Eastland Mall Redevelopment

[Version70-8]

I think that Sears would stay especially with the Southpark store now gone. Also, I think that Old Navy, Bath & Body Works (successful it seems at all locations), Kohls, Hallmark, Radio Shack, and World Market are among a few who could make it there if recruited. The best chance for success though would come with a really well-planned and designed center. If the city starts to build quality centers in even the most diverse, poor, or older areas of town, then other businesses will also. Eastland is a unique area of the city, but that doesn't mean that the residents don't deserve or cannot maintain a quality option for shopping like the rest.

[csedwards72]

I agree with the Eastland area's prospects but why tear the mall down? Apart from that pitiful sun logo above the entrances and the '70s-looking Sears sign on top, the mall doesn't need much updating; the interior seems decent, although it is starting to look tired. There is one mall on North Tryon- Northpark Mall- that appears to be vintage '70s but still seems to do OK, with some lower-priced stores filling most of its spaces. I see Eastland becoming a larger version of that mall: not particularly nice, but doing a decent amount of business.

[StevenRocks]

Do you think Sears would stay?

If there's still a Sears chain in five years, I think it will.

[lupitachica]

As a newly transplanted NYer, I visited Eastland Mall expecting to see women being raped in graffiti covered dark hallways based on some of the commentary I've heard & read. What I found was a shopping center typical stores mixed in with retail shops that cater to a more hip hop community (for lack of a better term). The kids in the mall looked like your typical baggy clothes wearing types. There was nothing scary about them. Did I miss something? Was there some past crime wave that I missed? Or is it that the "look" of the people using the mall strike a fear some? I didn't get it. The mall looks depressed and I blame the businesses who don't seem to have put a lot of effort into making the stores more appealing. As a new shopper, I wasn't turned off by my fellow consumers, I was turned off by the clear disregard for the us all.

I never for one moment felt unsafe. What's the deal with that assessment of the Mall?

[DigitalSky]

What's the deal with that assessment of the Mall?

I guess it's all relative.

[lupitachica]

I'm trying to figure out the basis for the "dangerous" label being given to Eastland. I'm thinking I'm uninformed about recent goings on in the Mall that have left the general population feeling unsafe. Was there a slew of robberies of shoppers or something like that prior to my arrival?

Now I've shopped at Southpark as well and clearly Southpark is a higher end mall and better kept mall. There is no Tiffany store (to say the least) in Eastland so I had to go to Southpark to get my jewelry cleaned. But in terms of stores like Express, the Limited, Victoria Secrets, Footlocker - mall staples - they are there in Eastland. If I'm shopping for Donna Karen, I probably wouldn't go to Eastland but if I'm looking for a pair of Nikes and a bra, I really don't see why I wouldn't go to Eastland. I did see that the Belks had terrible clothing and I blame the store's buyer and the directive he/she was given for that. Many of the people who shop at Eastland, I suspect, go elsewhere when they want a wider variety of choices.

The buying power of the African American consumer is phenomenal and I'd love to know how much money the stores in Eastland make in comparison to their counterparts taking into consideration size, consumer traffic, etc. The mall seems busy yet clearly not well taken care of. Why?

[authenticbeing]

I'm trying to figure out the basis for the "dangerous" label being given to Eastland. I'm thinking I'm uninformed about recent goings on in the Mall that have left the general population feeling unsafe. Was there a slew of robberies of shoppers or something like that prior to my arrival?

Now I've shopped at Southpark as well and clearly Southpark is a higher end mall and better kept mall. There is no Tiffany store (to say the least) in Eastland so I had to go to Southpark to get my jewelry cleaned. But in terms of stores like Express, the Limited, Victoria Secrets, Footlocker - mall staples - they are there in Eastland. If I'm shopping for Donna Karen, I probably wouldn't go to Eastland but if I'm looking for a pair of Nikes and a bra, I really don't see why I wouldn't go to Eastland. I did see that the Belks had terrible clothing and I blame the store's buyer and the directive he/she was given for that. Many of the people who shop at Eastland, I suspect, go elsewhere when they want a wider variety of choices.

The buying power of the African American consumer is phenomenal and I'd love to know how much money the stores in Eastland make in comparison to their counterparts taking into consideration size, consumer traffic, etc. The mall seems busy yet clearly not well taken care of. Why?

I'm a New York Transplant as well (though I've been in NC for 10 years now, 6 in Charlotte) and I do not know why Eastland gets such a bad rap either. I've shopped there many times, have even gone there by myself and I'm a female, and I have never had a problem. There was a fight that broke out with some teenagers some months back, but Eastland had its rep before that so I'm sure all that did was inflame it, but was not the cause of it. Perhaps I will get flamed for it, but I really think that it is a racial issue. Coming from the North you may not have noticed it yet, but you will, there is more of a racial divide down here still. It's not overt, but subtle. And it's not a strictly black/white issue either. Alot of the international community resides on the east side, which is what makes it so unique and flavorful, but that is what I think many don't like about it. Hopefully it's just growing pains and Charlotte will get over it and embrace the international community and give more love to the east side.

