Burlington Coat Cooming To MetroCenter Mall

[Guest]

MetroCenter Mall is getting a major anchor tenant. HWY 80 corridor has seen its share of MAJOR retail tennants leave the area and head towareds the subarbs in the past couple of years. Will this new store finally get the redevelopment underway. Its a start right?

The Clarion Ledger

[tombarnes]

It's good to see new tenants for Metro Center. Allowing it to die wouldn't make much sense. I'd still prefer to see these stores downtown again, but that may take many years. How is the rest of the area on Highway 80 turning out? Have they got rid of the derelict hotels )the old Holiday Inn, La Quinta, Tarrymore and Drake motels? I'm fairly sure that at least a couple of those are gone now.

[mallguy]

The Burlington Coat Factory article on Wikipedia states the following:

"Burlington Coat Factory is known to some as, "The Grim Reaper of Retail," due to the fact that the company often sets up shop in older, distressed retail locations such as abandoned department stores. The addition of a Burlington Coat Factory store can be seen by some as a bad omen that a certain area is "going down." It should be noted that this is not always the case, however."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington_Coat_Factory

So I'm sorry that your mall is dying.

[tombarnes]

I can't exactly say that your post was a positive one. I'd love to see Nordstrom or Bloomingdale's come to MetroCenter. Obviously, this isn't going to happen. I would honestly prefer to see the mall closed and demolished and have its business redirected to the center of the city. This probably won't happen either. For better for worse, MetroCenter is hanging on. What is the point of your post if not to simply be negative?

[gs3]

I had always had this hope that the growth in Clinton (MCI days) would spur more investment in the Metrocenter area. Is Clinton still growing? New homes? New business? Would also be great to see Metro have better road access across I-20 to the Methodist Medical Center.

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

I can't exactly say that your post was a positive one. I'd love to see Nordstrom or Bloomingdale's come to MetroCenter. Obviously, this isn't going to happen. I would honestly prefer to see the mall closed and demolished and have its business redirected to the center of the city. This probably won't happen either. For better for worse, MetroCenter is hanging on. What is the point of your post if not to simply be negative?

[tombarnes]

I have been following the MetroCenter thread at the JFP. Interesting stuff over there. I tend to think that the reviatlization of MetroCenter as something other than a shopping mall might be a better idea. Thoughts about what its future could be anyone?

[spoody]

Tombarnes, concerning your question on the JFP metrocenter thread about Highland Village, I heard the manager on a local talk radio show back during the winter say that 2006 was their most profitable year in history.

It really is a great place. Not only is the architecture special, I love the landscaping there too. We usually shop there during Christmas, but not so much during the rest of the year. I'm not much of a shopper, except for last minute holiday shopping, and HV is perfect for that. There are some great restaurants in the place now too, that are really popular. A couple of out-buildings have been recently constructed, one an upscale butcher and specialty food shop and the other is still under construction and I don't know what will go there.

Highland Village is also one of the original mixed use developments, way ahead of it's time, with retail and office space. I'd like to see them add apartments and condos. A good hotel would be in order also, a high rise built on the premises instead of the other side of I-55 at the super 8 or whatever it is, location.

The story I heard was that Jimmy Fowler, a long time Jackson auto dealer, had vacationed in Europe and had the idea and vision to do a development with a European flavor in Jackson. That's what makes the place so good in my opinion, it is not a replica of a particular place.

I will get down there soon and take some pics and post.

as for Metrocenter, I'm at a loss. I just don't have a good idea to share at this time. I hate to see it go down, I worked out there part time during the late 70's/early 80's. It was certainly a hopping place then.

[gs3]

^ I always loved shopping in Highland Village and eating at Old Thyme (is it still open)? It was the only kosher deli we could find when we lived there. I agree with you about Highland Village and always though it would be perfect with condos added. The demographic around Highland Village and Banner Hall are the best in Jackson.

[Guest]

I didn't post this when I first read it but Peggy Hobbson Calhun, a Hinds County Supervisor said since the announcement of BCF three new stores have commited to opeing in Metro!

[tombarnes]

Interesting. Any idea about which stores?

[Guest]

The article didn't mention any names.

[Guest]

The article didn't mention any names.

[tombarnes]

BCF Opens Today

The Burlinton Coat Factory opens today in MetroCenter. I suppose what is remarkable about this is that the space has been vacant since 1999, so it is good to see the space filled. As for the long-term health of MetroCenter, I still wonder sometimes whether this mall will succeed or if its location will still be a drawback.

The Clarion-Ledger

[Guest]

Spoke to one of the managers a few weeks ago. He said the store is doing very well. Just thought i'd keep you all informed.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Just curious... I've been working on cleaning up the Wikipedia article on Metrocenter Mall, and had to check how progress was coming along (or not, perhaps) on the space upstairs from Burlington Coat Factory. Surely, that should have bearing on the long-term success of the mall overall, and more particularly BCF.

[Guest]

Just curious... I've been working on cleaning up the Wikipedia article on Metrocenter Mall, and had to check how progress was coming along (or not, perhaps) on the space upstairs from Burlington Coat Factory. Surely, that should have bearing on the long-term success of the mall overall, and more particularly BCF.