The Mall at Green Hills

[franktown]

You're right, I misunderstood! I thought that Premier was = Flagship...my bad!

[ATLBrain]

Jeesh... that's a recipe for confusion in its public image. I don't understand why they want to be all over the place, but it appears that they think they can make that idea work. It would be a rare case if it does.

Giving it a second thought, that's just downright silly. And I use my dear Phipps shopping wife as an example of people who will simply refuse to shop at a Belk.

[eastofnowhere]

Absolutely. Once a consumer has a bad impression of Belk based on the low-end stores, they probably won't give the "flagship" a chance. The reactions on this form as a case in point.

[StevenRocks]

I seriously doubt that any Belk sells Salvatorre Ferragmo products

Ferragamo shoes and men's accessories are available at Belk SouthPark and select other locations. They actually carried Ferragamo sportswear for a season or two, but it didn't sell very well.

[smeagolsfree]

Jeesh... that's a recipe for confusion in its public image. I don't understand why they want to be all over the place, but it appears that they think they can make that idea work. It would be a rare case if it does.

Giving it a second thought, that's just downright silly. And I use my dear Phipps shopping wife as an example of people who will simply refuse to shop at a Belk.

I tend to agree that it is confusing. How do you tell the difference???

[David1502]

I tend to agree that it is confusing. How do you tell the difference???

When you walk into an individual Belk store you can look at the brands carried and it becomes readily apparent. Like I said in my earlier post, the Parkway Place (former Parisian) store is obviously a high end store. When you see Hickey Freeman and Joseph Aboud names on the wall in the suit department you know you are not in the Belk in Guntersville, AL where I would be willing to bet they don't carry Polo.

The former Parisian stores ahve an advantage over the typical Belks because they had already carried better brands.

[ATLBrain]

When you walk into an individual Belk store you can look at the brands carried and it becomes readily apparent. Like I said in my earlier post, the Parkway Place (former Parisian) store is obviously a high end store. When you see Hickey Freeman and Joseph Aboud names on the wall in the suit department you know you are not in the Belk in Guntersville, AL where I would be willing to bet they don't carry Polo.

The former Parisian stores ahve an advantage over the typical Belks because they had already carried better brands.

I think the trick is to get people to actually enter the store. For those who have been to the guntersville store etc, their impression has already been made. The point to the confusion statement is that from the outside, how would you tell a "premier" from a "flagship" from a whoziwhatzit? Going all the way back to my first marketing class at Fuqua, that's just bad branding.

[Lexy]

If it is a Belk, I WILL NOT shop there period. They deserve no square footage in a mall like Green Hills. They are not, nor will they ever be, on par with the clientel that shop at that mall. Keep Belk in the 'burbs and let a real department store come to the Mall at Green Hills.

[opendrawerwhore]

If it is a Belk, I WILL NOT shop there period. They deserve no square footage in a mall like Green Hills. They are not, nor will they ever be, on par with the clientel that shop at that mall. Keep Belk in the 'burbs and let a real department store come to the Mall at Green Hills.

If the "real department stores" like Saks, Bloomies, Nordies, or even Neimans, were really interested in being in Nashville, don't you think that they would already be here??? Belk "flagship" and/or Von Maur are the next stores headed to Nashville. BTW, Von Maur in Louisville Ky. is very, very, nice!

[samsonh]

If it is a Belk, I WILL NOT shop there period. They deserve no square footage in a mall like Green Hills. They are not, nor will they ever be, on par with the clientel that shop at that mall. Keep Belk in the 'burbs and let a real department store come to the Mall at Green Hills.

Its this attitude that is odd with me. So many seem to take it as a personal slight that the nicest department stores are not in Nashville yet. They will come when the target market is large enough. Also, a "real" department store, is Belk not real?

[smeagolsfree]

If it is a Belk, I WILL NOT shop there period. They deserve no square footage in a mall like Green Hills. They are not, nor will they ever be, on par with the clientel that shop at that mall. Keep Belk in the 'burbs and let a real department store come to the Mall at Green Hills.

Come on Lexy. You know you will have to shop where ever Casey wants to shop.

