Macon Mall

[dougtha1]

I think he meant that the Moivie Tavern is going in the Parisians building.

A food court store like Cinnabon Bakery wouldn't occupy an entire former department store.

I think what they mean is it is going in the mall near the former Parisian Department Store.

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

I'm glad to hear that Dillard's and Belk will stay at Macon Mall once the Shoppes opens with both department stores.

This is a feat even Augusta couldn't accomplish opening two malls in 1978 and then having Regency Mall close and get boarded up while Augusta Mall flourished.

The fact that Macon can support this much retail says to me that the region is really growing and Macon truely must be " The Heart Of Middle Georgia!"

[yerocal]

I'm glad to hear that Dillard's and Belk will stay at Macon Mall once the Shoppes opens with both department stores.

This is a feat even Augusta couldn't accomplish opening two malls in 1978 and then having Regency Mall close and get boarded up while Augusta Mall flourished.

The fact that Macon can support this much retail says to me that the region is really growing and Macon truely must be " The Heart Of Middle Georgia!"

Well spoken.....the reason Macon can support this much retail is because Macon is the major hub for Middle GA with a pull from over 22 counties...plus interstates travelers..... and just as much development is happening in south Macon/bibb county....off 475/75 split at hartley bridge Rd.

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

Well spoken.....the reason Macon can support this much retail is because Macon is the major hub for Middle GA with a pull from over 22 counties...plus interstates travelers..... and just as much development is happening in south Macon/bibb county....off 475/75 split at hartley bridge Rd.

Yes it's good to know Yerocal that both North and South Bibb are growing tremedously to accomidate all of the new residents and traffic of two major interstates where traffic starts in Detroit and terminates in Tampa.

[yerocal]

Movie Tavern is Coming to the Macon Mall!

The Macon Mall is getting a movie theatre and its set to open in 2009. Macon is one step clser to having two co-existing regional shopping malls. Something other second-tier cities in GA have had trouble doing in the past. Let's hope the good news keeps coming from both the Macon Mall and River Crossing Mall.

Mall theater plans moving forward

http://www.macon.com/102/story/302100.html

[george]

rue 21-coming soon

[george]

fish and grits restaurant-now open

[george]

Rue 21-now open

[george]

Old Navy and B Dalton have closed

Ann Taylor Loft is about to close

[Mellophonius]

Anyone woner why all these closings are happening with longtime tenants like B. Dalton, Old Navy, and Ann Taylor Loft? I know Old Navy probably lost traffic to the one at Eisenhower Crosing (even though it's been there for years already). B. Dalton, I don't understand. It was the only bookstore in the mall and only one of two bookstores on that end of town, the other being Books-A-Million. Now Macon's left with that and Barnes & Noble. You'd think there would be a bookstore at Eisenhower. As for Ann Taylor Loft, isn't there a new one at River Crossing? That's probably why the mall store closed. At least we have Rue 21 here and the Movie Tavern on its way.

[george]

the mall owners say that an anchor store might close,and that are having cash flow problems and can't pay the loan on the mall.it's not looking good for the mall.

[dougtha1]

the mall owners say that an anchor store might close,and that are having cash flow problems and can't pay the loan on the mall.it's not looking good for the mall.

I bet its Sears...

[Mellophonius]

It's probably Sears or Belk. Sears because it's at the empty end of the mall, Belk because of the planned River Crossing store. There may be a slight chance Dillard's will close for the same reason, but I doubt it. KB toys will probably close too, that company's been having hard times lately. Piccadilly might move to a stand-alone location somewhere near Eisenhower Corssing, perhaps. Just an idea.

[george]

It's probably Sears or Belk. Sears because it's at the empty end of the mall, Belk because of the planned River Crossing store. There may be a slight chance Dillard's will close for the same reason, but I doubt it. KB toys will probably close too, that company's been having hard times lately. Piccadilly might move to a stand-alone location somewhere near Eisenhower Corssing, perhaps. Just an idea.

Piccadilly closed back in december.Steve and Berry's took up most of the space at that end of the mall by Sears.The rumor I have heard is that macy's would close and reopen at lullwater village in 2010.

[dougtha1]

Piccadilly closed back in december.Steve and Berry's took up most of the space at that end of the mall by Sears.The rumor I have heard is that macy's would close and reopen at lullwater village in 2010.

I think Macon Mall needs to downsize. Demolish a wing and bring all of the stores closer together. 2 anchors will do. Thats how the mall can survive. I've noticed that Macon Mall really has just as many or more stores open than any other second-tier city mall, its just so huge so there more vacancies aswell. It would be more cost effective for the owners to maintain a "smaller" Macon Mall.

[yerocal]

I think Macon Mall needs to downsize. Demolish a wing and bring all of the stores closer together. 2 anchors will do. Thats how the mall can survive. I've noticed that Macon Mall really has just as many or more stores open than any other second-tier city mall, its just so huge so there more vacancies aswell. It would be more cost effective for the owners to maintain a "smaller" Macon Mall.

I think what they should is do is major renovations to mall that make it more like a modern mixed used faculty to attract more retailers and customers and to fill the opening like what the Augusta Mall did...... I think they are on the right track with Movie Tavern coming...

