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Asheville Mall


orulz

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The Best Buy in south Asheville was rumored to close, but it was not on the list. As Best Buy continues to struggle, I can see them closing their south Asheville location anyway. I wonder about the one in Waynesville, too. That one hasn't been open for much longer than 2 years, if I am correct.

The last time I remember going into a Best Buy, they would never have anything I wanted in stock, whether it be a DVD or CD. They would always say, "We can order it for you," and I'd be saying, "So can I, on Amazon." Best Buy will probably also be gone around the time of B & N's exit. Media sales will be primarily over the internet (via streaming and downloading) and regular CDs and DVDs will still be easier to have shipped to your house, rather than "going out to buy a CD." If Best Buy just opened up a smaller type store, focusing on TVs, DVD players, and cell phone sales, they might actually make it, but I doubt the execs would go for that.

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Yes, most malls across the country are not the shopping meccas that they once were. Not only because of the cash-strapped Americans, but because those Americans ave created a new sense of compassion for the smaller, village-like city shopping districts (and lifestyle centers).

And in terms of visiting downtown Asheville...are you kidding? THat is one of North Carolina's most delightful cities! I bring friends from VA, Chicago, Scotland, and Germany to visit every time they visit me in Greensboro. And I have no Asheville-affiliation. I just think it is one of America's most unique places to go.

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I think the Asheville Mall is actually doing pretty good, or at least okay. The sales per square foot is $360, slightly higher than the national average. Plus, we have the biggest Sears in the Carolinas, and we all know that hardly anyone shops at Sears. So, if it would be replaced with something such as Macy's then the sales per square foot. I think that now that the economy is improving, and people seem to be buying more I don't think malls are going anywhere. The biggest reason why lifestyle centers were built was because they are cheaper to build than malls. Unless they are really nice lifestyle centers such as the Domain in Austin, Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA, etc., then people don't particularly like them any more than malls. I think that Asheville Mall is a good size, because when malls are too big for the city like Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem, the sales per square foot numbers go really far down. Hanes finally went over 300 last year, going from under the national average to on par. It was 280 before. To compare, SouthPark in Charlotte, which is only a little larger than Hanes, is $750. I could see Asheville go from 360 to 400, but I can't see it getting much higher than that.

As for downtown Asheville, It is very nice on sunny days with happy people. I don't think you have seen it the other times. The times that there are the topless rally, Occupy, drug deals, etc. We were just driving through on Biltmore Ave and it smelled really bad, from what I could tell I think it may have been marijuana. I like Asheville, but I think I am ready to move on. Like most tourist destinations, they are great to visit, but not always to live. I really like Charlotte, and you usually get paid more there and it costs less to live there. Don't know how this relates to the mall or anything though, lol. Well maybe I'm a shopaholic and SouthPark is my favorite mall, and I don't care for Asheville Mall too much anymore. J. Crew is in Biltmore Village but it's a pain to get there and it's hard to park.

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I think the Asheville Mall is actually doing pretty good, or at least okay. The sales per square foot is $360, slightly higher than the national average. Plus, we have the biggest Sears in the Carolinas, and we all know that hardly anyone shops at Sears. So, if it would be replaced with something such as Macy's then the sales per square foot. I think that now that the economy is improving, and people seem to be buying more I don't think malls are going anywhere. The biggest reason why lifestyle centers were built was because they are cheaper to build than malls. Unless they are really nice lifestyle centers such as the Domain in Austin, Americana at Brand in Glendale, CA, etc., then people don't particularly like them any more than malls. I think that Asheville Mall is a good size, because when malls are too big for the city like Hanes Mall in Winston-Salem, the sales per square foot numbers go really far down. Hanes finally went over 300 last year, going from under the national average to on par. It was 280 before. To compare, SouthPark in Charlotte, which is only a little larger than Hanes, is $750. I could see Asheville go from 360 to 400, but I can't see it getting much higher than that.

As for downtown Asheville, It is very nice on sunny days with happy people. I don't think you have seen it the other times. The times that there are the topless rally, Occupy, drug deals, etc. We were just driving through on Biltmore Ave and it smelled really bad, from what I could tell I think it may have been marijuana. I like Asheville, but I think I am ready to move on. Like most tourist destinations, they are great to visit, but not always to live. I really like Charlotte, and you usually get paid more there and it costs less to live there. Don't know how this relates to the mall or anything though, lol. Well maybe I'm a shopaholic and SouthPark is my favorite mall, and I don't care for Asheville Mall too much anymore. J. Crew is in Biltmore Village but it's a pain to get there and it's hard to park.

i agree with a lot of the things you said. As far as the mall debate goes, it just seems to me that it is in a crappy area of town. Tunnel Rd. isn't that great of an area, especially the north part. I drive up and down that section at least three or four times a week, and I see a lot of loitering, crackheads, and no effort is really being made to improve it other than building a car wash and vitamin store. I don't frequent that mall as much as the defunct Biltmore Square or the Biltmore Park plaza. They are just nicer areas with easier access and less traffic. However, if some people still like the Asheville Mall that's fine, but I honestly cannot see it as a mall that would be attracting higher end stores in the future.

