Whats the best mall in the Austin area? (Houston, Round Rock: home, to live in)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Lakeline is far from being dead in 2-3 years. It services many family-friendly areas such as Cedar Park, Leander, North Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, etc. I personally do not like Barton Creek Mall. Upscale, smuckstale...when you have two kids who want out of the heat and things to do, BC flat out sucks. My daughter could care less about fancy finishes. She does care about (and enjoy) the train rides, carousel, inflatable bounce house, and free playscape at Lakeline mall. BC has NOTHING except a crowded Lego Store. There was nothing to do there except shopping, and that just isn't good for small children. I really couldn't see any difference aestetically between LL and BC..and the crowd of people seemed to be identical, as BC attracts different demographics -- not just Westlake and D/T.

My 5 year old does like the domain because they have some outdoor things going on, but in this sweltering heat, we haven't been there in months. The outdoor concept is nice, but subject to weather. So the indoor mall isn't going away anytime soon.

I think what LL is doing with the trains and catering to young kids is the wave of the future for malls. Certainly young ones need cool places to hang out in this heat and LL mall is great for that. I've brought my son there once or twice this summer when I had some time to kill and needed a cool place. We rode the train and he loves those quarter rides (simple pleasures).

I think all malls should convert to being kid's destinations, that is the future for them. Teenagers will still hang out at the food court like normal so they still wouldn't lose that demographic.

Mid summer afternoons and winter time, when it's too cold or when it's like 6PM and it gets dark at 5PM are great times to visit with kids. The bouncy thing is fun. Christmas is also a great time to be in the mall with kids.

However, when it's just me doing my thing, I wouldn't be caught dead in a mall unless it's an outside lifestyle center. I just prefer that vibe to be honest. To me malls are equated with punk teenagers (and now kids after some of the additions). Mall culture is probably why we have so much obesity and problems in this society to be honest.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by cBach

I Mall culture is probably why we have so much obesity and problems in this society to be honest.

I don't know. Malls are full of walkers! People who come there to exercise in safety and on flat, level, smooth ground. Austin malls are full of walkers in the summer and northern malls are full of walkers in the winter.

Car culture is a bigger culprit! And autos and malls do go together . . . but I think that the correlation is weaker for malls as a cause of obesity.

[eepstein]

They are both pretty unremarkable. Pretty basic for the most part but barton creek does have a Nordstrom. I haven't been to barton creek in a few years, but from what I remember, it's in a nicer location and draws from a higher demographic than Lakeline does. I also find it rather odd than neither one of the big "austin malls" has a parking garage for their customers. It is fairly rare these days to come across a major mall without a parking garage (especially a higher end one, in a horrible summer climate). But, im sure that's another reason to "keep Austin weird"

The domain is definitely a better choice. It is a pretty good attempt to keep people from heading north to Dallas for real shopping. I actually HAVE been there in the last few months, and it isn't bad. Can't go there in the summer, but during the winter (between the cold blasts), its nice to be outside there. It also has a parking garage which gives them a thumbs up in my opinion.

Originally Posted by zakas80

I have heard Lakeline and Barton Creek, but which in your opinion is the best?

[spelrod]

Can't stand the smell in Lakeline. They pump some kind of cologne in there that makes me gag.

[atxcio]

Interesting range of opinions.

I can't stand the Domain. It's poorly executed, in a lame location (IMO), expensive and void of any hint of character. Not to mention we paid to subsidize it. I'd say it belongs in Dallas with it's high-end chain restaurants, but then I'd be probably be accused of somehow dissing Dallas. The Hill Country Galleria at least has more local chains and less corporate stuff. And a nicer scenery around it.

The Domain does have an Apple store and I do like that.

[Trainwreck20]

I have actually never been to the HCG or the Domain. I think I have been to LL mall once, not long after it opened. We do end up going to BC mall several times a year for this or that; this summer, it was great entertainment for the kids that wasn't the pool. 'Shopping' for shopping's sake is just not our thing. The kids like Build-a-bear and Lego store, wife can't resist the Apple Store, and there are a few reasonably priced clothing stores. But honestly, the main reason we end up there is that the toddler won't wilt in the heat.

