Bel Air Mall Renovation (Mobile: dining, affordable, hot)

[bon_regis]

I wouldn't be surprised if Best Buy Mobile is relocated to the JCPenney corridor. With it and Lane Bryant out of the way, it would make it easier to combine spaces for larger tenants on the northside of the mall wing between Belk and Dillard's.

[edtv411]

Originally Posted by Mobilemom52

I saw that Earrings and Things is having a storewide clearance, and gather from some FB posts by the owner's wife that he is retiring, and they are closing. End of an era, for sure.

If they are leaving, that would be a great location for a food tenant...adding more to what is the closest thing Bel Air will ever have to a food court since the original went away years ago...

[Mobilemom52]

Originally Posted by edtv411

If they are leaving, that would be a great location for a food tenant...adding more to what is the closest thing Bel Air will ever have to a food court since the original went away years ago...

I wonder. They certainly need more food venues; I don't remember the last time I was at any halfway decent mall anywhere that didn't have at least a small food court.

[edtv411]

The Goodyear Auto center in front of the mall has closed.

If I recall correctly, wasn't this originally the one with DH Holmes? The JCPenney one is now Shoe Station since there was already a Firestone at the corner of Airport and Bel Air.

Here's hoping it will be a good outparcel of some sort.

[PortCity]

The former Belk wing should be a food court.

[bon_regis]

Journeys and Journeys Kids will occupy the former Lotus Boutique and Sunglass World spaces in the JCP corridor. Journeys Kids used to be located next to the former Regis Salon, so both spaces *could* be combined for a potential 3,300 square foot Michael Kors location at center court.

Journeys:


Journeys Kids:

[piratepress]

I finally tried P.F. Chang's on Saturday, but based on the recommendation of my friend who works there, booked a reservation for 4 pm. I honestly felt I wouldn't need it, but I was certainly wrong! Even with it being open for a month and having a reservation, I had to wait 15 minutes and other mall shoppers were being told that the wait was 45 minutes. To make matters worse, my friend said that it is usually much busier. On the plus side, all the food was very hot and fresh and tasted much better than the same items we ate recently at the Metarie location.


So if you plan on going, I'd definitely suggest making a reservation on the website first!

[Mobilemom52]

We had lunch at Grimaldi's on Friday and loved it. We've been numerous times to their Baton Rouge restaurant and this was at least as good. We got there at 11:15 and were seated immediately; by the time we left at about 12:15 the place was fairly full.

I find their pizza very much like what we have had in Rome... very thin, slightly charred crust, excellent mozzarella and sauce (slightly chunky.) We shared a Caprese salad, which was also very good. Their "small" green salads (Caesar, house salad, etc.) are well more than enough for two. This will become our new, "go to" place for pizza.

[P_Mac]

Originally Posted by piratepress

I finally tried P.F. Chang's on Saturday, but based on the recommendation of my friend who works there, booked a reservation for 4 pm. I honestly felt I wouldn't need it, but I was certainly wrong! Even with it being open for a month and having a reservation, I had to wait 15 minutes and other mall shoppers were being told that the wait was 45 minutes. To make matters worse, my friend said that it is usually much busier. On the plus side, all the food was very hot and fresh and tasted much better than the same items we ate recently at the Metarie location.


So if you plan on going, I'd definitely suggest making a reservation on the website first!

I wasn't too blown away by PF Changs. Admittedly I am a food snob, but it just seemed like over priced American style Asian food. I will definitely go again and try something else to see if it was just the dish I got. I do think it will do very well here and I'm glad the mall has a cool restaurant that will more than likely be there for a while

[Southsky]

Originally Posted by Mobilemom52

We had lunch at Grimaldi's on Friday and loved it. We've been numerous times to their Baton Rouge restaurant and this was at least as good. We got there at 11:15 and were seated immediately; by the time we left at about 12:15 the place was fairly full.

I find their pizza very much like what we have had in Rome... very thin, slightly charred crust, excellent mozzarella and sauce (slightly chunky.) We shared a Caprese salad, which was also very good. Their "small" green salads (Caesar, house salad, etc.) are well more than enough for two. This will become our new, "go to" place for pizza.

I'm glad to hear. This place is on my "must try" list.