24 replies to this topic

[csedwards72]

Just curious about the downtown Parisian in Birmingham.  Does it do pretty well- or is it expected to?  Or is kept open because it's Parisian's hometown?  Downtown department stores are so rare these days that I'm curious about why some of them stay open but so many have closed.  Thanks.

[Blazer85]

From what I understand, it doesnt do maybe AS well as some suburban stores, but it still does fairly well all things considered.  Fortunately, it's in the heart of the financial district so it does get a good bit of pedestrian traffic.

[RiversideGator]

I forgot about that store.  I seem to remember it was a little smaller than your average dept store too.  Am I right?

Downtown Birmingham is very attractive, I think.  I wish Jacksonville had saved as many old buildings as Bham has.

[bobliocatt]

Where is it?  I missed it last week.  I came away with the impression that downtown Birmingham was a little quiet.  It seemed like all the action was around UAB and Five Points.

[Blazer85]

^ It's on the northside... in the bottom of Harbert-Plaza (one of our 4 tallest).  It's the building with the pyramid-type roof and spheres at the top on the four corners.

[bobliocatt]

I think I may have walked right past it and never noticed.  After all it would have been closed since I went out around downtown with my digital camera between 7 - 10 am, last Friday.

[vulcan/elektra]

RiversideGator, on Jul 15 2005, 04:39 PM, said:

I forgot about that store.  I seem to remember it was a little smaller than your average dept store too.  Am I right?

Downtown Birmingham is very attractive, I think.  I wish Jacksonville had saved as many old buildings as Bham has.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The downtown location is not a typical Parisian. It doesn't carry some of the items
that other locations do. It caters to to daytime office crowd. That's why it does
well in that area.

[Jaylon]

thelakelander, on Jul 15 2005, 11:21 PM, said:

I think I may have walked right past it and never noticed.  After all it would have been closed since I went out around downtown with my digital camera between 7 - 10 am, last Friday.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did you post pics Lakelander?

-J

[bobliocatt]

I'm going to later today or tonight.  I have them picked, but I haven't uploaded them yet.

[Southron]

Unfortunately, the store is internalized in the building, disconnected from the street, and is easy to miss if you don't know it's there.

[cm111]

I wonder if Belk has made up their mind what to do with this location.  Does anyone know if they plan to keep it open?  I certainly hope so.  If it closed, that would be a huge hole to fill.  All I've heard about Belk/Parisian issues is the Summit's suit to try to force Belk out.

[kayman]

cm111, on Dec 18 2006, 11:47 PM, said:

I wonder if Belk has made up their mind what to do with this location.  Does anyone know if they plan to keep it open?  I certainly hope so.  If it closed, that would be a huge hole to fill.  All I've heard about Belk/Parisian issues is the Summit's suit to try to force Belk out.

Honestly, at this point I could careless what Belk, Inc. does with any of the Parisian stores.  Most of their upper end locations around here seems to be doomed from start, but hey what do I know?  Honestly, I doubt Belk will keep it open because they don't seem to see any market in downtown/CBD stores.  They don't even have one in downtown Charlotte, so it is kind of obvious to me.

[Owsley9]

Leonard23, on Dec 19 2006, 09:22 AM, said:

Honestly, I doubt Belk will keep it open because they don't seem to see any market in downtown/CBD stores.  They don't even have one in downtown Charlotte, so it is kind of obvious to me.

I hope that the influx of downtown dwellers and possible revitalization of the area will keep them there.  Anything that leaves downtown from here on is not good.

Also, if they could just open a supermarket down there, the loft dwellers could have their cake and eat it, too.

[mallguy]

Leonard23, on Dec 19 2006, 10:22 AM, said:

Honestly, at this point I could careless what Belk, Inc. does with any of the Parisian stores.  Most of their upper end locations around here seems to be doomed from start, but hey what do I know?  Honestly, I doubt Belk will keep it open because they don't seem to see any market in downtown/CBD stores.  They don't even have one in downtown Charlotte, so it is kind of obvious to me.

True that there's no full-line Belk in downtown Charlotte but there is a "Belk Express" with a cosmetics counter, tote bags, chocolate and a few other things- very small.

[Blazer85]

Anyone heard anything on what Belk plans to do with the downtown Parisians?

[kayman]

Blazer85, on Apr 9 2007, 06:24 PM, said:

Anyone heard anything on what Belk plans to do with the downtown Parisians?

I don't even know what is going to happen to that store.  It is obviously doing well because Parisian would have closed it long ago if not.  I don't like nor do I trust Belk, Inc., so that store's future is as cloudy as the future of the BJCC's expansion.  

Maybe Pizitz's family will buy it from Belk and open a downtown location of Gus Meyer?    I know it is doubtful, but I can wishfully think.

[kayman]

I was most recently in the shopping center at the foot of the AmSouth Building and Park Place Tower, and I finally got a chance to see how much it has changed in the past 8 years.  It does still have the small Parisian store, Planet Smooth, and a couple of shops, but generally it is an empty place with numerous dark, empty storefronts.  

Since Downtown has been shown to have at least 20,000 permanent residents and grocers like Publix seriously considering opening a location, is there any hope for this center to make a comeback?  At its peak it was home to a full food court of restaurants like Wendy's, Taco Bell, BellSouth Mobility/Cingular store, ect.

[Southron]

Leonard23, on Jun 13 2007, 12:33 PM, said:

I was most recently in the shopping center at the foot of the AmSouth Building and Park Place Tower, and I finally got a chance to see how much it has changed in the past 8 years.  It does still have the small Parisian store, Planet Smooth, and a couple of shops, but generally it is an empty place with numerous dark, empty storefronts.  

Since Downtown has been shown to have at least 20,000 permanent residents and grocers like Publix seriously considering opening a location, is there any hope for this center to make a comeback?  At its peak it was home to a full food court of restaurants like Wendy's, Taco Bell, BellSouth Mobility/Cingular store, ect.

I was in there a couple of months ago for the first time in several years, and noticed all those vacant storefronts as well.  Frankly, I would much rather see ground floor retail that fronts on the street, instead of being internalized like this.  Sheer numbers may eventually give this center new life, but I think traditional storefronts will be more successful downtown retail locations.

[bhamsly]

How many stores does this center supposed to have...10-15? It can't be that any, however, I have never been there.

[Birmingham Bound]

I hadn't realize the Promenade was declining. I have been inside there for years. This seems like it could turned into a great opportunity for Belk and/or Harbert Realty...  They could possibly make the plaza more of a shopping destination by reorienting the shops toward the street and creating a flagship-like Belk store. The area is in prime position to benefit from the new downtown residents as well as the guests that will come with the opening of the hotels that are planned nearby.