Questions for anyone who shops at Water Tower, North Bridge, or 900 N. (Chicago: buy, tenants)

[tweedyourtoast]

I'm researching Chicago's luxury malls, trying to identify trends in the luxury shopping market. The 3 malls I'm focusing on are Water Tower, 900 N. Michigan, and North Bridge.

If anyone shops at one or more of these malls, and wants to help out, it would be super helpful. Here are the questions.

1. How often do you go to this mall?
2. What brings you there?
3. Are there any other Chicago malls similar to this one?
4. What do you like about shopping here? Dislike?
5. What makes this mall unique?
6. What are your favorite luxury brands? Favorite luxury brands offered in this mall?
7. Why do you buy from this brand? Does the brand do anything to build a relationship with you?

[Alacran]

Water tower is like 7 stories tall. That's unique.
No there aren't similar malls in terms of setting.
Uniqueness brings me here, nothing you can't find at other malls.
Popcorn.

[prhill]

I tend to shop at all 3 from time to time as there are so many places in all of them to check out.

[TBideon]

1. How often do you go to this mall? Hmm, probably once every three weeks.
2. What brings you there? Looking to kill time, get some coffee, food court, window shop.
3. Are there any other Chicago malls similar to this one? Within city limits, nope though the Saks and Macy's/Marshall's standalone stores have a similar mall feel. Block 37 and Landmark (Lakeview) are also physical malls but without a much needed major department store and many tenants.
4. What do you like about shopping here? Dislike? It's nice to see people socializing, spending money, supporting local economies, enjoying each other's company. Plus malls are having such a rough time lately that you appreciate three malls within half a mile surviving if not thriving. What do I dislike? A lack of electronic, book and record stores, but you can't blame the mall manager for that.
5. What makes this mall unique? All three have remarkably few vacancies considering the economy and ridiculous downtown rents.
6. What are your favorite luxury brands? Favorite luxury brands offered in this mall? I don't have an opinion either way and don't spend money on luxury items.
7. Why do you buy from this brand? Does the brand do anything to build a relationship with you? See previous answer. Brand is irrelevant to me though I suppose like my Michael Kohrs belt more so than my other ****ty one from Sears

[tweedyourtoast]

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these! It's a huge help. These are pretty great places to just hang out in without always shopping.

Originally Posted by TBideon

1. How often do you go to this mall? Hmm, probably once every three weeks.
2. What brings you there? Looking to kill time, get some coffee, food court, window shop.
3. Are there any other Chicago malls similar to this one? Within city limits, nope though the Saks and Macy's/Marshall's standalone stores have a similar mall feel. Block 37 and Landmark (Lakeview) are also physical malls but without a much needed major department store and many tenants.
4. What do you like about shopping here? Dislike? It's nice to see people socializing, spending money, supporting local economies, enjoying each other's company. Plus malls are having such a rough time lately that you appreciate three malls within half a mile surviving if not thriving. What do I dislike? A lack of electronic, book and record stores, but you can't blame the mall manager for that.
5. What makes this mall unique? All three have remarkably few vacancies considering the economy and ridiculous downtown rents.
6. What are your favorite luxury brands? Favorite luxury brands offered in this mall? I don't have an opinion either way and don't spend money on luxury items.
7. Why do you buy from this brand? Does the brand do anything to build a relationship with you? See previous answer. Brand is irrelevant to me though I suppose like my Michael Kohrs belt more so than my other ****ty one from Sears

[tweedyourtoast]

Good point about 7 stories, didn't think of that but it's massive.

Originally Posted by Alacran

Water tower is like 7 stories tall. That's unique.
No there aren't similar malls in terms of setting.
Uniqueness brings me here, nothing you can't find at other malls.
Popcorn.

[edsg25]

This really isn't an answer to your question and may very well not be relevant, but I'll share what I think is an interesting observation: North Bridge may well have an advantage over its competitors, WTP and 900N, becuse the retail center on the Mag Mile has moved southward, toward the river.

Indeed it was WTP that had made the north end of the avenue its focal point and it was WTP, more than anything else, that propelled the mag mile to surpass State Street as DT Chicago's prime shopping district. WTP transformed N. Michigan

Things are different today. The southern portion of the mag mile is hot. NB itself is considering expansion across from its Nordstrom anchor. Apple's spectacular riverfront store also enhances the area. In fact, being close to the river has location, location, location written all over it (gee, and I remember when the lakefront was our prime waterfront)

Further the changes happening now and those planned to come promise to transform the weakest link in DT's Michigan Avenue, that stretch I would call Mid Michigan, from Randolph to thr river. This could put the south end of the Mag Mile, NB being its largest component, at the center of a Michigan Avenue shopping strip running from Randolph to Oak.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by tweedyourtoast

Good point about 7 stories, didn't think of that but it's massive.

Technically 9 levels if you include the mezzanine and the entire eigth floor that is part of The-Store-That-Still-Should-Be-Marshall-Field's

[edsg25]

Would it be appropriate for me to request we bow our heads and observe a minute of silence for Chicago Place?????

[prhill]

Originally Posted by edsg25

Would it be appropriate for me to request we bow our heads and observe a minute of silence for Chicago Place?????

I know I miss that place!