Riverchase Galleria

[kayman]

This is great news for the Birmingham, and this just reestablishes the fact that the region has a lot of wealth and potential. In related news, word is still floating around that Crate & Barrel is also seriously looking at opening an Alabama location also possibly in Greater Birmingham.

Memphian, the Belk-Parisian locations in the area are so-so at best, and I'm not really impressed with any their stores. They do seem like a lot of the former Parisian locations have lost a lot of their "umph" that existed when they were still Parisian.

[StevenRocks]

Congratulations to Birmingham!

[dc35064]

The Crate and Barrel store will be about 60% perfect at the old Just For Feet location in front of the Galleria.....but the two problems are: 1. Parking lot is too small (everyone knows that we wont be able to get near the store for at least 4 months) 2. The stores current location may be too small but they could add a second level.

But its location right outside the mall, and its visable from U.S. 31 and I-459.

[dc35064]

Congrats Galleria Nordstrom is coming!!!!!!!!

[Blazer85]

The thing I don't understand is why it would take so long to get them moved in... unless they do plan on doing alot of remodeling and converting it to exactly what they want. I'm okay with that, I suppose, but it kind of kills the excitement of the announcement to say it won't be coming for 2-3 years.

[Alabadrock]

The thing I don't understand is why it would take so long to get them moved in... unless they do plan on doing alot of remodeling and converting it to exactly what they want. I'm okay with that, I suppose, but it kind of kills the excitement of the announcement to say it won't be coming for 2-3 years.

It could be anything from remodeling, like you said, to them looking at the future growth expectations or economy growth. These big retailers that are stingy about where they put a store often spend big bucks looking at exactly how well the store should do. Sometimes, I wish that cities would look at these stores and take some lessons from their smart growth. Planning from the future benefits everyone. They've seemed to learn that.

But, like I said, it could be anything.

[HSVTiger]

The thing I don't understand is why it would take so long to get them moved in... unless they do plan on doing alot of remodeling and converting it to exactly what they want. I'm okay with that, I suppose, but it kind of kills the excitement of the announcement to say it won't be coming for 2-3 years.

I believe memphian is correct in that they will demolish the existing building and build new.

[StevenRocks]

Nordstrom is trying to open nearly a dozen stores over the next two to three years. It takes time to do it right.

[rimshot630]

I wish that Nordstrom would open sooner, also. I think that they just have "their plan" for store openings and will only open a fixed number each year. I guess they're trying to not fall into the trap that has hurt so many other retailers - expanding too fast/opening too many stores. I do wish that the store could be moved up on the schedule!

As for Crate & Barrell - I'd love to see them here! I think the old Just for Feet site in front of the Galleria is too small - not enough parking and hard to get into and out of. Just today, they announced that CompUSA is closing, so that is a possibility. However, the best location, to me, is the lower floor of the old McRae's out there. Since Belk took the upper floor, I see them looking for a big tenant to go there. I think it would be the best location for C & B in Birmingham. What does everybody else think?

Maury

[kayman]

I wish that Nordstrom would open sooner, also. I think that they just have "their plan" for store openings and will only open a fixed number each year. I guess they're trying to not fall into the trap that has hurt so many other retailers - expanding too fast/opening too many stores. I do wish that the store could be moved up on the schedule!

As for Crate & Barrell - I'd love to see them here! I think the old Just for Feet site in front of the Galleria is too small - not enough parking and hard to get into and out of. Just today, they announced that CompUSA is closing, so that is a possibility. However, the best location, to me, is the lower floor of the old McRae's out there. Since Belk took the upper floor, I see them looking for a big tenant to go there. I think it would be the best location for C & B in Birmingham. What does everybody else think?

Maury

Nordstrom is being quite careful, but I think they are also still studying this market to determine which lines are they are going to offer here.

Yes, I do believe that the former McRae's would be great spot. However, I really wish that somebody other than Belk would have filled the spot with a complete 2-level department store like Dillard's, who has been itching to get into this market. Belk should have just settled on incorporting into the existing layout with the former 200K square-foot Parisian or expanded upward.

[The Memphian]

Nordstrom is being quite careful, but I think they are also still studying this market to determine way lines are they are going to offer here.

Yes, I do believe that the former McRae's would be great spot. However, I really wish that somebody other than Belk would have filled the spot with a complete 2-level department store like Dillard's, who has been itching to get into this market. Belk should have just settled on incorporting into the existing layout with the former 200K square-foot Parisian or expanded upward.