Congrats on being a town.

When I was a kid, Belks was a main stay in our DT. That was before I had even heard of any of the high end stores with the exception of Macy's. I have not seen one of Belks higher end stores and do not know what it stacks up against. The real problem is name recognition as a high end dept. store. No one sees them as competition for Marshall Fields or Neiman Marcus adn I dont know if they could be.

[ATLBrain]

Unless they have some supersecret data that tells otherwise, I think they should have kept the Parisian name on certain stores. My wife did shop there. In retail, so much is in the NAME.

[Lexy]

Come on Lexy. You know you will have to shop where ever Casey wants to shop.

Congrats on being a town.

When I was a kid, Belks was a main stay in our DT. That was before I had even heard of any of the high end stores with the exception of Macy's. I have not seen one of Belks higher end stores and do not know what it stacks up against. The real problem is name recognition as a high end dept. store. No one sees them as competition for Marshall Fields or Neiman Marcus adn I dont know if they could be.

Ron, you're really right when it all boils down to it. LOL!!

I just don't like Belk. I don't like their product mix, their customer service, and their stores. I think they are a mid-level retailer with some high-end offereings. But really nothing more than a watered down Dillards at best. Now, with that said, I would be anxious to see what a so-called "High End" Belks is like. But if it's ANYTHING like what is already here, they can take it and shove it. We don't need more of that type of "cardboard cutout" retail in this town dancing around like they are something really high-end when they're not. Dillards is bad about this here.

As for the question about highend retail (Saks, Neiman, etc.) already being here if they wanted. They have said they want in here. I think you need to look no further than the crappy ownership of the local malls to figure out why we have no decent offerings when it comes to higher end retail here. Green Hills has, in my opinion, the most aggresive and progressive leadership in the city and that's why it's a cut above the rest. But me personally, I think haveing a Belk's there (regardless of what they want to subtitle it as) is a downgrade from what they really could have.

So is it safe to assume that a high-end retailer will now locate in Williamson County as opposed to Davidson??? There is always Goose Creek coming down the pipe you know.

As for the comment towards Louisville. Come on. I spent over twenty years of my life in Kentucky and the majority of it spent in that part of the state. Von Maur is a glorified Lazarus at best. It's offereings are no different than a Macy's or Dillards when you get down to the nuts and bolts. Atleast that has been my experience.

My post(s) aren't meant to offend or piss off anyone, but rather to show my frustration with the LACK of offereings this town has in comparison to neighboring MSA's with both a lesser median income and population/market area.

[memphian]

I'll agree with Lexy. Belk is pretty dowdy. Von Maur is nothing special either - they still furnish their stores with peach and teal carpets (1980's??).

What I'd like to see is the Pizitz Family take a huge leap and expand Gus Mayer back into a real department store - which it once upon a time was. They have the fashion connections to merchandise the store to meet the niche that keeps skipping over Nashville. Their store in Birmingham is already a mini department store so why not do at least the same things here?

Anyway, Belk would be a great fit for the new Bellevue Center (whatever its going to be). Maybe it would force Macy's to take a long look at theirsad operations there.

[FromParkAveToTN]

I'm really saddened by this news that a Belk is going in Green Hills Mall. I live in Green Hills and shop in Green Hills and I prefer the high quality goods and services that higher-end retailers offer. Lets face it, Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's offer better quality merchandise. When I purchase shoes and/or clothing, I purchase with the thought that this is going to last me several years and I don't mind spending the extra money for something that is going to last longer.

There are certain colognes that are exclusive to Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's that are to die for; whereas, Macy's, Dillard's, and probably Belk only sale main-stream products.

The good news is, I can always buy on line from Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's, but there's nothing like being able to try things on before you purchase it.

