Cookeville Mall??? (Clarksville, Jackson: how much, homes, neighborhoods)

[dlk33]

I was looking into the retail shopping options for the cities we've been considering retiring to & have come to notice that Cookeville doesn't really have much of a mall. That seems to me to be a possible issue with living there, since there are no other larger cities nearby to shop at. How do those of you living in Cookeville feel about your retail options, and not having a mall?

[KC38506]

It's not a big deal. We still have plenty of places to shop at Jackson Plaza, which is in the new "outdoor mall" format, which I prefer since you don't have to hike forever to get where you want. When we really get a "hankering" for a mall, Opry Mills is a mere 80 miles away at Nashville - gives us a good excuse to run down the interstate. We can be there in a little over an hour. Jackson Plaza has Kohl's, Goody's, Belk, Sears, Old Navy, TJMaxx, Petco, etc. JC Penney is actually about the only store still at the mall. Before the economy slowed down, rumor had it that the old mall was slated for major renovation to an outdoor mall as well.

[firepower]

Years ago the Cookeville Mall was pretty nice but has slowly went downhill over the past 20 years or so to the point where it is today.
There's been new ownership in place for 2-3 years now, but no changes yet. Don't know why that is... Rumor is something about J.C. Penny's contract in the mall, not sure.
Cookeville is in an excellent location to support a good mall I think. Not Opry Mills or Cool Springs good but still something people would have a reason to go to. Don't know when or if that will happen though. Doesn't look good anytime soon does it.

Anyway, back to the question, I think there's way more than enough great shopping in Cookeville just the way it is. There are many many different options to choose from, and I'm sure there will be more. Don't get me wrong, we love going to the Nashville malls but still may only go 2-3 times a year & don't miss it. If you just HAVE to go (which we just did before Christmas), you can be at Opry Mills in just a little over an hour from Cookeville.

Now, y'all may want more than Cookeville has, or at least be closer, but most people are completely satisfied with the shopping here except for special occasions.


firepower

[JMT]

I can live very well without ever having to step foot in a mall. When I was younger I was a mall rat, but now I couldn't care less.

Other than Target, Cookeville has pretty much all of the shopping possibilities I would ever want. Many of the stores that are normally found inside malls are found in Cookeville, just not in the mall. Bath & Body Works comes to mind. There are some shoe, clothing, and jewelry stores I've seen in other malls which also have stores in Cookeville but not inside the mall.

If/when the new owners of the Cookeville Mall ever tear it down, I'll be sad just for nostalgia. But I won't be sad to see another mall disappear.

[dlk33]

I guess I'm just going to have to check it all out & see how I feel about it. It seems to me that if Elizabethtown can support a Mall then Cookeville should be able to also. I think Elizabethtown has the other retail as well as the Mall.
I just like having options, a good amount of them.

JMT...
I know how much you dislike malls, I've read it in your other posts. Where we live(much colder climate) there are lots of people that use the mall for exercise...mall walkers, so it does have other benefits to some

[JMT]

Originally Posted by dlk33

I guess I'm just going to have to check it all out & see how I feel about it. It seems to me that if Elizabethtown can support a Mall then Cookeville should be able to also. I think Elizabethtown has the other retail as well as the Mall.
I just like having options, a good amount of them.

JMT...
I know how much you dislike malls, I've read it in your other posts. Where we live(much colder climate) there are lots of people that use the mall for exercise...mall walkers, so it does have other benefits to some

If you're referring to Elizabethtown KY, it's right next to a huge Army base so the town services a much larger population than Cookeville.

The university in Cookeville opens its basketball arena to walkers who want to walk around the concourse. I think 5 circles are a mile, or something like that. It's not a mall, but it is a nice, climate-controlled indoor walking track.

[2mares]

The university in Cookeville opens its basketball arena to walkers who want to walk around the concourse. I think 5 circles are a mile, or something like that. It's not a mall, but it is a nice, climate-controlled indoor walking track.

Thats great for old farts. I like to take advantage of Tennessees beauty and walk outdoors.

[dlk33]

Oh, I've never actually done mall walking(wouldn't ever want to be considered an old fart), but hey, I'll give props to anyone who chooses to exercise however they choose to do it. In our Wi winters, I do my work-outs inside though....I have a cardio & weight training room in my house. I don't enjoy being in outside in the frozen tundra. However, being it's much milder in Tn., I just might consider it.
It is an advantage that the university offers that option to whoever wants to take advantage though.
I didn't realize that Elizabethtown was next to an Army base. Is there anything positive or negative regarding that as far as you're aware of?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by dlk33

Oh, I've never actually done mall walking(wouldn't ever want to be considered an old fart), but hey, I'll give props to anyone who chooses to exercise however they choose to do it. In our Wi winters, I do my work-outs inside though....I have a cardio & weight training room in my house. I don't enjoy being in outside in the frozen tundra. However, being it's much milder in Tn., I just might consider it.
It is an advantage that the university offers that option to whoever wants to take advantage though.
I didn't realize that Elizabethtown was next to an Army base. Is there anything positive or negative regarding that as far as you're aware of?

Elizabethtown is next to Fort Knox. Yes, THAT Fort Knox. Not only is it home to our country's gold deposits, it's home to over 12,000 soldiers and their families.

I personally would never want to live near a military base. I've been to many, and I have never seen NICE neighborhoods near them. Girlie bars, pawn shops, adult video stores seem to congregate near military bases.

Clarksville TN is a good example. It's adjacent to Fort Campbell, and the closer you get to Fort Campbell the more run-down and shoddy the neighborhoods look. Homes look like they're slapped together quickly and often they are because the military seems to randomly move a few thousand soldiers in and out of a base at the last minute. The farther away from Fort Campbell, the nicer Clarksville gets.

But some people love living near military bases. And you might fall in love with Elizabethtown. Who knows!

[2mares]

Oh, I've never actually done mall walking(wouldn't ever want to be considered an old fart),

LOL. I have used the Universities hoop to walk. I dont consider myself an old fart, but my grandkids do.