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Although this post is made many years after the bulk of activity on this thread occurred, I am posting this now in order to correct several errors found in the original postings, and to (in some cases) give a somewhat complete history of the store under discussion. I feel this is necessary because the thread / article is one of the few on this topic to be found on the internet, and therefore – many people still read and make reference to it.

 

History of the Bon Marche Store Space in the Asheville Mall

In 1973, Bon Marche moved from its downtown Asheville location on Haywood Street to the Asheville Mall. It was located “in front of” (a few steps north, but directly on the main corridor of the Mall) where Dillard's Men's is today (2020). It was never located in the Ivey's/Dillard's space. Ivey’s has never owned or had any connection (to) Bon Marche.

 

Bon Marche was sold to the Myers-Arnold Co. in 1979; the organization would eliminate the Bon Marché name from BM storefronts in 1980. The Bon Marche store at the Asheville Mall changed to Myers-Arnold in 1980.

 

In 1987, Uptons acquired 14 stores from Meyers-Arnold of Greenville, South Carolina. Uptons was a department store based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The chain operated primarily in the Southeastern United States, with locations in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The chain was closed in 1999. The Meyers-Arnold store at the Asheville Mall changed to Uptons in 1987, and closed in early 1993.

 

In later 1993 and into 1994, the former Upton’s unit and the nearby former Woolworth’s units were demolished. In part of the area of the former Uptons store (and also “behind” the former Uptons), a new two level (95,000 square foot) store was built for Montgomery Ward to occupy. This new unit was indented from the original straight line of mall stores; it had its own “hallway”. Montgomery Ward opened in the fall of 1994 and closed in 2000, just before the entire Ward corporation closed and went into bankruptcy.

 

The store sat vacant for approximately two years.

 

In 2002, the empty unit became Dillard’s North / Men & Home store – which it remains today (2020),

 

A very useful article on the complete history of Bon Marche:

 

https://mountainx.com/news/asheville-archives-the-many-locations-of-bon-marche-1889-1980/

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Innsbruck Mall (Originally named “the Tunnel Road Shopping Center”)

 

Mason’s “Department Store” was the original main “anchor” store; it was where Big Lots and Office Depot are today (2020). Winn Dixie Grocery was the other anchor at the far end of the center; where Plasma Biological Services is today (2020). Mason’s was there at the shopping center’s opening in 1966 and remained until it went out of business in 1975. Winn Dixie also left in 1975, moving to a new location at the Kmart Shopping Center, across the street from the Asheville Mall. Shortly thereafter, Ingles’s Grocery moved into the former Winn Dixie location, and remained there until 2006.

 

Sky City did not replace Masons. Sky City has never been at the Innsbruck Mall. There were only two Sky City stores to have existed in the Buncombe County area:  the original one on Patton Ave. (approximately where Sav-Mor Foods is today [2020]), and the other on Hendersonville Road, where the Ingles Shopping Center is today (2020).

 

Brendle's Catalog Showroom moved into the Mason’s building. It remained at the mall until the chain folded in 1996. Big Lots and Office Depot then moved in and split the former Brendle’s building, and both remain there today (2020).

 

There were only ever two Brendle's Catalog Showrooms to have existed in the Buncombe County area:  the one just referenced at the Innsbruck Mall, and the second was located in the West Ridge Shopping Center in Candler.

 

JCPenney was never been at the Innsbruck Mall. JCPenney was located in downtown Asheville on Battery Park Ave. until 1989, when it moved to the Asheville Mall.

 

Radio Shack was never been at the Innsbruck Mall. However, Lafayette Radio Electronics / Baker Electronics was there from approximately 1968 to 1975, when it moved to a new location at the Kmart Shopping Center, across the street from the Asheville Mall. While at Innsbruck, Lafayette was located in the back portion of the upper mall (2nd floor), near the NC DMV License Plate / Tag Agency.

 

Question and comments may be sent to Steve M. at:  [email protected]

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