Duluth Barnes & Noble closing after 15 years (Atlanta, Dalton: appointed, 2014)

[ATLTJL]

The CID has indeed done a great deal to beautify the area and improve traffic flow. However, it has failed to retain quality businesses (if that's even part of what they are able to do).

Over the years, I have seen many businesses that I like leave the area, but I haven't seen anything that I'm interested in move in.

Contrast that to 15 years ago when it seemed like every week something really great was coming in.

I don't know what kind of power the CID has, but if its mission is to make sure all the tenants useful to a wide variety of people pull out and a bunch of Korean barbecue places take their places, goal accomplished!

It's not really happening everywhere because Mall of Georgia just added 4 new stores and as soon as Bloomingdales pulled out of Perimeter Mall, Von Maur moved right in. How long was the Gwinnett Place Rich's vacant? Then when something finally did move in there, it was a freaking Mega Mart, which even the target market thinks is pretty terrible.

I don't accept that this is just happening across the country. There are plenty of areas right here in Atlanta, like the Mall of Georgia and Perimeter areas, that are doing just fine. Something needs to be done with the Gwinnett Place area pronto to avoid losing more tenants. If Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, Fry's, and Target pull out, the place is going to be a wasteland.

The solution is....I don't know what it is. But I would start with demolishing the low rent apartments on Satellite and turning them into higher end rental units. Then I would try to attract a high end movie theater to Gwinnett Place, maybe a Rave or Tinseltown or something that doesn't have a presence in Atlanta but wants one. Then I would court high end but recognizable chain restaurants like Houstons, Cheesecake Factory, and Fogo de Chao to come in. Maybe I'd try to get Trader Joes in where B&N used to be. Stuff like that.

[Box]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

But I would start with demolishing the low rent apartments on Satellite and turning them into higher end rental units.

You dont have to get rid of poor to moderate income people to have nice things.

[cabasse]

i realize i'm probably stepping on some toes here but that area of town is one of the most unappealing anywhere. there are few trees, there is only tons of concrete and cheaply constructed big box stores, and to top it all off some enormous power lines. i couldn't imagine this ever being retrofitted on any significant scale into something even slightly oriented towards anything other than cars.



this area probably has it's own heat island from all the dang concrete

[Box]

You know I dont wanna sound like your typical new urbanst, but I think that if this area was somehow made to be walkable it could have a lot of potential.

[ATLTJL]

I was going to say that this area was never meant to be walkable, never should be walkable, and never will be walkable.

But you might be onto something....I mean, it has pretty much everything you need in a relatively compact area. The county has done a ton to make Sugarloaf Pkwy east of I-85 more walkable, and it's nowhere near as dense and Pleasant Hill is.

It's true that it would be tough to get rid of those eyesore power lines, but the good thing is that they mostly just go down Venture Drive and don't traverse all of Pleasant Hill. Perhaps converting Gwinnett Place Mall into more of a mixed use development would be a step in the right direction for making the entire area more walkable. It really does have a lot of the elements in place already, all you really need are some pedestrian bridges over Pleasant Hill, landscaping, and sidewalk improvements. I bet some strategically placed trees could even make those power lines a lot less noticeable.

Even if they don't want to go that way, though, you don't have to make something walkable to make it nice.

[Box]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I was going to say that this area was never meant to be walkable, never should be walkable, and never will be walkable.

But you might be onto something....I mean, it has pretty much everything you need in a relatively compact area. The county has done a ton to make Sugarloaf Pkwy east of I-85 more walkable, and it's nowhere near as dense and Pleasant Hill is.

It's true that it would be tough to get rid of those eyesore power lines, but the good thing is that they mostly just go down Venture Drive and don't traverse all of Pleasant Hill. Perhaps converting Gwinnett Place Mall into more of a mixed use development would be a step in the right direction for making the entire area more walkable. It really does have a lot of the elements in place already, all you really need are some pedestrian bridges over Pleasant Hill, landscaping, and sidewalk improvements. I bet some strategically placed trees could even make those power lines a lot less noticeable.

Even if they don't want to go that way, though, you don't have to make something walkable to make it nice.

And just think what could happen if Marta was to expand rail to that area. Yeah I know its a pipe dream lol.

[ATLTJL]

Probably unlikely, and I would have serious reservations about voting it in myself.

However, it is very possible that a rail line run by Gwinnett county that runs down to Doraville MARTA would have a stop there, and I'd vote for that in a heartbeat.

[lastminutemom]

One thing that makes you wonder is what is/was the landlord thinking. Across the country, the commercial landlords that are flexible with rent prices are doing well, those that are not, are not. When a chain wants/needs to shred stores, they often approach all their landlords and tell them, we need to close X number of stores, what kind of deal will you make us to keep us here?

Once a shopping center reaches a certain age, it can still be profitable for the owner/investment company, because of depreciation.

[Fritz99]

Originally Posted by Box

You dont have to get rid of poor to moderate income people to have nice things.

But you do have to have people with money to support nice stores otherwise you will have a bunch of Dollar Trees, Family Dollars and Flea Markets moving in to cater to that market. I live in near Hwy 78 and know plenty about decent stores leaving the area and being replaced by low end stores. Staples Closed and Big Lots promptly moved in. Best Buy Closed, some cheap furniture store moved in. Target closed a few years ago and I am holding out hope that some Flea Market does not take over.

[Onthemove2014]

Barnes and Nobles are closing all over the metro and country. Haven't we discussed this before? Bookstores are dying. Thank Kindle and Nook.