[csedwards72]

I moved from Spanish Harlem in Manhattan to Charlotte, so I'm a NY transplant as well, in a way. Do an archive search on charlotte.com or charlotte.bizjournals.com and some interesting stories come up, showing why Eastland gets such a bad rap.

[appatone]

I don't think it is so much racial as it is socio-economic. We want that area to be a booming international district. Central's multi-cultural appeal is what we want to keep and build on.

[Version70-8]

I don't think it is so much racial as it is socio-economic. We want that area to be a booming international district. Central's multi-cultural appeal is what we want to keep and build on.

I worked at Eastland for a few months and then worked at Southpark, and yes, it has a scarier reputation than it should BUT...

1) A person was shot and killed on the ice-skating rink many years ago!

2) A group of men literally taped an "Out of Order" sign on an ATM one day, unplugged it and started moving it out of the mall on a handtruck!

3) The UPS delivery guy (if not UPS, then Fedex) was shot in the leg by a passing car on Black Friday a few years ago...in the middle of the day with the holiday shoppers in mass quantities all over!

4) I saw a fight break out between 2 guys once that grew to include over 10 people, men and women, fighting while over 30 others watched and encouraged. All stores nearby had to pull their gates and stay in lockdown when someone shouted, "GUN!", until over 10 police officers ended the hoopla.

5) Remember "Lean On Me"? Yup, that is how some mall security officers look, with blazers, nightsticks, and radio. Not to mention the city operates a Field Office between Belk and The Limited.

6) A lady waiting for the bus was kidnapped and raped a few years back.

and that is just a few.

It isn't really a racial issue, albeit it is for some ignorant people, but like has been mentioned, is more of a socioeconomic one. Even the citizens in the area, for the most part, be it black, Asian, Hispanic, or whatever, all go elsewhere. Most people in that area are also supportive of converting the mall to an outdoor center or community center. I love the area's diversity and unique stores and cultural awareness choices, it just needs a larger sense of support from the city, which I believe has arrived recently?

[lupitachica]

Coming from the North you may not have noticed it yet, but you will, there is more of a racial divide down here still. It's not overt, but subtle.

I don't think its subtle at all but that's a topic for another discussion. Charlotte is not a very diverse place generally, imo, and not just racially.

Anyway, if a man was shot in the Mall, I can see how the perception of it as a "dangerous" place came to be. Crime like the ATM scam or the rape, unfortunately those things happen anywhere. I mean a woman got raped in Macy's in NY but it hasn't stop shoppers from using the store.

Part of the issue with Eastland I believe is that its a teenagers "hangout" spot which is always a breeding ground for trouble regardless of race/class. Southpark Mall, for example, does not cater to a young crowd in terms of retail operations or general atmosphere. Additionally, the general appearance of the mall gives the impression that its vulnerable, open for chaos, uncared for which encourages a nonchalant attitude on the part of the consumer. As someone new to Charlotte who didn't know the history of the mall, I was turned off by the what I felt was blatant disrespect for me as a consumer in terms of presentation. Update the facade, scrub the hallways & floors, etc. I would also continue to shop at Eastland if the selection were better at the department stores.

[Temeteron]

Dillard's is closing.....Dr. Stanton from Johnson & Wales said it, sorry I dont have any other resource, I hop someone else can find one

[DigitalSky]

Well I can't say no one saw it coming. Ok, let's see who'll be next... Belk or Harris Teeter.

[ngp]

Part of the issue with Eastland I believe is that its a teenagers "hangout" spot which is always a breeding ground for trouble regardless of race/class.

Yup. My wife has gone to Eastland several times and hasn't had any problems. She just leaves before the evening rush of rowdy teens swarm the place. The typical Eastland Mall shopper wouldn't hurt a fly, they're just there to spend some of their hard-earned money.

The only problem I've ever had at the place was from a hateful newstand owner who freaked out when he saw me flip through a magazine. I just sat the stack of stuff I was planning to buy beside the register and walked out. Ass.

[StevenRocks]

Well I can't say no one saw it coming. Ok, let's see who'll be next... Belk or Harris Teeter.

Probably HT, Belk claims they're holding on until Mint Hill opens. We'll see.

Like I've said before, if people don't like what they see at Eastland and want it to fail, just wait. It will spread out to Northlake, SouthPark and Mint Hill as quickly as the buses will take it there. You can't eliminate these issues by running away from them.

