Orlando Fashion Square [Renovation in Progress]

[bqknight]

9 minutes ago, I am Reality said:

I visited the Oviedo Mall for the first time in years recently.  The last time I was there, it was almost completely empty.

This time, there was a new bar/arcade/bowling alley.  It was really nice and surprisingly large.  The mall also had a new "Children's Museum" that seemed pretty popular. 

There was an article, maybe here? That outlined how many malls are now becoming mall/entertainment center hybrids. Retail alone isn't sustainable so unique entertainment options need to be brought in to keep foot traffic up. Makes sense. 

[JFW657]

I was thinking that Fashion Square might do well as a kind of activity center with food, sports and entertainment.

Maybe an indoor sports complex with basketball, volleyball and raquetball courts. Maybe even a small bowling alley. Set up league nights and pickup games, etc. Include a snack and juice bar/coffee shop, with wifi, etc.

Have a "central square" type area with free, live, local music (nothing too loud), open mic nights and occasional concerts by more established local acts. There could also be a separate business in an enclosed space with a stage, lighting and video setup where amatuer bands and singers could go in and do videos of themselves.  For a fee, of course.

So many different possibilities and interests to appeal to. To be successful with anything they do, they'd have to mount a strong marketing and publicity campaign, though. Hold highly publicized special events, etc.

Really sell the hell out of it.

[Camillo Sitte]

On 8/23/2018 at 2:43 PM, dcluley98 said:

The only time I ever have the impetus to travel east of the Macguire/Colonial intersection by vehicle is to go to Home Depot.  Other than that, anything down that sprawville urban corridor is awful and not worth the hassle.

Best Buy, Hot Dog Heaven, Boston Market and the only Popeye's this side of Parramore all come to mind.

10 hours ago, I am Reality said:

I visited the Oviedo Mall for the first time in years recently. 

The Mediterranean Grill has the best gyro and spanakopita  in the metro ever since the Greek Flame Taverna closed. They have another in the Altamonte Mall as well.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Camillo Sitte

[codypet]

On 8/24/2018 at 7:08 PM, Camillo Sitte said:

Best Buy, Hot Dog Heaven, Boston Market and the only Popeye's this side of Parramore all come to mind.

The Mediterranean Grill has the best gyro and spanakopita  in the metro ever since the Greek Flame Taverna closed. They have another in the Altamonte Mall as well.

We have a Boston Market in SODO and one in WP so E Colonial is not much of a destination  (like saying Panera is a destination.)  Popeye's is along Lake Underhill unless I'm thinking of a different one.

[Camillo Sitte]

1 hour ago, codypet said:

We have a Boston Market in SODO and one in WP so E Colonial is not much of a destination  (like saying Panera is a destination.)  Popeye's is along Lake Underhill unless I'm thinking of a different one.

I thought the point was 'if one is already in the FS area'.

Yes, if you are at Lake Davis and want some Boston Market, SoDo is where you'd go. If you're downtown and want Popeye's, Central is where you'd go. If your are in the FS area and want to go to Boston Market, Popeye's, Best Buy, or want a good hot dog, then you have a few reasons to go east of FS on Colonial.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Camillo Sitte

[codypet]

Ah yes, I misunderstood.  I thought we were talking about reasons to go East of Maguire if you lived in Colonialtown/Downtown area.

[JFW657]

So, I was over that way yesterday. The restaurant that's going where Sears Auto Center used to be is nearing completion. Looks like it will probably be Outback Steakhouse.

The Floor and Decor looks like it's almost ready to open. Lights on, products on the shelves etc. Probably training employees.

Poor old Orchard Supply just sitting there looking lost and forlorn... 

[spenser1058]

Have a steak and change your oil....moo!

[JFW657]

I hope something good goes where Orchard was supposed to be.

And by "good" I mean some place I like, of course.

[ucfpatriot18]

First restaurant to open at Fashion square will be a Longhorn Steakhouse

[spenser1058]

If Wegman's ever makes it to Florida, their stores are so big that 50 is as close as they could get for an intown location. If we could convince the Baldwin Parkers to leave their Publix inside the enclave, the demographics might work. Heck, I'd even go past Primrose for a Wegman's...

The other store on my wish list would be an LL Bean but so far they're askeered of the South.

3 minutes ago, ucfpatriot18 said:

First restaurant to open at Fashion square will be a Longhorn Steakhouse

When OFS opened, there was a York Steak House owned by General Mills (Darden's predecessor.) It was truly blah.

[JFW657]

The Orchard building is already set up for a small nursery area on one side, or possibly for large bagged goods like fertilizer, mulch, topsoil etc., so maybe another home improvement chain will take an interest.

