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As a retail business owner I am wondering if consumers who live or shop in Fort Wayne have opinions on where they do most of their non-grocery shopping? We have two large "malls" in Fort Wayne (Jefferson Pointe and Glen Brook Square) and I am curious to know if you frequent either or both or if so how often each year. Also are there any "retail plazas" you frequent often?
I have lived in Fort Wayne close to three years. I live very close to Jefferson Pointe. I shop at Eddie Bauer, Williams Sonoma, Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond, and occasionally Von Maur. I shop online a lot. I have been to the Glen Brook mall twice, to shop at Carsons. I also shop at Pier one. Target about three times a year.
I have lived in Fort Wayne close to three years. I live very close to Jefferson Pointe. I shop at Eddie Bauer, Williams Sonoma, Ulta, Bed Bath and Beyond, and occasionally Von Maur. I shop online a lot. I have been to the Glen Brook mall twice, to shop at Carsons. I also shop at Pier one. Target about three times a year.
Awesome - much more detail than I was thinking - I was just asking about plaza names or mall names.
As a retail business owner I am wondering if consumers who live or shop in Fort Wayne have opinions on where they do most of their non-grocery shopping? We have two large "malls" in Fort Wayne (Jefferson Pointe and Glen Brook Square) and I am curious to know if you frequent either or both or if so how often each year. Also are there any "retail plazas" you frequent often?
I always liked Jefferson Pointe better. Though I don't live in Fort Wayne anymore, I have lived on both the northeast and the northwest side and worked at Glen Brook and I still would go to Jefferson Pointe a couple times a month, even in the winter. Part of that was back when the only Barnes & Noble in town was in Jefferson Pointe. I also always liked the events Jefferson Pointe does throughout the year.
As for shopping plazas, I remember mostly going to Northcrest for either Best Buy or Kohls, Coldwater Crossing for several stores, and Chapel Ridge area, mostly when I lived on the northeast side of town. Also sometimes the Coliseum Shoppes mostly for Half Price Books.
Jefferson Pointe and Glenbrook Square are both excellent malls, though Glenbrook is probably the more traditional of the two (e.g., it's older, enclosed, and has a food court). As I used to live in the Waynedale area (southwest, close to Jefferson Pointe) and worked in the Hazelwood area (the Ivy Tech/IPFW region, close to Glenbrook), I would frequently visit both. To be honest, if the trip was more focused on "shopping" or "dining", Glenbrook was the better option (though Flat Top is great!).
Jefferson Pointe was probably more atmospheric and offered more "things to do" (live music, etc.). However, due to the JP being outdoors and sprawling, Glenbrook is just simply more conducive to wandering/mall-walking/window shopping/people watching.
We use FW as a destination shopping & use Jefferson Pointe more with a stop at Target on our way home to get paper & cleaning supplies. Last time we went to Glendale there were just to many empty stores to make it worth going further north.
Jefferson Pointe and Glenbrook Square are both excellent malls, though Glenbrook is probably the more traditional of the two (e.g., it's older, enclosed, and has a food court). As I used to live in the Waynedale area (southwest, close to Jefferson Pointe) and worked in the Hazelwood area (the Ivy Tech/IPFW region, close to Glenbrook), I would frequently visit both. To be honest, if the trip was more focused on "shopping" or "dining", Glenbrook was the better option (though Flat Top is great!).
Jefferson Pointe was probably more atmospheric and offered more "things to do" (live music, etc.). However, due to the JP being outdoors and sprawling, Glenbrook is just simply more conducive to wandering/mall-walking/window shopping/people watching.
I do kinda' miss Southtown, though...
I'm tripping down memory lane here on the Ft. Wayne forum when I saw Southtown mentioned. I grew up in Adams County and remember when it was built, along with the K-mart across the road. I know it's long gone and the south side is and always has been hurting. Is there anything there now where Southtown was? Is there any hope for the south side of Ft. Wayne? I figured that's what has hurt Decatur and Adams County over the years from growing. I also was told once that Adams County was not part of the metro maps for real estate (forget the actual term for that). Just wonder what will become of my old stomping grounds.
I'm tripping down memory lane here on the Ft. Wayne forum when I saw Southtown mentioned. I grew up in Adams County and remember when it was built, along with the K-mart across the road. I know it's long gone and the south side is and always has been hurting. Is there anything there now where Southtown was? Is there any hope for the south side of Ft. Wayne? I figured that's what has hurt Decatur and Adams County over the years from growing. I also was told once that Adams County was not part of the metro maps for real estate (forget the actual term for that). Just wonder what will become of my old stomping grounds.
