Retail coming to Philadelphia (Lancaster, Penn: accepting, graduated, stable)

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by cpomp

What?? What is going on? If a Pet Store can't make it, what can? I get it retail is not doing well, but something isn't making sense with a few of these closures.

It's all just symptomatic of how easy it is to get delivery right to one's door. I have a dog. Why would I, after a long day at work, take public transportation to Walnut Street (most folks do not live right in CC), hope to find what I want/need for my dog, and probably pay true retail; when I can instead go online and have exactly what I want, and probably for a reduced price, on my doorstep tomorrow?

[Flyers Girl]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Such high rents may be feasible for national retailers, luxury stores, banks or cellphone companies, Sevilla said. But they’re likely “too aggressive” for many smaller, locally owned, “cool” retailers that can help turn a shopping district into a destination, he added."

This is one of the more upsetting things. It's the epitome of the cliché, 'wherever you go, there you are.' It'll get to the point where you could be blindfolded and dropped in the middle of another city and you won't have any idea that you're not in your home city. Every street looks the same, lined with same big chain stores. B-O-R-I-N-G!!!!!!

[Duderino]

It seems like every major city will have to start accepting the fact that retail "high streets" lined only with exclusive/upscale boutiques might be becoming an artifact, and that might not necessarily be a bad thing. And I couldn't agree more that chain-only retail districts couldn't be any less appealing for creating a unique and interesting neighborhood.

In the short term, recent closures are certainly impacting vibrancy, but the silver lining is that it will put less pressure on rents, and by extension, less of a burden on locally-owned businesses.

Walnut Street is once again going through an evolution, but isn't that just life in any city? Philadelphia is obviously no stranger to reinvention, and I have pretty strong feeling that Walnut will persevere just fine in the end.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

It's all just symptomatic of how easy it is to get delivery right to one's door. I have a dog. Why would I, after a long day at work, take public transportation to Walnut Street (most folks do not live right in CC), hope to find what I want/need for my dog, and probably pay true retail; when I can instead go online and have exactly what I want, and probably for a reduced price, on my doorstep tomorrow?

I get the logic, it still doesn't make much sense that Petsmart why it wouldn't do well in Center City, even with online delivery services. I could see a fancy clothing or furniture store closing, but a Petsmart is like a Target closing.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I get the logic, it still doesn't make much sense that Petsmart why it wouldn't do well in Center City, even with online delivery services. I could see a fancy clothing or furniture store closing, but a Petsmart is like a Target closing.

I mean they just opened a much larger Petsmart about a mile away at Broad and Washington. There are 3 unleashed by Petco in the Center City area, along with 5 doggie style pet stores which is a local chain. Nothing suggests that Petsmart wasn't busy either. No one is hurting to find pet supplies.

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I get the logic, it still doesn't make much sense that Petsmart why it wouldn't do well in Center City, even with online delivery services. I could see a fancy clothing or furniture store closing, but a Petsmart is like a Target closing.

I think you're underestimating how many pet owners get everything delivered online. Pet owners would rather they themselves run out of specialized food or medicine than their pets. Pretty much everything from toys, food, medicine, clothes, booties are ordered online. The last thing my wife and I got offline for our dog was a sweater at Doggie Style in Passyunk Square, simply and only, because we were walking by it killing time and saw some dogs in the window we wanted to check out. Once my wife walks in a retail store - literally any retail store - there is zero change of leaving without purchasing something.

So even if there was decent foot traffic, but that traffic decreased say 40% from a decade ago due to improved online options and shipping, it's still difficult to pay the CC rent prices.

[Redddog]

That Pet Smart was ALWAYS busy.

[Fireshaker]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

It's all just symptomatic of how easy it is to get delivery right to one's door. I have a dog. Why would I, after a long day at work, take public transportation to Walnut Street (most folks do not live right in CC), hope to find what I want/need for my dog, and probably pay true retail; when I can instead go online and have exactly what I want, and probably for a reduced price, on my doorstep tomorrow?

A big problem with package delivery for city residents is that anything left on your doorstep gets stolen.

We live in South Philly, and have had multiple packages stolen, as has literally every single one of our neighbors. So we're at a point where I can't confidently order a single thing unless I can have something sent to an Amazon locker or a friend or family members (all of which require me to leave the house and drive somewhere, thereby defeating the point of home delivery).

So in theory you're right, but in practice the reality of home delivery doesn't really exist for a lot of people in the city, so good local retail still definitely has a place.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Looks like the Chestnut Modell's isn't closing...

Saw that: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...sure-reversed/. Seems they would have vetted all their due diligence before id’ing the 24 stores to close. Makes me feel they are restructuring on the fly. Anyhow, that’s one storefront that won’t sit empty, at least in the near term.

I wouldn’t underestimate the impact that the Fashion District is having on Walnut Street. I’m not terribly enamored with it (maybe it will grow on me?), but it seems tenants are being announced there at about the same pace as Walnut closings are taking place.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Fireshaker

A big problem with package delivery for city residents is that anything left on your doorstep gets stolen.

We live in South Philly, and have had multiple packages stolen, as has literally every single one of our neighbors. So we're at a point where I can't confidently order a single thing unless I can have something sent to an Amazon locker or a friend or family members (all of which require me to leave the house and drive somewhere, thereby defeating the point of home delivery).

So in theory you're right, but in practice the reality of home delivery doesn't really exist for a lot of people in the city, so good local retail still definitely has a place.

Here's the funny thing: I live in a "high crime" neighborhood and have yet to have a package swiped from in between my storm door and the front door.

I still have certain items delivered to my office instead, but this seems to jibe with some other anecdotal evidence I've gotten about how property theft, from porches or cars, is pretty rare here.