Here's a list of national chains, some of which might no longer exist:

84 Lumber

B

Build.com

C

Channel Home Centers

E

Empire Today

Ernst Home Centers

F

Floor & Decor

H

Handy Andy Home Improvement Center

Harbor Freight Tools

Hechinger

The Home Depot

Home Quarters Warehouse

HomeBase

L

Lowe's

M

Menards

O

Orchard Supply Hardware

P

Pacific Sales

Pay 'n Pak

Payless Cashways

Proteak

R

Rickel

S

Scotty's Builders Supply

T

Tractor Supply Company

True Value

V

Valu Home Centers

[spenser1058]

It'll be just like the old Sears Garden Center!

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

It'll be just like the old Sears Garden Center!

Oddly though, the side of the building with the outdoor area faces Colonial Dr while the front entrance of the store faces west toward Maguire. I guess there just wasn't enough room to go further west with the building's width so they oriented it 90° in relation to Floor and Decor.

Nice looking exterior, though.

[HankStrong]

Scotty's!

[spenser1058]

14 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

Scotty's!

Where are there still Scotty's (assuming it's the same Winter Haven based company I grew up with? The Southeast Steel downtown was one of the first of those (and was in even rougher shape at the time.)

[HankStrong]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Where are there still Scotty's (assuming it's the same Winter Haven based company I grew up with? The Southeast Steel downtown was one of the first of those (and was in even rougher shape at the time.)

No clue.  I just know when I moved here I really liked their stores.  They quickly disappeared.

[jrs2]

16 hours ago, JFW657 said:

I hope something good goes where Orchard was supposed to be.

And by "good" I mean some place I like, of course.

So, I spoke to someone who works commercial real estate.  He told me that another company wanted to purchase Orchard from Lowe's to get them out of their financial mess.  Lowe's did not want the competition so they opted to shut them down instead; and they've decided to push their brand instead...so they killed off Orchard.

Which means that maybe Lowe's will build mini-Lowe's stores (sans lumber, etc.) in those storefronts...

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, HankStrong said:

Scotty's!

That's what I was thinking,though I'm not sure Scotty's is still even a thing.

I was really looking forward to going to Orchard, though.

I'm truly disappointed that those chickens**ts at Lowe's wussed out the way they did.

I read that Lowe's is also going to reduce their product line, so now I'm wondering what I won't be able to go there for anymore. Probably gonna turn it into a mostly home interior, decor, appliance and outdoor furniture center. May have to start going back to Home Depot for things like wood, PVC and hardware items.

 

7 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

So, I spoke to someone who works commercial real estate.  He told me that another company wanted to purchase Orchard from Lowe's to get them out of their financial mess.  Lowe's did not want the competition so they opted to shut them down instead; and they've decided to push their brand instead...so they killed off Orchard.

Which means that maybe Lowe's will build mini-Lowe's stores (sans lumber, etc.) in those storefronts...

That's what I was kind of thinking, since they're reducing their product line anyway.

I just wonder if they'd put one so close to the S. Semoran & Lk Marge location.

[AmIReal]

My hope would be this, but I think they are only in TX  https://tree.house/

https://www.inc.com/tom-foster/the-whole-foods-of-home-improvement.html

 

 

[JFW657]

Maybe it will become something other than retail altogether. 

[jrs2]

5 hours ago, JFW657 said:

That's what I was thinking,though I'm not sure Scotty's is still even a thing.

I was really looking forward to going to Orchard, though.

I'm truly disappointed that those chickens**ts at Lowe's wussed out the way they did.

I read that Lowe's is also going to reduce their product line, so now I'm wondering what I won't be able to go there for anymore. Probably gonna turn it into a mostly home interior, decor, appliance and outdoor furniture center. May have to start going back to Home Depot for things like wood, PVC and hardware items.

 

That's what I was kind of thinking, since they're reducing their product line anyway.

I just wonder if they'd put one so close to the S. Semoran & Lk Marge location.

I hope they still keep their sprinkler pipe-related products (Schedule 80?) because HD doesn't carry them.

[JFW657]

1 hour ago, jrs2 said:

I hope they still keep their sprinkler pipe-related products (Schedule 80?) because HD doesn't carry them.

I'm hoping they just drop things like their large and small appliances. Refrigerators, washers, dryers, microwave and toaster ovens, blenders, toasters, etc. 

Stuff I'll never buy there anyway.

[jrs2]

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2018/10/10/exclusive-unicorps-chuck-whittall-to-redevelop.html?ana=e_orl_bn_exclusive&u=Mi7utBnkiFH X0P4zD992g08bb6dc1&t=1539184770&j=84322751

Looks like Unicorp is having a crack at it now.  I'd bet money in Vegas that it will be a successful redevelopment with Chuck involved.

[HankStrong]

It would be nice.