Pleasant Ridge Town Center

[dookmaster]

Altogether unimpressive. Makes you wonder what the other projects could possibly offer (besides Promenade at Chenal assuming the high-ends are going there).

I think ANY of the other projects will be better. This just did not pan out at all like it should have.

[Architect]

I think ANY of the other projects will be better. This just did not pan out at all like it should have.

I don't really know that ANY of them will pan out...if this one, at a major intersection with I-430 and a Parisian Dept. store can't really take off, then where else? I think that one center could emerge to balance the type of high-end stores that Park Plaza contains, which may be the Promenade at Chenal, but what will the others really have? Honestly, Little Rock (proper), could only support 2 really nice, relatively high-end developments. The problem is that none of the options aside from Park Plaza are of any substantial size or strategic location.

[Aporkalypse]

I don't really know that ANY of them will pan out...if this one, at a major intersection with I-430 and a Parisian Dept. store can't really take off, then where else? I think that one center could emerge to balance the type of high-end stores that Park Plaza contains, which may be the Promenade at Chenal, but what will the others really have? Honestly, Little Rock (proper), could only support 2 really nice, relatively high-end developments. The problem is that none of the options aside from Park Plaza are of any substantial size or strategic location.

It's easy using the retrospectascope to see why this didn't pan out.

1) Lou Schickel was short on retail development connections. He wanted to do this whole thing himself and despite it being a beautiful shopping center he didn't have the pull RED and Strode do. (He wanted Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma so bad he supposedly bought a house to prevent Midtowne from being built. It didn't work, and well-connected Dallas developer Strode Props pulled in terrific tenants for Midtowne)

2) It's smack up against a hillside and square footage was limited.

3) The anchor and junior anchors (Parisian/Fresh Market/Borders) take up most of the square footage, leaving fewer slots for small shops than you want for the kind of shopping center that would have common upscale mall tenants.

4) Lou, as you put it so eloquently, got "belked" on. When the genuinely upscale national tenants heard that Belk's bought Parisian I think they started looking as quickly as they could and when they did, they found RED's Promenade at Chenal.

5) The location is good because it's on busy Hwy 10 but it isn't visible from the interstate and can't be advertised with billboards because of the scenic corridor designation. Because of the elevation, it's not really that readily visible from Hwy 10 either.

Thus far it doesn't look like as bad a development as some would suggest. Two very solid local independent restaurants are doing very well and Bonefish will be a much-needed addition to the dry LR seafood scene. Fresh Market is going to be a great addition as well, something that I see thriving in that neighborhood. It's main problem is that it's going to have to fill the vacant spaces more with local shops that national retailers.

[theman]

I drove by Plesant Ridge today and the sign that says that Fresh Market is coming soon has a date on it now of May 16th.

[Aporkalypse]

I drove by Plesant Ridge today and the sign that says that Fresh Market is coming soon has a date on it now of May 16th.

When I drove by last weekend the store displays were in place and some interior work was still going on but it looked like it was nearly finished then.

[EJC]

Sign at Pleasant Ridge today for Bonefish said "Coming Soon".

[gmariam]

Fresh Market opens the 16th.

[hartford]

Sign at Pleasant Ridge today for Bonefish said "Coming Soon".

Is the building directly across from Fresh Market going to be the location of Bonefish?

[Aporkalypse]

Is the building directly across from Fresh Market going to be the location of Bonefish?

That's it. They were working on it this weekend when I went by.

I went to Parisian and my wife bought some luggage. I asked a couple of the employees about the switch to Belk's and was told that it wouldn't bring major changes but would eliminate the Parisian house brand and the selection of shoes and accessory brands would be smaller.

[theman]

That's it. They were working on it this weekend when I went by.

I went to Parisian and my wife bought some luggage. I asked a couple of the employees about the switch to Belk's and was told that it wouldn't bring major changes but would eliminate the Parisian house brand and the selection of shoes and accessory brands would be smaller.

And kill whatever business it was getting. Fresh Market will become the major draw to Pleasant Ridge once the name change occurs.

[Aporkalypse]

And kill whatever business it was getting. Fresh Market will become the major draw to Pleasant Ridge once the name change occurs.

Belk's will draw it's own crowd. It has good brands and is cheaper than Dillard's.

Did Borders abandon the outparcel? It doesn't seem like there's any work going on to get that started. Did they opt for a more central site?

[theman]

Belk's will draw it's own crowd. It has good brands and is cheaper than Dillard's.

