[JPN0731]

I am new here so if this is a dead horse, sorry. But with such a big and growing area, why are there still some national chains that are not looking at us at all? Here is my dream list:

1) Trader Joe's: There are a couple of places in Ghent that this would fit into nicely, one in Pembroke and who knows where else. The Fresh Market at Hilltop is nice but SO SO SO expensive.

2) Which brings me to Wild Oats Market. Why couldn't they have gotten this for either the Town Center or that Tazewell thing in Norfolk? A GW Marketplace? Well if it is anything like some of the organic shops that Farm Fresh has been setting up inside its nicer stores, I can see it working. If it is anything like the one one Ghent... that would be sad.

3) IKEA (that is a very long shot, I know, but Baltimore has one) would be nice in Chesapeake or somewhere on the way to the Outer Banks. A lot of their stuff is cheap and nice looking, seems like a nice match for the area.

4) SuperTarget: why don't we have any of these? It would be so much nicer to have these all over the place instead of super WalMarts everywhere. Or even more than one Greatlands Target would be nice.

5) Crate & Barell: Preferably not a mall store either, but a free standing one.

6) Virgin Records... Well I have to say that Relative Theory was LONG OVERDUE for the area. It's growing each time I go in. But Planet Music and all the other chains are so lame, and most of the independants are all used or weird beyond belief. Still a Tower or Virgin would be a nice compliment to the Town Center with its emphasis on chains.

7) H&M... oh wait that is coming. But I am hoping that it's not a women's only store like the one in Richmond. The one in DC is great, but I am sure that it is not going to be that big.

7) ONE LAST REQUEST: NO MORE RESTAURANTS IN THE TOWN CENTER!!! How about some retail besides Men's Warehouse and Ann Taylor?

And a final question about retail: What is happening to the Lord and taylor building? I heard that it will be torn down to make a parking lot. Is that on the table? What a watse if so.

edit: thread title

This post has been edited by vdogg: 11 May 2005 - 04:52 PM

[rusthebuss]

I think people don't see us a viable market because of the high military traffic of people coming and going in the area. This area is looked over alot. I think we should have these things too, but we don't have great amount of high paying jobs that we should for the size of the area. So that is why i believe we are over looked. I grew up here so i want this more than anything.

[vdogg]

JPN0731, on Mar 18 2005, 10:29 AM, said:

6) Virgin Records...  Well I have to say that Relative Theory was LONG OVERDUE for the area.  It's growing each time I go in.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it was. I love relative theory

[rusthebuss]

vdogg, on Mar 18 2005, 12:26 PM, said:

Yes it was. I love relative theory

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the next 10 years we will see what will happen with the retail business in our area. I tell you this I think it will take something major for this area(major league team or major business hq coming) to make it viable to outsiders to move their chain to here. Lets hope this happens. I think if a major league team comes more people will relocate to this area. I hear that alot that people love the area but there is no major sports team or nothing major to do. I think that will be the turning stone if a major league team decides to bring it to Norfolk. If you build it they will come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[okinawatyphoon]

MacArthur Center brought a lot of first-time retailers to Hampton Roads. However they did that, they should keep doing it.

[ace707]

okinawatyphoon, on Mar 19 2005, 07:22 AM, said:

MacArthur Center brought a lot of first-time retailers to Hampton Roads. However they did that, they should keep doing it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sure they will continue to, it has worked really well for them so far. I just want to comment that we are nowhere near getting a Tower records or Virgin Megastore simply due the high price of CD's and their low turnover rate. Operating expenses are very high for those stores and if they do come, I think they fit best over at the oceanfront or downtown norfolk.
I honestly want to see a Modell's sports store in our area. They are pretty cheap and have lots of variety compared to a Foot Locker.

[urbanvb]

Well, I think over time as the area goes 'more upscale' with housing choices (esp Pembroke and DT/Ghent area) you will see them as well.

I also thought it would be cool to see an Ikea around here but I don't know if the area is ready for that yet. Same thing for the Crate and Barrel. But I could see 5 years down the road, once Pembroke has the Cosmopolitan, Cityview, the Westin, Town Square and possibly the new towers- the parking lot at Town Center and the Suntrust Bank lot at Pembroke mall - we might see more and more of these kinds of places. Oh, and I heard Super Target wants to enter into the Pembroke area (and a couple of other 'big box stores') but I am not sure where. I am thinking Towne Square at this point.

By the way, the restaurants are about all built out at Town Center and next is the most exciting being the retail. I can't wait to see what all is in store.

This post has been edited by guynvb: 20 March 2005 - 04:27 AM

[JPN0731]

I am still very new here and this site is becomming addictive. I am sure I'll be reprimanded soon so before that comes here is another new topic: who knows what is going in/on at the local area malls, what can we expect to see and what would we like to see?

