.  It certainly would put them out of business.

[LIT uPP]

I wonder if Crate and Barrel might fill that space.  For the past several months, Arkansas Business included C&B in its list of tenants for Midtowne, but that may have been a case of mistaken identity on AB’s part.  On the other hand, if C&B had seriously considered the new shopping venue, they may have backed out, knowing that space would be available in Park Plaza.

I’ve been to the Crate and Barrel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and it occupied a large space on multiple floors.  The vacant theater space might be big enough to handle one.  It seems unlikely that C&B would locate in Little Rock, because they tend to open in affluent sections of larger metropolitan areas.  Several cities larger than Little Rock don’t have them.  When I read the original Arkansas Business article naming C&B as a potential tenant, I couldn’t believe the paper had the correct name.

[Architect]

LIT uPP, on Sep 28 2006, 08:26 PM, said:

I wonder if Crate and Barrel might fill that space.  For the past several months, Arkansas Business included C&B in its list of tenants for Midtowne, but that may have been a case of mistaken identity on AB’s part.  On the other hand, if C&B had seriously considered the new shopping venue, they may have backed out, knowing that space would be available in Park Plaza.

I’ve been to the Crate and Barrel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and it occupied a large space on multiple floors.  The vacant theater space might be big enough to handle one.  It seems unlikely that C&B would locate in Little Rock, because they tend to open in affluent sections of larger metropolitan areas.  Several cities larger than Little Rock don’t have them.  When I read the original Arkansas Business article naming C&B as a potential tenant, I couldn’t believe the paper had the correct name.

Restoration Hardware?  That might be a long-shot as they've been retracting from some markets lately...

[Aporkalypse]

LIT uPP, on Sep 28 2006, 09:26 PM, said:

I wonder if Crate and Barrel might fill that space.  For the past several months, Arkansas Business included C&B in its list of tenants for Midtowne, but that may have been a case of mistaken identity on AB’s part.  On the other hand, if C&B had seriously considered the new shopping venue, they may have backed out, knowing that space would be available in Park Plaza.

I’ve been to the Crate and Barrel on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, and it occupied a large space on multiple floors.  The vacant theater space might be big enough to handle one.  It seems unlikely that C&B would locate in Little Rock, because they tend to open in affluent sections of larger metropolitan areas.  Several cities larger than Little Rock don’t have them.  When I read the original Arkansas Business article naming C&B as a potential tenant, I couldn’t believe the paper had the correct name.

Based on what I've seen in DFW the space down there would be ample for a Crate and Barrel.  To be honest, though, I'm not a fan.  I thought getting a Pottery Barn was a much bigger deal.

[theman]

Architect, on Sep 28 2006, 05:53 PM, said:

The article in Arkansas Business that someone quoted on another thread regarding 3 pending downtown developments also stated that a "major" tenant announcement is forthcoming in November for the First Level of Park Plaza.  Any guesses?  Apple?

They need to stop teasing and announce these developments.  I have no idea who could locate in the space, but if I had to guess it would be a popular clothing outlet that doesn't have a presence in the state yet so that can be a a lot of things.

What does everyone think of the new signage that are placing outside of Park Plaza.  It's certainly different from what they had.  It's been a couple of months since I've been in the mall so I don't know how far along they are with the renovation, but from the drawings that I saw it will go to another level.  I'm so happy that Park Plaza and Midtowne are making an investment in the area.  Now if Simon and the owners of University Mall can get there act together and come on board.

[Architect]

theman, on Sep 28 2006, 11:33 PM, said:

They need to stop teasing and announce these developments.  I have no idea who could locate in the space, but if I had to guess it would be a popular clothing outlet that doesn't have a presence in the state yet so that can be a a lot of things.

What does everyone think of the new signage that are placing outside of Park Plaza.  It's certainly different from what they had.  It's been a couple of months since I've been in the mall so I don't know how far along they are with the renovation, but from the drawings that I saw it will go to another level.  I'm so happy that Park Plaza and Midtowne are making an investment in the area.  Now if Simon and the owners of University Mall can get there act together and come on board.

The architectural design and graphics are quite sophisticated and progressive in my opinion, very upscale.  I think its been tastefully done....though they are not yet complete.

