Retail in Richmond

[StevenRocks]

not much... I do believe I misunderstood it...

Keep pushing, coupe. There could really be something to it

[wrldcoupe4]

3rd Q retail report for Richmond market:

Harrison-Bates retail report

.....summary, the Richmond market already has over 40 million square feet of retail which is twice the national average. Are there enough local consumers to sustain the new projects planned for 2006-2007? And with the price of land at an all-time high and the increasing cost of construction materials, the question on everyone's mind is "can retailers support the high rents we are seeing", upwards of $40 per square foot in the Short Pump area and mid-to-high $20's for new product everywhere else?

Stay tuned as the beat goes on.

Edited December 19, 2005 by wrldcoupe4

[burt]

judging by their website, the food is very similar to the malibu grill up here by school. It'll probably be about $15 a person, but it's so worth it! Reallllly good food.

Coupe, could you post the web site under my report on it at the Dining Out thread? Despite all the help from Vdogg and Guy and you, I am incapable of higher physics!

[burt]

Keep pushing, coupe. There could really be something to it

Steven, you keep us posted on this, please. You've got the inside track and inside info on retail goings-on.

[burt]

3rd Q retail report for Richmond market:

Harrison-Bates retail report

This report didn't even mention Watkins Center.

What's the status of new residential encircling Stony Point Fashion Park?

Seems to me SPFP would be a good location for a multiplex cinema, but I'm sure there would be a large NIMBY outcry.

[StevenRocks]

Steven, you keep us posted on this, please. You've got the inside track and inside info on retail goings-on.

I'll do what I can, Burt.

So far, the only Hecht's to Bloomingdals's conversion I know of is the Chevy Chase store. That's not to say there won't be more

[wrldcoupe4]

This report didn't even mention Watkins Center.

What's the status of new residential encircling Stony Point Fashion Park?

Seems to me SPFP would be a good location for a multiplex cinema, but I'm sure there would be a large NIMBY outcry.

Construction is well underway of th residential portion around SPFP. Though I don't know if Richmond needs another multiplex (unless it was downtown), I don't think there would be a NIMBY outcry. who would be the NIMBY's?

[burt]

Construction is well underway of th residential portion around SPFP. Though I don't know if Richmond needs another multiplex (unless it was downtown), I don't think there would be a NIMBY outcry. who would be the NIMBY's?

The NIMBYS would the people who live up the hill above SPFP.

And yes, there's a market for movie houses in that area. The nearest I can think of is in Westhampton On The Avenues. Can you think of a closer one?

I think a cinema complex would draw business to Stony Point Fashion Park.

[wrldcoupe4]

When in doubt, just let Ukrop's do it for you I guess this year, too many people decided to rely on Richmond's favorite grocery chain....

Customers have had to wait a tad longer than usual at Ukrop's -- to order those holiday meals and other special foods.

The popularity of the meals has inundated the area's leading grocery chain with telephone and Internet orders, said Robert S. Ukrop, president and chief executive officer of Ukrop's Super Markets Inc.

"We've seen a real increase in activity this year," he said.

Orders for anything from a complete meal to a pie, vegetable tray or London broil are up about 11 percent this holiday season............

...........The chain will handle more than 7,000 orders this season, Ukrop said. Last week alone, 3,339 orders had been received at the chain's call center and 876 from the Web.

Monday and yesterday, the Ukrop's call center took 2,731 orders. An extra 757 had been placed via the Internet.

"And it keeps growing and more people are ordering," Ukrop said.

Holiday meal orders increase at Ukrop's!

[wrldcoupe4]

I went to CTC to do some shopping today. I'm starting to get nervous. One small section of the mall is as follows...

Shevel's....closing its doors.

Eddie Bauer....closing in January (with a sign that says come visit us at Short Pump).

Petit Sophisticate/Casual Corner stores (4 next to or across from each other, all closing...the whole company is going belly up).

What's left in that section? Bostonian, Express Men, Regis Salon, Waldenbooks, some dress shop... I think that's it.

I hate to say it but I think the mall is slowly starting its slide, following the same fate as Cloverleaf.

I think the larger problem lies in where the Midlothian Corridor is located. It's older than some of the other places in town (Short Pump, Western 360 etc). It's also smack dab in the middle between Short Pump and Western 360. I grew up on the Midlothian Corridor. There are strong places like the Ukrop's/Kohl's/Target center and others. But I'm nervous.