Congrats!

[burt]

Nordstrom is trying to open nearly a dozen stores over the next two to three years. It takes time to do it right.

Steven, if Nordstrom does expand by adding 12 new stores, do you think they will all be in different cities, or is it possible they would double up in certain markets?.

Congratulations, B'ham, and good wishes for a Crate and Barrell, also.

[Manolos]

Steven, if Nordstrom does expand by adding 12 new stores, do you think they will all be in different cities, or is it possible they would double up in certain markets?.

Congratulations, B'ham, and good wishes for a Crate and Barrell, also.

Nordstrom is adding many more than just 12. They are opening 11 in 2008 alone. By 2010, they will have opened over 20 new stores. Of their currently planned 30 new store openings, they are opening in 20 different states. Most large markets already have multiple Nordstroms.

[StevenRocks]

Steven, if Nordstrom does expand by adding 12 new stores, do you think they will all be in different cities, or is it possible they would double up in certain markets?.

Most of the locations are the sites of former Federated or May Company department stores in the Northeast, but in terms of geographic distribution, the Nordstroms are opening all across the country in both new and existing markets.

[kayman]

Now with word of CompUSA folding all their locations including the one at Riverchase, General Growth Properties has announced that it will be redeveloping the parcel immediately. The parcel for the soon-to-be-vacant store is comparable in size to existing Crate&Barrel locations, and in additon to the fact that GGP has made this announcement locally makes me wonder if they have already landed another tenant for this parcel. However, this is just mire spectulation.

[bhamsly]

Something that really has me concerned is how Saks 5th Ave will cope with Nordstrom opening. I understand that they are in 2 totally different centers. I do believe that our area has the demographics to support them both, and some...I am just a little skeptical.

[David1502]

Something that really has me concerned is how Saks 5th Ave will cope with Nordstrom opening. I understand that they are in 2 totally different centers. I do believe that our area has the demographics to support them both, and some...I am just a little skeptical.

To allay some of your concerns, Nordstom caters to a broader range than Saks - in fact Nordstrom has a lot of private labels that are not nearly as expensive as what Saks typically carries. Also, for example, while Nordstrom has a lot of the same high end labels as Saks they also carry Hart Shaffner & Marx suits which Belk and Macy's also carry and have a lot of moderately priced womens fashions as well. Saks is catering to those who want cutting edge high fasion and could care less about a traditional Hickey Freeman or Hart Shaffner & Marx suit - they want Hugo Boss and Armani. Saks and Gus Mayer carry similar merchandise. Nordstrom in some ways was a more direct competitor to a top tier Parisian. Bottom line: you can spend a lot at Nordstrom, but you don't have to. At Saks, you do.

[dc35064]

Well saks is probably going to step there game up and get more lines simular to the other saks stores. Also, they are planning to almost double the size of the louis vuitton store in saks within the next 3-4months....BTW they are adding shoes and more lugguge.

[bhamsly]

So the Louis Vuitton is going to be a sort of full-scale LV store? That's a plus if so. I am glad to hear that both Nordstrom and Saks cater to slightly different consumers. This should result in Birmingham maintaining both stores.

[kayman]

I was just talking about this very topic last week with a friend. He believes that it would be difficult for the region to maintain both stores, but I informed him that Nordstrom is more like the now defunct Parisian stores than Saks. Each store chain have their own niche, hence why I wasn't really surprised at Nordstrom's choice of Riverchase over the Summit and vice-versa for the Saks over Riverchase. Riverchase is a super-regional shopping destination with mid-range to upper-income target demo while the Summit has basically the upper-income households within the region as its target demo.

[Rocky@theTop]

In related news... Nordstrom has announced plans to build a 3 level store in The Mall @ Green Hills in Nashville. Scheduled to open in 2010.

[VistaLakes01]

I was just talking about this very topic last week with a friend. He believes that it would be difficult for the region to maintain both stores, but I informed him that Nordstrom is more like the now defunct Parisian stores than Saks. Each store chain have their own niche, hence why I wasn't really surprised at Nordstrom's choice of Riverchase over the Summit and vice-versa for the Saks over Riverchase. Riverchase is a super-regional shopping destination with mid-range to upper-income target demo while the Summit has basically the upper-income households within the region as its target demo.

