PARISIAN at Citadel Mall

[Charleston native]

^ A Nordstrom's would've even been better. Well, I guess we shouldn't be too disappointed: with the store coming back to the mall, it keeps the mall active with 5 anchor retailers.

[Spartan]

This article is defintiely worth a read. It appears to be the most spot on case of the UP effect I've seen to date. It highlights pretty much everything we've discussed here and in other threads about teh upscale retial market in Charleston, specifically centered around the Citadel Mall. It explains that Charleston just isn't large enough in population, and doesnt have a high enough income level or enough people driving high end luxury cars to warrant the Nordroms, Neimen-Marcus, etc. to consider the area.

[Charleston native]

My problem with their line of logic on Macy's is the fact that the one here in Columbia is not in an upscale mall. In fact, the mall is dying economically with regular retailers either completely closing or relocating to VAS. From the look of the store, I wouldn't even consider it as upscale. It is more like a middle-income store like Belk's or Dillard's.

Whatever these mall reps are saying about the market is also a bunch of crap. The Macy's in Cola is actually completely surrounded by low-income neighborhoods and is located on the same boulevard which has some of the highest crime areas in Cola. The only exceptions are the nearby upscale suburban towns of Forest Acres and Arcadia Lakes.

Granted, Citadel Mall in Chas has nearby low-income neighborhoods, but it is surrounded by middle-income and upscale neighborhoods throughout West Ashley. It also is the primary mall for the high-income populations on Johns, Kiawah, and Seabrook Islands. IMO, mall management is just providing an impotent excuse for their laziness and/or lack of foresight. The demographics in this part of Chas contradict what the management is saying, and higher-end retailers will generate more revenue by attracting the current high-income section of people that already lives on this side of town. I think the Citadel Mall managers are just incompetant. Good grief, they can't even properly light their sign at night around the front entrance on Sam Rittenberg!

[Spartan]

Columbia Place was at one time THE regional destination mall for the Midlands, so thats probably why Macy's is there. Plus I think its a larger mall.

West Ashley has always been the middle class part of Charlseton to my understanding. These upscale stores would be much more likely to locate in Mount Pleasant, or maybe in the North Charleston shopping vortex.

[StevenRocks]

Columbia Place was at one time THE regional destination mall for the Midlands, so thats probably why Macy's is there. Plus I think its a larger mall.

[MikesLogic]

Daniel Island '08 or '09 guaranteed high-end retailer. There are $500,000+ homes all over the place out there and in Mt. P. Also that article suggests that downtown King St shopping corridor can support another high-end retailer such as Saks with the right incentives.

[Charleston native]

...West Ashley has always been the middle class part of Charlseton to my understanding. These upscale stores would be much more likely to locate in Mount Pleasant, or maybe in the North Charleston shopping vortex.

[DigitalSky]

I see Macy's left Charleston in the cold, just like they're about to do to Wilmington. It seems they are really wanting to focus on markets where they have multiple stores rather than have one or two stores.

Plus - I think Daniel's Island will have more potential for something like Nordstrom rather than mid-market Citadel Mall

[Charleston native]

I always thought that Daniel Island would be more suitable for something like Neiman Marcus, since I've never thought Nordstrom's was even their equivalent, much less like Saks 5th Avenue. Hence, my reasoning for Nordstroms to make it to the old Parisian. Macy's would've been OK, but JCPenney is a letdown.

I personally think mall management didn't try that hard to market other potential anchors. It would've been a chance to gradually change the mall to a middle/upscale shopping destination, and change its image after the shootings in the food court.

[gs3]

My problem with their line of logic on Macy's is the fact that the one here in Columbia is not in an upscale mall. In fact, the mall is dying economically with regular retailers either completely closing or relocating to VAS. From the look of the store, I wouldn't even consider it as upscale. It is more like a middle-income store like Belk's or Dillard's.

Whatever these mall reps are saying about the market is also a bunch of crap. The Macy's in Cola is actually completely surrounded by low-income neighborhoods and is located on the same boulevard which has some of the highest crime areas in Cola. The only exceptions are the nearby upscale suburban towns of Forest Acres and Arcadia Lakes.

[Mr.Marc]

The problem is that Mt. P has been stigmatized as the yuppie community, whereas West Ashley has been stereotyped as the gritty middle class area.

[Charleston native]

I meant gritty in the Mt. P terminology of "not new". WA is the oldest suburb of Chas, and it does have some older areas that aren't particularly attractive. However, the majority of WA has middle, high-middle, and high income residents with new neighborhoods as well as some beautiful old neighborhoods.

[mallguy]

Before Columbiana, Columbia Mall was the nicest mall in Columbia. Rich's chose to locate there because of this. Even as Macy's, they're holding their own. Still, if they weren't already at that mall, they wouldn't choose to locate there now, considering the demographics.

Citadel Mall is in better shape than Columbia Place in that regard, but still not what Federated is looking for, I guess.

[Charleston native]

The Macy's in Columbia, SC is not located downtown. It is located in the lower northeast section of Richland County within a huge suburban, unincorporated area known as Northeast Columbia.

[StevenRocks]

The Macy's in Columbia, SC is not located downtown. It is located in the lower northeast section of Richland County within a huge suburban, unincorporated area known as Northeast Columbia.