[Mellophonius]

In my dreams, they would convert the lower level to an Underground Atlanta-like nightclub and entertainment spotlight, and the upper level to a ground level, open-air shopping center like River Crossing, but without roads inside it. The parking lot surrounding the new ground level would de downsized, and a larger lower level of underground parking would added. This would make room for more outparcels on the ground level, kind of like the maze of restaurants and stores clustered around the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia. But like I said, this outlandish sort of overhaul would probably only exist in my dreams.

[Mellophonius]

Piccadilly closed back in december.Steve and Berry's took up most of the space at that end of the mall by Sears.The rumor I have heard is that macy's would close and reopen at lullwater village in 2010.

Wow, I didn't know about Piccadilly. I live in milledgeville so I don't go the mall in Macon too often. But I know I've been since December, I guess I never went to that part of the mall. I do know about Steve and Barry's, but there's still some empty spots on the lower level and on the oppostie side of the walkway, and a few have been empty for years. I hadn't heard about Macy's, I think if it closes at the mall then that would be the beginning of the end. That is, if the beginning of the end hasn't already happened yet.

[yerocal]

Has any heard when the construction on the Movie Tavern is supposed to start at the Macon Mall, i know the Movie Tavern site said it is scheduled to open (8 Screens - Spring 2009)

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

I just recently paid a visit to Macon Mall and went in via Dillard's and then walked down the corridor and saw that Eddie Bauer was gone and I believe Rue 21 is taking its place by modifying the exterior. I also saw the boarded up former Parisian that will be converted to The Movie Tavern and then walked through JCPenney to get to the "origional" part of the mall, and everything looked pretty healthy and I went in Belk and saw they have been doing some major renovations to thier department store, if that hasn't already been mentioned in this thread, but I however didn't have time to make it down the Sear's wing to Steve & Barry's.

I remember the new extension with Parisian and Dillard's opened in 1996 and I'm not sure if the owners would demolish that wing to make a more concentrated mall, however I agree that it should be done and if I were the mall owner I certainly would.

I would move all the stores on the newer wing into the Sear's wing, close that horrible excuse for a department store and replace Sear's with Dillard's.

Then if Macy's did leave, and everyone must remember Macy's doesn't lease thier store they own the department store outright, I would demolish the old Macy's and replace it with a grand entrance and lifestyle component, much like General Growth Properties did with Atlanta's Cumberland Mall, and of course I am aware that GGP owns The Shoppes.

So what do you guys think about this idea for the mall?

[mikeit]

Hey Everyone look at the big picture. The City and County need to invest in infrastructure in the area and then the Retailers and Businesses will follow suit. From Eisenhower and PioNono to Eisenhower and 75 is one ugly stretch. Wide sidewalks, underground utililities and landscaping would do wonders for this area. It might also lure out of town travelers to actually stop and check out the area. Mercer University Blvd. also could benefit from the same. Set up a tax allocation district for improvement in this area. It's a shame Macon builds out retail area's only to abandon when something newer comes along. Wake up Council and County Commission (yes you are responsible for the City also)!!!!

[george]

I just recently paid a visit to Macon Mall and went in via Dillard's and then walked down the corridor and saw that Eddie Bauer was gone and I believe Rue 21 is taking its place by modifying the exterior. I also saw the boarded up former Parisian that will be converted to The Movie Tavern and then walked through JCPenney to get to the "origional" part of the mall, and everything looked pretty healthy and I went in Belk and saw they have been doing some major renovations to thier department store, if that hasn't already been mentioned in this thread, but I however didn't have time to make it down the Sear's wing to Steve & Barry's.

I remember the new extension with Parisian and Dillard's opened in 1996 and I'm not sure if the owners would demolish that wing to make a more concentrated mall, however I agree that it should be done and if I were the mall owner I certainly would.

I would move all the stores on the newer wing into the Sear's wing, close that horrible excuse for a department store and replace Sear's with Dillard's.

Then if Macy's did leave, and everyone must remember Macy's doesn't lease thier store they own the department store outright, I would demolish the old Macy's and replace it with a grand entrance and lifestyle component, much like General Growth Properties did with Atlanta's Cumberland Mall, and of course I am aware that GGP owns The Shoppes.

So what do you guys think about this idea for the mall?

the problem is the owners paid to much for the mall and need to rent all the space they have now to pay the loan.

the other problem they are having is the new stores are paying les per sf. than the stores that left. I like your idea except I would convert the current dillard's into an office building and have an open air plaza between it an the movie tavern with a couple of free standing restaurants that are new to macon

[dougtha1]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread....amore concentrated mall is the best opton for the owners.

[yerocal]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread....amore concentrated mall is the best opton for the owners.

I think the Macon Mall need to be spruced up(renovations & Security) so it could attract some new stores thats new the area.... Like H&M, piper lime, apple store, and etc something Macon doesn't offer...

[Mellophonius]

I think the Macon Mall need to be spruced up(renovations & Security) so it could attract some new stores thats new the area.... Like H&M, piper lime, apple store, and etc something Macon doesn't offer...

yeah, definitely renovate the older wing. do something to the 2nd floor food court too, maybe move Bourbon St. Grill downstairs and the arcade to somewhere else in the mall, then convert the entire 2nd floor food court to a medium-size store, similar to Steve & Barry's or what Old Navy was. They could incorporate the big windows behind the carusel and put elevators and escalators there at the 1st floor entrance to serve as an entrance to the new store. I know that shoe store is next to the arcade, but I can't remember if it has an entrance on the main corridor or not, if so, it wouldn't be harmed. Same with that place that replaced Atlanta Bread Co., though something tells me it won't last too long anyway.