There's a Super Wal-Mart, Menards, Firestone, Wendys, McDonalds, bank, and a couple little shopping centers there now along with an Ivy Tech public safety academy there.
There's a Super Wal-Mart, Menards, Firestone, Wendys, McDonalds, bank, and a couple little shopping centers there now along with an Ivy Tech public safety academy there.
I probably wouldn't even recognize the area. Thanks.
As a retail business owner I am wondering if consumers who live or shop in Fort Wayne have opinions on where they do most of their non-grocery shopping? We have two large "malls" in Fort Wayne (Jefferson Pointe and Glen Brook Square) and I am curious to know if you frequent either or both or if so how often each year. Also are there any "retail plazas" you frequent often?
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Answer [my opnion]: I moved to Fort Wayne about 3 months ago from a very large city. I mainly moved here because I recently retired and was looking for a cheaper place to live. So far, it has been a good move. My cost of living is almost 1/2 of what I used to pay in the "big city." My rent is less. My utilities cost less (Comcast TV/Internet & Indiana Michigan Power) are much less. Groceries also cost less for the most part. Fort Wayne is not a bad place to live if you come from a larger and more expensive city. Even my car insurance went down in Fort Wayne. Overall Fort Wayne is okay, except for 2 things. There are LOTS of homeless people here, and due to where I live in the Fort, they constantly panhandle and bother me. It is very annoying. They also congregate in public places like the downtown Fort Wayne Public Library.
Now, to answer the question about shopping. WOW - OMG! The shopping here is OKAY, but NOT great. Because I come from a very large city in the Southwest, with a metro population of about 7 million people, I am used to excellent shopping. For example, for groceries, I could shop at stores such as Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, Super Walmart, Super Target, Whole Foods, Sprouts Farmers Market, and lots of other regional grocery stores and food stores. I know the person who posted this question ask about "non grocery" shopping, but I include this because in other big cities, people who shop at grocery stores also make retail purchases at these same stores.
Fort Wayne is LACKING good shopping in MY OPINION! I was surprised to discover that Fort Wayne does not have Super Targets. In Fort Wayne, the Target stores are just regular retail stores with some grocery items. Very disappointing! And the only true big box retail+grocery stores in Fort Wayne are Walmart and Meijers. I am not a fan of Walmart and Meijers is okay, but somewhat overpriced.
In the past I have always lived in very large cities and am used to Super sized retail stores, SuperWalmart, SuperTarget, and even Kroger (Fry's Marketplace) which is Kroger and it is very large, and has retail items+groceries. While Kroger has stores in Fort Wayne, these stores are old and not kind of junky looking.
I discovered that in Fort Wayne, Kroger acquired a store called "Scotts" and they closed down many of that stores and now are remodeling the other older Scotts.
And I decided to reply to this posting, because as I said, in a bigger city, I usually shopped at Super sized box retail stores for groceries and other household items, so that is why I wanted to reply.
Again, the shopping is LACKING and not great here in Fort Wayne. For Indiana's second largest city, in my opinion I thin the shopping is not great here.
Fort Wayne's malls --- haaaaaaaaa, OMG, what a joke! The largest mall [Glenbrook Mall] in Fort Wayne, I only went there twice. Here is my experience. When I first moved to Fort Wayne, I needed furniture, and I saw an ad for a bed at Sears (I think on sale for $500.00), so I went to the "mall" [Glenbrook Mall], and ask about the name brand bed that was advertised on sale. I was told that Sears had to "order" the bed and it took about 1 week to be delivered. Oh please! I was not going to sleep on the floor for a week. So then I looked at some other stores including Van Art (overpriced and rude folks) and Value City, the same as Van Art. Finally I bought my bed at Kittles (it cst $950.00) but Kittles was able to deliver the next day.
I was so happy with Kittles that I bought the rest of my furniture from that company. I was very pleased with Kittles and their staff. I do know that Kittles is an Indiana company based in Indiana, and I am very happy buying from them. I spend over $3,000.00 on furniture for my 1 bedroom apartment at Kittles, and I recommend them strongly.
Now, getting back to the malls. My 2nd retail experience at Glenbrook Mall was VERY unpleasant, and I doubt I will shop at Glenbrook Mall again. I will NEVER shop at JC-Crapney, never ever again! Why? I tried to return a piece of defective clothing to JC-Crapney [JCPenney] and before I attempted to return this peice of clothing (it was a brand made exclusively for that store, and they knew it came from JC-Crapney). So I called on the phone and ask about their return policy, because my peice of clothing was a gift and I did not haVE Areceipt. I was assured, oh, NO PROBLEM, we will help you, we will exchange it or give you a gift card.