I REALLY wish the county would creatively reinvent the area with Mixed-Use new urbanism developments. It's time as a straight up commercial corridor (at least a strong one anyway) looks finite. I see so much potential...man I wish I had the $$$ to recreate the area.

[StevenRocks]

You could look at it one of several ways:

1) They have a plan for the redevelopment of the old Hess's/Proffitt's/Dillard's and they need to clear some stores out to do construction.

2) Shevel's and Eddie Bauer weren't appealing to CTC's customers and Casual Corner is closing up shop nationwide.

3) Short Pump is eating everbody's lunch now that Route 288 is complete to its doors.

I'd say that it's a big dose of 1 and 2 with a minor dose of 3. Then again, it could be a really big dose of 3.

In any event, Chesterfield County is so busy licking their chops over all the new big-boxes on US 360 West and the potential of Watkins Centre that they're not paying much attention to keeping the Midlothian corridor healthy. It's a shame. That's a lot of retail to go to waste

Edited December 23, 2005 by StevenRocks

[wrldcoupe4]

I agree with 2 and 3.

I hope they are planning on doing something soon with the old Dillard's Women's store. These soon to be empty stores are sort of near it, but I don't see how they could possibly be connected to a future enhancement at the old Dillard's location. Otherwise, the stores directly abutting the old Dillard's would be moving... unless CTC would shuffle them to where all the vacancy is about to occur?

[StevenRocks]

I agree with 2 and 3.

I hope they are planning on doing something soon with the old Dillard's Women's store. These soon to be empty stores are sort of near it, but I don't see how they could possibly be connected to a future enhancement at the old Dillard's location. Otherwise, the stores directly abutting the old Dillard's would be moving... unless CTC would shuffle them to where all the vacancy is about to occur?

It's actually the old Dillard's Men's Store, coupe, and I figure that they're shifting stores out of the way of whatever's planned there into the spaces that will soon be vacated by Shevel's et al.

Hard to say what's up exactly, but I'll bet they've worked out a deal with somebody willing to take the Dillard's space and then some.

[wrldcoupe4]

you're right, it was the men's store... it was such a small place for a dept. store anyways.

[StevenRocks]

you're right, it was the men's store... it was such a small place for a dept. store anyways.

Hess's didn't relize at the time that people in larger cities respond better to properly-sized department stores. That store was simply too small to remain effective in the market for long. The store size did in Proffitt's too, and pushed Dillard's to buy up the local Belk-Leggett stores to stay in the market.

[burt]

Steven, what's the latest news on Hechts/Macy conversions?

[StevenRocks]

Steven, what's the latest news on Hechts/Macy conversions?

The Arlington headquarters goes offline at the end of the month. After that, the Hecht's stores will report to Macy's East (New York) and Macy's Central (Atlanta). Starting February 6, you will be able to use May Company credit and gift cards at Macy's and vice versa. The signage will not convert for several months, but the merchandise will slowly be changed to Federated assortments, with a target completion date of September '06. For now, all Virginia Hecht's stores will stay open and convert to Macy's.

[burt]

The Arlington headquarters goes offline at the end of the month. After that, the Hecht's stores will report to Macy's East (New York) and Macy's Central (Atlanta). Starting February 6, you will be able to use May Company credit and gift cards at Macy's and vice versa. The signage will not convert for several months, but the merchandise will slowly be changed to Federated assortments, with a target completion date of September '06. For now, all Virginia Hecht's stores will stay open and convert to Macy's.

Thanks, Steven. I knew you'd be right on top of this.

Will there be two Macy's at Regency to replace the pair of Hechts?

[Cadeho]

oh by the way I saw this today....

From Richmond.com's annual list of best and worst in Richmond, Ukrop's won the following:

1st place - Best Fried Chicken

1st place - Best place to be seen having lunch

1st place - Best overall customer service

maybe others have seen more of the list. Those are the only 3 I know...

Call me lazy, but I stopped reading when I saw this.

Ukrop's' fried chicken beats KFC and every other place. I am addicted to it! I really would love the recipe. And the potato wedges... to die for in my opinion. I said when I was in Fredericksburg, I couldn't live where there wasn't a Ukrops. So, Fredersicksburg, check! Williamsburg, check! Waiting for Roanoke... is it open yet?

