Downtown Macy's Closing (Pittsburgh, Ross Township: fit in, theater, living in)

[Kippy]

Speaking of the death of brick and mortar retail, happy 20th birthday, Amazon! Is everyone ready for Prime Day tomorrow?

[bluecarebear]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

Also the days in which women did not work and thus had time to make daily shopping trips for every little thing every person in the household needed. I prefer to work and keep my financial autonomy and security, thanks.

How people shop has changed. People want the limitless inventory of a big box or online store. Psychologically there's a lot of evidence that this level of choice actually makes people unhappy in the long run, but businesses aren't here for the betterment of the collective psyche, they're here to give consumers what they want. Without the space to support big boxes, urban areas need to embrace the other model of destination shopping where the shopping is just one part of a larger experience that also includes dining, entertainment, and a whole ambiance that allows shoppers to feel like they're part of something special that can't be had anywhere else. That's what you see at the new urbanist style shopping centers like Southside Works and that little bit of the Waterfront near the movie theater. Those places simulate a town square that was never there, whereas downtown has real actual town squares and plazas.

Destination Malls. I watched a program recently about how the largest mall in Alberta, Canada and the Mall of America are expanding. The Outlet Malls are a good example too. People aren't saving a ton of money there. It's not like the stores are stocking the old second hand items they used to sell for dirt cheap. The prices are right up there with standard box stores. Outlets are malls that people know they are going to spend a couple hours at. It's all about the experience. A retail mind game.

The big factors that many forget about the "old days" are customer service, class, and stocked shelves. By class I mean both the staff and customers. Ever walk through a Macy's during a big sale? The place is a pigsty.

[BrassTacksGal]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

I am not being condescending or dismissive of you and your feelings with this post, but I strongly advise you as a fellow human being to reach out to a therapist for help with these issues. If you are unaware of local resources, feel free to send me a private message and I will gladly provide you with contact information.

Excellent advice. I hope he will listen to you. There has to be a way for him to be happier even if he thinks he can't find a better job. There's no reason for a college graduate to be stuck in the job that he's in. It's just sad and he needs help. I hope he gets it.

[BrassTacksGal]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I really don't know why we live in a city where we can provide low-income-oriented housing and high-income-oriented housing, but when it comes to middle-income housing there's NOTHING in the works I'm aware of. We're taking care of our poor, as we should, since it's our moral duty as compassionate human beings. We're catering to our affluent, as we should, since their higher wage tax payments can go a long way to providing crucial city services. What about those of us in the middle---those of us who make too much to live in the projects but not enough to live in one of these yuppie-tastic new condo/apartment communities going up everywhere?

Instead of providing stainless steel appliances; granite counter tops; marble foyers; media rooms; balconies; etc. why can't any developers build units with white appliances; formica counter tops; linoleum or laminate flooring; etc.? There's an increasing dearth of ~$800/month 1-BR units in this city while we're building more units for those receiving subsidies as well as those who can afford $1,000/month+.

They aren't going to build apartments like that because that isn't what people want. They can charge a bit more, and make more money, giving more people what they want. No one wants white appliances, formica counter tops and laminate flooring, so no one is going to build apartments like that.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by goodgirl49

Things just aren't the same anywhere these days! It just seems like the trends of most cities is unfortunately towards gentrification.

???

What's not "gentrified" about a department store?

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by BrassTacksGal

They aren't going to build apartments like that because that isn't what people want. They can charge a bit more, and make more money, giving more people what they want. No one wants white appliances, formica counter tops and laminate flooring, so no one is going to build apartments like that.

I live in the next to poorest zip code in my city, and homes here are almost always remodeled to include stainless and granite. It's meaningless and everyone wants it.

It's like "luxury" cars. More people in my neighborhood, living 10 to a home or more, have expensive cars, to the point I assume anyone driving a Lexus is poor.

[Port Pitt Ash]

Originally Posted by Burghgirl17

Macy's in Downtown Pittsburgh to close

Now where are all the new transplants, who were duped into living downtown, going to shop? Funny how people keep talking up the burgh, yet shopping is going out.

[TBonzie]

We'll never have the heyday of downtown again, when everyone went shopping downtown at some point. Growing up in the '60s and '70s, downtown was great but it was beginning to be not so great by the mid-70s and that was due to the malls.

I miss Kaufmanns and Gimbels and Hornes. But they're never coming back. The yuppie brigade of stuff that came downtown for a while didn't grab me and I certainly don't want dollar stores and other cheap crap stores.

As in America, real options for middle class folks are becoming few and far between. It's either Nordstroms or Wallyworld. J.C. Penneys and Sears, two former excellent middle class stores aren't anymore.

One can't buy everything online, *especially* clothes and now shoes, not with the total lack of standard sizing. Plus - as someone middle-aged sliding into senior years, good luck finding nice clothes period.

But that's how it goes. I guess I'm glad I no longer live in the 'burgh 'cause it would break my heart to go downtown and see what it has become. I wasn't even happy the last time I visited.

Just what Pittsburgh needs though, more overpriced yuppie apartments where Kaufmanns used to be. *sigh*

I'm old. I miss the good old days sometimes, even while remembering parts of them weren't good.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

Also the days in which women did not work and thus had time to make daily shopping trips for every little thing every person in the household needed. I prefer to work and keep my financial autonomy and security, thanks.

How people shop has changed. People want the limitless inventory of a big box or online store. Psychologically there's a lot of evidence that this level of choice actually makes people unhappy in the long run, but businesses aren't here for the betterment of the collective psyche, they're here to give consumers what they want. Without the space to support big boxes, urban areas need to embrace the other model of destination shopping where the shopping is just one part of a larger experience that also includes dining, entertainment, and a whole ambiance that allows shoppers to feel like they're part of something special that can't be had anywhere else. That's what you see at the new urbanist style shopping centers like Southside Works and that little bit of the Waterfront near the movie theater. Those places simulate a town square that was never there, whereas downtown has real actual town squares and plazas.

Just so you know, that *is* what department stores had. Or, let me word it a different way, the stores you call "big box" ARE department stores. They are "discount department stores".
(I mean Target, Walmart, K-Mart, etc - obviously Home Depot or Staples are specialty stores.)

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

I live in the next to poorest zip code in my city, and homes here are almost always remodeled to include stainless and granite. It's meaningless and everyone wants it.

It's like "luxury" cars. More people in my neighborhood, living 10 to a home or more, have expensive cars, to the point I assume anyone driving a Lexus is poor.

It's "aspirational" - people want what is advertised as "nice things".


Of course, poor folks should be eating off plywood on sawhorses.