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Old 08-20-2010, 09:15 AM
 
87 posts, read 252,750 times
Reputation: 80

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Now tell me....what do y'all think about that hot mess? I was there a few weeks ago and I actually felt embarrassed for the town and the mall. It's an outdoor outlet mall, which appears to maybe have space for 100 stores or so (completely unsure). But one thing I do know, most of the store spaces were empty. There were maybe 12 or less normal stores still open, such as: Gap, Ralph Lauren, Payless Shoe Source, Pac Sun, and some other random ones.

If anyone is interested in blowing their pay checks during tax free weekend, you should definitely go there. You will not have to be concerned about the walk to the stores because you can just park literally right in front of the door. On any given day, you'd probably see about 30 cars in the parking lot. And no, those are not customers, those are the employees cars!

Happy Shopping!
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:09 AM
 
Location: Edmond, OK
4,033 posts, read 10,323,469 times
Reputation: 4242
Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. We usually stop there to go to the Polo store, and the Gap. DH sometimes enjoys the Black & Decker store. Other than that, it's about worthless.
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:26 AM
 
9,418 posts, read 12,762,573 times
Reputation: 10290
Quote:
Originally Posted by debzkidz View Post
Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. We usually stop there to go to the Polo store, and the Gap. DH sometimes enjoys the Black & Decker store. Other than that, it's about worthless.
Was it always like that or is it due to the economy? I've only been once and that was about 10 years ago. I don't remember empty stores, but my memory may be failing me.
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:38 AM
 
1,488 posts, read 5,020,424 times
Reputation: 952
A similar outlet property that used to be crowded, busy and fun is the one on I-35 just north of Gainesville. It's so empty that it's a little spooky walking around in the sidewalks and courtyards between the buildings. It's just down the road from the huge Choctaw Casino (thousands of people every day!) and has a hotel and restaurants on the mall property - it would seem likely to be very successful but it's not what it used to be at all.
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Old 08-20-2010, 10:42 AM
 
Location: Waxahachie
99 posts, read 268,553 times
Reputation: 36
When it opened in the late 80s, it was jam packed all the time. They added the new addition to it sometime in the mid 90s, with plans for 2 more additions backing up to the college. IMO, Grapevine Mills and the Allen and Round Rock outlets killed it. There's no reason for D/FW folks to drive down there and the Waco customers would just as well drive to Dallas or Austin for more shopping options. Unless management there finds a way to re-invent it, my guess is that it's got just a few more years before it has a date with a bulldozer...
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Old 08-20-2010, 02:14 PM
 
Location: Underneath the Pecan Tree
15,988 posts, read 33,861,142 times
Reputation: 7390
It use to be very popular; we use to always stop in Hillsboro on our way to Dallas to shop there and eat at Braums.
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Old 08-20-2010, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Simmering in DFW
6,951 posts, read 21,864,646 times
Reputation: 7268
Haven't been there in years b/c but I used to enjoy it. Maybe Grapevine Mills stole the thunder of the more remote outlet centers?
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Old 08-20-2010, 02:24 PM
 
Location: The Big D
14,862 posts, read 40,927,179 times
Reputation: 5787
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXNGL View Post
Was it always like that or is it due to the economy? I've only been once and that was about 10 years ago. I don't remember empty stores, but my memory may be failing me.
Yes, it used to be a LOT more crowded especially on weekends and all the time in the summer. I used to know a lot of people that would ALWAYS go down there on a weekend day. When I last stopped there about 2 years ago it was a ghost town as well. About half the shops were empty and 1/4 of the ones open were some off beat no-name store. I don't see it lasting.

IMO, "outlet malls" can be a rip off. You have to be VERY careful. If you watch the regular stores in the regular malls you can get just as good deals on CURRENT stuff and if anything is wrong you can return it.
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Old 08-22-2010, 06:45 AM
 
Location: Somewhere in Texas
5,299 posts, read 12,796,396 times
Reputation: 2767
The rumor is (I believe it) when a California outfit bought it and doubled the rent, many moved out. It was also packed in the 1990s; I know as I worked there and never again will I ever subject myself to retail management.

I will agree with mayhem154. Stores were already feeling the pressure from the new malls in the metroplex (I helped open one of the stores at Grapevine Mills way back when) and many had to close but when the above happened, it really caused the demise of so many others.
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Old 08-22-2010, 12:40 PM
 
36,497 posts, read 56,016,869 times
Reputation: 24084
the fact is that the prices are not that great--so you are not getting "discount" prices
most people finally realized that they could buy cheaper at their own local stores during sales

I think the outlet mall around San Marcos/New Braunfels is doing much better--maybe it took lot of the customers away from Hillsboro
there used to be buses of people (usually women) who drove up from SA area to go to Hillsboro and now they have one closer to home...
there also used to be lots of fairly well to do foreigners--usually Hispanics--that you wouild see at Hillsboro--so they aren't coming either...
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