[gdu]

I prefer Barton Creek. Too hot right now for the Domain or HCG.

[lemonlime22]

It's interesting how the malls here have evolved over time.

When I first moved here (early 90s), Barton Creek and Highland were pretty much on par. In fact, Highland might have been a bit nicer. Highland had a J Crew at that time, and BC did not, the Dillard's had nicer handbags, for example.

But Highland seemed to get cruddy really quickly after that. But BC was SUPER LAME for a long time. Nordstrom's is a new addition to that mall, and it has, slowly become more relevant over time. They still don't have an H & M, however.

Lakeline is okay. The Dillard's is better, has more inventory, and has been renovated at least.

The Domain is really too upscale for most Austinites, and the outdoor concept is optimistic at best. Can it really work in this climate?

[cBach]

Originally Posted by lemonlime22

Can it really work in this climate?

Yes, and it does.

I was reading an article a few years back that even in Arizona, people were flocking to lifestyle centers even in the heat of summer. They were flocking to lifestyle centers in Virginia even in the dead of winter.

There's a whole generation that never got to experience "Main Street USA" except when they went to Disneyland/Disneyworld. People are demanding that experience, of having their kids play in fountains on hot summer days, eating ice cream or drinking smoothies, or of sipping hot cocoa or coffee by a roaring fire on a winter's night. Outdoor lifestyle centers offer this kind of nostalgia. Also, they allow al fresca (outdoor) dining, which malls can't offer.

Some may say go to downtown to experience walkable streets, but in many areas of the country, downtown is just a bunch of shuttered stores. We're fortunate we have such a vibrant downtown.

Lifestyle centers are the new thing.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by cBach

Yes, and it does.

I was reading an article a few years back that even in Arizona, people were flocking to lifestyle centers even in the heat of summer. They were flocking to lifestyle centers in Virginia even in the dead of winter.

There's a whole generation that never got to experience "Main Street USA" except when they went to Disneyland/Disneyworld. People are demanding that experience, of having their kids play in fountains on hot summer days, eating ice cream or drinking smoothies, or of sipping hot cocoa or coffee by a roaring fire on a winter's night. Outdoor lifestyle centers offer this kind of nostalgia. Also, they allow al fresca (outdoor) dining, which malls can't offer.

Some may say go to downtown to experience walkable streets, but in many areas of the country, downtown is just a bunch of shuttered stores. We're fortunate we have such a vibrant downtown.

Lifestyle centers are the new thing.

I don't get it. If I need something that I can buy at Lakeline Mall or the Domain and it's 107 degrees outside, guess which place I'm going. I don't see anything 'lifestyle' about the Domain, other than the collection of 'nice' stores(I prefer WoodCraft or Lowe's to another cute clothing store or accessories boutique, but I'm a guy-don'cha know ). I will say that if I'm feeling lonely, I can take our cute Scottie to the Domain and have plenty of girls coming up to visit(I'm an old married dude, but don't mind chatting with fun females. My DW even refers to our 'darling' as a chick magnet.)

I guess I've missed the roaring fire and/or fountains at the Domain...can't say I've noticed any as I sweat walking from Sur La Table to the Apple Store, never mind the quarter-mile hike to Dick's. And I'm pretty sure I can get ice cream or coffee at any enclosed mall. Who wants to sit outside on the pavestone eating a $5 ice cream cone when it's 105 degrees?

Maybe a shopping 'center' with a retractable roof would be the answer. Go topless when the weather's nice, close 'er up and hit the A/C when it's summer-time(4-5 months of the year here in Austin).

At least the Arboretum has some shade and covering over the walkway. Now if they could just start over with the parking lot design.

I've also seen quite a few mall restaurants that offered patio style dining in addition to their conventional indoor space.

Disclaimer: I am a guy with no children in tow, typically 'destination' driven, not known to 'shop' store to store except when threatened with a severe punishment.