When I went into the JC-Crapney, I was met by a rude male who tried to intimate that the peice of clothing was OLD [it was purchased less than 1 month ago] and he tried to intimate that the clothing was "YEARS OLD" and that JC-Crapney had not sold that clothing for YEARS [LIAR!]. He then tried to tell me he would only refund me like $1.00 ONE DOLLAR, when I knew that item cost over $50.00 FIFTY DOLLARS!
So, I ask to speak to a manager, and some RUDE, NASTY, OBESE female comes up to the register and she refused to help me and refused to refund any money. Then another A-HOLE in that store started butting in our conversation about the clothing I tried to get a refund or exchange for. This whole "incident" was totally NOT RIGHT, and because of that, I will NEVER shop at JC-Crapney again!
After leaving JC-Crapney (JCPenney) I then went to my car to calm down, because I could believe how RUDE and UNHELPFUL that retail store was to me. I never had such as hassle when attempting to try to return a retail purchase. So I googled JC-Crapney, and of course, they had thousands and thousands of complaints about similar situations. I also found articles about JC-Crapney which said that store is on the verge of bankruptcy. And all I can say is this, I believe in "KARMA" and I certainly hope JC-Crapney does go out of business, and that all of its employees, including that rude OBESE nasty "supervisor" and her co-workers all LOSE their jobs. They deserve it!
The other mall - Jefferson Point. I have only been in that area 1 time. I went over there looking for a winter jacket at Burlington Coat Factory. Before driving there, I called and ask if they had a good selection of coats, and they said, yes. Oh please, I went there and Burlington Coat Factory had sold out of many of their coats and most shelves were empty. Empty of winter coats! And it was February.
So, the shopping is NOT that great in Fort Wayne in my opinion. Fort Wayne has no IKEA stores. The closest IKEA is in Detroit, Michigan or Chicago, Illinois. Fort Wayne has no Ross stores. The closest Ross is in South Bend, Indiana. And those are two retail stores I previously shopped at a lot for housewares, wall art, just stuff you need for your house. Basically if I want to do some major shopping at well known stores, I have to go to Detroit, Chicago or Indianapolis. That is kinda silly considering Fort Wayne is the second largest city in Indiana.
As for stores that I frequent or strip malls that I frequent. Let's see ... Mostly I go shopping on the north side of town, around the Glenbrook Mall area. There is a strip mall on Coliseum which has OfficeDepot and BestBuy. I go there because I shop at OfficeDepot. There is another little strip mall on Coliseum which has Tmobile store and I go there.
Because the shopping is LACKING in Fort Wayne, I find I shop at Target (on Clinton?) and the Super Walmart (Coldwater), even though I really do not like Walmart, I am forced to shop there since shopping options are limited here. I have shopped at some stores in the strip mall by the Super Walmart, on Coldwater in North Fort Wayne. What is surprizing to me is the fact that that strip mall around Super Walmart has dead pockets and closed up retail stores. Where I used to live at, the retail strip malls were full of thriving businesses, especially surrounding Super Target and Super Walmart.
I have driven in several areas of Fort Wayne, when I was shopping or looking to buy stuff such as furniture and household items etc, and one thing I noticed about Fort Wayne is this: MANY strip malls or shopping areas are DEAD. There are big pockets of DEAD shopping areas throughout Fort Wayne.
One day I was on the east side of Fort Wayne and I came across a K-Mart that was going out of business. In that same area I saw LOTS of closed and out of businesses. I even saw a Home Depot that was out of business. I think that waS near East State Boulevard and Coliseum. That side of town was pretty ghettoish looking.
While I do love my much lower cost of living, I DO NOT like the quality of shopping in Fort Wayne. The shopping here is pretty poor. I only say this because for the last 20 years or so, I have lived in very LARGE urban areas, and I also lived in the most affluent sections of these cities. And the SHOPPING was AMAZING, because people who are affluent, like to shop, and they demand high quality stores. Where I used to live, I was 5 minutes away from Whole Foods and Sprouts Farmers Market. I was 10 minutes away by freeway from IKEA. I was 20 minutes from downtown via commuter train if I wanted to shop downtown. I do miss that.
Finally, please do not think I am complaining, because I am not. What I have stated is just my OPINION. Everyone has their own opinion, and because I come from a very large city, I have been spoiled when it comes to shopping.
Thank you and have a nice day!
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