Virginia Beach Stores, Retail, and Restaurants

[rusthebuss]

That really is too bad as that is such a nice store with the rock climbing wall and all. The bad thing is that another Dicks is only a few miles away at Lynnhaven Mall so that does not help things at all. I guess time will tell though of their fate. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's not a definite thing its just my observation and just spoke with a sales lady and she said the merger made her hours drop and then she said she didn't want to talk bad about the company she worked for. Maybe things will change when some of these projects are finished and occupied by some people. I'm just curious though if the people living in those places would actually shop at Dicks

[urbanvb]

Well, I meant too bad they are not doing too well. Here is a pic I took when it was still Galyans.

[vdogg]

I went by Dick's sporting goods store today and they didn't look like they doing to well. Was talking to a sales lady and they were cutting hours back for her and didn't look to happy. She said they cut their hours back right when Galayn's was bought out by Dick's. Dick's might disappear from the TC area. That is what I hate about this area. Nothing stays here. Something pops up and a year or two later its gone. That is why I never get excited about some kind of retailer coming here. I know one thing surf shops do well here.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course they're not doing well, we already have a Dicks. I really wish they had kept the Gaylans name there and kept the stores upscale feel. Now that it's just another Dicks people have no reason to go there. I saw this coming months ago. My only hope is that if they go under Parisian or one of these other retailers looking around will take their spot.

[rusthebuss]

Of course they're not doing well, we already have a Dicks. I really wish they had kept the Gaylans name there and kept the stores upscale feel. Now that it's just another Dicks people have no reason to go there. I saw this coming months ago. My only hope is that if they go under Parisian or one of these other retailers looking around will take their spot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hope they don't go under. I too wished they had kept the Gaylyns name but I know that was a corporate decision

[hoobo]

But there isn't another large sports retailer in the Pembroke area. Lynnhaven has two: Dick's and Sports Authority. Neither one has closed and neither seems to have much traffic. Every time I've visited any of the three as well as the SA at JANAF, there only appears to be a few shoppers. Here in SoCal, I see the same thing with Sportsmart (owned by SA) and Sports Chalet. I really don't know how any of the stores (except Bass Outdoor and REI) stay in business. Anyway, Galyan's was leaking money from underperforming stores and a fast expansion startegy. Dick's is actually financially sound, so their taking over Galyan's probably prevented the closing of the TC store as Galyan's (the company) probably would've gone under.

[urbanvb]

If there is such a thing as a silver lining it would be they are in a highly desirable location so it shouldn't be too difficult to find another retailer if need be.

[vdogg]

If there is such a thing as a silver lining it would be they are in a highly desirable location so it shouldn't be too difficult to find another retailer if need be.

Especially once they get the pedestrian bridge up between there and the Westin. It will be put up next year to my knowledge.

Edited September 22, 2005 by vdogg

[urbanvb]

You know thinking about that it would seem since this is to be that a more upscale store (Parisian?) would really be a better fit in that location.

[ace707]

You know thinking about that it would seem since this is to be that a more upscale store (Parisian?) would really be a better fit in that location.

Parisian's would be great to add over there so long as Lord & Taylor's attempt doesn't deter them. I think it was pretty scary (in my view anyway) for Lord & Taylor leaving because they failed in Va Beach when they should've greatly succeeded. The income in a 5-10 mile radius was very well high-enough for them to survive plus the vicinity it had to the oceanfront. It's like the perfect situation that for some weird reason didn't work. When Lord & Taylor announced it's closing due to being an under-performing location, I got haunted by words from Mr. Divaris about what it would mean to the area if Nordstrom failed before it actually opened in Norfolk when he said "We would be known as the area that Nordstrom fail." Keep in mind this was at a time before MacArthur Center opened and the experts feared that the region wasn't ready for high-end retail. Now MacArthur is a great success but other attempts with new retailers and high-end companies in other parts of the region have been marginal successes at best. Town Center is the best conceived attempt at the high-end market outside of downtown and if Parisian's does commit to the project and (hopefully) gets the support it needs, then we will open the doors greatly for other retailers to show that there is a little more room to support high-end retail in our region outside of the Downtown Norfolk district.

