Thoughts about Miller Hill Mall (Duluth, Rochester: eat, designer, architecture)

[duluthian2008]

I think there were no mentions of those three retailers because Build A Bear still wont be happening for about a year due to the economy and Five Guys is in the process of signing a lease. Hallmark did move for Build A Bear and at the current moment they still are planning to open at the mall. Also I do not think Culvers will be considered a part of the mall. I think due to them being on a far outlot, like Valvoline and DTCU they will not be considered a tenant of the mall. Or the mall just may not be releasing that information yet, but Culvers for sure has bought that land. And yes there are three vacancies in the food court now... so one of the must have to fill soon being there are only eight food retailers now. Hopefully A & W will sign on for one of them if they really are still looking at the mall.

[D_tuura]

Apple buys most of gaps stores that are going out of bussiness for example bal harbors ( new apple store going in) the apple store in germany used to be gap, the gap in ceasers palace is now apple, and the one in duluth is going out of bussiness so maybe just maybe we will get an apple store. Since half of gap is being turned into arie and buckle can still have another area to move into another secton of the mall.

any news on gymborie or tradehome closing. if so maybe coach could buy one of those stores.
They put one in roseville minnesota mall
duluth is bigger than roseville and there are more than one coach stores in minneapolis so it could make sense.
But buckle makes me angry. they should just die. a zara would do a lot better than that.

[duluthian2008]

I would love for Apple to come to Duluth. Plus our mall is perfect for it and Duluth is an Apple city.. not a Microsoft city. I really don't understand why Apple doesnt have a Duluth location for the amount of people here who already have Apple Products. I could see Apple going into Buckles old space being its so big and straight... no interesting architectural characteristics to it... just what Apple likes. That really would do some good for that area. I dont think Gymboree or Tradehome are going to close now. Gymboree is more interested in moving to a larger space in the mall. The Childrens Place is thinking about closing. Coach really could locate a store in Duluth... thats another brand that has a huge, and when I say huge I mean HUGE, clientel in Duluth. It is ridiculous how many Coach bags there are in Duluth. Thats is another store that I am not quite sure why they havnt opened in Duluth yet. Rochester just got one last year, they are similar to Duluth. I really do like Buckles new store though... they have some very interesting architecture. Zara would be nice... but considering that MOA doesnt even have one yet... its gonna be a while till Duluth get ones. I also am very curious to see what fills Waldenbooks space! It is huge and is in an extremely busy part of the mall. Also is the Dollar Store on a month to month lease because it is not listed as a permanent store on the malls website.... If they left that would open a great space for some retailer to locate in. Its really interesting when I go to the mall now because all of the mall use to be so busy.... but now its just the Sears and Younkers wings that are extremely busy. When you get past Helzberg's everything is dead. The mall really needs to work on landing a major tenant for that area.

[nateduluthnative]

I wish someone else would buy the mall. Every other mall in the Cities has changed hands over the last decade and nearly everyone has been renovated. General Growth owns some of the malls with the best redevelopments and they could do wonders for Miller Hill, if Simon is willing to sell. i also wish that county office by Schmitt Music would leave the mall and go in an office building where it belongs, that would be an excellent space for a Chipotle or similar food vendor.

[duluthian2008]

You know I wish that same thing too... but then I get to thinking about it and I dont. GGP would do a renovation and would up keep our mall quite nicely... but no mall company is doing nearly well as Simon right now. Simon can reconfigure their malls and get any tenant they want... but with the other mall developers this is not the case. Simon remodels a lot more malls then GGP does.... we just dont see it in Minnesota. They are trying to remodel everything. I mean Simon is planning to invest 100 million dollars in SouthDale to add on two more department stores, and tons of restaurants and retailers along with a renovation of the current mall. Its only time before they get to Duluth and they currently are supposedly working on us.

As far as the License Plate Center goes. It needs to get out of the mall now. I agree 100 percent with you. That type of business does not belong at our mall. The mall needs to wrap its lifestyle center feel around the entire mall and include this area. I always thought that if the mall was to do an expansion they should do it on that side and build a parking ramp on the other. But even though there is a drop off on the other side Simon always could hall in a ton of dirt and build it up. Thats what they did with the Sears expansion. But I think the mall needs to get the License Plate center and Prodigy Real estate out of the mall. Office type businesses are not suppose to be in a mall as small as ours.

[fromupthere]

You wouldn't want GGP taking over your mall anyway. Last I heard (last month), they were trying not to file bankruptcy.

[duluthian2008]

GGP use to be a great company... but right now if you are a mall you want to be with Simon. If your with Simon you will be safe no matter what through what the economy is like right now.

[duluthian2008]

Tenant improvements for a retail space in Duluth. Completed working drawings are calling for a new tenant install for a retail space.

Subcontractor bids are due to the GC Bidder by 11:00 a.m. CST on January 22, 2009.*

I take it this bid is for the conversion of Limited Too to the Justice Brand? There is an identical one for Rochester too.

[nateduluthnative]

I think Northstar Ford ought to move north to Hermantown with the rest of the auto dealerships and let the mall expand in that direction

[duluthian2008]

That would free up a lot of parking in that area which could definitely be used by the mall if they ever chose to expand being an expansion would take up so many parking spaces. I still think the malls best bets for expansion would be on either side of the mall, the food court end or the Old Navy end.