Saks 5th Avenue is leaving the Galleria, to be replaced with Belk! (Houston: middle-class, houses)

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by BCB

The Shops at Willow Bend is certainly no small local mall. It's only 9,000sqft smaller than Galleria Dallas and is the eighth biggest mall in the Metroplex; there are ten other malls in the area which are smaller.

The reason The Shops at Willow Bend has somewhat failed is partially due to the nearby opening of Stonebriar Centre in Frisco which has more entertainment, shopping, and accessibility. It opened just months ahead of The Shops at Willow Bend and instantly became a hit. Stonebriar Centre aimed for the upscale crowd, without going full-fledged luxury as The Shops at Willow Bend did with Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Escada, Dolce & Gabbana, Montblanc, Burberry, etc. All of the previously mentioned stores have closed except for Neiman Marcus, which has a very loyal customer base. Plano's income level wasn't as high as developers had thought.

I have been to The Shops at Willow Bend twice, once recently. Both times it has been nearly empty, which is actually relaxing for a change. However, we all know that's not good for any mall's business. It is a shame that the mall is truly one of the top three nicest malls in the Metroplex, yet still has failed to attract as many customers as it should.

This! I used to go sometimes when they first opened because it was...peaceful. Not good for the mall but I enjoyed it.

[raj kapoor]

Originally Posted by EDS_

Wait. How is losing what had become a second rate - literally a little ragged - store a big deal?

Because when the powers that be choose to replace it with a Belk..................the dominos have clearly begun to fall.
Retail is big business in America. Success and prosperity comes when you are a destination. The dominos need to bare good names or someplace else is waiting to take your place. (planes, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment...............it's not all in NYNY anymore, but would be nice to keep some of it in Dallas)
After Atlanta grew up a bit it took lot of this business away from Dallas. For those in the S.E. it seemed natural unless you had ever seen the real thing.

Just raj

[raj kapoor]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

[/b]

This! I used to go sometimes when they first opened because it was...peaceful. Not good for the mall but I enjoyed it.

I too enjoyed that a lot. However I knew what it would ultimately mean.
So sad, a really beautiful place.

Best is yet to come I am sure,

Just, raj

[mom2gurls]

Well darn it, now that saks is moving out, I am going to have to re-adjust our family plans for moving to DFW.

Regarding the off topic debate on bags and logos, I have jimmy choo shoes...and its crazy amount of money, however my "high ticket" items are investments to me. Its like a pair of nice black dress pants. The fit is perfect and is in style now and years from now. To each his own, but I see nothing wrong with wearing or buying something a little flashy. So what if makes you feel like a million bucks, if you have worked hard and earned it, then one has a right to play hard.

We only have one life...live a little!

**(I do agree though that the usual suspects of bags and shoes that can duplicated easily are annoying). Its like jeans at macys. All the jeans are sitting on a factory in china and the job is to grab the "label" and slap it on the jean. I am sure the same generic jean at walmart is the same quality jean at macys for 100 bucks..except its on the macys shelf with the label put on.

[BigDGeek]

Dude...Bloomingdale's closed down at VV over 20 years ago, get over it

[TheOverdog]

Plano's income level wasn't as high as developers had thought.

I find this hard to believe. It was built in 2001 or so; it's trivially easy to get demographic information for surrounding households that is as basic as income level.

The problem is not income; the problem is density. When the Shops at Willowbend was built, there are barely even any homes around it. Check google earth historicals. Even in 2013, there are large empty fields and huge amounts of surface parking surrounding it [an airstrip, a giant Home Depot, and Costco are across the street], and StoneBriar is about 5 miles away and is better and equally convenient. The Galleria and North Park are also easily driveable in 20 mins. That's too many malls for about 3000 people per sq mile average density coupled with an excellent highway system.

[Snowyy]

Buying "sky scrapper high ticket" items because you want them is just being rich, shallow and spoiled, buying high ticket items with brand name or logo slapped all over it is shallow, spoiled, tacky and sad. I was all that until my mid 20's but fortunately grew up and out of that self absorbed phase. I remember the high feeling of having an it item or a classic piece but hard to justify the fix once you've seen fragility of life.

[Staysean23]

This is why Miami remains top luxury retail market in the south ..

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by raj kapoor

Because when the powers that be choose to replace it with a Belk..................the dominos have clearly begun to fall.
Retail is big business in America. Success and prosperity comes when you are a destination. The dominos need to bare good names or someplace else is waiting to take your place. (planes, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment...............it's not all in NYNY anymore, but would be nice to keep some of it in Dallas)
After Atlanta grew up a bit it took lot of this business away from Dallas. For those in the S.E. it seemed natural unless you had ever seen the real thing.

Just raj

Your are just rambling. The Sak's had become sort-of run down and hadn't been much of a factor around here for a good while.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by Staysean23

This is why Miami remains top luxury retail market in the south ..

And a center of economic underachievement.