Virginia Beach Stores, Retail, and Restaurants

[urbanvb]

I noticed at the back of Pembroke Mall they are trying to sell off some of their property as out parcels. It's a shame seeing prime property being sold for such. Oh well, with the economy maybe the property will sit for a while.

[ronsmytheiii]

I can't really see that happening. Lynnhaven and Pembroke are far apart enough to support their own retail - think Dicks and Barnes and Noble in their own respective areas. Lynnhaven is running out of land (at least near the mall) so I could see maybe one day they may start building up instead of out.

OF course you still have the NAvy limiting development out there, and I dont think they will be going anywhere anytime soon. Which should be a boon for Pembroke, that is where we want the development.

[mlsimons]

I noticed at the back of Pembroke Mall they are trying to sell off some of their property as out parcels. It's a shame seeing prime property being sold for such. Oh well, with the economy maybe the property will sit for a while.

I haven't seen the exact locations you are referring to, but I think that is a terrible idea. We will end up with some more suburban Sifen projects if the city doesn't put down the hammer. The owner of the mall is obviously loosing money and he's being taxed out the waazoo for all his prime land right next to town center (which is underutilized). However that land does not need to be built in disregard to the new Pembroke plan. Quite simply the mall needs to be taxed out of business unless the owner can either make money with what he's got, or invest in a few upgrades to the vacant parking lots surrounding him in order to build, or sell off, in accordance with the Pembroke plan. This would include adding the street grid infrastructure to whatever he's trying to sell off.

In order for any of this work the city needs to completely commit to the Pembroke plan, this means start investing in the infrastructure needed in order to provide retail/office developers with the the clean slate to fill in the private sector holes with what the city wants.

[mikeas]

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/midwest-electronics-retailer-leases-space-hampton-roads

HHGregg is opening a store in VA Beach in an old Linens and Things on VA Beach Blvd.

Still Norfolk is without a major electronics store.

[varider]

That's really good,I'm about tired of Best Buy, ha.

And what's Virginia Beach's is Norfolk's IMO. Seven cities!

[RJWGMU]

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/midwest-electronics-retailer-leases-space-hampton-roads

HHGregg is opening a store in VA Beach in an old Linens and Things on VA Beach Blvd.

Still Norfolk is without a major electronics store.

never heard of that chain. is anyone familiar with it?

[urbanvb]

^ I was about to ask the same thing. I think I have heard of them but never been in one. Good thing though to have this big box store occupied by someone. I noticed VB's old Circuit City store is being readied to become another East Coast Appliance. I think the city bought the building and East Coast is renting it.

Edited November 20, 2009 by urbanvb

[RJWGMU]

so are they going to take the place next to Pet Smart/Pier One at S. Plaza and Va Beach Blvd? Is that the location they are talking about?

[urbanvb]

so are they going to take the place next to Pet Smart/Pier One at S. Plaza and Va Beach Blvd? Is that the location they are talking about?

Correcto.

[Weaver24]

http://hamptonroads....e-hampton-roads

HHGregg is opening a store in VA Beach in an old Linens and Things on VA Beach Blvd.

Still Norfolk is without a major electronics store.

Yeah I noticed that! Why does Norfolk not have an electronics store (Circuit City went bankrupt and closed in Janaf last year with the other locations)? I also wonder why Chesapeake has 3 Cracker Barrel's (Greenbrier, Ches Sq, Edinburgh)...but Va Beach nor Norfolk...nor Suffolk nor Portsmouth has one?...not one Cracker Barrel... Retail is common sense in some areas but complex in others...

[urbanvb]

I noticed the same thing. Chesapeakians love their Crackel Barrels.

[Weaver24]

Yeah its weird. If I was a district manager for Cracker Barrel, I would also put a store in Va Beach, and maybe one in Norfolk or Suffolk. I do know that they always tend to locate right off the interstate/exit so they can have their sign on a billboard off an interstate. And to think if they put one in Norfolk, or even Va Beach...then I would eat their more often. I love their food but haven't been in a long time.

As for HHGregg...its good that they are taking over two vacant big boxes. I wish they would take the old Circuit City in Janaf.

Edited November 22, 2009 by Weaver24

[mikeas]

Yeah I noticed that! Why does Norfolk not have an electronics store (Circuit City went bankrupt and closed in Janaf last year with the other locations)? I also wonder why Chesapeake has 3 Cracker Barrel's (Greenbrier, Ches Sq, Edinburgh)...but Va Beach nor Norfolk...nor Suffolk nor Portsmouth has one?...not one Cracker Barrel... Retail is common sense in some areas but complex in others...