Edited October 26, 2005 by StevenRocks

[nyxmike]

Probably HT, Belk claims they're holding on until Mint Hill opens. We'll see.

Like I've said before, if people don't like what they see at Eastland and want it to fail, just wait. It will spread out to Northlake, SouthPark and Mint Hill as quickly as the buses will take it there. You can't eliminate these issues by running away from them.

I was thinking that too, but, I'm a little more optimistic. If Eastland ever got really bad (like all its anchors left and it was pretty much abandoned), aren't there plans to convert it to a lifestyle/town center?

[StevenRocks]

The mall is in the process of changing ownership, so there's no telling what's planned. My hope is that it will be redeveloped if and when the anchors leave.

[DigitalSky]

I hope so... but in the back of my mind in reality i'm thinking that won't be the case and the new owners might not give a rat's arse

[StevenRocks]

Something will happen on that site, that's for sure. For one thing Burlington and Fred's just moved in, and buying out a 10-20 year lease just to tear the building down could get prohibitively expensive.

[Version70-8]

Yup. My wife has gone to Eastland several times and hasn't had any problems. She just leaves before the evening rush of rowdy teens swarm the place. The typical Eastland Mall shopper wouldn't hurt a fly, they're just there to spend some of their hard-earned money.

The only problem I've ever had at the place was from a hateful newstand owner who freaked out when he saw me flip through a magazine. I just sat the stack of stuff I was planning to buy beside the register and walked out. Ass.

LOLOL...When I worked at Eastland I had to use the fax machine at that newstand quite often and it took forever for the owner to loosen up even with me, heck, I would be in there almost daily! He always acted as if everyone was going to rip him off and try to flee with a freaking magazine?

I was the Store Sales Manager up at the Limited for a few months and without a doubt, out of all of the malls in Charlotte plus others in SC that I worked at, Eastland was the most fun for me! Now, I am a white male who was 23 at the time so tons of people did a double take when they came in, but I am open-minded and try to be a fair guy, so I never had an issue with my all-female, all-African American staff of 10 or so. Once they saw that I would treat everyone respectfully, staff and customers alike, the store did a 360 and we rocked.

The mall is definitely not the prettiest or newest, but I met a lot of genuinely honest, caring people who were like me and were there to do our job, work extremely hard at it and try to reverse some of the false impressions that the city has of the mall and the area!

[StevenRocks]

Thanks for posting that. Version70-8. More good stories need to come from that side of town.

[DigitalSky]

I drove by Eastland today.. it does seem to get a little disheartening to look it every new time i see it. Part of it does seem like its frozen in time and part of it is trying to find an identity... The place was packed though, which was good for a weekday afteroon.

[SmellyCat]

I did see that the Belks had terrible clothing and I blame the store's buyer and the directive he/she was given for that. Many of the people who shop at Eastland, I suspect, go elsewhere when they want a wider variety of choices.

The buying power of the African American consumer is phenomenal and I'd love to know how much money the stores in Eastland make in comparison to their counterparts taking into consideration size, consumer traffic, etc. The mall seems busy yet clearly not well taken care of. Why?

Glimcher, who generally operates C/C- malls, is the mall owner. As was previously discussed in this thread, Glimcher disclosed during their prior earnings call that it has put the mall up for sale at a fairly low price. The inline store sales are apparently not very good and the mall as a whole is not generating nearly the return the company had anticipated when it bought it several years back, so it's basically throwing in the towel. Seeing General Growth's the Bridges at Mint Hill on the horizon, Glimcher probably realizes that would be the death knell for Eastland, may it R.I.P.

[SmellyCat]

I'm trying to figure out the basis for the "dangerous" label being given to Eastland. I'm thinking I'm uninformed about recent goings on in the Mall that have left the general population feeling unsafe. Was there a slew of robberies of shoppers or something like that prior to my arrival?

As they say, reputations are hard to shed whether warranted or not. When I first moved here I heard lots of local TV reports about teenage gang activity at the mall and how the police were constantly being called there. When I asked a friend of mine if she ever went there, she told me she had her car broken into while in the parking lot. That was enough info for me.

If you want to know how long the mall has been unsafe for, well here's a story I found from the CBJ in 1997:

Eastland Sued Over Crime

Edited October 29, 2005 by SmellyCat

[DigitalSky]

Guys, this is freaky. I was reading the latest ammendment to Wikipedia's Eastland entry and it says this about the Sunshine Logo

Some locals have noted similarities between the Eastland Mall logo and the sun god deity worshipped by the neo-pagan residents of Summerisle in the cult classic film, The Wicker Man, and the symbolic Green Man of pagan origin. Although the connection is probably superficial, it has lead to the development of several local urban legends.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastland_Mall