malls? (Cincinnati, Dayton, Grove City: apts, condos, costs)

[wrightflyer]

Originally Posted by LancasterNative

You just described Easton perfectly. Even as the "traditional" malls around here decline and die, that place is going like gangbusters!

The same for The Greene. Steiner sure is making a few bucks off of his product. And to think that all of that money stays in state.

As for other area malls. Dayton Mall is aging but has a large, wealthy base close by. Town and Country (a small indoor strip mall), is dying from the Greene's opening but that process was occuring even prior to that. Fairfield has lost some business to the Greene, but still seems ok. I'd prefer to shop their at Christmas then in the open at the Greene. It does sound like the larger cities are having more mall issues, especially the bigger they get.

[mapcat]

Originally Posted by pasharon

i think most of the malls that are going downhill are around bigger cities? i think around smaller towns there still viable??

Not in Marion. Southland mall has lost most of its anchors and other stores as well. The big, happening shopping area is around the new Kohl's store at the other end of town. And it's a strip mall, not a "lifestyle center".

I've heard the same thing about the Indian Mounds mall in Heath (Newark), but haven't been there to verify. At least it doesn't take long to get from Newark to Easton or Polaris in Columbus.

[GoingMobile]

Outdoor malls: My guess it that they succeed in part because the poor outdoor weather conditions chase away the loitering teenagers and retirees with no money. I know that's the reason I like them.

Go, shop, pay, get out.
No crowds of bums hanging about.

[BuckeyezRule]

I used to laugh at how declined Randall Park was, as I'm from Akron, & didn't go much. Welp, you guessed it, our beloved Rolling Acres took a huge nosedive in business in the past years too. I was at the JCP outlet last year on a SATURDAY, & there was NO ONE I could see in the mall, except the workers at the food court, & the people in the JCP outlet. That place it usually kinda busy. I remember when you used to not be able to find a parking spot there at Christmas.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by LancasterNative

You just described Easton perfectly. Even as the "traditional" malls around here decline and die, that place is going like gangbusters!

And the first time I went to Easton, my first thought was: "WTF? This is just a re-creation of a downtown from 50 years ago!" The more things change ...

[M TYPE X]

Randall Park and Rolling Acres are well-known among retail historians nationwide. Disasters.

Easton is merely one large "outdoor lifestyle center" among many in the country, all that look the same, and attempt to recreate downtowns, but controlled by private entities and patrolled by rent-a-cops. Crocker Park is nice but is no replacement for a decent downtown on the westside of Greater Cleveland, outside of Rocky River or Lakewood.

[LancasterNative]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

And the first time I went to Easton, my first thought was: "WTF? This is just a re-creation of a downtown from 50 years ago!" The more things change ...

Ha! Right you are...

Easton is nice, but purely in that artificial sort of way. The heavy police presence there on Fri/Sat nights keeps the 'bangers at bay, and assures that patrons & shoppers can feel safe. Clearly, Mr. Wexner etal. are taking measures necessary to protect their investment.

The funny thing that strikes me is...Easton is like the new incarnation of The Continent, for this generation. Anyone who can remember The Continent in its heyday will know what I mean.

If they wanna keep Easton around long-term, those big money boys had better keep the cops around...and try not to cannibalize their own enterprise by building some new mammoth thing out in Jersey.

[CityGrrl77]

I think it depends where you go. Malls such as Southpark in Strongsville (owned by Westfield) is doing extremely well. Summit Mall in the Fairlawn (near Akron) is getting a facelift with new stores and I've never known it to be dead. Chapel Hill on the Cuyahoga Falls/Akron line is still doing alright. Sort of. Rolling Acres is a lost cause - Target even pulled out of that property. I don't even think they can get random offices put in that building.

Seems as though places like Crocker Park, Legacy Village (Lyndhurst/Beachwood) and Easton are the new 'malls'. Which, in Ohio...where it snows and gets cold...not so great for year round shopping.

[wrightflyer]

Originally Posted by CityGrrl77

Seems as though places like Crocker Park, Legacy Village (Lyndhurst/Beachwood) and Easton are the new 'malls'. Which, in Ohio...where it snows and gets cold...not so great for year round shopping.

Well, maybe we can save some of that money for our large heating bills. That and we won't be running into as much debt.

For Ohio shopping, especially at the holidays, indoor malls will have a huge advantage over outdoor ones like Easton and The Greene. I went to The Greene last year around Christmas to do my shopping cause the place was empty compared to Fairfield Commons. Maybe that'll change as more stores have moved in over the last year. Then next year Von Maur will be open! Does Easton still get a fair amount of Christmas traffic? Happy Christmas shopping everyone!

[complexsimplicity]

Euclid Square Mall in NE Ohio use to be a very busy mall years ago. Now the only thing there is some crappy store called Outlets USA, I don't know if anything else is left in there. Randall Park Mall certainly isn't to far behind it. I think the only reason it is getting some business is that the Magic Johnson Theaters are there.