Eastland Mall Redevelopment

[DigitalSky]

that's very true. No mall today is planned at surface streets, virtually all new ones are planned at interstates

[csedwards72]

With the US's rapid demographic changes (soaring minority population), surely one of these days someone will come up with an urban-theme department store anchor for urban malls, perhaps just as Magic Johnson movie theaters have done for the movie theater industry. Eastland seems to attract large crowds still- they just aren't the crowds that would shop at Nordstrom, Dillard's or Parisian. It shouldn't take a rocket scientist to see an opportunity there.

[StevenRocks]

Has anyone here been to The Mall at Prince Georges (former Prince Gerorges Plaza) in Hyattsvile, Maryland recently? I went there this weekend. That mall is off the interstate and in a minority neighborhood just like Eastland.

The only big difference is that it's located next to a subway stop, but in many ways it's got the same logistics going against it as Eastland (in fact it's even older) yet it's successful.

Why? Because the mall owners give a damn about being in a minority neighborhood. There are a variety of stores, a mix of uses (including a senior center), and the grounds are well-kept. They replaced an empty five-and-dime with a very successful Target store, and recently performed a major renovation that makes the center look modern and fresh, even though it's nearly 50 years old.

PG Plaza is no Tysons Corner, but it's a glimpse of what Eastland could become in the right hands.

[UptownGrrl]

Has anyone here been to The Mall at Prince Georges (former Prince Gerorges Plaza) in Hyattsvile, Maryland recently?  I went there this weekend.  That mall is off the interstate and in a minority neighborhood just like Eastland. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Progress has been a long-time coming in P.G. Took a long time for retailers to connect that though it is a largely minority area, those that live there have some of the highest per-capita incomes in the nation. Residents would otherwise travel 20 miles into parts of DC or Annapolis to shop. They've been practically begging for local, reasonably upscale retail. I think it was that type of clamoring and available disposable income that led to the resurgence of PG Plaza.

The parallel is that several years ago it was a scary place to go; but the economic demographics have increased and so, it gradually got better. Retailers realized that if they invested, there were people there who would shop and spend. Hopefully Eastland and the whole east part of Charlotte can hope for a similar renaissance. The problem here is that east Charlotte residents can just very easily opt for other nearby shopping venues.

[StevenRocks]

Hopefully Eastland and the whole east part of Charlotte can hope for a similar renaissance. The problem here is that east Charlotte residents can just very easily opt for other nearby shopping venues.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is true, but still, I think there's enough distance between the other shopping venues and east Charlotte to make some new retail work at Eastland.

[DigitalSky]

I think Dillard's is going to close its Eastland location soon... because look

http://kivera.dillards.com/select.jsp?place=Charlotte%2C+NC

Eastland isn't even listed on Dillard's own WEBSITE anymore!!!

[NCMike1981]

that's not a good sign...Id be looking for going out of business signs to be popping up soon...maybe they were waiting for Northlake to open...although news like this tends to leak out weeks or months earlier....

[StevenRocks]

That's unfortunate.

Although I'm sure it's just a web error right now, I don't think Dillard's Eastland is going to be around a lot longer with Northlake opening. If it's not closing now, it'll probably be after Christmas.

[DigitalSky]

I hope it's just a web error...

[NCMike1981]

Dillard's website still doesn't list Eastland. Any1 been there recently or heard from any inside sources about the status of the store remaining open?

[MZT]

...agree with StevenRocks... watch them in January. Do they restock? Or hang "everything must go" signs?

[csedwards72]

...agree with StevenRocks... watch them in January. Do they restock? Or hang "everything must go" signs?

The Dillard's at Greenville Mall and McAlister Square in Greenville, SC both closed; the McAlister Square one closed in 1995 and the Greenville Mall closed recently- perhaps 2003. Both stores seemed well-stocked until the bitter end. Both malls died afterwards.

[otherstream]

The Dillard's at Greenville Mall and McAlister Square in Greenville, SC both closed; the McAlister Square one closed in 1995 and the Greenville Mall closed recently- perhaps 2003. Both stores seemed well-stocked until the bitter end. Both malls died afterwards.