Out of town corporate types don't understand the layout and retail needs of our metro.

Norfolk actually had two Circuit City stores. One really old one on Little Creek Rd and the one at Janaf which is now some type of furniture store. I'd love to see an urban format electronics retailer in downtown, its close enough to support Suffolk, Portsmouth, and Norfolk shoppers which equate to several hundred thousand people. There is technically a Best Buy at Chesapeake Square Mall but its a smaller one.

I remember reading an article where a store had closed in MacArthur because they had a location on the Peninsula and then 3 or 4 months later they announced they were reopening the store in MacArthur because they didn't realize the separation.

[varider]

I really don't understand why the "Third Anchor" lot is not being looked at for an electronics place.

[Norfolk4Life]

Interesting that this board turns to this topic... I actually just wrote a post about what I call "urban anchors" that is scheduled to post on my blog at 6AM tomorrow morning. you can get a sneak peak here or check it out tomorrow morning.

Has anyone seen or heard about a development in Vancouver called The Rise? It is a new development with an urban format connected to a new subway stop. Not only do they have regular condos, apartments and storefronts, but they have stores that would traditionally be suburban big box stores, such as Home Depot and Best Buy built into urban storefronts.

\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/

[varider]

Great post on the blog.

I could see that work in Norfolk. I wish we could drop that exact complex right in downtown. You know how many people would go there?!

[mikeas]

Great post on the blog.

I could see that work in Norfolk. I wish we could drop that exact complex right in downtown. You know how many people would go there?!

I don't know about the home depot but an electronics retailer could work in that format locally either in VA Beach Town Center or Downtown Norfolk. Really the Wells Fargo center in Norfolk should have something like that on the Freemason St side.

[varider]

I don't know about the home depot but an electronics retailer could work in that format locally either in VA Beach Town Center or Downtown Norfolk. Really the Wells Fargo center in Norfolk should have something like that on the Freemason St side.

Maybe not a Home Depot, but a Best Buy and a Macy's would work great.

"downtown" Virginia Beach is ahead of the game as far as retail goes. They have a Best Buy, Dick's, and Sears [three things Norfolk is missing, VB just needs to urbanize the big box's]

[Norfolk4Life]

yeah, until they urbanize their big boxes, it will just be a suburban store next to an urban area and will actually detract from their intended urban area.

[varider]

I like the Dick's @ Town Center.

[urbanvb]

I like the Dick's @ Town Center.

Me too. It has an urban vibe to it.

[mlsimons]

I really don't understand why the "Third Anchor" lot is not being looked at for an electronics place.

I'm convinced that if the third anchor was built with either a condensed Target (minus the grocery section), or a best buy...the demand for both retail AND residential would increase a ton!!!! The Norfolk planning dept should make this a priority. Also, Granby st needs an "urban outfitters" really bad. This, coupled with the new TCC investments, would poise downtown for a wave of retail investment along with a new demographic of urban dwellers who demand more pedestrian services, other than a mall!!!

Also, I could really envision an Ikea arriving somewhere downtown, although I feel that the third anchor lot might not be best. Maybe an abandoned warehouse around the monticello/ghent area!!!

I really hope light rail makes these visions come to life!

[varider]

The new retail coordinator is actually looking at pulling an Urban Outfitters for Granby.

I could see an Ikea go somewhere down by Fort Norfolk. Actually, the Ikea in South Philly is in a warehouse/maritime neighborhood with a great view of downtown Phila just like Fort Norfolk is to downtown Norfolk. The opportunities are endless. Why don't our "leaders" persue these things?

Maybe we should write some e-mails?

[urbanlife]

I dont think Ikea does downtowns...they like to have a massive warehouse that is all their own...though I could see the region getting an Ikea. Grocery stores in both downtowns is a good thing, though I have heard that downtown Norfolk does have a small grocery store now, which is good.

I like that big box mix that is in Vancouver, something else I need to go there and check out now.

I could totally see an Urban Outfitters on Granby or Colley...actually it is more surprising that there isnt one on one of those two streets already.

Though I cant wait until the next developer jumps on this Virginia Beach downtown idea and starts adding their own urban projects.

[mikeas]

I have heard that downtown Norfolk does have a small grocery store now, which is good.

Its actually a full sized full featured grocery store. Takes up the whole bottom floor of Harbor Heights.