The Promenade At Chenal

[candacet]

I forgot about Dick's coming, the one in Louisville is huge! That could be it...I put a few pics over on the gallery section.

Edited January 25, 2008 by candacet

[RemusCal]

I would not discount NWA for a location at all. With many more vendors and international companies moving into NWA and the Sustainability Movement going on in Fayetteville, I can see it coming it sooner rather than later.

NWA can definitely support a Nordstrom. Almost everyone I know STILL buys a lot of their clothing in larger markets because the Promenade still just doesn't completely cut it. Although the stores are nice, the market will continue to push high end goods. THe salaries continue to increase and the cost of living is staying steady due to the housing crisis (or even decreasing). That is great news for NWA.

I did hear the other day that Jillains or Dave and Busters is now a possibility for Rogers as well. Also, keep in mind that the age of the population is younger with more disposable income, so many people can't wait to buy at stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Burberry, etc. They want to be on the cutting edge.

[bchris02]

I would not discount NWA for a location at all. With many more vendors and international companies moving into NWA and the Sustainability Movement going on in Fayetteville, I can see it coming it sooner rather than later.

NWA can definitely support a Nordstrom. Almost everyone I know STILL buys a lot of their clothing in larger markets because the Promenade still just doesn't completely cut it. Although the stores are nice, the market will continue to push high end goods. THe salaries continue to increase and the cost of living is staying steady due to the housing crisis (or even decreasing). That is great news for NWA.

I did hear the other day that Jillains or Dave and Busters is now a possibility for Rogers as well. Also, keep in mind that the age of the population is younger with more disposable income, so many people can't wait to buy at stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Burberry, etc. They want to be on the cutting edge.

The problem with NWA is its economy is reliant totally upon Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart can only create jobs and stimulate growth for so long. If Wal-Mart decided one day to move its HQ to Dallas/Ft Worth for instance (which was seriously discussed before the NWA boom), NWA would have nothing to fall back on. It needs to diversify its economy if it is to become a real city in the same league as Tulsa, Little Rock, Memphis, etc. I can see NWA getting a Macy's, but a Nordstrom is over the top.

[Architect]

I would not discount NWA for a location at all. With many more vendors and international companies moving into NWA and the Sustainability Movement going on in Fayetteville, I can see it coming it sooner rather than later.

NWA can definitely support a Nordstrom. Almost everyone I know STILL buys a lot of their clothing in larger markets because the Promenade still just doesn't completely cut it. Although the stores are nice, the market will continue to push high end goods. THe salaries continue to increase and the cost of living is staying steady due to the housing crisis (or even decreasing). That is great news for NWA.

I did hear the other day that Jillains or Dave and Busters is now a possibility for Rogers as well. Also, keep in mind that the age of the population is younger with more disposable income, so many people can't wait to buy at stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Burberry, etc. They want to be on the cutting edge.

I completely disagree.

Unquestionably, a high percentage of the population in NWA (mainly Benton County) falls into the upper income bracket, which is impressive. But do you honestly think there are MORE people at that income level in Benton County than the cities I listed? Absolutely not.

But hey, if I'm wrong...I'll eat my shirt!

[turboturtle]

But hey, if I'm wrong...I'll eat my shirt!

I think the cotton in the Nordstrom t-shirts is softer, stronger and whiter. I bet they taste better too.

Edited January 25, 2008 by turboturtle

[Architect]

I think the cotton in the Nordstrom t-shirts is softer, stronger and whiter. I bet they test better too.

No doubt!

[candacet]

Store Manager -

Job type: Full-Time Employee

DSW is the fastest growing and most exciting retail shoe concept in the country. We specialize in brand name designer... ...management... DSW Shoes AR - Little Rock

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Job type: Full-Time Employee

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White House / Black Market

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So May/June is the opening?

[hartford]

I would not discount NWA for a location at all. With many more vendors and international companies moving into NWA and the Sustainability Movement going on in Fayetteville, I can see it coming it sooner rather than later.

