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The Shoppes at North Hills


tim2462

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You have to think that sooner or later a new mall (or lifestyle center) of moderate size will be built in Faulkner or Saline county. This could definetly spell trouble for older shopping centers that are "teetering."

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You have to think that sooner or later a new mall (or lifestyle center) of moderate size will be built in Faulkner or Saline county. This could definetly spell trouble for older shopping centers that are "teetering."

I think it's an eventuality in Conway. It would capture the regional population near there - Russellville, Morrilton, Greenbrier, Vilonia, etc pretty well and save a lengthy drive to McCain, which most Faulkner Co residents prefer to Park Plaza because it's easier to find and has more of a retail district around it. Plus, Conway's college population would use stores like Abercrombie, Aeropostale, Hollister, etc. It also can handle more chain restaurants now that liquor by the drink is laxening up a bit.

I think Alcoa Exhange may be it for a while in Saline. Benton's more working class and Bryant is very close to LR anyway. Alcoa Exchange added some stores to the market and if Gateway Towne Center happens it's in a location easy for West LR, Southwest LR, and Saline Co residents to get to in just a few minutes.

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New development that will affect the Shoppes. At MM Cohn's in the mall, they're currently having basically a liquidation sale, though it's not called that. But a cashier said that they just hadn't officially announced their closing yet. However, the cashier did say that a new department store will go in there. My bet, it'll Belks. Ergo, at the Shoppes, one could reasonably conclude that a Macy's will open up in the space dedicated for a "department store"

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New development that will affect the Shoppes. At MM Cohn's in the mall, they're currently having basically a liquidation sale, though it's not called that. But a cashier said that they just hadn't officially announced their closing yet. However, the cashier did say that a new department store will go in there. My bet, it'll Belks. Ergo, at the Shoppes, one could reasonably conclude that a Macy's will open up in the space dedicated for a "department store"

Which M.M. Cohn store are you talking about?

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New development that will affect the Shoppes. At MM Cohn's in the mall, they're currently having basically a liquidation sale, though it's not called that. But a cashier said that they just hadn't officially announced their closing yet. However, the cashier did say that a new department store will go in there. My bet, it'll Belks. Ergo, at the Shoppes, one could reasonably conclude that a Macy's will open up in the space dedicated for a "department store"

I'm assuming you mean the one in McCain.

Are were sure that wasn't MM Cohn's liquedation isn't prelude to converting to a Dunlap's? We know MM Cohn's in University is closing so will this mean retirement of the MM Cohn's name altogether?

I doubt Simon has any restrictions that would prevent it from bringing in Macy's to McCain. I would think Macy's would rather be in a regional mall. Belk's could be going into North Hills, Belk's typically prefers smaller open shopping centers more than Macy's.

Who knows, though? A lot depends on just how nice Shoppes at North Hills will be.

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I'm assuming you mean the one in McCain.

Are were sure that wasn't MM Cohn's liquedation isn't prelude to converting to a Dunlap's? We know MM Cohn's in University is closing so will this mean retirement of the MM Cohn's name altogether?

I doubt Simon has any restrictions that would prevent it from bringing in Macy's to McCain. I would think Macy's would rather be in a regional mall. Belk's could be going into North Hills, Belk's typically prefers smaller open shopping centers more than Macy's.

Who knows, though? A lot depends on just how nice Shoppes at North Hills will be.

As much as I'd like to see Macy's enter the market and locate at McCain Mall, I don't see that happening until/unless Simons' invests a great deal of money upgrading the mall much like Park Plaza has. There is now NO comparison between those two centers.

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As much as I'd like to see Macy's enter the market and locate at McCain Mall, I don't see that happening until/unless Simons' invests a great deal of money upgrading the mall much like Park Plaza has. There is now NO comparison between those two centers.

I almost mentioned it in the previous post but the irony is that Park Plaza, whose owners seem committed to keeping it first class all the way, is bound by significant restrictions and a shortage of land. Dillard's owning their two stores and exclusive anchor rights has really been a problem for the mall owners over the last decade.

I went a couple of weeks and loved the remodel. It's as nice a mall as you'll find in the region. Smaller than some, but as nice as any.

