Retail coming to Philadelphia (King of Prussia, Washington: metropolitan area, clothing, dating)

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by cpomp

You kind of contradicted yourself..

You said CC market is strong enough to support a full Bloomingdales, but you are worried that the revitalization of Market East will be the downfall of Walnut/Chestnut. If you are worried that Philly cannot support the two separate shopping districts, than it certainly will not be able to support a Bloomingdales.


However, I do not think Walnut and Chestnut will be affected at all by the new Gallery.

Sorry for the confusion.
What I meant is that people in Center City can afford buying the things in Bloomingdales. That's why Center City can support Bloomies.
But now if there are two different "centers", I am afraid people will abandon and forget about Chestnut / Walnut areas and instead go to Market East.
Although now I think about it, it is rather impossible.
Say if Bloomies is on Market East, it will be something different/not available on Chestnut/Walnut. So people will go to different areas for different stores to go.
Let's really hope for the full Bloomies to come (esp. with better men lines like in KOP. The one in Willow Grove has horrible and limited men selections).

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

Sorry for the confusion.
What I meant is that people in Center City can afford buying the things in Bloomingdales. That's why Center City can support Bloomies.
But now if there are two different "centers", I am afraid people will abandon and forget about Chestnut / Walnut areas and instead go to Market East.
Although now I think about it, it is rather impossible.
Say if Bloomies is on Market East, it will be something different/not available on Chestnut/Walnut. So people will go to different areas for different stores to go.
Let's really hope for the full Bloomies to come (esp. with better men lines like in KOP. The one in Willow Grove has horrible and limited men selections).

I would not worry too much about Walnut St because it had upscale shopping and rep when there were still all the department stores on Market St.

For example, Jacques Ferber Furs, though women don't wear furs like they used to, has been on Walnut for a century. There was also a WONDERFUL local high fashion, designer clothes, store on Walnut(where Talbots and H&M are now), Nan Duskin. Joan Shepp is NOTHING by comparison. Nan Duskin was a designer super store. Every time I pass where it used to be I think about it.... What a shame it's not there anymore.

I would find it incredible if a full Bloomies ended up in the Lits Bldg. because Lits was like a homegrown WalMart or maybe Target. Wanamaker's was THE department store. Strawbridge and Clothier was next. Gimbels and Lits were on the low end.

My shopping dream world is about people abandoning KOP for CC. I know it's unrealistic.

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

Even though PREIT representative said that the deal -if happens- will not affect Gallery Redevelopment, I really doubt it.
not being a negadelphian, but I think it will take years before we can see the Gallery done renovated.

I don't see why Bloomies cannot open in CC - the regular st ore that is. The market in CC is healthy enough to support one.

Also I am wondering. Once Market East is completely revitalized, I wonder whether it will cannibalize retail scene in Chestnut/Walnut. Meaning people will stop flocking Chestnut/Walnut and go to Market East instead. It is bad already that alot of out-of-towners and suburbanites are not aware of the retail scenes around those 2 streets currently.

Doubt it. I think we'll see a trend where Market East will be home to your mid-range retailers like H&M, Urban, Abercrombie, etc. and Walnut/Chestnut may become home to your high-end retailers.

The Street front retail scene is becoming a more popular shopping experience than malls.

[Lenses & Lights.]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

Sorry for the confusion.
What I meant is that people in Center City can afford buying the things in Bloomingdales. That's why Center City can support Bloomies.
But now if there are two different "centers", I am afraid people will abandon and forget about Chestnut / Walnut areas and instead go to Market East.
Although now I think about it, it is rather impossible.
Say if Bloomies is on Market East, it will be something different/not available on Chestnut/Walnut. So people will go to different areas for different stores to go.
Let's really hope for the full Bloomies to come (esp. with better men lines like in KOP. The one in Willow Grove has horrible and limited men selections).

I grew up here and recall the days of local giants such as Strawbridge & Clothier, John Wanamaker's, and Gimbles were in the area and people from all over shopped at each of them. The extravagant Christmas show's were great, the holiday photos for kids with either santa or the easter bunny were lot's of fun, and in my early teen years buying outfits from local designers was fantastic. We didn't really care so much about New York or anyplace else unless you needed a certain something that was not available here. Still we (Philadelphians) had our own styles and our very own designers.

