The death spiral of Chapel Hill Mall (Akron, Stow: foreclosure, crime)

[edtv411]

Not a good week for Chapel Hill Mall.

In just the last two days, it's been dealt the blow of Macy's closing their store, and now official word that longtime tenants Express, Old Navy and Aeropostale are leaving.

I think this could be the beginning of the end. Sears is on life support as a company and JCPenney could be lured to greener pastures sooner than later. Customers are sticking to Howe Avenue and have defected to newer shopping options in Stow, Brimfield, Macedonia, and the rebirth of State Road Plaza as Portage Crossing.

The crime problems and the foreclosure proceedings are the icing on the cake and may be driving away the tenants and customers alike.

Is there any hope left?

[OHdanIO]

Originally Posted by edtv411

Not a good week for Chapel Hill Mall.

In just the last two days, it's been dealt the blow of Macy's closing their store, and now official word that longtime tenants Express, Old Navy and Aeropostale are leaving.

I think this could be the beginning of the end. Sears is on life support as a company and JCPenney could be lured to greener pastures sooner than later. Customers are sticking to Howe Avenue and have defected to newer shopping options in Stow, Brimfield, Macedonia, and the rebirth of State Road Plaza as Portage Crossing.

The crime problems and the foreclosure proceedings are the icing on the cake and may be driving away the tenants and customers alike.

Is there any hope left?

Oh wow. After hearing all of that, I think it's safe to say that there is slim to no hope :-/.

[matt8506]

I lived in the falls for 4 years and I may have went to Chapel Hill Mall 5 times. While I enjoy much of the shopping on Howe Ave. the mall itself didn't do it for me. I never once felt unsafe, but the offerings and overall look and feel of the mall was a bit off. It was worth it to add an extra 15 minutes to the drive out to Summit Mall for me.

[gentlearts]

It has just outlived its time, I guess. I lived there when CH first opened, and went there a lot. The older Malls, in general, are not doing well across the country, especially with the disastrous economy in NE Ohio. Unless an area is upscale, and a mall keeps attracting the right stores, the malls aren't viable any more. I live in Savannah now, and we have a mall that is also circling the drain. If it didn't have a Bass Pro, it would be gone by now.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by edtv411

Not a good week for Chapel Hill Mall.

In just the last two days, it's been dealt the blow of Macy's closing their store, and now official word that longtime tenants Express, Old Navy and Aeropostale are leaving.

I think this could be the beginning of the end. Sears is on life support as a company and JCPenney could be lured to greener pastures sooner than later. Customers are sticking to Howe Avenue and have defected to newer shopping options in Stow, Brimfield, Macedonia, and the rebirth of State Road Plaza as Portage Crossing.

The crime problems and the foreclosure proceedings are the icing on the cake and may be driving away the tenants and customers alike.

Is there any hope left?

Probably not if Rolling Acres is any indication. I always said that Summit Mall would always be the last one standing.

And you know Chapel Hill was my daily driver once Rolling Acres and Randall Park closed shop, in the early to mid 90s.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

It has just outlived its time, I guess. I lived there when CH first opened, and went there a lot. The older Malls, in general, are not doing well across the country, especially with the disastrous economy in NE Ohio. Unless an area is upscale, and a mall keeps attracting the right stores, the malls aren't viable any more. I live in Savannah now, and we have a mall that is also circling the drain. If it didn't have a Bass Pro, it would be gone by now.

The only malls in America that are not dead malls are those in wealthy, upper class suburbs, or those in a wealthy, upper class, Downtown. And a lot of the malls in Ohio, although they're in suburbia, they're in poor suburban areas. Those areas are a shadow of what they were when those malls were thriving.

When O'Neils closed, and the shopping moved out of the city, how ironic that the shopping now leaevs suburbia for the exurbs.

[edtv411]

...And now Sears is pulling the plug.

This is one of those Seritage locations so unless they have a store up their sleeve, the mall has yet another foot in the grave.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by edtv411

...And now Sears is pulling the plug.

This is one of those Seritage locations so unless they have a store up their sleeve, the mall has yet another foot in the grave.

I thought Sears had already left.

I was up there a few months ago and the place reminded me of what Rolling Acres looked like when I left for college in the late eighties. I can only assume what the future of that mall will be.

[gentlearts]

So, what's the latest on Chapel Hill and Summit Mall?

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

So, what's the latest on Chapel Hill and Summit Mall?

Summit Mall is the only decent mall in the metro. Chapel Hill is pedestrian. It's really a reflection of the wealth in the area; things just aren't what they used to be.

Plus America has entirely too much retail. The eighties are over. Materialism is only for the wealthy; like it used to be. It's not just Akron, stores are closing everywhere.

When it's over and done only the upper middle class neighborhoods will have retail. Everyone else will shop at the five and dime.