At Carolina Circle in Greensboro, I believe they went with the dreaded Dillard's Outlet conecpt, which was an expansion of the Ivey's Outlet which had taken over the lower level before Dillard's bought Ivey's. The mall finally died, but Monkey Ward's stayed on until bankruptcy, presiding over an empty mall surrounded by empty big box stores and empty banks...

Now it's a vacant lot awaiting a Wal-Mart Supercenter...

[csedwards72]

At Carolina Circle in Greensboro, I believe they went with the dreaded Dillard's Outlet conecpt, which was an expansion of the Ivey's Outlet which had taken over the lower level before Dillard's bought Ivey's. The mall finally died, but Monkey Ward's stayed on until bankruptcy, presiding over an empty mall surrounded by empty big box stores and empty banks...

Now it's a vacant lot awaiting a Wal-Mart Supercenter...

Greenville Mall also had a Dillard's clearance center on the second floor of the store. It was a sad sight. At least Eastland might avoid having one of those if the store is just closed rather than allowed to linger on. The main floor of the Greenville Mall store and the whole McAlister store seemed well-stocked, though.

Edited October 4, 2005 by csedwards72

[NCMike1981]

Kind of off subject but I have always wondered why, in Durham, Dillards never signed onto the Southpoint Mega Mall, but instead chose to keep stores in University Mall in Chapel Hill and South Square Mall (I believe they had planned on the mall not completely dying, they did survive for 6 months after the opening of Southpoint, pretty much the only thing left in the mall by the time it left). It just seems odd to me. Did Dillards do so well at the 2 old locations they did not feel a desire to open at the new 5 anchor mall, or did they simply wait too long to sign onto the project?

I would have liked for Dillards to have been incorporated into the redeveloped South Square somehow, even if a completely new store was included alongside Target and Sams. I think I'll always wonder though, why didn't they abandon South Square immediately when Belk and JCPenney did....Same thing with University Mall, I wonder if both Belk and Dillards had left if it would have remained a mall or been reinvented somehow. I recall a period of uncertainty when the mall owners were searching for a new anchor. Maybe Dillards saved that mall.

Anyway if any1 has any insight to the above, or comments feel free to respond

[MZT]

Yeah, Montgomery Ward was the last anchor left at Carousel Mall in San Bernardino too. Rumor was they wanted to leave, and the city kept urging them not to.

That was in Y2001, maybe the Mall turned around or Montgomery finally bailed.

[DigitalSky]

Kind of off subject but I have always wondered why, in Durham, Dillards never signed onto the Southpoint Mega Mall, but instead chose to keep stores in University Mall in Chapel Hill and South Square Mall (I believe they had planned on the mall not completely dying, they did survive for 6 months after the opening of Southpoint, pretty much the only thing left in the mall by the time it left). It just seems odd to me. Did Dillards do so well at the 2 old locations they did not feel a desire to open at the new 5 anchor mall, or did they simply wait too long to sign onto the project?

I would have liked for Dillards to have been incorporated into the redeveloped South Square somehow, even if a completely new store was included alongside Target and Sams. I think I'll always wonder though, why didn't they abandon South Square immediately when Belk and JCPenney did....Same thing with University Mall, I wonder if both Belk and Dillards had left if it would have remained a mall or been reinvented somehow. I recall a period of uncertainty when the mall owners were searching for a new anchor. Maybe Dillards saved that mall.

Anyway if any1 has any insight to the above, or comments feel free to respond

Yeah i find that a bit ironic too... Dillard's did kinda replace their North Hills store with the Triangle Town Center store... but they have no presence at either Crabtree Valley, Southpoint or Northgate. (not northage lol)

Edited October 5, 2005 by cantnot

[StevenRocks]

NCMike1981 & cantnot:

I think what happend to Dillard's in Durham was that Southpoint didn't want them. When Urban Retail was drawing up the mall, they landed comittments from Hecht's and Sears early, and then scooped Nordstrom from Crabtree Valley. There were two anchor spots left and JCPenney and Hudson Belk signed on so that they wouldn't get killed at South Square after the new mall opened. There was no room at the table for Dillard's and they attempted to go it alone.