Did Borders abandon the outparcel? It doesn't seem like there's any work going on to get that started. Did they opt for a more central site?

I don't think it will draw as well as Parisians. I've been to other Belk's and I was not impressed. If they make this the "upscale" Belk's like they say they have in Charlotte, then it may draw better.

I was wondering the same thing about Borders. Does anyone have any info?

[Aporkalypse]

I don't think it will draw as well as Parisians. I've been to other Belk's and I was not impressed. If they make this the "upscale" Belk's like they say they have in Charlotte, then it may draw better.

I was wondering the same thing about Borders. Does anyone have any info?

I've been to two Belk's in the DFW market - one in McKinney basically as nice as that Parisian store and one in Greenville (more rural/exurban) that was like a Stein-Mart. There's a lot of inconsistency in that chain.

Apparently Schickel was assured this would be a Class A Belk's like the ones in Charlotte.

Say what you want but when you go to Dillard's you know what to expect. Not so with Belk's.

[schwilj]

Belk's will draw it's own crowd. It has good brands and is cheaper than Dillard's.

Did Borders abandon the outparcel? It doesn't seem like there's any work going on to get that started. Did they opt for a more central site?

I am rather dissapointed at how empty this center still is. That whole west side past the home decore stores is vacant.

As I have said somewhere on here before - building all of these strip malls ("lifestyle centers" or "french gothic" centers as Promenade is calling thiers) just makes no sense to me. They all compete for similar stores and unfortunately one or two centers get passed on for the next "nicer" center leaving empty buildings all over town.

Little Rock just needs a second, good mall. Like one you would see in Dallas, or heck even Tulsa, OK

[EJC]

I am rather dissapointed at how empty this center still is. That whole west side past the home decore stores is vacant.

As I have said somewhere on here before - building all of these strip malls ("lifestyle centers" or "french gothic" centers as Promenade is calling thiers) just makes no sense to me. They all compete for similar stores and unfortunately one or two centers get passed on for the next "nicer" center leaving empty buildings all over town.

Little Rock just needs a second, good mall. Like one you would see in Dallas, or heck even Tulsa, OK

Change the word "mall" to shopping destination and I don't think I'd entirely disagree. But, what LR or any other town does not need, is another mall.

In any event, I went by Fresh Market today. Nicely done, good place for lunch as well.

[turboturtle]

As I have said somewhere on here before - building all of these strip malls ("lifestyle centers" or "french gothic" centers as Promenade is calling thiers) just makes no sense to me. They all compete for similar stores and unfortunately one or two centers get passed on for the next "nicer" center leaving empty buildings all over town.

I tend to agree that LR is being sold a bill-of-goods by developers peddling mixed-use, lifestyle centers. These are really strip malls with the facade-of-the-time. The original strip malls are capable of upgrading to match the look and feel of the "lifestyle" centers LR has seen so far. Someone else posted this link to a development in SLC, http://www.shopthegateway.com/. I don't believe any of the new developments, completed or in progress, come close to this level of quality.

I would take one development like the example in the link above instead of the hodge podge of half measures LR has now. I also believe Little Rock would be better for it.

[Aporkalypse]

I am rather dissapointed at how empty this center still is. That whole west side past the home decore stores is vacant.

As I have said somewhere on here before - building all of these strip malls ("lifestyle centers" or "french gothic" centers as Promenade is calling thiers) just makes no sense to me. They all compete for similar stores and unfortunately one or two centers get passed on for the next "nicer" center leaving empty buildings all over town.

Little Rock just needs a second, good mall. Like one you would see in Dallas, or heck even Tulsa, OK

The "lifestyle center" is the new way, the traditional mall is just rarely built these days, if ever. It's not the style I'm irritated with, it's the scale. Unlike many of the newer lifestyle projects in areas like Southlake Town Square in suburban DFW and St John's Center in Jacksonville, FL the developments in LR are small and scattered. Promenade at Chenal clearly has the most potential at this point and it would be nice to see additional phases planned, including 1-2 dept stores. As far as I know they aren't. I just wish that Pleasant Ridge and Promenade at Chenal would've been combined into one 1 million SF project instead of two each less than 400,000.

[theman]

According to the Democrat Gazette, Bonefish Grill is suppose to open July 9th.

[turboturtle]

According to the Democrat Gazette, Bonefish Grill is suppose to open July 9th.

