SouthPark Mall

[sakami]

5 hours ago, Madison Parkitect said:

Wow, we buy stuff from Hanna Andersson for our kids all the time! Is the company going under?

They’ve been closing stores around the country for the last year but have seemingly continued to do somewhat well online so it seems they may be returning to their roots and go back to online only. There have been lots of complaints about the quality of their clothes the last few years so maybe that caught up with them. 

[Madison Parkitect]

5 hours ago, sakami said:

They’ve been closing stores around the country for the last year but have seemingly continued to do somewhat well online so it seems they may be returning to their roots and go back to online only. There have been lots of complaints about the quality of their clothes the last few years so maybe that caught up with them. 

The quality is the reason we buy them! We don't ever buy anything there at full price but their sales are good for the quality of pajamas they make. Easily gets through both kids as hand-me-downs.

[TheOneRJ]

Gucci officially under construction. This makes me more excited than any tower being built. 

[rancenc]

On 7/2/2020 at 9:42 PM, atlrvr said:

Yes, Gucci just applied for it build out permits from the city.

[AuLukey]

Those Amazon bookstores are cool, as long as you have an Amazon account you don't even need to pay for anything in the store and they carry a pretty curated selection of stuff.

Not even just the bookstores. They have another concept retail store called 4-star. They’re rather aggressively expanding into numerous cities, including the aforementioned one in Crabtree.

There is one glaring exemption on the list. Not sure why Charlotte got the snub on the expansion list.

Perimeter in ATL and Crabtree in Raleigh are both listed as Coming Soon. Even Nashville has one of their bookstores.

https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_ABFYSA_2a1_w?node=17608448011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-1&pf_rd_r=BC9NRAG5276PY6GFNSAW&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=447ff123-178a-4d1e-95aa-168a402a6f1a&pf_rd_i=17608448011

[CLT2014]

3 hours ago, AuLukey said:

Not even just the bookstores. They have another concept retail store called 4-star. They’re rather aggressively expanding into numerous cities, including the aforementioned one in Crabtree.

There is one glaring exemption on the list. Not sure why Charlotte got the snub on the expansion list.

Perimeter in ATL and Crabtree in Raleigh are both listed as Coming Soon. Even Nashville has one of their bookstores.

SouthPark hasn't had sufficient available square footage for Amazon up until the coronavirus crisis. Most of the vacant locations were relatively small like Brighton. 

Now that other retailers are dying and vacancies like the 4,000 square foot Microsoft location are opening up space, Amazon may try to make a move for a location at SouthPark.

Edited July 25, 2020 by CLT2014

[KJHburg]

I agree Amazon will open in Charlotte since the space is "loosening up" in the mall. 

[Temeteron]

Well, California Pizza Kitchen closed permanently.  Holy cow

[rancenc]

1 hour ago, Temeteron said:

Well, California Pizza Kitchen closed permanently.  Holy cow

Oh wow!  I do believe they were one of the first tenants after the major expansion of the mall in the early 2000's!

[InSouthPark]

34 minutes ago, rancenc said:

Oh wow!  I do believe they were one of the first tenants after the major expansion of the mall in the early 2000's!

It was never busy.  One night we went by for a school fundraiser and the only people in there were like two other families from our school.   Completely dead.

[Rufus]

CPK has been dying a slow death lately - especially in NC. I know of a least two locations in Raleigh that have shut down in the last couple of years. 

[LKN704]

Wow. Bittersweet for me.

I haven't been in years but there was always a novelty for me. Growing up outside Albany NY, we didn't have chain restaurants outside of maybe Fridays/Applebees/Ruby Tuesday/Olive Garden/Red Lobster. I distinctly remember as a teenager when Chilis/Cheesecake Factory/PF Changs came to town for the first time it was a big deal for us. Granted, I hate chains as does my family, but there was a "wow" factor. 

Anyways, whenever we traveled, we would go to CPK (it was the one chain my parents liked) and I distinctly remember my mom being excited that there was a CPK in Charlotte when we moved. 

Food was decent for a chain. 

[CLT2014]

CPK declared bankruptcy protection today: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/california-pizza-kitchen-is-latest-chain-to-file-for-bankruptcy

We are in the midst of a major blood bath where companies are going to close any and all retail and restaurant locations that were already on the brink of being unprofitable. If they were on the margin before, they are certainly bad performers now.

Would be great if we could get a non-chain restaurant to open in this space (though I assume Simon will leverage their relationship with national chains to fill the space).

Edited July 30, 2020 by CLT2014

[KJHburg]

I always liked their pizza but admittedly went there only a couple times in few years.  But boy they saved me in Hong Kong once.  I was a little tired of Chinese food (I know LOL) and looking for something from USA and found a CPK and enjoyed it.  Ironically on my next trip to Hong Kong it was gone in the popular Times Square vertical mall and there was another HK based chain in there with similar offerings.   I am telling you the bloodbath in retail and restaurants is only beginning and there will be vacant spots in every corner of the city unfortunately and it is happening all over the USA. 

[Cityplanner]

Maybe this is off topic, but how in the world is merging JCPenney and Belk a good idea for Belk?

It'll be expensive: spending $1.75B is more than others are offering for JCPenney, and there will be costs incurred in shutting down the JCPenney stores that will close.  

It'll bring Belk into markets where it has minimal name recognition.  While JCPenney isn't doing well, at least people have heard of it and know what it stands for, so there is value in the JCPenney brand.

There's no shortage of vacant retail space.  If Belk wants to expand, surely adding stores bit by bit is safer, and mall landlords would surely welcome it as it expands.  It should invest the $1.75B purchase price into improving its online presence.

