SouthPark Mall

[Temeteron]

I still think they are making a mistake, and should put it in uptown instead!

[brokenraven]

Amen. You hit the nail on the head.. in my opinion. Saks would do well at Lake Norman, because of the concentration of high income and its proximity to Charlotte AND it not being in SouthPark where there would be an overtly competitive atmosphere for high-end retail.

...or we could hope for a miracle and they could magically decide to open one, tomorrow, in uptown.

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

Outside of North Carolina, where is the closest "large" SAKS? Atlanta?

[1979Heel]

Nashville, maybe? Not sure.

Regarding Saks, have I missed something? They're opening at Lake Norman? I think if they opened in the center city, they'd be surprised how much business they'd do. Of course, I confess to wishful thinking, too. But I am plenty old enough to remember when Charlotteans went "uptown" to shop at department stores. I think people would actually like to do that again, even if they have to drive a bit.

[Manolos]

There is no Saks in Nashville. Atlanta would be the closest.

[Temeteron]

*News*

I spoke to a reliable source (assistant manager of SP) and told me that Geox is coming to SP.....why i have no clue

[StevenRocks]

I spoke to a reliable source (assistant manager of SP) and told me that Geox is coming to SP.....why i have no clue

They're not attractive shoes, but they do have a following.

[mallguy]

I think this was mentioned before but Neimens and Saks in the same mall, in a market the size of charlotte, that is business suicide. It would put both stores of of business, or kill Neimens. Even though I believe Neimens is on a level above saks, it doesn't have the name recognition Saks does.

Lets list a couple names, and see if they have both names.

Lennox Square: Nope,

King of Prussia: No,

Fashion Island: No,

South Coast Plaza: No.

Tyson Corners: No

Biltmore Fashion Park: No

Woodfield: No

Of the most luxurious, largest, and most well known malls in the US, I can only think of three malls that has both, the Galleria in Houston, Somerset Collection in Troy, MI, and Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver. Atlanta has them accross the street from eachother but not in the same mall. I could be wrong, but even if there are others, I guarantee you can't find any charlotte sized markets that have a mall with both.

There is both a Neimans and a Saks at Tysons Galleria. Tysons Corner Center has neither.

Copley Place/Prudential Center in Boston (two malls connected together) have both.

Galleria Mall in Florida, the Mall at Short Hills, Fashion Show Mall, Gaviidae Commons (although the Saks is now an outlet), Willow Bend, and plenty of other famous malls have both.

Few markets of Charlotte's size would have both a Neimans and a Saks in town, but I'd think it would make sense to put them together- that would be one-stop luxury shopping.

[Temeteron]

You know, I always wondered why they didn't connect Dick's with the rest of the mall and yesterday I figured it out (or at least one of the reasons why).....It is the only store at SP that has shopping carts, therefore they probably didn't want people using the carts (leaving the store and walking around in the hallway with them), and even worse, :GASP: going into the high end stores with them! Nevertheless, yesterday I saw this woman pushing around her child in a Dick's shopping cart in the high end wing

[83alphaunder]

You know, I always wondered why they didn't connect Dick's with the rest of the mall and yesterday I figured it out (or at least one of the reasons why).....It is the only store at SP that has shopping carts, therefore they probably didn't want people using the carts (leaving the store and walking around in the hallway with them), and even worse, :GASP: going into the high end stores with them! Nevertheless, yesterday I saw this woman pushing around her child in a Dick's shopping cart in the high end wing

I too have notice this, and all I can think when I see people pushing around the carts is, don't these people realize how silly they loook pushing a shopping cart around a mall?

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

I thought Belk and Macy's had so called designer shopping carts.

[DigitalSky]

You know, I always wondered why they didn't connect Dick's with the rest of the mall and yesterday I figured it out (or at least one of the reasons why).....It is the only store at SP that has shopping carts, therefore they probably didn't want people using the carts (leaving the store and walking around in the hallway with them), and even worse, :GASP: going into the high end stores with them! Nevertheless, yesterday I saw this woman pushing around her child in a Dick's shopping cart in the high end wing

That isn't the case. The reason Dick's doesn't connect with the mall was because when they redeveloped the former Sears they *wanted* to create an outdoor patio-like section which then uniformed the mall with Symphony Park. It doesn't matter whether Dick's has shopping carts or not (Dick's connects at Northlake mall).