Made my first trip to Fresh Market yesterday at 8:45 after dropping of number 2 at daycare. It was closed. Hours are 9 a.m. till (I forgot). I don't get that. I would want my store hours to begin at 6 - 7 a.m. There is coffee and prepared foods. Could there be someone driving to work from WLR, who'd like to pick up a lunch to take to work with them?

I returned to the Fresh Market at about 3 p.m. with number 1. I am in no hurry to go back. Eatzi's in Dallas, Whole Foods and a GOOD Wild Oats have much better execution than the Fresh Market. I didn't see much that I couldn't get at Kroger. What is with the candy mint in the middle of the store? That seems out of character for a place like that.

I did by the prepared lasagna, meatballs and sour dough bread. The food was good. I also bought some tilapia that I'll be cooking tonight.

Of course the prices are very high. I bought a block of Parmesan 18.99/lb. Kroger has same quality for 9.99/lb.

One other thing....

I took number 1 into Parisan to look for some sandles. The selection was WAY down from what it was several months ago. A LOT of things are on sale. I think it is because it is transitioning to Belks. I didn't get a good feeling about it.

[theman]

I took number 1 into Parisan to look for some sandles. The selection was WAY down from what it was several months ago. A LOT of things are on sale. I think it is because it is transitioning to Belks. I didn't get a good feeling about it.

I heard that the selecton was down as well. A clerk told someone I know that went there that Belk's is not going to carry many of the brands that Parisan does.

Like you, I don't have a good feeling.

[Gavdog28]

I visited the Pleasant Ridge Town Center for the first time today, and I was pretty impressed, personally. I really liked Fresh Market and Parisian. I'll be honest, I hadn't ever been in Parisian before Belk bought them out, so I can't really make a comment on selection or quality, but I thought that it was really nice. I'm sure that it doesn't have as many high-end stores as originally planned, but I thought that it was very nice. I really liked the speakers that were in the ground playing music, I thought it was a nice touch that kind of took me back to Disney World. I'm hoping that we'll get a Fresh Market, or something comparable in NLR.

[Architect]

I visited the Pleasant Ridge Town Center for the first time today, and I was pretty impressed, personally. I really liked Fresh Market and Parisian. I'll be honest, I hadn't ever been in Parisian before Belk bought them out, so I can't really make a comment on selection or quality, but I thought that it was really nice. I'm sure that it doesn't have as many high-end stores as originally planned, but I thought that it was very nice. I really liked the speakers that were in the ground playing music, I thought it was a nice touch that kind of took me back to Disney World. I'm hoping that we'll get a Fresh Market, or something comparable in NLR.

I am NOT impressed with Pleasant Ridge. Its architecture, layout and "feel" are below average in my opinion. Its also not big enough to really have critical mass...much like most all of what is being developed in LR - none large enought to be a real destination. This is just an average shopping center with no real standout (or tenants - a victim no-doubt of The Promenade at Chenal). The change to "Belk" certainly isn't helping anything. And just for good measure, I also happen to think that Schickel is a "chump" after his third-grade tactics at the Midtowne site.

[turboturtle]

And just for good measure, I also happen to think that Schickel is a "chump" after his third-grade tactics at the Midtowne site.

no doubt... maybe the Parisian-Belks thing was karma.

[LRU1967]

I am NOT impressed with Pleasant Ridge. Its architecture, layout and "feel" are below average in my opinion. Its also not big enough to really have critical mass...much like most all of what is being developed in LR - none large enought to be a real destination. This is just an average shopping center with no real standout (or tenants - a victim no-doubt of The Promenade at Chenal). The change to "Belk" certainly isn't helping anything. And just for good measure, I also happen to think that Schickel is a "chump" after his third-grade tactics at the Midtowne site.

I agree with everything you say. The way the hillside was destroyed and the ridiculous three stop lights on Cantrell makes me wonder how such fubar projects get built.

[Aporkalypse]

I am NOT impressed with Pleasant Ridge. Its architecture, layout and "feel" are below average in my opinion. Its also not big enough to really have critical mass...much like most all of what is being developed in LR - none large enought to be a real destination. This is just an average shopping center with no real standout (or tenants - a victim no-doubt of The Promenade at Chenal). The change to "Belk" certainly isn't helping anything. And just for good measure, I also happen to think that Schickel is a "chump" after his third-grade tactics at the Midtowne site.

I don't like the development but I like a few of the things that ended up there - Fresh Market and a couple of new local restaurants (Imagine and Crew). I like Bonefish and it will be nice to have. The design and location of the whole thing are screwy, though.

I know a couple of other things about Schickel and, yes, it's karma.