1) MacArthur: Any ideas for the missing link? Is there ever going to be a thrid anchor? Could they do something like a "power plant project" and put three retailers in on each floor? Crate & Barell, Target, H&M, Kohl's, or Best Buy? Tacky? Sure but better than an empty lot that has been there since the opening. Plus some malls have big boxe stores and it makes them more convinent.

2) Lynnhaven: Lord and Taylor's building?... And it is nice how they are sprucing up the outlying areas with new stores/fast food places.

3) Military Circle: I have heard that there is a lot of traffic there but you would not know from the outside. Facelift in the works? Please!

4) Pembroke: Looking great, needing better stores for sure. The food court is nicely done, but like the stores all the places in there are generic/no-name business. Kohl's was a nice catch, but they still have the other side where Freight Liquidators is (?!).

5) Janaf: Got a face-lift but still could use something where the HQ was, even if it means just tearing it down.

NOW for a few retail scares... what is going on in VA Beach with all of its shopping plazas that are in dire need of repair, stores, etc?

Haygood and Indpendance is a nightmare. Roses as an anchor? And an empty Farmer Jack's (if any of you even remember that chain)? All the "used to be" shells of old Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Burger King, etc. And two empty gas stations on prominent corners?

Down Newtown Road is barely better.

And on Haygood one plaza was renamed the "Matress Discounters Plaza"! If that isn't a kiss of death, I don't know what is! That is just in my area.

I do grow worried that there are huge areas at the Beach that are on the verge of blight. I would imagine that the city could try to rezone some of these plazas into a residential zone and at least build houses on the land. I guess that without a housing and redevopment authority they can't do that. I see the same thing (blighted strip malls) in Norfolk and Chesapeake too though so I guess that is not a cure-all. But with land being scarce I can't see why it's like pullingteeth for a rezone of an area.

[vdogg]

JPN0731, on Mar 20 2005, 04:09 PM, said:

I do grow worried that there are huge areas at the Beach that are on the verge of blight.  I would imagine that the city could try to rezone some of these plazas into a residential zone and at least build houses on the land.  I guess that without a housing and redevopment authority they can't do that.  I see the same thing (blighted strip malls) in Norfolk and Chesapeake too though so I guess that is not a cure-all.  But with land being scarce I can't see why it's like pullingteeth for a rezone of an area.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With the new zoning laws being enacted on behalf of the navy its not likely you'll see much more new development down at the beach, at least not residential anyway. I have heard talk about the beach creating an hrda but i don't know what ever came of that.

[ace707]

JPN0731, on Mar 20 2005, 04:09 PM, said:

1) MacArthur: Any ideas for the missing link?  Is there ever going to be a thrid anchor?  Could they do something like a "power plant project" and put three retailers in on each floor?  Crate & Barell, Target, H&M, Kohl's, or Best Buy? Tacky? Sure but better than an empty lot that has been there since the opening.  Plus some malls have big boxe stores and it makes them more convinent.

2) Lynnhaven: Lord and Taylor's building?... And it is nice how they are sprucing up the outlying areas with new stores/fast food places.

3) Military Circle: I have heard that there is a lot of traffic there but you would not know from the outside.  Facelift in the works?  Please!

4) Pembroke: Looking great, needing better stores for sure.  The food court is nicely done, but like the stores all the places in there are generic/no-name business.  Kohl's was a nice catch, but they still have the other side where Freight Liquidators is (?!).

5) Janaf: Got a face-lift but still could use something where the HQ was, even if it means just tearing it down.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. I think the last thing MacArthur needs are stores like Best Buy and Target. Unfortunately big box retailers do not fit with MacArthur, much less downtown itself. There will be a third anchor eventually but they won't rush it. Whatever the case, I hope it's something big and special and not another Hecht's or JCPenney on that spot. I put money on retailers like Macy's, Bloomingdales, and the like on that spot when the time comes. Tenant mix is an ongoing change to find the right mix like the mall owners and managers expected when it first opened so I do expect closings and then immediate replacements till they find a more stable and fitting mix. Expect that to continue over the next few years. In the end, they have to continue their average visitor rate of 1 million shoppers a month and get it to continue to grow.

2. Lynnhaven has been in a big fight to win retailers against MacArthur and I expect it to continue. They have made lots of progess in making that mall better. The Lord & Taylor closing shows it can't quite compete or jump into the upscale arena but like what MacArthur is doing for it's third anchor, I think they will put something really special there when it comes, whatever it may be. It sure has to maintain it's strong tennant mix too or risk losing to competing retail magnets, Town Center and MacArthur Center.