[Temeteron]

That isn't the case. The reason Dick's doesn't connect with the mall was because when they redeveloped the former Sears they *wanted* to create an outdoor patio-like section which then uniformed the mall with Symphony Park. It doesn't matter whether Dick's has shopping carts or not (Dick's connects at Northlake mall).

Yeah but NL is nowhere near as elite than SP....its more common to see a shopping cart in a mall like NL than in a mall like SP

[appatone]

Digital Sky is right. It has nothing to do with carts as the location was to be a Galyan's when it was built. To my knowledge Galyan's are like REI in that they have no carts. So carts wouldn't have even been considered.

[StevenRocks]

Sears used to have shopping carts before they closed. I can remember seeing a few scattered around the mall at various times. It was noticeable, but not necessarily a "problem."

[DigitalSky]

I believe Eckerd Drugs had shopping carts as well.

[Guest]

Yeah but NL is nowhere near as elite than SP....its more common to see a shopping cart in a mall like NL than in a mall like SP

{Yea but NL is nowhere near as elite AS SP} grammar check....... Who cares about shopping carts in southpark honestly. I do agree its a little goofy to see them in southpark but it has nothing to do with dick's orientation to the rest of southpark. Digitalsky has it right as appatone said before.

[Kenneth Disraili-Jean]

It seems some UrbanPlaneteers want SouthPark to be like South Coast Plaza and it is just not realistic, even Atlanta doesn't have that type of goal.

[brokenraven]

This may sound silly, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that Hermes and Neiman Marcus are there. Those are two (quite) large names in fashion, and it may lead people to delusions of grandeur, although it seems they're really catering more to a niche audience.

Edited March 12, 2008 by brokenraven

[StevenRocks]

It seems some UrbanPlaneteers want SouthPark to be like South Coast Plaza and it is just not realistic, even Atlanta doesn't have that type of goal.

True. In a market the size of Charlotte, a mall the size of SouthPark can tilt high end, but still has to have some popular price stores to balance things out.

[nyxmike]

According to a friend of mine who works at the mall, Prada is coming to SouthPark. It is apparently one of the reasons why Champs, Finish Line, and Foot Locker have to close. That is what she was told at a meeting.

[turbocraig]

Wow. If that's true, it'll be an impressive coup. According to their website, only eight cities in the US have Prada stores (counting two locations in the NYC region). Missing from the list are what I would think would be obvious selections like Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Dallas. This may be one that I have to see to believe. I remember where Champs was, but can't for the life of me remember where the other two stores were. I'd think Prada would want to be in the Neiman's wing (not that there's any available space there), not across from the food court.

Edited March 13, 2008 by turbocraig

[nyxmike]

Wow. If that's true, it'll be an impressive coup. According to their website, only eight cities in the US have Prada stores (counting two locations in the NYC region). Missing from the list are what I would think would be obvious selections like Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Dallas. This may be one that I have to see to believe. I remember where Champs was, but can't for the life of me remember where the other two stores were. I'd think Prada would want to be in the Neiman's wing (not that there's any available space there), not across from the food court.

It wouldn't go in the Champs spot. I am not sure where it would go (where is Foot Locker located?). They might have to shuffle some stores around? Prada wouldn't come unless those stores closed because they didn't want to be located in a mall with stores like that. Snobby I know, but that is what she was told. If it is true, I don't know - just passing it along.

[StevenRocks]

Prada would be quite the coup, but that's decidedly a very odd choice for SouthPark. For one thing, I don't know any stores at the mall that sell Prada sportswear or clothing. NM has Prada accessories, and a couple of the optical places sell Prada eyewear.

Then again, Hermes didn't have a presence in the market previously....let's see what develops

Edited March 14, 2008 by StevenRocks

[Manolos]

Actually Miami area has a Prada at Bal Harbor Shops. Prada is reopening their Boston and Dallas stores, Newbury and Highland Park Village respectively, both in 2008. They are currently scouting for a location in Chevy Chase/Wisconsin Avenue. I highly doubt Prada is opening at Southpark.