Friendly Center & The Shops at Friendly

[cityboi]

I agree on Sears. No matter when you drive by there, you don't see a lot of shoppers there. Sears is struggling nationwide because of the crowded competition. Stores like Walmart and Target have hurt Sears with their lower prices and greater variety of products. I do think its only a matter of time before Sears closes at Friendly Center and it would be interesting to see what would replace it.

Edited June 8, 2014 by cityboi

[cityboi]

Belk Home Store opens

 

http://www.news-record.com/business/local_business/article_c17f4bd4-146d-11e4-a037-0017a43b2370.html

[RichardC]

Meanwhile, there's a shootout going on over at Four Seasons Mall.

 

http://myfox8.com/2014/07/25/police-respond-to-four-seasons-town-centre-after-reports-of-shots-fired-in-parking-lot/

[RALNATIVE]

Greensboro city leaders (if we can call them that) have got to start focusing on cleaning up the image of that city, or they will continue to loose companies, jobs, and opportunities...

Edited July 26, 2014 by RALNATIVE

[cityboi]

Dolce and Gabbana coming to the Shops at Friendly Center? There have been rumors flying around the high end luxury Italian retail store could be coming to Greensboro. It would be by far the highest end store in the Triad.  Its the type of store that you expect to see only in malls with the likes of Neiman Marcus and Saks. If true it would be located in the space next to Brooks Brothers. Right now its hearsay but there has been some talk going on about it.

 

http://www.dolcegabbana.com/store-locator/united-states/

[zalo]

That's funny. I would have thought that they would have gone into the Greensboro Triumph Center. That's good news for Friendly. After looking at their current store locations, GSO is a natural next step to grow their brand in North America.

[RALNATIVE]

I would think that they may be looking at the space being vacated by Belk's at Four Seasons.

[RALNATIVE]

After looking at their current store locations, GSO is a natural next step to grow their brand in North America.

 

Beverly Hills, Aspen, Boca Raton, Greensboro.

[cityboi]

like I said its just hearsay. Take it with a grain of salt.

[zalo]

I'm already on a low sodium diet.

[RALNATIVE]

like I said its just hearsay. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

Well then why post it on UP?

 

While others are posting comments regarding legitimate things that are currently happening or are planned, you're posting hearsay...

[RichardC]

I find it hard to believe that a mall with a customer base that cannot support a BELK could support a D&G.  Delusions of grandeur.

Edited March 2, 2015 by RichardC

[cityboi]

I find it hard to believe that a mall with a customer base that cannot support a BELK could support a D&G.  Delusions of grandeur.

 

That's because there is already a Belk "flagship" store at Friendly Center. Other upscale retailers such as Brooks Brothers seem to be doing well in Greensboro.

Edited March 5, 2015 by cityboi

[RichardC]

My point was in reference to Four Seasons Mall.  That went right over your head, I guess.  Four Seasons has it's own demographic as a retail center, hence, the fact of it's decline.

Edited March 5, 2015 by RichardC

[RALNATIVE]

There is also a Macy's in Greensboro that is shutting down. It's one of the only Macy's in NC to shutter. There were also two other clothing retailers located at Friendly Center that closed recently.

 

It just boggles my mind how anyone would believe that a retailer like Dolce & Gabbana is interested in opening a boutique store in that market. I'd be more likely to believe cityboi if he said that he was traveling to the planet Mars next month.

Edited March 6, 2015 by RALNATIVE

[cityboi]

Three stores opening at Friendly Center.

Aerie, Dry Goods and Versona.

Charlotte and Raleigh are the only other cities in the state with Versona.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2020/01/17/major-triad-shopping-center-adds-trio-of-tenants.html?iana=hpmvp_triad_news_headline

Edited January 17, 2020 by cityboi

[Rufus]

1 hour ago, cityboi said:

Three stores opening at Friendly Center.

Aerie, Dry Goods and Versona.

Charlotte and Raleigh are the only other cities in the state with Versona.

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2020/01/17/major-triad-shopping-center-adds-trio-of-tenants.html?iana=hpmvp_triad_news_headline

I think you mean Dry Goods. Versona is in Asheville and Winston, as well as multiple RDU and CLT locations. 