As a matter of fact, as a side note the areas where the convention center's located had a few factories that made everything from clothing to lamp shades. I worked at a couple of them. Also the areas around there from 13th & Market to the Greyhound & Trailways stations and back South from 16th & Market to 21st & Chestnut were full of Grand Marquee movie theaters, porn shops, pimps & prostitutes, record stores, smoke shops, hustlers, pick pockets, etc;... As a small child I sometimes couldn't distinguish the difference bewteen there and 42nd st up in the NYC area. lol

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Lenses & Lights.

As a matter of fact, as a side note the areas where the convention center's located had a few factories that made everything from clothing to lamp shades. I worked at a couple of them. Also the areas around there from 13th & Market to the Greyhound & Trailways stations and back South from 16th & Market to 21st & Chestnut were full of Grand Marquee movie theaters, porn shops, pimps & prostitutes, record stores, smoke shops, hustlers, pick pockets, etc;... As a small child I sometimes couldn't distinguish the difference bewteen there and 42nd st up in the NYC area. lol

Yeah, I remember all of that too. lol. You certainly remember when the Reading Terminal Headhouse was a train station.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Yeah, I remember all of that too. lol. You certainly remember when the Reading Terminal Headhouse was a train station.

Remember how dirty the ceiling was in the rail shed

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I would not worry too much about Walnut St because it had upscale shopping and rep when there were still all the department stores on Market St.

For example, Jacques Ferber Furs, though women don't wear furs like they used to, has been on Walnut for a century. There was also a WONDERFUL local high fashion, designer clothes, store on Walnut(where Talbots and H&M are now), Nan Duskin. Joan Shepp is NOTHING by comparison. Nan Duskin was a designer super store. Every time I pass where it used to be I think about it.... What a shame it's not there anymore.

I would find it incredible if a full Bloomies ended up in the Lits Bldg. because Lits was like a homegrown WalMart or maybe Target. Wanamaker's was THE department store. Strawbridge and Clothier was next. Gimbels and Lits were on the low end.

My shopping dream world is about people abandoning KOP for CC. I know it's unrealistic.

I have a confession.
While ideally I would like to see CC to be the shopping destination in the future, sometimes I got this fear esp. when ir ead articles about how Market East is going to look like Time Square in 5 years or so.
I am afraid that it will be so overcrowded like a mega-tourist trap (just like Time Square) that I would not enjoy being around the area.
Call me selfish I guess.
Anytime I happened to somehow got stucked on Time Square, the amount of people there is just so intimidating.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by kyb01

My shopping dream world is about people abandoning KOP for CC. I know it's unrealistic.

Why not Center City and King of Prussia both being viable? That's the sign of a thriving city and a thriving metropolitan area. Not everybody can live in the city. Chicago has excellent shopping in the city, and also has excellent shopping in Oak Brook and Schaumburg. Washington DC has excellent shopping in the city, and also has excellent shopping in Bethesda and Tyson's Corner. Philadelphia can have excellent shopping in the city, and also have excellent shopping in King of Prussia and Cherry Hill. It doesn't have to be an either/or scenario, especially since both is even more impressive. Besides, the fact that Bloomingdale's is opening a store in Center City indicates that they believe there's enough money in the Philadelphia metropolitan area to support three of their stores. Most cities don't even have one Bloomingdale's.

[Lenses & Lights.]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Yeah, I remember all of that too. lol. You certainly remember when the Reading Terminal Headhouse was a train station.

Yeah you're right! Ya know, I forgot about that.

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Why not Center City and King of Prussia both being viable? That's the sign of a thriving city and a thriving metropolitan area. Not everybody can live in the city. Chicago has excellent shopping in the city, and also has excellent shopping in Oak Brook and Schaumburg. Washington DC has excellent shopping in the city, and also has excellent shopping in Bethesda and Tyson's Corner. Philadelphia can have excellent shopping in the city, and also have excellent shopping in King of Prussia and Cherry Hill. It doesn't have to be an either/or scenario, especially since both is even more impressive. Besides, the fact that Bloomingdale's is opening a store in Center City indicates that they believe there's enough money in the Philadelphia metropolitan area to support three of their stores. Most cities don't even have one Bloomingdale's.

Exactly. Center City needs to continue to improve in shopping without harming Cherry Hill and KOP. There's no reason it can't be like that. There is also good shopping in Atlantic City. And decent shopping in Willow Grove and Christina Mall as well.