Westgate Watcher

[mallguy]

The Rock Hill Galleria has a Wal-Mart anchor- a huge traffic generator- attached to the mall, but there is no direct mall entrance from the store straight to the mall corridor. There is just a big wall and an outside walkway. The part of the mall closest to Wal-Mart has a ton of vacancies due perhaps to the low foot traffic in that part of the mall, which would surely be much higher if the store had a direct mall entrance. Westgate could have the same thing happen. Why don't mall developers push for mall entrances to anchors?

[Spartan]

True, but the Galleria is not at the same level as Westgate which is the second largest mall in the state. I think the key difference is that Westgate has 4 other anchors, and the end of the mall where Proffits is/was will still have the food court, which many people use as their primary entrace. The only stores that will loose traffic are those that are on the corridor going towards Proffits from the food court.... However- they will likely put doors there, so it might actually generate more foot traffic since you wont have to go through Proffits to get to the interior anymore.

[hub-city]

Just got back from a trip. WOW a lot of post and things going on. Welcome to our newcomers.

I wasn't pleased when I first heard that they would tear down Proffits. It is the newsest building on the site, but after reflecting on it a while, I think that positioning will be the key and I can't wait to see the plans. The whole parking lot behind proffits was usually empty even when the store was there. If they build a nice new main entrance to the mall there with the visability from the interstate, I think that would help the foot traffic for those stores in that corridor between proffits and the food court. Even if they do block the entrance, I'm guessing that only about 5 or 6 stores would be affected, and that entrance is already blocked so it couldn't hurt anymore than it already has.

I hope that this will spin off some more restaurants over at Summitt Pointe. City Range stays packed.

[roads-scholar]

I think Costco, regardless of where they build, will be a huge boost to Westgate Mall. Five department stores, which is what the mall had before Proffits closed, is too many when product, selection, and price isn't all that different. The days when mall department stores ruled the shopping universe is over. The big box with drive up parking and easy access is what retailing is all about these days.

The "rear" of the mall facing I-26 always seemed to me a bit dead even during the busy holiday shopping season. Costco should revive that side of the mall and make that area as well as Summit Point more attractive to national chains.

Westgate has evolved quite a bit since it opened back in 1975. I sense that it will continue to change. Who knows what it will look like 5, 10, 15 years from now.

[Spartan]

I think Costco, regardless of where they build, will be a huge boost to Westgate Mall. Five department stores, which is what the mall had before Proffits closed, is too many when product, selection, and price isn't all that different. The days when mall department stores ruled the shopping universe is over. The big box with drive up parking and easy access is what retailing is all about these days.

Good point

[StevenRocks]

The only reason I can come up with for them tearing it down is that they don't want the two storey structure. They want a large 1 storey one like Sam's Club, etc. Assuming thats the case, why not biuld elsewhere?

Because typical Costco shoppers and typical mall shoppers aren't that different. The two concepts tend to trend pretty close to one another demographically and they can co-exist without a lot of negative issues.

[Spartan]

Good point. However, there is a very large parking lot that never gets filled up behind the mall. Even at Christmas it doesn't get used. Build it there

[GSP Tiger]

Article: Westgate Mall set for comeback

GSA Business (SC)

2006/5/15

Westgate Mall was a focus in a recent GSA Business issue. It discusses the mall's drop in its occupation rate, the fate of the vacated Profitt's rumored to be fill by Costco or Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, and its attempt to bring national retailers to Spartanburg that Greenville's Haywood Mall has.

This article seems to have been written earlier before Costco announced its Westgate Mall location.

[goodbye]

Hopefully everyone has read that article since it has been mentioned a few times already now.

[DigitalSky]

Anyone got pics of Westgate?

[hub-city]

They had a meeting last week to share details and concerns about the Costco coming to Westgate. It looks like they want it up in the corner near the new Hampton Inn. I really don't know why they would have to tear down proffits to put it way over there. However, I haven't seen the site plan.

the old article from the HJ is HERE

[Spartan]

Thanks for posting that.

The only thing that I can come up with is that they have to tear down proffits because it is a two storey structure, and costco needs a 1 storey warehouse type of building, since it is a Sam's like business. I wish they would just build a new building somewhere else (like on al lof that empty land between the new theater and Old Navy) and wait for something else to replace proffits.

[StevenRocks]

They're going to be waiting a long time to replace Proffitt's with a similar business in the current retail climate.

[Spartan]

Thats probably why they are goin ahead with this Costco thing.

[hub-city]

Today's HJ reports that Proffits is coming down starting the first week in January to prepare for Costco's.

ARTICLE

Edited December 5, 2006 by hub-city

[Spartan]

Hollister is coming to Westgate. I'd like to see the GAP come back to town somewhere, even though I don't generally shop there. I would also like to see an Abercrombie open up in Westgate (even though I don't shop there either).

[roads-scholar]

Hollister is coming to Westgate. I'd like to see the GAP come back to town somewhere, even though I don't generally shop there. I would also like to see an Abercrombie open up in Westgate (even though I don't shop there either).

Hollister is a relatively high-end retailer typically found in upscale malls. This is good news for Westgate and Spartanburg. I'm hoping that Westgate will see more stores of this caliber. The new Costco, although it won't be physically connected to the mall, will help bring more traffic. And, as Ms. McAndrew points out, all the new restaurants in the area will help the mall too.

[Spartan]

Absolutely. Anything that will help to define the Westside as a premier shopping destination, and not a second tier one, will be a boost to our city.

[alias007]

I've been outta town on business lately and haven't had time to drive around in a while. Have they already started tearing down the Proffit's, or did they change their mind on that? Where will Hollister's be located? If I seem like I'm leading into asking whether Hollister's will be taking over Proffit's old spot, your intuition is spot on. ;-)

[Spartan]

No, Hollister isn't that large. Their stores are about the size of American Eagle. Its probably going to go in the old GAP location just down from the food court- I think whatever was in there closed.

[Version70-8]

No, the new Hollister store is going in the old Express Men's spot right by the food court.

[hub-city]

Went by the mall the other day and they are tearing up the world outside of Proffits, but not the building itself. Did they change their mind or is the building still coming down?

[Spartan]

Its still coming down so far as I know. They're probably putting in infrastructure for the new CostCo.

[Spartan]

Demolition is underway on the old Proffitt's building. I didn't realize that CostCo was on a 17 acre site. Thats a lot of parking that was ripped up (and that was never used).

Article.

[hub-city]

That lot indeed was hardly ever used. I hope they don't just close the Proffitts entrance off. A new entrance directly into the mall so close to the food court would be nice.