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I almost mentioned it in the previous post but the irony is that Park Plaza, whose owners seem committed to keeping it first class all the way, is bound by significant restrictions and a shortage of land. Dillard's owning their two stores and exclusive anchor rights has really been a problem for the mall owners over the last decade.

I went a couple of weeks and loved the remodel. It's as nice a mall as you'll find in the region. Smaller than some, but as nice as any.

About smaller - that's technically true - but only b/c there's only 1 (okay 2 in size) department stores. A regional center usually has 3-4 large box department stores, which makes up the majority of the SF. Of course, at 80 or so, its still pretty small in terms of number of stores. However, bumping a mall like this up to 160 stores usually means 80 great stores and 80 junk stores.

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About smaller - that's technically true - but only b/c there's only 1 (okay 2 in size) department stores. A regional center usually has 3-4 large box department stores, which makes up the majority of the SF. Of course, at 80 or so, its still pretty small in terms of number of stores. However, bumping a mall like this up to 160 stores usually means 80 great stores and 80 junk stores.

Unless you're in a very large metro and can pull in designer stores like Sigrid Olsen, Ted Baker, David Yurman, Porsche, etc you're exactly right - all you do is add second tier tenants.

I still think it's missing a few stores I'd like to see, particularly for women's clothing, and it has a couple like Payless and that scrub store I could do without.

The main thing it's missing is another anchor. Add in another dept store like Macy's or implausibly a Saks and Park Plaza would be a real hot spot. They can't add one, though.

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uninspiring.

The rendering doesn't show how they plan to get motorist to the development. If Bass Pro is the only tenant to draw people to it, then I am not sure how much Central Arkansas gains from this. I guess what I am saying is that I am withholding final judgment until I see the tenant mix. A Nordstrom and an IMAX with full length movies is one thing... Another Belks and a regular, even if state-of-the-art, movie theater is something else.

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uninspiring.

The rendering doesn't show how they plan to get motorist to the development. If Bass Pro is the only tenant to draw people to it, then I am not sure how much Central Arkansas gains from this. I guess what I am saying is that I am withholding final judgment until I see the tenant mix. A Nordstrom and an IMAX with full length movies is one thing... Another Belks and a regular, even if state-of-the-art, movie theater is something else.

Interesting, I thought the design was a significant improvement. The original was just a strip of big boxes with a few restaurant outparcels. It's no new urbanist colony butI think you can do a lot more with this design.

I agree the difference between Belk's and a higher end department store could make or break the whole center. I would wager a good bit that either this shopping center or McCain lands a Macy's soon. Macy's isn't Nordstrom's but it's good enough it would be a draw. I don't think Nordstrom's would go into this type of development.

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Interesting, I thought the design was a significant improvement. The original was just a strip of big boxes with a few restaurant outparcels. It's no new urbanist colony butI think you can do a lot more with this design.

I agree the difference between Belk's and a higher end department store could make or break the whole center. I would wager a good bit that either this shopping center or McCain lands a Macy's soon. Macy's isn't Nordstrom's but it's good enough it would be a draw. I don't think Nordstrom's would go into this type of development.

Shoppes at North Hills versus Promenade at Chenal for MACY's:

Shoppes at North Hills - 800 million more cars/traffic than Chenal/Rawling Road, but not exactly a high-end retail part of town.

Promenade at Chenal - definetely a high-end locations, but ZERO traffic.

Again, no "clear" winner in area developments, which is a shame.

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Shoppes at North Hills versus Promenade at Chenal for MACY's:

Shoppes at North Hills - 800 million more cars/traffic than Chenal/Rawling Road, but not exactly a high-end retail part of town.

Promenade at Chenal - definetely a high-end locations, but ZERO traffic.

Again, no "clear" winner in area developments, which is a shame.

I could see Macy's in either but why not both? There's no Nordstrom's, Saks, etc to compete with. MM Cohn's is supposedly closing up shop. Parisian has been Belked. The only upscale department store competition is Dillard's and most LR area residents are ready for another option.

If MM Cohn's is closing shop I would still think a Macy's in McCain would be a consideration.