[hoobo]

Lord & Taylor failed throughout the southeast and west. May Co. closed all Lord & Taylor stores outside of its core Northeast market. Atlanta lost 2 or 3 stores. Dallas lost the same. Mind you, these markets have Neiman Marcus, Nord, Sak's, and Bloomingdales. L&T could never find a selection mix that worked. Nord has a way better selection than L&T ever did.

Still, I wish the Norfolk Nord had more casual items like the ones out here, but I guess after all their market research they found their main customers in HR are business people. L&T also had a limited casual selection. Hopefully, if a Parisian or another dept store opens in TC they include more casual items. It's VB (and HR) not DC.

As it stands, I see Bloomingdale's opening at MacArthur in 5 years or so. I could see another Nordstrom opening at Lynnhaven. They're trying to become the everyday upscale as opposed to Sak's, Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus which are the exclusive upscale.

[urbanvb]

While driving today I noticed Longhorn Steakhouse on VB Blvd had closed - and this after a renovation about 6 months ago.

[vdogg]

While driving today I noticed Longhorn Steakhouse on VB Blvd had closed - and this after a renovation about 6 months ago.

How exactly can they go out of business in that location? I mean they're right on resturant row, they should be doing killer business. Maybe they got bought out, or perhaps some of the newer resturants are just killing them.

[hoobo]

How exactly can they go out of business in that location? I mean they're right on resturant row, they should be doing killer business. Maybe they got bought out, or perhaps some of the newer resturants are just killing them.

They're not on restaurant row; they're to the west of Independence. Plus, they're sorta hidden among a couple small mom&pop strip centers. It doesn't help that Smokybones opened in a much more visible location surrounded by other restaurants. The heavy concentration draws customers. If you don't like one restaurant or it's too crowded you can go to another. You have a choice as opposed to Longhorn which sits by itself. If Longhorn moved to Pembroke Mall or TC, I'm sure they'd do fine.

[urbanvb]

Tonight I was in Khols at Pembroke Mall. I asked the cashier had she heard was Target coming to the mall. She said yes they were told it was coming next year (she didn't say when). She said they would be going in the Freight Liquidators space but they would be enlarging that store when that happens.

[rusthebuss]

Tonight I was in Khols at Pembroke Mall. I asked the cashier had she heard was Target coming to the mall. She said yes they were told it was coming next year (she didn't say when). She said they would be going in the Freight Liquidators space but they would be enlarging that store when that happens.

I was hoping that it would be a urban type of Target but oh well.

[metalman]

But think of it this way. The urban setting where Target was going to go can now be used for something else Maybe another scraper!

[wrldcoupe4]

you know the urban targets actually look pretty good....

[rusthebuss]

you know the urban targets actually look pretty good....

I know! Maybe they could incorporate it in a high rise of some sort! I hope DT Norfolk puts like a best buy and something like that in the bottom of high rise. Just imagine the first few floors big box retail then office space followed by condos to top it off! Vabeach should find a way to incorporate Best Buy into the TC and use that space they have for urban housing of some sort!

Edited September 25, 2005 by rusthebuss

[urbanvb]

I noticed as of late that Carberra's Italian Grill located in Lynnhaven is now open. Still under construction is Cheeseburger In Paradise which will be attached to Caberra's building but will have their own space. They are still under construction and I am not sure when they are to open.

[wrldcoupe4]

does it have a green roof?

[urbanvb]

does it have a green roof?

umm, I did not particularly notice. I will try to notice next time... maybe take some pics as well.

[rusthebuss]

umm, I did not particularly notice. I will try to notice next time... maybe take some pics as well.

Bet you I will beat you to it! LOL

[urbanvb]

wanna race?

[rusthebuss]

wanna race?

I probably wouldn't be able till the weekend with my busy schedule.

[metalman]

I passed Cheeseburger In Paradise a couple weeks ago. I want to say it had a green roof. But, all I have to say is, if their margaritas are anywhere close to the margaritas at Margaritaville at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas (I was there last month) then I'll be there every night and stumbling home They were the best margaritas I've ever had! It was kind of ironic after being in Vegas for my first time and at Buffets place, they I come back and here of CB in P opening up here.

It was a cool place. I can't wait to see how this compares.

Metalman