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Asheville Mall vs Biltmore Square


DigitalSky

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I once heard that the biltmore square mall belk was one of the worst (volume wise) store in their entire fleet.

Asheville mall historically has had better stores and more shoppers

although SIMON has purchased biltmore square... and they are one of the largest(second largest i think) mall owners in the us... that fact alone should bring in some better tenants in the future

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Asheville Mall is old. Even after the remodel a few years ago, it still feels old and small town. Too small town and old for Asheville. I guess it reflects Tunnel Road. :lol:

The area near Biltmore Mall is changing fast. Average incomes are on the rise and that is the fastest growing part of the Asheville metro. I think Biltmore was ahead of it's time. If it was built now, it would be the top mall. Simon wouldn't buy it unless they thought they could make an upscale mall out of it. Any word on tennants? I know they will turn it around and make it the upscale mall in Western NC.

I go to Asheville Mall. Biltmore is closer to my house, but I like Asheville Mall. It's an excuse to drive into the city. Downtown is just on the other side of the hill.

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Asheville Mall has the most confusing layout of any mall I have ever visited.

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You're right, it's borderline absurd... you go THROUGH Belk's to get to the new addition from the old mall? What the...?

Anyway, the reason it's so confusing is probably that it was built in so many stages. Back in the early 90s when they decided to build the Gallery South addition, they should have just torn down the original 1980 mall and replaced it with something modern instead. But who knows, maybe the next renovation will involve replacing the old section.

The mall also needs a new entrance from Swannanoa River Road. As it is, you can only get to the mall from S. Tunnel Rd, which is pretty inconvenient given all the traffic there.

As an aside, wasn't there an upstairs section in the mall sometime back in the 80's? Am I just imagining that?

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You're right, it's borderline absurd... you go THROUGH Belk's to get to the new addition from the old mall? What the...?

Anyway, the reason it's so confusing is probably that it was built in so many stages. Back in the early 90s when they decided to build the Gallery South addition, they should have just torn down the original 1980 mall and replaced it with something modern instead. But who knows, maybe the next renovation will involve replacing the old section.

The mall also needs a new entrance from Swannanoa River Road. As it is, you can only get to the mall from S. Tunnel Rd, which is pretty inconvenient given all the traffic there.

As an aside, wasn't there an upstairs section in the mall sometime back in the 80's? Am I just imagining that?

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There's a bookstore that somehow manages to be on a 2nd level in that mall.

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There's a bookstore that somehow manages to be on a 2nd level in that mall.

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I know about the bookstore... it really does look weird there. But that's not what I'm talking about: I mean a whole second floor section connected to the sears or belk's or something, with an escalator in the main mall. If I'm right, which I'm probably not, this section would have been torn around the same time as the construction of the Gallery South addition.

I'm probably just getting my childhood memories mixed up here, though.

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I've been to Biltmore Mall, and I thought it was nice, albiet smaller than what I'm used to. My girlfriend and I drove up there to some graphics shop near proffits, and we enjoyed driving through the snow on teh way up there and back :)

I tried to find Asheville Mall once, but they were doing some construction around there near 240 and Swannanoah River Rd, and I just gave up. I thought you could get in there from Swann... Rvr Rd.

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orulz:

you are correct, there used to be an escalator that took you to a second floor in the Gallery South Area. There were a few stores and the second floor entrances to Dillard's (Then Ivey's) and Belk.

I believe if you look at the ceiling in this area there is a skylight where the old escalator was.

When you think about how screwed up Asheville Mall is keep in mind that it is partly a function of its constrained site.

BTW, if you think this layout is weird try Hanes Mall in Winston. it's a 2 story mall -- and you must walk through an anchor store to access the other half of the mall (obviously an addition, almost identical in size to the original)

or check out my local mall in Connecticuit.

Trumbull Mall Directory

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  • 1 month later...

hanesmall1ow.jpg

Hanes Mall in Winston, ironically also a CBL property.

Confusing, yes, but i don't think its as confusing as Asheville Mall.

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I wouldn't say confusing, either. Hanes Mall is mostly long. Really long, in fact.

The 1990 South addition (Dillard's and Hecht's side) is a little better traffic-ed because of the food court, but the 1975 North portion of the mall (Belk & Sears) is a lot stronger retail-wise. All the mall's marquee tenants are on the North side, save for Gap and Carbtree & Evelyn.

Because of the length of the place and an anchor that does most of its business to people who come specifically to Hanes for it and leave afterward, the North side gives out before it gets to Sears. In fact, there's nothing but junk in the Sears wing past Old Navy (upstairs) and Foot Locker (downstairs).

The walk through JCPenney is confusing for out-of-towners, to be sure, but according to the people I talked to at Hanes Mall, they woudn't have it any other way. That Penney's does an incredible amount of volume becuase most of the mall traffic has to go through there.

Have not been to Asheville so I can't comment much on their malls except to say that Asheville Mall looks extremely confusing to navigate.

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  • 9 months later...

Will it become a "Belks Mens Store" or will Biltmore Square just have 2 regular Belks as anchors?

Most likely a Belk mens, childrens, and anything else store; something like that happened in Anderson, SC's Anderson Mall some years ago.

Between the two malls, I like Biltmore Square Mall. It has much room to expand, is easier to get to, and you can better navigate the mall. Asheville Mall is good because Tunnel Road is the usual shopping destination, but its sprawling effect, its access, and its dated appearance gives it a bad image.

Does anyone think Biltmore Square could support a second level? This would help Belk from taking over another anchor site that could be used for something like Macy's. A few upscale stores like Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn could come in.

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There certainly are big box "power centers" and shopping malls in the Asheville area - lest you should forget what country we're in.

But if you're going to Asheville to get away from all that, stick to:

Downtown (anywhere)

Biltmore Village (a bit touristy though)

Haywood Road (sometimes overlooked but definitely worth a visit)

River District (home to numerous artists and studios, but the neighborhood still needs some work)

Plus, Charlotte Street and Merrimon Avenue, which are the arteries through Asheville's 1920s streetcar suburbs that are now gradually urbanizing.

There are also neat business districts in downtown Hendersonville, Brevard, Black Mountain, Marshall (a real time warp) and Waynesville, if you have a few days to kill.

And these are the havens of big boxes and malls that you say you want to stay away from:

Tunnel Road

Airport Road

Hendersonville Road

Brevard Road west of I-26

Patton Avenue west of downtown (other side of the river)

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Downtown Asheville sure is a great place to walk around, eat and window shop, but unfortunately many of the shop were either too pricey for my budget or didn't have what I was looking for. Lots of crafty, artsy places that my girlfriend enjoyed though.

We popped into the Asheville Mall for a bit. You guys are right: that layout is confusing!

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