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Westgate Watcher


Spartan

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Good points. I-26 puts a lot of NC residents in Spartanburg for their shopping needs. One need only look at that demographic analysis to see that most of Polk county and parts of others in NC are in their designated "market areas"

And while I am in the crowd that thinks malls are going to go away, I admit now that it may not happen as soon as I thought it would before the recession.

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Westgate having stores like Costco, Dick's and BB&B help them compete with the Lifestyle Centers, I think. The movie theater appears to be a big draw, too, as well as four solid anchor tenants which all looked to be doing well. I do not think they will fall victim to a lifestyle center anytime soon (unlike, say, Columbia Place which is not doing well....Village @ Sandhill?).

The only thing I noticed that Westgate could use is a nice, sit down chain restaurant. I saw something in the food court but don't know what it is like. Looked like there was a restaurant there at some point but it closed recently. Haywood is bigger, but the only things it really has over Westgate is a Macy's, more high-end/upscale offerings, and a more recent appearance. If shoppers in the above mentioned counties aren't after any of those, they likely don't have any use to go over there. I wouldn't. Both malls have the same stores I shop at (save for a couple), I shop them frequently. CBL doesn't do upscale malls, but I should have added, they keep them up well from what I've seen.

As a side note, I was really loving the detached Sears auto center. They stopped doing them that way after the mid 1970s and built them attached to the store. I swear that Sears is bigger than the one at Haywood. I saw the bottom floor and was like, "OK"...then I saw escalators. Wow.

Edited by perrykat
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IMO, Columbia Place's failure is more related to the changing demographics. Leapfrog development has essentially killed that part of Two Notch Rd. Plus Columbia has two primary market areas more or less divided by the Congaree and Broad Rivers where Spartanburg has one. Westgate is the center of the primary retail shopping area in town, and Spartanburg doesn't have the leapfrogging issue that Columbia has.

I don't know what restaurants are in the mall, but there used to be a Garfield's Grill (or something like that). It was standard chain restaurant food as I recall. While I'm not much for chain restaurants, I've always thought Spartanburg should have a Chili's or TGI Fridays. Those are pretty standard restaurants. In fact, we have an entire thread about the "stuff" (restaurants/retail) Spartanburg doesn't have but should.

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IMO, Columbia Place's failure is more related to the changing demographics. Leapfrog development has essentially killed that part of Two Notch Rd. Plus Columbia has two primary market areas more or less divided by the Congaree and Broad Rivers where Spartanburg has one. Westgate is the center of the primary retail shopping area in town, and Spartanburg doesn't have the leapfrogging issue that Columbia has.

I don't know what restaurants are in the mall, but there used to be a Garfield's Grill (or something like that). It was standard chain restaurant food as I recall. While I'm not much for chain restaurants, I've always thought Spartanburg should have a Chili's or TGI Fridays. Those are pretty standard restaurants. In fact, we have an entire thread about the "stuff" (restaurants/retail) Spartanburg doesn't have but should.

Garfields in still in the mall and seemed to be doing a brisk business the day I was there.

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IMO, Columbia Place's failure is more related to the changing demographics. Leapfrog development has essentially killed that part of Two Notch Rd. Plus Columbia has two primary market areas more or less divided by the Congaree and Broad Rivers where Spartanburg has one. Westgate is the center of the primary retail shopping area in town, and Spartanburg doesn't have the leapfrogging issue that Columbia has.

I don't know what restaurants are in the mall, but there used to be a Garfield's Grill (or something like that). It was standard chain restaurant food as I recall. While I'm not much for chain restaurants, I've always thought Spartanburg should have a Chili's or TGI Fridays. Those are pretty standard restaurants. In fact, we have an entire thread about the "stuff" (restaurants/retail) Spartanburg doesn't have but should.

Valid point about Columbia Place and demos/location. However, VAS did cut in to them, it is sort of mall-like, store-wise. They took Penney's, etc from there. Most cities the sizes of the larger ones in SC can only support one healthy mall these days. Cola. is over-malled. Of 4, only 1 does really well. Columbia Place is doomed, IMO. I don't see Macy's there much longer which is really the only draw. Maybe I'm wrong.

Back to Westgate - I noticed Garfield's, but wasn't sure what it was. Wasn't there another one? At one of the entrances I thought I saw an empty restaurant space. Would make for another nice sit-down casual restaurant.

Edited by perrykat
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I like the Garfield's at westgate, but hardly ever eat there, because they either don't have a great ventelation system or their smoking area is just too large. the entire restaurant smells like smoke and while it doesn't bother me too much, my wife and small child just can't take it.

Overall, I enjoy shopping at the mall (not that I like to shop period). I like having Dick's and Bed Bath and Beyond connected as well as having an outside entrance.

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  • 10 months later...

any store updates from Westgate?