NWA can definitely support a Nordstrom. Almost everyone I know STILL buys a lot of their clothing in larger markets because the Promenade still just doesn't completely cut it. Although the stores are nice, the market will continue to push high end goods. THe salaries continue to increase and the cost of living is staying steady due to the housing crisis (or even decreasing). That is great news for NWA.

I did hear the other day that Jillains or Dave and Busters is now a possibility for Rogers as well. Also, keep in mind that the age of the population is younger with more disposable income, so many people can't wait to buy at stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, Burberry, etc. They want to be on the cutting edge.

You have to be joking, right??? LR has a higher avg income, more than DOUBLE the population, and a more diversified economy than NWA. The only thing NWA has going for it in terms of retail is an abundance of land for new development. I can see the Promenade now... Bed Bath and Beyond, next to JC Penny, next to Nordstroms...yeah right!

[bchris02]

You have to be joking, right??? LR has a higher avg income, more than DOUBLE the population, and a more diversified economy than NWA. The only thing NWA has going for it in terms of retail is an abundance of land for new development. I can see the Promenade now... Bed Bath and Beyond, next to JC Penny, next to Nordstroms...yeah right!

You are right, but NWA has a lot more momentum right now because of the growth numbers and general hype, and developers are buying into it. They would be dumb to assume the kind of growth rate seen in the last decade in NWA is sustainable in the long term.

[RemusCal]

You are right, but NWA has a lot more momentum right now because of the growth numbers and general hype, and developers are buying into it. They would be dumb to assume the kind of growth rate seen in the last decade in NWA is sustainable in the long term.

The growth rate in NWA has slowed some, but many, many businesses are considering relocating here, and not only due to Walmart. There is a lot of momentum going on here and tons of people with money moving into the area. People all over the world are finding out about Bentonville, AR. I guarantee that Nordstrom will be here in the near future. I have personally written the company and many other people have as well. The response we got was, Nordstrom has looked into NWA and is looking for the right site location.

You also have to take into account that Fayetteville was also ranked as one of the top places in the US to retire. There are many retirees also moving here. Let's not forget that the Baby Boomers are starting to retire in the next 10 years and that will also have an effect on the area as many people from the North move South. Little Rock does have a very diverse economy, but there are not as many high income producing jobs moving into Little Rock as there are that are moving into NWA. Little Rock has mostly manufacturing and tourism developing in the city. I am not trying to act like NWA is any better than Little Rock. I am stating facts and what I have read in newspapers and journals about NWA.

[Architect]

Little Rock has mostly manufacturing and tourism developing in the city.

Correction.

Little Rock has VERY LITTLE MANUFACTURING.

The economy of Central Arkansas is primarily made up of professional, white-collar Government, Healthcare, Telecommunications, and Professional Services, NOT manufacturing (in spite of the recent announcements at the Little Rock Port, one of which includes the new North American Headquarters of a European Company). Tourism? Somewhat....

Regarding Nordstrom, you've enveloped yourself in a reality distortion field. The growth of NWA is phenomenal, and great for the whole state, but its not

the end of the proverbial rainbow (where you'd find Nordstrom).

[bchris02]

Little Rock has mostly manufacturing and tourism developing in the city.

This shows how little you know about Little Rock. LR isn't a hot tourist spot (try Hot Springs) and the economy is far more geared towards white collar, healthcare, and government jobs than manufacturing. The wealthiest zipcode in the state is actually in Little Rock and not in NWA.

People also forget that Central Arkansas is growing at a very rapid pace as well. Unfortunately, very little of this growth is in Pulaski County. Most of it is happening in places like Cabot, Benton, Conway, Beebe, etc. I dont think we are helped by the fact that most of our suburbs are distant from the core city instead of being connected like Plano/Dallas, Germantown/Memphis, etc.

My point is not that NWA can't support Nordstrom (although I do have concerns). I think it is ridiculous however for NWA to be considered and not LR. This goes not just for Nordstrom but for other developments as well. Dave and Busters, for instance, would do very well in LR.

[EJC]

I hear there's a nice new development going up on the west side of LR... called Promenade or something to that effect. Perhaps something about that development will turn up again in this thread

[Architect]

I hear there's a nice new development going up on the west side of LR... called Promenade or something to that effect. Perhaps something about that development will turn up again in this thread

Yes, to put this back on-topic: it will NOT have a Nordstroms.