 

[KJHburg]

the Wall St owner of Belks Sycamore Partners is the one who wants to buy JC Penney and merge them into Belks.  While Belks in not known out their market areas, I think they think JC Penney is no longer has a good reputation going forward.  It remains to be seen if they even win the bid for JC Penney or not.  

[spenser1058]

On 7/31/2020 at 7:55 PM, KJHburg said:

the Wall St owner of Belks Sycamore Partners is the one who wants to buy JC Penney and merge them into Belks.  While Belks in not known out their market areas, I think they think JC Penney is no longer has a good reputation going forward.  It remains to be seen if they even win the bid for JC Penney or not.  

We’ve had to chuckle here in Orlando about this possibility because JCPenney is still holding its own in all but one of our malls (which is in the process of conversion already to some unknown fate - several developers have tried and failed to decide on a concept yet) while Belk abandoned the market except for a couple of exurban stores some time ago. If we’re to have a Charlotte store in Orlando again, can we bring back Ivey’s from the retail graveyard,please?

Edited August 3, 2020 by spenser1058

[LKN704]

My issue with Belk is that there is such a disparity amongst their store locations. I recognize that all department stores essentially stock each store according to the local market's preference and demographic but I have found Belk to be much more drastic in its approach. The SP location I would rank maybe a smidge or two above a Macy's whilst the NL location is probably on par (maybe a little below) a Macy's. I worry that they aren't really keeping up with fashion trends to be a viable choice. I walked into the SP location about a year ago and walked through the Men's suit department, and essentially nothing they had was slim fit or fitted. 

Their suburban/rural locations (I'm thinking of their Mooresville location) are essentially no different from a Ross IMO.

[Cityplanner]

7 hours ago, LKN704 said:

My issue with Belk is that there is such a disparity amongst their store locations. I recognize that all department stores essentially stock each store according to the local market's preference and demographic but I have found Belk to be much more drastic in its approach. The SP location I would rank maybe a smidge or two above a Macy's whilst the NL location is probably on par (maybe a little below) a Macy's. I worry that they aren't really keeping up with fashion trends to be a viable choice. I walked into the SP location about a year ago and walked through the Men's suit department, and essentially nothing they had was slim fit or fitted. 

Their suburban/rural locations (I'm thinking of their Mooresville location) are essentially no different from a Ross IMO.

You're right, and having the Belk name on rural stores dilutes any prestige of the SouthPark location and other flagships.

Belk should have kept the Parisian nameplate when it bought that chain years ago.  Parisian was a more upscale store.  Outside NC and SC, where Belk has so much brand loyalty, maybe Belk could be for the mid-tier stores; Parisian could be for the upscale flagships; and JCPenney could be for the lower-end ones.  But I guess Parisian is now long forgotten except maybe in Alabama.

Edited August 3, 2020 by Cityplanner

[nakers2]

On 8/3/2020 at 1:21 AM, LKN704 said:

My issue with Belk is that there is such a disparity amongst their store locations. I recognize that all department stores essentially stock each store according to the local market's preference and demographic but I have found Belk to be much more drastic in its approach. The SP location I would rank maybe a smidge or two above a Macy's whilst the NL location is probably on par (maybe a little below) a Macy's. I worry that they aren't really keeping up with fashion trends to be a viable choice. I walked into the SP location about a year ago and walked through the Men's suit department, and essentially nothing they had was slim fit or fitted. 

Their suburban/rural locations (I'm thinking of their Mooresville location) are essentially no different from a Ross IMO.

I said this for years, the Southpark location feels like a real big city department store like you’d see in the movies, the location in my parent’s hometown of Boone is a single floor about the size of the basement portion of the Southpark location. 

[kermit]

Tangentially, Southpark’s owner, Simon Property Group, has started buying some of their bankrupt tenants. These include Lucky Brands, Brooks Brothers (I don’t think this has closed yet) and is in discussions to purchase JC Penney.

Property management is quite different than running a clothing retailer so this seems kinda weird to me. Then again, it may be a better strategy than sitting on your hands watching your business evaporate.

https://www.ft.com/content/f25ff5aa-e1b8-4296-903a-3fa3f85ecb44

Edited August 24, 2020 by kermit

[Cadi40]

A Target would kill in the SouthPark area, I don’t know necessarily if I’d fit in the mall but if one were built nearby it’d definitely be profitable. 

[InSouthPark]

8 hours ago, Cadi40 said:

A Target would kill in the SouthPark area, I don’t know necessarily if I’d fit in the mall but if one were built nearby it’d definitely be profitable. 

Agreed.  The area has no Target (or Walmart) within 5 miles.  One had been proposed for the back lot on Barclay near where they put the new old people home thing. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2011/02/18/southpark-on-target.html

[CLT2014]

22 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

Agreed.  The area has no Target (or Walmart) within 5 miles.  One had been proposed for the back lot on Barclay near where they put the new old people home thing. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2011/02/18/southpark-on-target.html

Hypothetical, but Target could replace the two low rise office buildings off Carnegie with some additional street facing retail incorporated, with a parking garage tucked in the back already. Would be walking distance for all the apartments built in that area. Office tenants could consolidate into some of the other offices in the area or potentially drive a new build tower. Could also do mixed use with Target on the bottom and some office on top. 

Edited August 26, 2020 by CLT2014

[tozmervo]

9 hours ago, Cadi40 said:

A Target would kill in the SouthPark area, I don’t know necessarily if I’d fit in the mall but if one were built nearby it’d definitely be profitable. 

 

33 minutes ago, InSouthPark said:

Agreed.  The area has no Target (or Walmart) within 5 miles.  One had been proposed for the back lot on Barclay near where they put the new old people home thing. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/print-edition/2011/02/18/southpark-on-target.html

A few years back there was a Target-anchored proposal on land south of Fairview near Zoes and Ruth's Chris. That fell apart at some point - pretty sure that land was developed with something else.