Congrats Bham! Here in the Orlando market, Saks and Nordstrom are totally different. Nordstrom is famous for shoes, and they have a section in the middle of the men's department that has the trendy clothes of the day and a lot of them are on the Nordstrom "Pure Stuff" label and are quite reasonable. Here Bloomingdale's is more like Nordstrom but larger with more merchandise that is very trendy. Also Bloomies usually comes out with the latest colognes and such first before Macy's or Dillards. And Belk is a horrible store in this market. One that opened in West Oaks Mall here was only open for barely a year and is being torn down to build an outdoor lifestyle concept to that mall. There are a couple of new Belk's that are almost identical prototypes of Kohl's. Nordstrom is an awesome store and will help bring Riverchase back to what it used to be when I first visited it in the 80's. Also, Crate & Barrel here is actually in the Mall at Millenia with a mall entrance and an outdoor entrance. I think that is a better concept than an outparcel, to keep bringing a more upscale crowd in to the mall itself. Does Bham have a Sony Style store or an Apple store? Those are big draws to the mall also.

[kayman]

Congrats Bham! Here in the Orlando market, Saks and Nordstrom are totally different. Nordstrom is famous for shoes, and they have a section in the middle of the men's department that has the trendy clothes of the day and a lot of them are on the Nordstrom "Pure Stuff" label and are quite reasonable. Here Bloomingdale's is more like Nordstrom but larger with more merchandise that is very trendy. Also Bloomies usually comes out with the latest colognes and such first before Macy's or Dillards. And Belk is a horrible store in this market. One that opened in West Oaks Mall here was only open for barely a year and is being torn down to build an outdoor lifestyle concept to that mall. There are a couple of new Belk's that are almost identical prototypes of Kohl's. Nordstrom is an awesome store and will help bring Riverchase back to what it used to be when I first visited it in the 80's. Also, Crate & Barrel here is actually in the Mall at Millenia with a mall entrance and an outdoor entrance. I think that is a better concept than an outparcel, to keep bringing a more upscale crowd in to the mall itself. Does Bham have a Sony Style store or an Apple store? Those are big draws to the mall also.

Yeah, there has been an Apple Store at The Summit for a year now, but no there isn't a Sony Style here in Birmingham, yet.

[StevenRocks]

Saks and Nordstrom compliment each other nicely. Birmingham shouldn't have any problems retaining both.

[VistaLakes01]

Saks and Nordstrom compliment each other nicely. Birmingham shouldn't have any problems retaining both.

I agree. Saks is more like Neiman Marcus. Here in this market (besides Burdines-Macy's), Saks is the first upscale store that opened about 13 years ago. The next was Lord & Taylor which remained open for 2 years after all the other Florida stores closed. Then we got the real Macy's (before the Macy's takeover of Burdines,etc, which is an still an awesome store in comparison to the takeover Macy's in the market) Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's all at the same time in 2002. We also got Nordstrom in 2002 in the same mall that Saks is in and Lord & Taylor was in. Saks and Neiman's are never packed with shoppers, but Nordstrom stays very busy, and the "real" Macy's is very busy, and Bloomingdale's seems to be popular with the upper niche and also the mid-range crowd that wants to buy something special or unique that wants to spend a little more money. (In these bad economic times for retail, JC Penney seems to have picked up a lot of business, as well as Target, and Macy's is full of great markdowns.) Also IKEA opened right next to the upscale Mall at Millenia last year and in an outparcel of the mall a stand alone Old Navy and West Elm opened. Across the street there is a huge big box center that includes a BJ's, Super Target, Home Depot, Home Depot Expo, Robb & Stucky Home and Patio, Ethan Allen, and a DSW shoes. The market's 2nd Whole Foods is opening tomorrow which is a whole new prototype for the store, they are trying to compete with the Publix Greenwise Markets that have been opening up for the past year. Publix is the only grocery store that Super Wal-Mart hasn't been able to hurt business. Wal-Mart has even been building their own "upscale" groceries called Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market across the street from every Publix that they can but still hasn't stopped the Publix crowd. Publix also has another concept store called Publix Sabor that caters to the Hispanic market. Sorry to go off topic, I'm just excited about how quickly the retail market options have expanded here, I hope Nordstrom and Crate & Barrel start a similar expansion in Birmingham. I'm sure Bham is a retail destination for Alabama, but it would be cool if it captures the crowd that opts for Atlanta. Orlando has become a retail destination in Florida recently and has captured a lot of the crowd that used to go to South Florida (Miami). If you got an IKEA store that would be a huge draw. There is one opening next year in Tampa, only 65 miles from the Orlando store so it would be possible for Bham even if there is one in Atlanta. I think Hoover would be the best location for one.