[hartford]

The growth rate in NWA has slowed some, but many, many businesses are considering relocating here, and not only due to Walmart. There is a lot of momentum going on here and tons of people with money moving into the area. People all over the world are finding out about Bentonville, AR. I guarantee that Nordstrom will be here in the near future. I have personally written the company and many other people have as well. The response we got was, Nordstrom has looked into NWA and is looking for the right site location.

You also have to take into account that Fayetteville was also ranked as one of the top places in the US to retire. There are many retirees also moving here. Let's not forget that the Baby Boomers are starting to retire in the next 10 years and that will also have an effect on the area as many people from the North move South. Little Rock does have a very diverse economy, but there are not as many high income producing jobs moving into Little Rock as there are that are moving into NWA. Little Rock has mostly manufacturing and tourism developing in the city. I am not trying to act like NWA is any better than Little Rock. I am stating facts and what I have read in newspapers and journals about NWA.

The medical community in LR is much bigger in LR than NWA and those are very high paying jobs. UAMS, Alltel, Axciom, and Dillards, plus govt jobs have more (quantity) high paying exec jobs than Wal-Mart, Tyson, JB Hunt. Wal Mart, Tyson, and JB Hunt have big name CEOs/Family names but the majority of the vendors are in the 60-120k range. Think about what the average physician makes at UAMS and the multiple surrounding hospitals (Baptist, St Vincent, Doctors, Childrens). This is not to mention all the upper management at the above mentioned corporations in LR. NWA has had a large % growth but the area still does not have a large overall popluation. For example, you read that somewhere like Siloam Springs had 50% growth which sounds huge, but all that means is that they grew from 5000 to 7500. Don't get me wrong, I like NWA. I graduated from UofA, but some of this hype is ridiculous.

[bchris02]

So the complete list of tenants so far reads..

Dick's Sporting Goods

JCrew

Apple

Bebe

Victoria's Secret

Coldwater Creek

Dickinson Theater/IMAX

Ethan Allen

Chili's

Bravo

Portrait Innovations

Ann Taylor Loft

Journeys shoes

Finish Line

American Eagle

Lids

Select Comfort mattresses

Kay Jewlers

Bath and Body Works

Limited Too

Talbots

White House {sodEmoji.|} Black Market

J Jill

DSW

I imagine there will be a few cell phone shops thrown in the mix. Some good restaurants will be necissary because if nothing else it will assure foot traffic.

[Aporkalypse]

This shows how little you know about Little Rock. LR isn't a hot tourist spot (try Hot Springs) and the economy is far more geared towards white collar, healthcare, and government jobs than manufacturing. The wealthiest zipcode in the state is actually in Little Rock and not in NWA.

People also forget that Central Arkansas is growing at a very rapid pace as well. Unfortunately, very little of this growth is in Pulaski County. Most of it is happening in places like Cabot, Benton, Conway, Beebe, etc. I dont think we are helped by the fact that most of our suburbs are distant from the core city instead of being connected like Plano/Dallas, Germantown/Memphis, etc.

My point is not that NWA can't support Nordstrom (although I do have concerns). I think it is ridiculous however for NWA to be considered and not LR. This goes not just for Nordstrom but for other developments as well. Dave and Busters, for instance, would do very well in LR.

I guess I'll throw in my two cents...

NWA and Ft Smith are the state's manufacturing base. Companies like Whirlpool, Rheem, Daisy, Campbell's, etc were the old core of that region. The new growth added on to it but those are still there, along with Tyson and it's cadre of very low paying jobs. Anyway, the 2nd district has twice as many manufacturing jobs as the 4th.

LR used to have a strong manufacturing base - Schwinn bicycles, Timex, etc used to occupy a corridor along I-30 from just outside of downtown to SWLR. Those factories are long gone, a casualty of high energy prices in the 1970s and 80s and foreign competition. LR went through rough economic times and emerged with an economy centered on government, medicine, banking, and telecom/IT. Now we are starting to see companies moving in to offer manufacturing jobs (Welspun, LM Glasfiber, and Dassault and its vendors). That shift is very interesting considering manufacturing jobs are being lost at an alarming rate in most areas.