3. Facelift is needed on Military Circle's exterior especially JCPenney's store. Security needs to be beefed up too because there are a lot of rowdy people over there.

4. Pembroke did nice exterior redesigns and renovations as well as the addition of the food court but I don't think it saves the mall much. They need more stores and bigger name ones at that. The freight liquidators continues this malls image of being the Tower mall (Portsmouth) of Virginia Beach.

5. Janaf needs to get rid of the old HQ building and needs work on exposing it's retailers better to the heavy congestion of Military Highway and Va. Beach blvd.

This post has been edited by ace707: 20 March 2005 - 05:48 PM

[rusthebuss]

Alot of stores are scared to move to this area because of the shifting and moving of people. Once this area draws people other than military we will see higher end stores. We need more higher paying jobs. They survey areas based on the pay to see what kind of stores will survive in the area. We need more fortune 500 companies to plant themselves in the area. That probably the biggest issue of why we don't have the higher end stores. I think we will wait to see what the expansion of downtown norfolk and vabeach towncenter does to the area and see if it will catch the proper eyes. I think that a major league team would really influence that as well with the salaries of the players spending money in the area.

[Cotuit]

JPN0731, on Mar 18 2005, 10:29 AM, said:

7) H&M... oh wait that is coming.  But I am hoping that it's not a women's only store like the one in Richmond.  The one in DC is great, but I am sure that it is not going to be that big.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have a ladies only H&M in the Providence Place Mall and it is so annoying because I want to shop there, but I'm not doing drag!

They have a full store up in Boston in Downtown Crossing and I want one down here, dammit!

[rusthebuss]

lol

[JohnnyCockfight]

I'd prefer to see entrepreneurial-type retail, restaurants, and bars, as opposed to high-scale national chains.

The problem I have with the chains is that it makes every city the same. Along those same lines, why would someone want to travel to Hampton Roads, when they can just go to their local city and find the same daggone things?

I'd love to see Hampton Roads embrace its own character and run with it. What you see on Granby street is a fine starting place in my opinion. Why not continue to add things that would be conducive and unique to the area?

[rusthebuss]

There is alot of restaurants here that are local flavors. Hilltop has some, Granby, Ghent, Oceanfront also has local rest. and I know the penn. has some local rest. as well. I think there will be alot more. I understand what you are saying because you remember a city for the orginial rest. and types of shops.

[krdarden]

rusthebuss, on Mar 22 2005, 09:13 AM, said:

There is alot of restaurants here that are local flavors. Hilltop has some, Granby, Ghent, Oceanfront also has local rest. and I know the penn. has some local rest. as well. I think there will be alot more. I understand what you are saying because you remember a city for the orginial rest. and types of shops.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Macy's as the third anchor of the MaAuthur Mall!

[rusthebuss]

We need to see more high paying jobs here to get the response everyone is looking for. You got to have the money to spend.

[ace707]

krdarden, on Mar 28 2005, 02:42 PM, said:

Macy's as the third anchor of the MaAuthur Mall!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It could happen! I remember when talk for the possible third anchor was really high around the opening of the mall all the way through its 2nd anniversary. I heard lots of talk that Macy's is the favorite to come but Saks 5th Ave was also putting up a fight and interest in the debate too. Man if we could just make another plot of land so both could come and anchor our mall lol. Since then the only comfirmation Ed Ladd and Taubman ever made was both "Macy's and Saks 5th Ave are strong considerations", "negotiations are onging with several potential anchors", and "we will add a third anchor when the time is right" which basically means that they aren't in a rush to add one.
Then again, maybe not... the new manager of MacArthur, Mr. Knarre replied in response to Lynnhaven's announcement of H&M that "we will hopefully recapture the buzz with new store announcments in the near future." Could he be referring to the third anchor in any way?

This post has been edited by ace707: 28 March 2005 - 04:45 PM

[rusthebuss]

I don't see it till they bring the money here.

[urbanvb]

rusthebuss, on Mar 28 2005, 07:18 PM, said:

I don't see it till they bring the money here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed! So, what are some real ways of attracting these kind of companies? I believe we have an educated workforce, that I don't think that is the problem. I think the Peninsula is doing a better job (IMO) of attracting high paying jobs but that is because they have NASA over there as well as other high tech companies. One component of sucessfull cities is it's universities. ODU seems set on developing the campus in Norfolk so that is a plus. Hopefully, that will attract some attention. I do think the military makes it difficult because of the lower wages. That is one problem but alas we are dominated by the military and they are not going away. But if you think about it San Diego has a large base but they are doing quite well with the biotech industry. I wonder what are the missing components here in Hampton Roads?