Battle of the elite malls in suburbia (Chicago, Schaumburg: casino, cost)

[coffeemoments]

Oakbrook is the closest to us. We don't go there all that often but I love the Fine Art Festival there which is actually coming up next month. Really like Woodfield mall, just wish it was closer to us. Being indoors is nicer in the winter, especially for holiday shopping. Haven't been to the other two malls so can't vote but I'd have to say Woodfield over Oakbrook.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by damba

Frankly, shopping alone was never going to cut it at the Glen. That was established from the get go.

It was a complete dead zone until it found its niche. The idea for the town center was to be in the center of The Glen, as well as to retain he old GNAS tower. Problem with that location is that Patriot may be a througk street but not a major one. Patriot gets local traffic. Patriot and Lake or Patriot and Willow would have been better sites

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by olive03

I've never thought of Woodfield as elite/high end. Just big.

I figured out it was popular since it is the only indoor middle class mall closest to the city. Very useful during the winter. I experienced how horrible Old Orchard and Oakbrook are in the cold during my Thanksgiving visit a few years ago.

Northbrook was pretty dead since it was very elite with rich people's stores, except for the Macy's. The wood paneling really dated the place! I would consider Woodfield as the best mall in Chicago because it was still lively in this online shopping age.

I would liken Woodfield to The Galleria here in Houston because of the similar massive size and popularity, especially with travelers. Unlike Woodfield, The Galleria is home to the Houston area's luxury stores and department stores. Imagine luxury Oak Street combined with middle-class Woodfield--that's The Galleria in a nutshell.

[Grlzrl]

Originally Posted by edsg25

I don't think you can make it these days without being a dining destination. I'm not sure exactly how many LEYE restaurants are at Oakbrook, but enough that I couldn't think of them all.

With their outdoor layout, Oakbrook and Old Orchard come closes to being kin to lifestyle centers (although on a far greater scale). And like the lifestyle centers, restaurants are an important part of the mix.

I don't know how many of you out there are familiar with The Glen in Glenview, the town center for the development of the same name on the old Glenview Naval Air Station site. It used the old terminal from the naval site as its signature structure. It is arranged on a street setting, a cured one. The Glen suffered a lot of growing pains and turnover, but today it seems to have found its niche: restaurants are the selling point

It's still iffy at the Towne Center. Many of the restaurants keep turning over.

[CCrest182]

Oak Brook and it's not even a contest. Woodfield is just big.

[olive03]

And today at Woodfield........

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/201...woodfield-mall

[damba]

Originally Posted by Grlzrl

It's still iffy at the Towne Center. Many of the restaurants keep turning over.

That just part of the restaurant industry in general though.

Something like 600 new ones go up each year in Chicago but the vast majority close within 3 yrs.

[Careless]

Jebus. Hope everyone's ok

[CLfan1977]

Originally Posted by olive03

And today at Woodfield........

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/201...woodfield-mall

Reminded me of “Blues Brothers” driving through Ford City mall in the movie.

[Nearwest]

The closed Dixie Square Mall in Harvey, and not Ford City, was used, both inside and out, for the mall chase scene in the movie, 'The Blues Brothers.'