Saks out and Steve & Barry's in at Old Orchard

[mallguy]

So Saks Fifth Avenue at Old Orchard Center, an upscale mall, closed, only to be replaced by Steve & Barry's- a $10ish T-shirt shop?

What's up with that?

Is the mall dying?

[StevenRocks]

Saks is overextended and Steve & Barry's is overexpanding. It's a match made in retail heaven.

[myrtlesquare]

I remember Nordstrom's opening in Old Orchard in (I think) '97. I still have the store directory that was given out when they first opened. It's interesting that it was a high-end shopping center in the 90's and now it is gradually going down...

I still think it, like Oak Brook, will remain open for quite some time, though.

[Andersonville]

Old Orchard's going through a few changes now but I think that overall it's still the premier mall in that area of the North Shore. The Steve & Barry's seems to be a temporary store in that they didn't even add permanent signs (they look to be tied-on plastic) and some of the fixtures inside are leftover from Saks. There's a big redevelopment plan here:

http://bounga.tannerworld.com/archives/mall_info/index.php

The former Saks store and Lord & Taylor and a parking deck would be demolished and more stores and parking would be added along Skokie Blvd.

[StevenRocks]

Steve & Barry's is pretty much a placeholder, like Andersonville said.

[GRS328]

It's interesting that it was a high-end shopping center in the 90's and now it is gradually going down...

You can thank Westfield for that specifically. I said it when it happened a few years back, and it's quickly coming true. They will destroy all the charm that Old Orchard offered.

[mpchicago]

You can thank Westfield for that specifically. I said it when it happened a few years back, and it's quickly coming true. They will destroy all the charm that Old Orchard offered.

Old Orchard is still the premeire shopping center on the North Shore, with higher occupancey then even Northbrook Court. When Westfield came in I thought that it would be bad for the center, but they have added a number of high end and, a number of "exclusive to the northshore" retailers. They are currently demolishing the Saks store to make way for a new promanade with addtional shops and restaurants.

I've also seen a plan that would remove the Lord and Tayor, and add addtional shops and restaurants there as well as the to west side of the mall between the Nordstrom and Marshall Field's (Macy's) parking structures. Department stores are a dying breed, and they will do just fine with Nordstrom, Macy's and Bloomingdales as anchors.

[GRS328]

Old Orchard is still the premeire shopping center on the North Shore, with higher occupancey then even Northbrook Court. When Westfield came in I thought that it would be bad for the center, but they have added a number of high end and, a number of "exclusive to the northshore" retailers. They are currently demolishing the Saks store to make way for a new promanade with addtional shops and restaurants.

I've also seen a plan that would remove the Lord and Tayor, and add addtional shops and restaurants there as well as the to west side of the mall between the Nordstrom and Marshall Field's (Macy's) parking structures. Department stores are a dying breed, and they will do just fine with Nordstrom, Macy's and Bloomingdales as anchors.

You're right, it is still the premeire sc on the North Shore, no doubt. And the high ends will remain. But Westfield and their blatant branding all over the place have definitely detracted from the charm of Old Orchard. It's still a beautiful place as malls go, and always will be as long as it is well-maintained. But the branding is nauseating and detracts from the overall appeal, IMO.

Speaking of, haven't been there in a while - has the Marshall Field's been converted to a Macy's?