NorthGate Mall (Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette: hairstyles, house, tenants)

[Bel et Intelligent]

I grew up not far from the northgate mall so I do have some good memories of the place. What do you think they should do with it??.. Now for all you Southsiders before you go off on how old and worthless the mall is, please respond with something positive that will help this area of town out. If we tear it down, what should we do with the area? Everybody knows the Acadiana mall is the Mall for Lafayette area, but I think its cool to have the option to shop on this side of town. I love what they are doing on Louisiana Ave with a 2nd JcPennys and a 2nd Super Target. Should that be the 2nd mall (kind of like a outlet mall) and tear down the northgate mall?? I have mixed feelings either way

[Innotech]

I fondly remember when Northgate was the plasce to be. that was long ago. I even worked at the old cinema across the street for a while.
I used to love going to KB toys and Service Merchandise. I think I remember a flavored pocorn store as well and some sort of childrens playland. Now its pretty much converted into a mixed use call center and urban specialty stores inhabit it. I think that charming Cajun store is still in there too.

[hdwell]

When I lived in Lafayette years ago, there was a Montgomery Wards I think in Northgate Mall and a Service Merchandise. I really have missed those stores over the years. I must have been in the minority tho' since both companies went out of business.

[urbanexplorer2009]

Just for the record, that's not a SuperTarget in north Lafayette, it's a normal Target store. The other Lafayette store is a SuperTarget. Lafayette got screwed out of a second SuperTarget just like Shreveport-Bossier did. Instead, both regions just got a second Target store. That nroth Lafayette Target shopping center is nice, although I hate how most of Stirling's properties look so damn much alike. I realize most centers of this type look very similar, but the Stirling Bossier and Stirling Lafayette developments look way too much alike. Spice it up a little at times, Stirling, geez!

Anyway the reason I point this out is, Stirling often will promote a center has having a planned "SuperTagret" and then they will scale back saying they couldn't see the demand at this time for a full-fledged SuperTarget. I assure you if the north Bossier store were to be turned into a SuperTarget today, it would do well. I believe the same to be true for the north Lafayette store. I know in the north Bossier center they left space to later expand the store into a SuperTarget, but I'm not sure if they did the same in north Lafayette. I haven't seen a site plan for that development and I can't remember if there was anything on the right side of that store.

[Bel et Intelligent]

Originally Posted by urbanexplorer2009

Just for the record, that's not a SuperTarget in north Lafayette, it's a normal Target store. The other Lafayette store is a SuperTarget. Lafayette got screwed out of a second SuperTarget just like Shreveport-Bossier did. Instead, both regions just got a second Target store. That nroth Lafayette Target shopping center is nice, although I hate how most of Stirling's properties look so damn much alike. I realize most centers of this type look very similar, but the Stirling Bossier and Stirling Lafayette developments look way too much alike. Spice it up a little at times, Stirling, geez!

Anyway the reason I point this out is, Stirling often will promote a center has having a planned "SuperTagret" and then they will scale back saying they couldn't see the demand at this time for a full-fledged SuperTarget. I assure you if the north Bossier store were to be turned into a SuperTarget today, it would do well. I believe the same to be true for the north Lafayette store. I know in the north Bossier center they left space to later expand the store into a SuperTarget, but I'm not sure if they did the same in north Lafayette. I haven't seen a site plan for that development and I can't remember if there was anything on the right side of that store.

Ok I assumed it was a SuperTarget because it had grocery inside as well. I never been a big target shopper so I probly will never know the difference.. Now that you mention it Stirling does look the same everywhere you go commercial wise.. Is that a Louisisana company or is it did it come from out of state?? Its seams like they own everything in Louisiana. I dont know about N.O, Monroe, and Sheveport, but Lafayette and Baton Rouge I see there signs up everywhere..

[urbanexplorer2009]

Originally Posted by Bel et Intelligent

Ok I assumed it was a SuperTarget because it had grocery inside as well. I never been a big target shopper so I probly will never know the difference.. Now that you mention it Stirling does look the same everywhere you go commercial wise.. Is that a Louisisana company or is it did it come from out of state?? Its seams like they own everything in Louisiana. I dont know about N.O, Monroe, and Sheveport, but Lafayette and Baton Rouge I see there signs up everywhere..

They're base din Baton Rouge. I hate how they market SuperTarget developments and then don't deliver in the end. If you're going to build a Target, market a Target. If you're going to build a SuperTarget, build a SuperTarget. Sorry, I just feel burned since they talked about a SuperTarget in Bossier for so long and never built one. Instead they left the option to expand later, by leaving a 30,000 sq. ft. area to the side of the store for "possible future expansion".

I do like a lot of the options Stirling includes in their centers, but it's almost always the same tenants from center to center and the designs seldom vary. They did a good job remodeling the old Eastgate center in Shreveport, but all their new stuff leaves so much to be desired. Though I do have to say, I am so glad they brought another sushi restaurant to Bossier! Sushiko is good but it's nice to have an option closer to my house and without having to go to a Japanese steakhouse like Shogun or Kobe when I just want sushi!

[Innotech]

I live close to the super Target on the Southside and honestly I dont see much difference between them. The northside Target serems to be the newer design as well.

[urbanexplorer2009]

The difference is that SuperTarget stores have a full-service grocery store (Archer Farms Market) attached. I could be wrong, but I didn't see that at the north Lafayette store and the sign didn't have the "Super" on it. I have to drive 30 minutes to shop at Archer Farms Market because the Target in Bossier City doesn't have one. Normal Target stores have a very limited selection of grocery items.

[MargoM]

Here is my little bit of info on Northgate Mall in Lafayette.
Stores in 1980 were as follows: JC Penny’s w/ a cafeteria,
Montgomery Wards, Orange Julius, Musicland, REGIS Hairstyles, Driftwood Lounge, The Hanger, Chess King, Emielle Josephs, Bakers Shoes, Shoe Town, Lerner, The Fair, TG & Y, K & B Drugs, A & G Cafeteria, Maison de Hallmark, Keds Shoes, Millers Outpost, Weingartens Grocery Store. New addition included: Morrows Nut House, Great American Cookie, B Dalton Books, Radio Shack, Steuart’s Fashions, Bealls, Sweeney Jewlers, and Service Merchandise
There was no food court in this mall so the eatries were scattered about.
In 1979 Acadiana Mall opened at Johnston Street and Ambassador Caffery Dr. (Used to be called New Flanders Rd) That mall did not kill off Northgate right away. Despite being a bigger mall, very modern, with trendy stores that Northgate did not have, Northgate still held its on through the mid 80′s but when Weingartens Grocery closed about 1984, that was the beginning of the end. Soon after Shoe Town was gone, then Chess King, and so on………
I don’t know whats left inside the mall itself but every store listed above has closed up. The JCPennys eventually went to Acadiana Mall and the Montgomery Wards folded in 2000 with the closing of the chain. The Pennys is now an Albertsons grocery store and the Wards a Home Depot.

[pandorafan5687]

Originally Posted by hdwell

When I lived in Lafayette years ago, there was a Montgomery Wards I think in Northgate Mall and a Service Merchandise. I really have missed those stores over the years. I must have been in the minority tho' since both companies went out of business.

I miss those two stores too I live in Lake Charles, we just to have a MW in the mall(then it became foleys, then macys, now kohls) and we had a service merchandise on hwy 14 where Con's is now. You can thank mass discount retail stores such as circuit city(RIP), best buy, the target explosion for the demise of those two stores.

Speaking of Acadian mall, no offense to Lafayette residents, but that mall is show it's age. Those buildings on the outside are looking kind of run down.