As far as the economy in LR vs NWA, I recall posting data that showed median incomes and home prices in west and north central LR zips exceeded those in Rogers and Bentonville zips by a healthy margin. More importantly, though, the retail draw for LR for entities like Nordstrom's, Dave and Buster's, and Cheesecake Factory would include cities like Hot Springs, Searcy, Arkadelphia, Pine Bluff, Russellville, etc - a population of more than a million within 50 miles. NWA doesn't have that draw, it's a small, localized economy because nearby cities like Tulsa, Springfield and Ft Smith have their own offerings.

I bet Remus doesn't even know D&B started in LR.

[tangle]

I bet Remus doesn't even know D&B started in LR.

I had kind of idly wondered what happened to Slick Willy's. Thanks for the reminder!

[bchris02]

I had kind of idly wondered what happened to Slick Willy's. Thanks for the reminder!

Slick Willy's is a very popular pool hall chain in Texas and Oklahoma. Would be kind of nice to have them in LR.

[tangle]

Slick Willy's is a very popular pool hall chain in Texas and Oklahoma. Would be kind of nice to have them in LR.

I remember there being one in Little Rock 17 or 18 years ago. The Dave & Buster's About page confirms that and ties to the Little Rock roots.

[LRU1967]

I remember there being one in Little Rock 17 or 18 years ago. The Dave & Buster's About page confirms that and ties to the Little Rock roots.

Slick Willy's and Buster's occupied the ground floor on the south side of the Train Station. Buster's was the place to see and be seen in the 80's. Next Level Events occupies the old Buster's location.

[Aporkalypse]

Slick Willy's is a very popular pool hall chain in Texas and Oklahoma. Would be kind of nice to have them in LR.

Are these Slick Willy's affiliated with the Dave and Buster's guys that owned the original at the train station in LR?

[Architect]

The latest plumbing records indicate an application for 'White Box'...is this retailer/developer 'jargon' for a shell space, or is there a retailer with this name? I couldn't fine one of that name through a web search.

[RemusCal]

I bet Remus doesn't even know D&B started in LR.

Correction. I do know that Dave and Busters started in Little Rock and yes I could see Little Rock getting one. Dave and Busters is now headquartered in Dallas. I also believe NWA could support one as well. The difference in the money in Little Rock vs. NWA is that LR has a lot of older money (people 45+) compared to NWA (having an average age of 32-35). There are so many twenty and thirty year olds up here that want trendy restaurants, department stores, and bars that Nordstrom will have to come here soon. I know most of the commercial builders here in the area and they say that there are more retailers that come to look at opening in this area than in Little Rock due to the population growth and all the business travelers that come here every week. It just keeps on fueling the economy. One of my friends said that Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, Cheesecake Factory, Macys, and many others are currently scoping the area and looking for site spots to open up.

It won't be too far down the road until it happens here. I just think with the downturn in the economy and the housing market going under that construction has slowed a lot. So it may be 2 years before something like that happens.

[bchris02]

Correction. I do know that Dave and Busters started in Little Rock and yes I could see Little Rock getting one. Dave and Busters is now headquartered in Dallas. I also believe NWA could support one as well. The difference in the money in Little Rock vs. NWA is that LR has a lot of older money (people 45+) compared to NWA (having an average age of 32-35). There are so many twenty and thirty year olds up here that want trendy restaurants, department stores, and bars that Nordstrom will have to come here soon. I know most of the commercial builders here in the area and they say that there are more retailers that come to look at opening in this area than in Little Rock due to the population growth and all the business travelers that come here every week. It just keeps on fueling the economy. One of my friends said that Crate & Barrel, Nordstrom, Cheesecake Factory, Macys, and many others are currently scoping the area and looking for site spots to open up.

It won't be too far down the road until it happens here. I just think with the downturn in the economy and the housing market going under that construction has slowed a lot. So it may be 2 years before something like that happens.

Instead of continuing to derail this thread debating Little Rock vs. NWA, I have created a new thread for this topic.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/Rock-vs-NWA-t44467.html