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I could see Macy's in either but why not both? There's no Nordstrom's, Saks, etc to compete with. MM Cohn's is supposedly closing up shop. Parisian has been Belked. The only upscale department store competition is Dillard's and most LR area residents are ready for another option.

If MM Cohn's is closing shop I would still think a Macy's in McCain would be a consideration.

Very good points with the continued decay of competition for Dillards. I could see Macy's anchoring either end of town - Promenade and McCain/North Hills.

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Very good points with the continued decay of competition for Dillards. I could see Macy's anchoring either end of town - Promenade and McCain/North Hills.

Since Macy's bought Foley's in Texas there are Macy's in a lot of average/middle class/moderately decaying malls. I don't think McCain or West LR are unreasonable.

I just wish the right development was an option in midtown.

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I just wish the right development was an option in midtown.

Obviously this won't be settled anytime soon, but I would think the University Mall site as an open air shopping center would be a great site for a Macy's in midtown. I'm not sure how aggressive Macy's mgmt. is, but it would be pretty ballsy to open up directly across the street from Dillards premiere location in their own home town.

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Obviously this won't be settled anytime soon, but I would think the University Mall site as an open air shopping center would be a great site for a Macy's in midtown. I'm not sure how aggressive Macy's mgmt. is, but it would be pretty ballsy to open up directly across the street from Dillards premiere location in their own home town.

I think the idea of an open air shopping center with a Macy's, bookstore, restaurants and cineplex mixed with residential and office space is a great one but time is limited. Promenade at Chenal and Brodie Creek will probably sop up all of the good tenants.

Macy's is very aggressive. Considering the lack of competition amongst dept stores in LR I don't think it's that courageous. I can't imagine why it wouldn't do well. Macy's wouldn't choose that site unless it's part of a nice development and I don't think it can lure the other tenants once the West LR projects are built. It still could mix in some nice chain restaurants, cineplex, and bookstore as well as a Target, I just don't think Macy's would like that milieu as much.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Macy's may indeed be aggressive, but the fact that the chain is now in 45 of 50 states means it doesn't so much reckon with other existing forces in a new market as much as it would be the force to be reckoned with. With this bully-pulpit type of position, it can afford to be choosy about how it moves forward. And if the potential benefit doesn't seem to outweigh the potential cost, Macy's wouldn't do it.

Macy's has built out in new stores over the years, but much of its growth is attributed to acquisitions, which is next to impossible in Arkansas. Building new is costly and risky, and would be almost certainly required via any avenue into the Little Rock/North Little Rock market. Even if Macy's somehow found its way to the MM Cohn site at McCain Mall, the likely scenario would involve expansion to a second story just to accomodate a decently sized store. Despite its traffic, McCain is not immune to problems, not the least of which is a fairly uneven tenant mix

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  • 10 months later...

New site plan on page 4 for anybody who hasn't seen it: http://www.shopnorthhills.com/pdf/renderings.pdf

Wow. That's pretty disappointing - didn't it have some semblance of a pedestrian way before? This layout involved no creativity or response to the shopping experience. I'm now even less enthralled with this development than before.

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Wow. That's pretty disappointing - didn't it have some semblance of a pedestrian way before? This layout involved no creativity or response to the shopping experience. I'm now even less enthralled with this development than before.

I don't remember it being pedestrian. The only thing the development has going for it is Bass Pro, which would be better served on the north side of the Arkansas River. Ideally it would be located where one could see a sign from the interstate.

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Wow. That's pretty disappointing - didn't it have some semblance of a pedestrian way before?

Of course it has a pedestrian way, there will be a sidewalk that goes the whole length of the glorified strip center.

They aren't making much of an effort, are they? With all the headaches with the wetlands and the difficulty of creating access from I-40, is this shopping center really the right idea? Or does that matter?

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I'd rather the developer build the Bass Pro Shop directly north of the Clinton Library where the RV Park is to be located. Instead of pursuing what has proven to be a headache, the developers should consider partnering with The Argenta District. Adding shopping, dining and a movie theater would breathe even more life into the area. This would eliminate the battle with environmentalists, eliminate the need for traffic provisions, move the RV park from the river front, and help revive Argenta.

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