Cheesecake Factory Ridiculous Wait Time (Jacksonville, Miami: foreclosure, lease, crime)

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Yeah because winter park people are likely eating better food at the decent local restaurant scene in the area. Millennia on the other hand is full of chains. I like the mix of chains and local places on Restaurant Row

I mean but it was still Nice though. I'm one of those people I'll go to a chain before a local spot. Thats just me though.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

Yeah because winter park people are likely eating better food at the decent local restaurant scene in the area.

Exactly. When I venture to WP, it's certainly not for lower end chain restaurants. Table for two at Luma or Ravenous Pig, please.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

FL mall is always packed (at least when I've gone). Are we talking about the same mall?

Originally Posted by chopchop0

West Oaks is no FL Mall. I think kyle was trying to be a negative nancy, as usual

Dude whatever....at least I know what I'm talking about. Many of the upscale specialty retailers have pulled out of Florida Mall because the demographic has changed to a more "urban clientele" which favors athletic footwear and the usual suspect clothing chains. The crowds you refer to are just that, crowds. Buying power is down at the mall and body mass doesn't automatically translate to sales revenue. The upscale anchor stores (Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom) are only doing business primarily via international tourists and would expect both or either to be looking to move out once their leases are up. The mall has been on the skids since the mid 90s when the Crowne Plaza pulled out and the hotel has changed names to the point where it's now some random independently owned property. Lastly mall management (Simon Properties) is notorious in the retail world for allowing properties to devolve without much in the way of effort to keep standards up. Seminole Towne Center is a prime example.

[lovfl]

The food wasn't that great last time I was there.

[ct36]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Dude whatever....at least I know what I'm talking about. Many of the upscale specialty retailers have pulled out of Florida Mall because the demographic has changed to a more "urban clientele" which favors athletic footwear and the usual suspect clothing chains. The crowds you refer to are just that, crowds. Buying power is down at the mall and body mass doesn't automatically translate to sales revenue. The upscale anchor stores (Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom) are only doing business primarily via international tourists and would expect both or either to be looking to move out once their leases are up. The mall has been on the skids since the mid 90s when the Crowne Plaza pulled out and the hotel has changed names to the point where it's now some random independently owned property. Lastly mall management (Simon Properties) is notorious in the retail world for allowing properties to devolve without much in the way of effort to keep standards up. Seminole Towne Center is a prime example.

It doesn't make much sense that Central Florida can't support a lot of the stores at the Mall at Millenia. The median household income is around 50K, which isn't any or very much less than other counties with similar stores. Just look at Jacksonville/Duval county. Their median household income is almost $1,000 less and isn't a large tourist destination and they are getting a Nordstrom and have had a Louis Vuitton, Tiffany's, Cole Haan, Michael Kors, Omega, etc and they are doing fine. So, Orlando can definitely support those stores if Jacksonville can. I know I saw a larger amount of Florida licenseplates on cars than I would have thought at Millenia. I do agree that they might not have all of the stores Millenia has without the tourists. There's no way they would be getting a Prada without them. Life is just too short to live on the dark side of everything.

I also don't agree that Florida Mall is the most successful mall in Central Florida which someone else said. There may be more people there, but Millenia shoppers tend to spend much more. I think it's usually said that Bal Harbour Shops, Millenia, and Aventura as the top 3 in Florida.

I definitely do agree with what you said about Florida Mall. I don't like it, either. The area around it is not very nice and from the dated exterior and parking lot that need to be covered up I would have thought it was a dying mall if I hadn't known about the stores in the first place. The Nordstrom there isn't as nice as the other ones I have been to. If Saks survives, since I know they aren't doing so well, they might move to Millenia. Nordstrom could too. They could fit a Nordstrom in the back of the mall between the food court and Macy's and also a Saks between the Food Court and Bloomingdale's, around where the Crate & Barrel entrance is. I am honestly surprised this hasn't happened yet. Mall at Millenia could use and expansion because the luxury wing is full and they are adding new stores and I don't know how they can fit them there. Can't the mall at least have a Sephora? I still can't believe they don't have a location at Millenia also. There are most certainly more stores than that that could open there also. Nordstrom has been doing very well at minimizing storage spaces, so their smaller prototype stores around 138,000 to 144,000 that are newer feel just as large or even larger than the 165,000 square feet older stores at the Florida Mall. Both could go in 3 level spaces in the back of the mall with expanded mall space as well as new parking decks, because what successful mall does not have a parking deck? Millenia is the only one I can think of.

Oh, and as for the Cheesecake Factory, there was a 30 minute wait when I went on a Friday at 11:30, but it only took around 15 or 20 minutes. Unfortunately the service was a little slow. Food was good, as usual.

[gabaghoul]

I was at the mall this week, and I noticed that 99% of people were not carrying shopping bags. Even people walking to their cars did not have any bags. Whenever you go the mall, take a look at people around you and see for yourself. They only come there to waste their time and window shop. Of course people can do whatever they want, but if I have to wait for too long to get a table at the CCF, because of tourists who have all the time in the world, I will mention it .

[brinkofsunshine]

Sometimes I go to Millenia and leave with nothing; sometimes I find deals/things I like and sometimes I don't. I seriously doubt all the people walking around Millenia are eating at Cheesecake Factory anyway.

If the wait is so long, why not just eat somewhere else? Cheesecake Factory is okay but there are plenty of other better restaurants in the area.

[ct36]

Originally Posted by gabaghoul

I was at the mall this week, and I noticed that 99% of people were not carrying shopping bags. Even people walking to their cars did not have any bags. Whenever you go the mall, take a look at people around you and see for yourself. They only come there to waste their time and window shop. Of course people can do whatever they want, but if I have to wait for too long to get a table at the CCF, because of tourists who have all the time in the world, I will mention it .

You must not be talking about Millenia, are you? It is in the top 10 most productive malls in the nation, fact. That wouldn't be true if 99% of shoppers there truly weren't shopping.

[IAm_FloridaBorn]

Originally Posted by ct36

You must not be talking about Millenia, are you? It is in the top 10 most productive malls in the nation, fact. That wouldn't be true if 99% of shoppers there truly weren't shopping.

Thats a load of crap.

[brinkofsunshine]

Originally Posted by IAm_FloridaBorn

Thats a load of crap.

America's Most Profitable Malls - Rick Newman (usnews.com)

It's a few years old, but it was still after the recession hit. I doubt much has changed.