I shopped at Westgate December 31st and didn't notice any significant changes to the retail inventory at the mall. There were vacancies but no large "gaps" that concerned me. I believe there was one space in the food court that was vacant.

Lunched a Garfield's only because I was craving a burger. Nothing too special about this eatery other than it's convenient and has pretty reliable fare.

I did notice a couple of "low-end" merchants (can't remember their names) but suppose the mall's management is doing their best to lease space in a tough retail environment. The anchors seem to be doing well although I wonder about the macro viability of Sears.

The mall was busy with post-Christmas shoppers, clean, and well maintained. I first visited Westgate in 1975 shortly after it opened and, while not a "shopper", still find the mall to be an attractive and comfortable retail center. I've seen Westgate evolve from four to five to six and back to four anchors and the retail mix change many times. It's not South Park or Lenox but it works for Spartanburg.

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I've noticed that a couple of "South Carolina" themed stores have opened up- something Spartanburg was desperately lacking. They sell Clemson and Carolina clothing and paraphernalia along with other local colleges and then all of the Palmetto Moon stuff too.

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Kids don't hag out in malls anymore, and malls as a concept are dying in favor of "town center" type shopping malls that recreate the downtown experience and in general actual downtowns need to be successful to attract the millenial generation. Think any of this applies to Westgate?

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2014/04/american-teens-dont-hang-out-malls-anymore/8857/

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Kids don't hag out in malls anymore, and malls as a concept are dying in favor of "town center" type shopping malls that recreate the downtown experience and in general actual downtowns need to be successful to attract the millenial generation. Think any of this applies to Westgate?

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2014/04/american-teens-dont-hang-out-malls-anymore/8857/

I do think that Westgate and many other malls (sorry Greenville, Haywood too) could evolve into something like a "town center".  Actually, the first incarnation of many American malls - think Lenox Square in Atlanta and Northland in Detroit - were "open-air" shopping centers, complete with all the niceties of an enclosed mall like fountains, cafeterias, and acres of parking.

 

Malls have to face the uncertain financial health and viability of their department store anchors.  Westgate has been fortunate that it's big anchors - Sears, JC Penney, Belk, Dillards - have been steady for many years now.  But, the long-term future of JC Penney and Sears is in doubt.  If these  retailers were to close, Westgate could be in serious trouble unless (1) a big name anchor  (Macy's?) comes to town or (2) the mall evolves into some other type of shopping destination. 

 

A bigger problem for malls is changing consumer behavior.  Personally, I don't "hang out" at the mall and prefer, as many of my friends do, to shop at stand-alone or specialty retailers.  The millenials, for sure, don't even shop anymore!  And, the days of spending hours in the mall to shop and dine may be over.

 

Then there's online shopping which has been growing every year.  My wife, the prototype of an 80's power shopper, now prefers to shop on the web.  The thought of shopping at the mall, any mall, is no longer appealing to her.  We might visit Wesgate 1-2 times per year but only to the anchor stores.

 

I don't want to write off malls entirely.  There are many of them out there whose sales per square foot is amazingly robust, given the competition, changing demographics, and consumer behavior in favor of venues other than the traditional malls.  Even Westage is hanging in there.  The parking lot is usually full, the vacancy rate is low, the anchors are pretty fair, and the food court packs 'em in. 

 

Some of the big retailers; Belk, for example, are doing quite well as they've learned how to reinvent themselves.  Malls, too, are learning how to reinvent themselves by enhancing the shopping experience and, believe it or not, discouraging teens from hanging out.

Edited by roads-scholar
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  • 5 months later...
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So I stumbled across Westgate Pointe Town Center on Pinnacle Development's website.  I think they own all that land with the Spartan-16.  On the project page, it says "50 acre retail development," "The outdoor mixed-use town center will serve as Spartanburg’s focal point for business, entertainment, and shopping." and "Year Built: 2015" so this could be an upcoming development. 

 

On the other hand, Pinnacle announced they were going to build another hotel over there 1-2 years ago, and it never happened, so I don't know if they're capable of delivering something like this.  But we can hope.  Here's a basic rendering from the webpage:

picture_7.jpg

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  • 3 months later...

Pinnacle Hospitality has plans to put another hotel (100 Rooms) at Summit Point near the other two hotels.  A brand hasn't been announced, but they plan to start construction later this year.  I just wish some more restaurants would come over there also.

 Well, a couple of years late but Pinnacle has now announced again that they will build a new Residence Inn by Marriott at Summit Point.  Construction should begin this summer.  Still wanting more restaurants there.....

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  • 3 months later...

The old restaurant beside the car wash on Hwy. 29 has been sold and is being torn down.  Any insights as to what is going there?

Edit: never mind.  I just got around to looking at GoUpstate and the restaurant is a Captain D's.:sick:  Oh well. 

Edited by hub-city
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