There wan't any place in a redevleoped South Square for Dillard's either. It remained profitable until the end of its life, but was never particurally successful after it converted to Dillard's from Ivey's. The building was in the way of Faison's plans, the demographics were shifing away form Dillard's favor and the store could not sustain itself through the denmolition and redevelopment period.

The University Mall Dillard's is a ridiculously small operation, but it's a strong selling store, especially after Hudson Belk moved out of Chapel Hill. They made a smart move keeping that store.

At North Hills, Dillard's fully intended to buld a new store, but the redevelopment plans kept changing and getting delayed. When the Jacobs Group came calling for Triangle Town center, Dillard's was more than willing to move there.

I hope that the Lord & Taylor at Crabtree Valley gets replaced by at least Dillard's. There needs to be a midtown Dillard's store still and that would be a great spot, barring somthing more upscale doesn't take it first.

On the Dillard's at Eastland, keep your fingers crossed. I have a feeling that Big D will bolt: maybe not this Christmas, but definately when Mint Hill opens.

[DigitalSky]

I think, unfortunately, when Bridges opens we'll see Belk, Dillards and Harris Teeter gone from Eastland. I hope i'm very wrong

[csedwards72]

I think, unfortunately, when Bridges opens we'll see Belk, Dillards and Harris Teeter gone from Eastland. I hope i'm very wrong

I drove by Eastland yesterday and there were plenty of cars in the parking lot- at least around the Dillard's. That mall still seems to do a decent business. Anyone have any numbers for its performance after Northlake's opening?

[StevenRocks]

No word yet on Dillard's Eastland. In theory, the store should be doing okay because Northlake was technically a new market, but it's hard to say how and if the business will transfer in the future.

Edited October 24, 2005 by StevenRocks

[Version70-8]

I drove by Eastland yesterday and there were plenty of cars in the parking lot- at least around the Dillard's. That mall still seems to do a decent business. Anyone have any numbers for its performance after Northlake's opening?

As StevenRocks stated, Northlake may pull a bit of the business away from Eastland, but the two markets and customer base are entirely different. The last that I had heard, Eastland's business has stayed the same. I used to work for Limited Brands over there and although it was a small volume mall, I was surprised at the volume my store managed to reach. Corporate office always said that Limited, Express, Bath & Body Works, and Victoria's Secret were all planning to leave the mall once their leases expired in 2007. (Ironic timing if Mint Hill does indeed come to fruition by then huh?) American Eagle is buying their time as well.

Now that the mall has once again been sold, now to an investment group, IMO the best thing for the area would be to raze the mall and invest into a small lifestyle center (ie. Arboretum) with a mix of big box but also quality apparel chains. For Heaven's sake let's avoid just another strip mall with Dollar Tree and Cash America!

[DigitalSky]

For Heaven's sake let's avoid just another strip mall with Dollar Tree and Cash America!

Amen.

I don't think that they'd do something like Carolina Circle Mall though since Wal-Mart's planned a supercenter not too far away on Independence.

What kind of stores would we see in this lifestyle center? Other stores like BCF i.e. TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross etc... ?

[StevenRocks]

A revitalized Eastland as a lifestyle center is a good possibility. I wonder though what would be the right fit retail-wise.

I'm pretty sure Burlington Coat would stay, and attracting another off-pricer wouldn't be too much trouble. A couple sit-down restaurants are realisitc, as well as retaining Ashley Stewart, GNC and Foot Locker.

The question becomes, as cantnot stated, what will fill in the gaps? The mall's market is not beyond reapair and there's untapped money in that decidely underserved neighborhood, but I'm stumped about who'd be interested.

Edited October 25, 2005 by StevenRocks

[DigitalSky]

Do you think Sears would stay?