St. Johns Town Center

[VistaLakes01]

Another note - I just came back from Richmond, Va. It's about the same size as Jacksonville, but you'd never know it by the level of their shopping offerings. Two upscale malls, one with Macy's and Nordstrom and the other with Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany's.

Even Birmingham has a Saks.

Why, oh why, the disparity?

Seems like your metro has to hit the 2,000,000 mark here in Florida before that type of retail starts to happen. I'm surprised that Tampa/St. Pete just started getting upscale retail the same time as Orlando. I think the only department store that Orlando has that Tampa doesn't is Bloomingdales or a "real" Macy's like the one at Mall at Millenia. Any news on an IKEA for Jax? Did you ever get the Whole Foods store that was proposed? I think I heard Jacksonville has the best economy in FLA right now. I know unemployment here in Orlando is almost 11%!!

[Greenville]

I visited Jacksonville this past weekend for the first time, and was impressed with the city. St. John's Town Center is great! The only bad thing about it is that it does not provide any air conditioning during those hot, humid Florida summers!

[VistaLakes01]

Yeah because Macy's is nothing special anymore. We have Macy's in Greenbriar Mall and South Dekalb Mall in Atlanta. And if you know anything about Atlanta, you know those are not exactly destination malls!

Not neccesarily true. Mostly, but not totally. The 3 level Macy's at Millenia in Orlando is majorly different from the converted stores. I'm sure Atlanta's original Macy's is better than the converted stores?? Everyone is always amazed at the Millenia Macy's, so much more merchandise and so many more brands.

[jeb1974]

Not neccesarily true. Mostly, but not totally. The 3 level Macy's at Millenia in Orlando is majorly different from the converted stores. I'm sure Atlanta's original Macy's is better than the converted stores?? Everyone is always amazed at the Millenia Macy's, so much more merchandise and so many more brands.

I wouldn't say that Atlanta truly has an original Macy's unless you consider the store at Northlake Mall that was originally Davison's, then Macy's, then Rich's-Macy's, and once again just Macy's. Aside from that, almost all other Atlanta area Macy's stores there today were originally Rich's stores.

The presence of the Macy's name in Atlanta can be confusing. The Macy's name wound up in the 80's in Atlanta when R.H. Macy & Co. renamed the Davison's stores Macy's. Federated Department Stores, which had acquired Rich's in 1976, bought R.H. Macy & Co. out of bankruptcy in 1994 and they merged. Atlanta was a unique market for having Rich's and Macy's stores in about seven area malls; they were too alike, carried the same merchandise, and ending up both being owned by Federated. In 2003 all of the Macy's stores that had been Davison's with the exception Town Center at Cobb (it opened as Macy's and not Davison's but also closed) closed because of the overlap and duplication; Federated did not sell the closed stores to competitors. The Davison's/Macy's stores at Lenox Square and Perimeter Mall were converted to Bloomingdale's. Prior to retiring the Rich's name, Federated branded those stores Rich's-Macy's and then placed the Macy's name on all of its stores (except for Bloomie's) by retiring regional department store names (Rich's, Lazarus, Goldsmith's, Burdine's, Bon Marche).

Federated Department Stores in now known as the Macy's Group.

[VistaLakes01]

I wouldn't say that Atlanta truly has an original Macy's unless you consider the store at Northlake Mall that was originally Davison's, then Macy's, then Rich's-Macy's, and once again just Macy's. Aside from that, almost all other Atlanta area Macy's stores there today were originally Rich's stores.

The presence of the Macy's name in Atlanta can be confusing. The Macy's name wound up in the 80's in Atlanta when R.H. Macy & Co. renamed the Davison's stores Macy's. Federated Department Stores, which had acquired Rich's in 1976, bought R.H. Macy & Co. out of bankruptcy in 1994 and they merged. Atlanta was a unique market for having Rich's and Macy's stores in about seven area malls; they were too alike, carried the same merchandise, and ending up both being owned by Federated. In 2003 all of the Macy's stores that had been Davison's with the exception Town Center at Cobb (it opened as Macy's and not Davison's but also closed) closed because of the overlap and duplication; Federated did not sell the closed stores to competitors. The Davison's/Macy's stores at Lenox Square and Perimeter Mall were converted to Bloomingdale's. Prior to retiring the Rich's name, Federated branded those stores Rich's-Macy's and then placed the Macy's name on all of its stores (except for Bloomie's) by retiring regional department store names (Rich's, Lazarus, Goldsmith's, Burdine's, Bon Marche).

Federated Department Stores in now known as the Macy's Group.

Macy's did always confuse me in Atlanta. Before the Federated Buyout by Macy's, there were several Macy's in South Florida that popped up in the 80's &90's The didn't seem as progressive for a Dept. store as Millenia Macy's at the time but they were better than anything between Miami and Atlanta. I think Macy's had a South Florida division or something..they were at Aventura, The Falls, The Plantation Fashion Mall and Palm Beach Gardens. I think a new Macy's opened up in downtown West Palm Beach around the same time as the Millenia Macy's and is a really great shopping experience also. Does anyone have a picture of the St. John's TC?I can't imagine what the experience is like since it looks like it is built like most of the middle income Town Centers in Orlando metro. Waterford Lakes TC, Fowler Groves, The Loop & Loop West, and Posner Park. Is it walkably nice or full of streets and parking and seperate sections? There are also some upscale "Village Centers" here like Winter Park Village that is anchored by PFChangs, Brio, Cheescake Factory, Regal Cinemas and Loft apartments that looks like a street with Parking garages on the outside. I would like to know if it's something worth the drive to..thanks!

[101_ce]

I hope to go to St. Johns next month...if I go to Jacksonville. It seems like it would be very nice and its a shame that it does not have any upscale department stores. It is the nicest shopping district in Jacksonville, imo. I think it could have a Nordstrom, but not a Saks or Neimans.

Yet.

Another thing is that I am pretty sure that Abercrombie & Fitch at The Avenues has closed. That will probably help the St Johns store some.

[VistaLakes01]

What about Ikea? They would make a killing in Jacksonville too. Just about everyone I know has made the 2.5 hour trip from here to get to the Orlando store. It's nuts.

The Orlando IKEA is nuts....hate going in that store...to hard to find your way in or out and the crowds....you are ready for a nap after that exursion. But something in the Millenia area that is worth it is the Nordstrom Rack store. One of the best outlets I have seen and living in Otown I've seen my share of outlets. The newly rebuilt Orlando Prime outlet mall is worth the triu,has all the latest shopes and pretty relaxing as far as outlet shopping goes. But you can keep IKEA!

[george]

Nordstroms coming fall 2014