Looking into the future of the Kingsport Mall (Knoxville, Johnson City: sales, tenants)

[ComicalMoodyDan]

As I've been highly critical of the Fort Henry (Kingsport Town Center) mall it looks a lot of my concern was warrented. I was looking at articles today and I came across this one about a mall in Maryland struggling. This mall is owned by Somera Capital Management which happens to be the same mall owners and really it sounds like they are making a lot of empty promises and doing exactly the same thing as they are doing in Kingsport. Below are the links.

Laurel Mall caught in a waiting game

Somera Capital Management - View Properties (http://www.someracapital.com/our_invest/view_property.php?prop_id=71&page=1 - broken link)

Somera Capital Management - View Properties (http://www.someracapital.com/our_invest/view_property.php?prop_id=63&page=1 - broken link)

[jabogitlu]

That's sad to hear. I think Simon owns the Johnson City Mall. They're also looking at remodeling, but are more focused on tenants - with Forever XXI, Express and other stores opening, and Victoria's Secret and others expanding.

[jchometeam]

Glimcher owns the Johnson City mall.

[jabogitlu]

Oh right Well, Glimcher is doing a really good job, I think. In this day when so many malls are going empty, ours is going strong, despite the huge pull into open-air retail that JC Crossings, Hamilton Place, etc. have created.

What really should've happened, I think, would have been a stricter zone ordinance on developing surrounding farmland. That way, Target, Books a Million, etc might have opened in and around the mall... instead of dragging town further and further away from town.

[rccrain]

I prefer JC's current configuration. If you smush too much into North Roan, it would become a traffic disaster not unlike Asheville or Knoxville. There is one infamous intersection that just cannot handle any more peak traffic than it currently does. I love the way I can get anywhere in JC to anywhere in JC in < 15 minutes. For instance, I can drive from the JC Mall to B&N in 5 minutes. I know it's not walkable, but the easy drive allows it to feel somewhat dense. Additionally, I think "the loop" created by Roan and SoF gives JC a very connected feel and a dynamic base from which to grow for the next 30 years.

Also, can I assume you are talking about the Target and BAM in Kpt?

[jabogitlu]

Sorry, should've clarified. I absolutely did mean to refer to Target and BAM in Kingsport. Specifically, I think Kingsport Pavilion was an ill-planned bit of urban sprawl, very out of character for generally well-planned Kingsport.

[ComicalMoodyDan]

I don't think the Pavilion was ill planned at all especially considering the sales the shopping center has received. The Pavilion kicks the crap out of the mall in traffic and sales. The mall isn't dead yet but it's been on life support for years and unless something is done NOW it will be dead very soon. I blame it mostly on all of the owner's not really caring about it and the general mall manager being described by many as an "uncaring d***".

Every day I run into people that either say they dislike the mall, sometimes even using such a strong word as hate. Either that or they never visit it anymore. It's sad but the general views of people in the Kingsport area anymore is we have a mall sure but it sucks and nobody shops at it anymore. They all go to the Pavilion or East Stone Commons.

[mbmouse]

Hmmm.....there are some new business going into the Kingsport Mall. Café Blues is having their grand opening today and they are a very wanted restaurant and have a following, even if it is in the mall. So maybe things could be turning around in the Kingsport mall?

[rccrain]

I worry that a nice movie theater at the Pavilion or elsewhere might be the last straw for the FH Mall. I'm getting de ja vue of the Bristol Mall once Exit 7 occurred. That pretty much doomed a very nice Bristol Mall to inferiority.

[setnick]

There has been news of a large cinema going in at the Kingsport Pavilion. It was even announced in the paper that Marquee was the theater looking to build in the phase 2 of the Pavilion