Anyway, if you know me from the other site, my feelings about Short Pump can't be missed. I hate the darned place and have ever since plans were announced. I will never set foot near that mall, nor will I set foot at Stoney Point. The only thing that saves Stoney Point in my opinion is it's in the city. I will always believe we need to fight to get downtown as a retail achor for the region as what I feel is part of the appropriate definition of a downtown. Make parking easier, destroy the fears loft suburbanites have of city folks and the totally out of control crime they think exists there, find some people willing to take a risk and it can be done. I feel downtown is increasingly having space for such developments squeezed out with all the conversions to apartments and other plans that aren't centered on retail. Small stores are good. Unique stores are good. Even chain stores are good (believe me the east enders really have to travel to get to places that seem to be on every corner in the west end). Big stores would be great. Although it wouldn't have been downtown, it would have been interesting to see the Diamond site made into a little shopping district with stores that suburbanites take for granted.

[StevenRocks]

Thanks, Steven. I knew you'd be right on top of this.

Will there be two Macy's at Regency to replace the pair of Hechts?

So far, yes. I think the Furniture Gallery acroos the street will stay too.

[burt]

Cadeho, we certainly get your message about your hate-on for the new Life Style Centers, and I'm sorry you're so adamant about never visiting them. I enjoy shopping in them when in Richmond just as I like strolling through Carytown. They all do a lot for the area's economy.

Like you, I want to see a revival of retail downtown and, in fact, it is occurring, if slowly. You talk about residential conversions "squeezing out" potential retail when I see just the reverse. Critical mass is essential for the support of stores and shops. The constant expansion of galleries, apartments, restaurants and off-beat shops in the Broad Street downtown corridor is a very encouraging movement.

I hope the line of shops adjacent to Berry Burk extending to 5th street on Grace and across the street from the stunning Miller & Rhoads Hilton will bustle with sales activity. In fact, I hope that sales activity will extend all the way up Grace to Belvidere. And the same for the corresponding stretch of Broad Street.

[SouthJersey7]

So last time I drove up through the Richmond area I noticed a couple new Wawa gas stations opening up. Well maybe this is slightly off-topic of this thread, but I think Richmond could benefit from a downtown Wawa location. Anyone who's ever visited Center City Philadelphia knows what I'm talking about. I saw a picture of exactly what I'm talking about once but I couldn't find it to post here. In CC Philly, the Wawa's generate a HUGE amount of foot traffic. And yes I realize Philly is much bigger than Richmond, but I'm talking more than average pedestrian activity in the vicinity of Wawa. Also a higher-than-usual number of homeless, but that comes with the territory. Also for those of you who don't know, Wawa carries the basics, i.e. drinks, snacks, cigarettes and light groceries. BTW, does Richmond already have anything like this DT?

[Cadeho]

What I mean Burt is, we'll have tons and tons of apartment buildings and no room for a department store, unless they happen to evict people from a building or two. The Charles Dept Store site is the only gap left on Broad in a section meant for retail now. The former retail heart doesn't exist anymore as it's switching its role too. The only space for anything will be in Jackson Ward and people are definitely not going there as long as Gilpin exists and North Jackson Ward is in the condition it is. We can look at the ugly sore of a parkinglot at 5th and Broad but I'd doubt they'd ever build anything of the sort to a shopping destination there.

I don't under stand this critical mass thing anyway. After all downtown is surrounded by thousands of people. Does a retail center have to have people living in it to exist? There are a lot of places around this city that don't need people living amongst the stores, they live nearby and downtown has many neighborhoods around it. These people are cheated and I am one of them. Countless times have I heard complaints of having to drive too far to get something when downtown is right there. It is in the center of the area and it's a doughnut hole. You don't need people to live in a shopping center for there to be a shopping center. I can see if downtown was in the middle of nowhere and the population near it was 50. That's not the case.

So they want to have 100,000 people in a few city blocks to draw others? Is that how it works? It also works if they're

[StevenRocks]

I don't think Downtown Richmond will ever be the retail destination it once was. There are too many things agianst it: demographics, expensive land, fears and mis-perceptions. It's a lot to fight, and most retailers aren't willing to look past the rhetoric and see the true size and need of that market.

[wrldcoupe4]

Ukrop's is closing one of its westend stores... One of its oldest, the Patterson store will be closing soon. It's actually long overdue in my opinion, especially considering that the Gayton store is less than a mile away.

With Patterson closing, I understand that Gayton will be renovated and expanded. A few of their stores will be renovated this year, while they will be opening 3 new stores: Roanoke, 2nd in Williamsburg, and another in the West end of Richmond...

Look for potential improvements (maybe even minor expansion) of the Harrison and Grace store possibly in the future as well!

and by the way... Ukrop's fried chicken IS the best in town.