Favorate Mall in Detroit Area??? (Livonia, Dearborn: theatre, school, restaurants)

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by MarvinStrong313

Enough said. Rep up for that. But they should have a outlet mall or something there. I don't think any Somerset type malls would make it downriver

There is an outlet mall in Monroe. There is a mall in Toledo. Fairlane is pretty close. There is Southland Mall and there is the intersection of West and Allen Roads in Woodhaven, where, while not a mall, it is pretty similar (Target, K-mart, Meijers, Wallmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Kohls, Petsmart, Office Depot, Home Goods, Kroger, Radio Shack, O'Riley Auto parts, Gamestop, Olgas, 5 Guys, Steak & Shake, Applebees, Wendys, Pizza Hut, White Castle,Bicycle Shop, Hallmark store,a small pet store, A couple of cell phone places, Aldi's and a Bunch of other shops and restaurants). We also have downtown Wyandotte for shopping for igher end clothing if desired. We certainly never feel like we do not have enough chain stores to visit.

[KayAnn246]

Originally Posted by us66

True about the population, however, Fairlane is pretty close to Downriver up the Southfield Freeway. Household disposable income isn't all that bad. It's not entirely a low to moderate income place. There's some nicer housing in Trenton, Woodhaven, Riverview, and Southgate, among others. I seem to remember property values in these areas being slightly higher than Macomb County back at the peak, too.

Tel-12 was de-malled. It's what they call a "power center" now. Meijer, Lowe's, DSW, those sorts of stores. The interior mall has been gone for years.

Fairlane was a nice mall back in the day. Mall security is everywhere. You are bumping arms with teenagers everywhere. It reminds me of a club for teens without the music. People are fighting all the time up there. Drama! But they have nice stores if you can make it there on the weekdays. The weekends? Noooo!

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

There is an outlet mall in Monroe. There is a mall in Toledo. Fairlane is pretty close. There is Southland Mall and there is the intersection of West and Allen Roads in Woodhaven, where, while not a mall, it is pretty similar (Target, K-mart, Meijers, Wallmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Kohls, Petsmart, Office Depot, Home Goods, Kroger, Radio Shack, O'Riley Auto parts, Gamestop, Olgas, 5 Guys, Steak & Shake, Applebees, Wendys, Pizza Hut, White Castle,Bicycle Shop, Hallmark store,a small pet store, A couple of cell phone places, Aldi's and a Bunch of other shops and restaurants). We also have downtown Wyandotte for shopping for igher end clothing if desired. We certainly never feel like we do not have enough chain stores to visit.

I would avoid the outlet mall in Monroe. After Birch Run opened, people bypassed the Monroe Outlet Stores and now it is almost 90% empty with crumbling infrastructure and poorly maintained landscaping. There are a few stores there that people still visit, including a popular medical uniform outlet, but for the most part, it is a sad relic that peaked in the early '90s and has steadily declined ever since. The Mall of Monroe, over on Dixie Hwy. is much better, although it is small. It has a Target, an Elder Beerman, a Sears, and a lot of other smaller filler stores such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, the Shoe Dept., Claire's, Hallmark, etc. and a small food court. It underwent a major renovation about a year ago and is pretty nice for a smaller mall in a smaller town.

[us66]

Originally Posted by canudigit

I would avoid the outlet mall in Monroe. After Birch Run opened, people bypassed the Monroe Outlet Stores and now it is almost 90% empty with crumbling infrastructure and poorly maintained landscaping. There are a few stores there that people still visit, including a popular medical uniform outlet, but for the most part, it is a sad relic that peaked in the early '90s and has steadily declined ever since. The Mall of Monroe, over on Dixie Hwy. is much better, although it is small. It has a Target, an Elder Beerman, a Sears, and a lot of other smaller filler stores such as American Eagle, Aeropostale, the Shoe Dept., Claire's, Hallmark, etc. and a small food court. It underwent a major renovation about a year ago and is pretty nice for a smaller mall in a smaller town.

It's not called Frenchtown Square anymore? I practically lived there the first summer it was open, back in '88. I haven't been there in probably three years. I don't get out like I used to.

[desertdetroiter]

Truthfully, i don't like any of 'em. I prefer the shopping at some place like Main Street Royal Oak rather than those lame indoor malls. Seems like they're unsustainable anyway. As soon as the "hot new" mall opens, the old ones start losing stores and looking like hell.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

Truthfully, i don't like any of 'em. I prefer the shopping at some place like Main Street Royal Oak rather than those lame indoor malls. Seems like they're unsustainable anyway. As soon as the "hot new" mall opens, the old ones start losing stores and looking like hell.

What exactly is there in Royal Oak?

Doesn't seem like anything there that I would make a special trip to.

[DaniellaG]

RO and similar seem to have more specialty small business own shops rather then the large Gap. So you can find more unique items and same with the restaurants.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by desertdetroiter

Truthfully, i don't like any of 'em. I prefer the shopping at some place like Main Street Royal Oak rather than those lame indoor malls. Seems like they're unsustainable anyway. As soon as the "hot new" mall opens, the old ones start losing stores and looking like hell.

I agree withthe first statement. I dont like malls and If I am forced to shop I woudl prefer a downtown atmosphere. However I am not sure that the sustainability argument bears out. Two of the most popular malls in michigan at 12 oaks which opened about 1980 and Somerset has been there since the 60s but really became a mall in the mid 1990s. Still, it is pushing 20 years old. Both malls have improved and grown since they opened and the area around them has turned into a shopping mecca. I do not think that they can reasonably be considered unsustainable.

[desertdetroiter]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I agree withthe first statement. I dont like malls and If I am forced to shop I woudl prefer a downtown atmosphere. However I am not sure that the sustainability argument bears out. Two of the most popular malls in michigan at 12 oaks which opened about 1980 and Somerset has been there since the 60s but really became a mall in the mid 1990s. Still, it is pushing 20 years old. Both malls have improved and grown since they opened and the area around them has turned into a shopping mecca. I do not think that they can reasonably be considered unsustainable.

That's a great point, but i still think they're an anomaly....and maybe only a temporary one. Will they still be what they are in another 30 years? The thing is, since this is such a young country, i think we measure sustainability differently. My years of living in Europe kinda changed my outlook on that particular topic. I don't think 20 years, or even 30 years is very long at all.

I don't know...i'm just not a fan of the mall concept. But i'll admit that my opinion is colored by my disdain of the whole "go shopping" culture that permeates this country.

[desertdetroiter]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

What exactly is there in Royal Oak?

Doesn't seem like anything there that I would make a special trip to.

I can understand that. It's true...nothing special. But i like the atmosphere far better than Somerset or Southland.