This couldn't have happened at a better time with MidTowne across the street.  Lots of great synergy here now...

[turboturtle]

Architect, on Sep 29 2006, 11:07 AM, said:

The architectural design and graphics are quite sophisticated and progressive in my opinion, very upscale.  I think its been tastefully done....though they are not yet complete.

This couldn't have happened at a better time with MidTowne across the street.  Lots of great synergy here now...

I agree. When the new Park Plaza signage first went up, I was a little taken aback, though I immediately recognized it as an improvement over the previous orange and teal.  I drive by it twice a day.  I like it a lot now.

The inside renovation is brighter, but I am waiting to see it all come togther, including the new tenants.  The Gap should be returning and Bombay should be exiting next month.

Someone, who has a camera and the time, should start a holiday lights 2006 subforum.  I bet Park Plaza and Midtowne will be spectacular this year.

[schwilj]

theman, on Sep 29 2006, 12:33 AM, said:

They need to stop teasing and announce these developments.  I have no idea who could locate in the space, but if I had to guess it would be a popular clothing outlet that doesn't have a presence in the state yet so that can be a a lot of things.

What does everyone think of the new signage that are placing outside of Park Plaza.  It's certainly different from what they had.  It's been a couple of months since I've been in the mall so I don't know how far along they are with the renovation, but from the drawings that I saw it will go to another level.  I'm so happy that Park Plaza and Midtowne are making an investment in the area.  Now if Simon and the owners of University Mall can get there act together and come on board.

Maybe it's an Urban Outfitters

It would be a large one if it moved in there, but maybe the theatre part will not be one store...

Also anyone know what new places will come to the food court?

Edited by shcwilj, 29 September 2006 - 11:38 PM.

[Aporkalypse]

shcwilj, on Sep 30 2006, 12:05 AM, said:

Maybe it's an Urban Outfitters

It would be a large one if it moved in there, but maybe the theatre part will not be one store...

Also anyone know what new places will come to the food court?

I was hoping the movie theater space (which is huge) would be used for a major restaurant tenant.  It would fit in with the food court well.

[mcheiss]

^
Hoping for a Rainforest Cafe Apork.?  

[Aporkalypse]

mcheiss, on Oct 2 2006, 09:39 AM, said:

^
Hoping for a Rainforest Cafe Apork.?  

My two year old loves it.


While I'm dreaming, how about a Cheesecake Factory?


More grounded in reality, I could see a California Pizza Kitchen or Cheeburger Cheeburger or something along those lines there.

[mcheiss]

California Pizza Kitchen would be hard to pull in. They don't even have locations in Oklahoma, Lousiana, Tennessee, or Kansas. Of course this could be that they just haven't had time to expand to these markets. The nearest one's are in Kansas City, Dallas and Frisco.

[Aporkalypse]

mcheiss, on Oct 2 2006, 09:56 AM, said:

California Pizza Kitchen would be hard to pull in. They don't even have locations in Oklahoma, Lousiana, Tennessee, or Kansas. Of course this could be that they just haven't had time to expand to these markets. The nearest one's are in Kansas City, Dallas and Frisco.

True.  Birmingham and Omaha have them and the LR market is just a little smaller than those.  Still, growing chains like this are usually just looking for the right developments in target cities and somtimes that takes years. Getting one of the only two sit-down restaurants in a mall that has Park Plaza's demographic is pretty desirable.

Though it's not a chain or anything, Forbidden City is really quite good.  We all harp on national chains and want them but if it was a local place of that quality I wouldn't complain.

[turboturtle]

Anyone been inside recently? I think the Gap is supposed to return this month. Bombay should be exiting soon since it has a new store in Midtowne.

[Cru Jones]

The Arkansas Times comments on the vacant space in the lower level of Park Plaza.


http://www.arktimes....bb-0c104364e7ac

• Rumors have been floating around that Park Plaza is renovating the food-court level for a single, large tenant. Well, it’s true, but they’re not saying who yet. Sherry Duggin, the mall’s assistant marketing director, said the tenant will be announced at a Nov. 11 ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the mall-wide make-over. Until then, all she’d say is that it’s a national retailer without a current location in Little Rock, or, according to the retailer’s website, anywhere else in the state.


...let the speculation continue.