[nsvlbimmerguy]

A counterpoint to the topic of getting things in Nashville, which the Gus Mayer interest raises, is that many of the brands that you can't buy at Dillard's, normal Macy's (not flagship stores like NYC or Sanfran) and the department store mix in Nashville presently, you can still buy here, you just have to drive around town and seek them out. Levy's sells Gucci shoes and used to sell Ferragamo, though I've not been in there for ages, the Oxford shop and others carry Burberry, etc., Jamie sells all sorts of high end brands. Even with this though, you still don't have as large a selection or the buying/ordering power or service and perks from shopping at Saks, or Neman's, or even Nordstrom, where the sales people will sell you the clothes off their back if you want them.

While it's nice for now to be able to purchase tax free online, (something else the city is missing out on) it would really be nice to not have to waste money sending stuff back that doesn't fit because you can't try it on in the store.

That's why it matters, it's not about exclusivity, though that's part of what these stores offer, it's about access for what a city of our size and underappreciated means deserves....

[Manolos]

I'm really saddened by this news that a Belk is going in Green Hills Mall. I live in Green Hills and shop in Green Hills and I prefer the high quality goods and services that higher-end retailers offer. Lets face it, Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's offer better quality merchandise. When I purchase shoes and/or clothing, I purchase with the thought that this is going to last me several years and I don't mind spending the extra money for something that is going to last longer.

There are certain colognes that are exclusive to Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's that are to die for; whereas, Macy's, Dillard's, and probably Belk only sale main-stream products.

The good news is, I can always buy on line from Neiman, Saks, and Bergdorf's, but there's nothing like being able to try things on before you purchase it.

That is exactly why I hate shopping for clothing online. Things look cute but then never fit just right.

[brownhound]

That is exactly why I hate shopping for clothing online. Things look cute but then never fit just right.

Folks--are you sure that Belk is going in to the mall? Who's the poster who mentioned this silly idea. Davis Street has never contracted with Belk. Why would they do so now and with a second-rate retailer? Nothing special comes from Belk; it's like Kohl's--boring, entirely pedestrian, and without panache. Blah.

[Hwil3]

The likelihood of TMAGH clientelle shopping at Belk is about as likely as them heading down Charlotte Pk to shop at Big Lots. Ain't gonna happen.

[ATLBrain]

So has the Belk been announced officially as the new anchor at MGH?

[StevenRocks]

Two questions:

Why have y'all spent two pages trashing even the possibility of Belk when no official announcement has been made? Is there nothing else to talk about at this mall?

Further, how many of you have the disposable income to actually shop at these "higher end" stores at regular price often enough to keep them afloat. I know I don't.

[Lexy]

Further, how many of you have the disposable income to actually shop at these "higher end" stores at regular price often enough to keep them afloat. I know I don't.

I do. But it takes more than "regulars" to keep a store like those going. Stores like these that the majority of us are talking about would be regional draws whereas a stupid Belk would be just........well..........like any other mall in the area. Just with a Tiffany's and a "Louie" down the hall and not a Wolf Camera store next to it.

[Justiceham]

I do. But it takes more than "regulars" to keep a store like those going. Stores like these that the majority of us are talking about would be regional draws whereas a stupid Belk would be just........well..........like any other mall in the area. Just with a Tiffany's and a "Louie" down the hall and not a Wolf Camera store next to it.

I'm glad you have brought that point up. TMAGH is a regional mall, drawing people from all over the area because you cannot find many of these stores anywhere else in TN, KY, or Northern Alabama. Assuming that only people in Green Hills is your target market is very dumb. Belk seems to have a very aggressive marketing strategy...expand, expand, expand. I wouldn't be surprised if they open a store at the new Smyrna Commons development.

[StevenRocks]

I do. But it takes more than "regulars" to keep a store like those going. Stores like these that the majority of us are talking about would be regional draws whereas a stupid Belk would be just........well..........like any other mall in the area. Just with a Tiffany's and a "Louie" down the hall and not a Wolf Camera store next to it.

A lot is said about regional draw, and admittedly, it's very important. But you cannot discount the spending ability of shoppers in one, five and ten mile radii of the stores. The demographics have to be right for frequent shopping by locals. That's Retail 101.

[thanner]

(I do realize Memphis has a Tiffany's).

Memphis has a Tiffany's? It's not listed on their Web site. When they opened their TMAGH location, it was billed as the only one in Tennessee.