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It could have something to do with the fact that Kentucky overall is a pretty poor state and H&M is not a designer store. For example, we only have Nordstrom RACK in Louisville, no actual Nordstroms. The other cities have a regular Nordstrom. Indy and Nash both have a Saks, but Lou and KC only have Saks off 5th. That's my best guess--the other cities are larger and have a larger concentration of wealth so they can handle the higher end department stores. Though Louisville has its fair share of wealthy people, the state as a whole is very poor. I know people in Louisville who take a weekend vacation in Nashville or go down for weddings and while they're there they make sure to do the more high-end shopping at places like Nordstrom. Others will even drive up to Cinci for the day, or stay with friends for just a night and go shopping. H&M is more affordable.
Personally, I think Louisville is ready to get its own higher end department store. I think the East End could definitely support one. Plenty of wealthy business people, lawyers, people in the horse industry, etc. You can tell their brands are nice, they have giant homes, they drive expensive German cars, etc. They would definitely shop at a Nordstrom or Saks. It might have more to do with city planning than anything, with the outlet mall only 20 minutes away. I definitely don't have a solid answer for you though. I was surprised when you commented that actually!
It has been ready for years. There is absolutely no reason that Nordstrom is not here other than the fact that the mall situation is weird in Louisville. Also high end department stores are dying. So it is a combo of the two. Louisville had Lord And Taylor for awhile. Apparently Nordstrom was signed for the Dillards Mens space at St matthews about 6 years ago, then backed out. Saks has also looked at Oxmoor.
Louisville actually has superior high end boutiques compared to Indy, and probably Nashville too, although Nashville has more high end boutiques for rich millennials, those folks who make 100k a year, are 29 and single, and will blow 400 on a pair of jeans because its cool. Rodes and some of the high end fashion boutiques have a lot of the same stuff that Saks in these smaller cities have. And the Macys and VonMaur at Oxmoor are a LOT higher end than those stores anywhere else. Apparently that Von Maur is the most upscale and one of the best performing in the chain.
My guess is once the Oxmoor farm is developed with upscale apartments and condos, then you will see the addition of a major high end anchor to Oxmoor, possibly when Sears goes out of business. From what I hear, retailers have overlooked Louisville for decades, but they are starting to take note that it is retail hungry....This the 4 H&Ms in the metro...there is even one in Clarksville, IN!
I don't think it was actually a matter saying it's a good or bad thing. The way I understood it, he/she was just curious as to why.
Ahh, probably so. I certainly don't think you can use such stats in any way to compare cities unless you are a huge fan of a specific retailer like H&M.
Nashville has more high end boutiques for rich millennials, those folks who make 100k a year, are 29 and single, and will blow 400 on a pair of jeans because its cool.
The population and incomes in Louisville do not meet the requirements for most high end department stores. That's why Lord and Taylor closed down. H&M is a great store, but far from being brag worthy or high end. As others have stated, Cincinnati and Nashville will receive the high end department stores and specialty boutiques because they can support them. A Target/T.J. Maxx/Whole Foods type of development would do very well downtown, however, given Louisville's strong demographics and solid middle class incomes. The city is growing and convention interest remains strong. Visiting Louisville is a welcome relief from the gridlock of Atlanta style development going on in Nashville.
The Omni going up downtown is going to have a grocery store. I'm hoping it's another Trader Joe's and not a Kroger. Chances are it's a Kroger, but I hope not. Whole Foods might be an option there also.
The Omni going up downtown is going to have a grocery store. I'm hoping it's another Trader Joe's and not a Kroger. Chances are it's a Kroger, but I hope not. Whole Foods might be an option there also.
Searched to see if any update, but not that I can find. This is from an article that's about a year old, but I think this is still the plan.
"The space is about the size of a typical The Fresh Market store and a little bigger than a Trader Joe's – but only one-fourth the size of a typical new Kroger.
Jeff Mosley, Louisville Metro's primary negotiator of the Omni deal, said the downtown grocery is a certainty because Omni will fill the space with its own grocery if necessary.
Omni – which operates small groceries at some of its resort hotels – is “currently working on their own urban concept” while remaining open to interest from grocery operators, Mosley said in an email Thursday.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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The problem with downtown Louisville getting more retail is there are great streetcar suburbs east of downtown that get most of the affluent urban population. Cities without such good urban options outside of downtown have everything downtown our of necessity. That's the case in many sunbelt cities with few urban neighborhoods like Memphis, Nashville, Houston, etc.
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