[cityboi]

2 minutes ago, Rufus said:

I think you mean Dry Goods. Versona is in Asheville and Winston, as well as multiple RDU and CLT locations. 

Thanks you are right

[Genesis704]

friendly is evolving featuring this beautiful upscale mixed used residential development.

Hawthorne at Friendly

[cityboi]

Warby Parker opening at Friendly Center. Warby Parker has stores in Raleigh, Cary, Durham and Charlotte.

 

https://greensboro.com/warby-parker-to-open-first-store-in-the-triad-eyeglass-retailer-already-has-stores-in/article_9378b2f4-6258-571a-96f0-ec9f1751a8ac.html

https://www.rhinotimes.com/news/friendly-shopping-center-is-glad-to-see-warby-parkers-arrival/

Edited June 28, 2023 by cityboi

[jthomas]

New medical offices coming to the corner of Pembroke and Northline:

https://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2023/07/12/medical-office-building-friendly-center-greensboro.html?utm_source=st&utm_medium=en&utm_campaign=me&utm_content=GR&ana=e_GR_me&j=32068012&senddate=2023-07-13

Demolition is underway on both the former Macaroni Grille and the former Sears Auto Center, with both sites slated to be replaced by medical office buildings.

I'm really underwhelmed by this development. This intersection should be one of the prime spots in Friendly, but instead it will have four corners of crap (with the new offices joining the blank walls of the new gym and the dated K&W/Signature Place building. Personally, I think the entire Friendly Center is floundering under the ownership of CBL. A good vision for what Friendly could and should evolve into is the Village District (formerly Cameron Village) in Raleigh. When I started at NC State 20+ years ago, Cameron Village was very dated and rundown, while Friendly still felt fresh and nice. Fast forward to today, and the Village District has been almost entirely rebuilt, adding lots of residential and beginning to transform from an auto-dominant environment to a more walkable, mixed-use district. Meanwhile, Friendly Center has barely changed in the past 20 years. I believe the potential is there for the current retail buildings to be redeveloped into multistory, apartments-over-retail buildings to create a large walkable district, where car-free or car-lite living is possible (even more so than downtown). The bones are there for a really nice street grid. Unfortunately, CBL seems to have little ambition, and they control the entire area.

[cityboi]

That corner is odd for a medical office building but I guess they want to keep the office development together. Like you said Signature Place and K&W is across the street.

[AlmaPinnix]

Any word or Ideas on what will go in where the Sears retail store was?

[cityboi]

On 7/13/2023 at 2:09 PM, AlmaPinnix said:

Any word or Ideas on what will go in where the Sears retail store was?

I haven't heard but it would be nice if a larger upscale retailer moved in but I doubt that will happen since internet shopping has hurt a lot of brick and mortar retailers. Instead, the building would be suited for some sort of an entertainment attraction. Its located near the Regal Grande theater and I think friendly center could use more entertainment amenities. Why not a bowling alley and something similar to Dave and Busters? Maybe one of those upscale bowling chains such as Bowlero. That would be fitting with the nearby residential and shopping demographics.  Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and now Winston-Salem all have Bowleros except for Greensboro. If Greensboro is to get one, this is the place to put it.

 

The Sears building is actually the right size for a Bowlero bowling alley 

Area highlighted in red is the Sears space. The area highlighted in blue is the former Sears auto center which could be converted to a Dave & Busters type facility. The building on the top left edge of the photo is the Regal Grande theater so these uses for the Sears property would keep all the entertainment elements together. Plus Friendly Center is the perfect place for a Bowlero because its already a major regional shopping destination with establishments such as the Apple Store, Cheesecake Factory and Brooks Brothers.

 

Update:

could I be on to something? Just realized that Bowlero has posted job positions in Greensboro within the past 30 days which is also about the timing of the closing of Sears...... while this does not mean Bowlero is coming to Friendly Shopping Center,  I did stumble on to the fact that Bowlero is coming to Greensboro.

Edited July 15, 2023 by cityboi

[gman430]

Bowlero is going at 910 S Holden Rd in Greensboro not the old Sears. I believe they’re taking over the AMF bowling alley. 

Edited July 16, 2023 by gman430