What the heck happened to Crestwood Plaza?

[flynavyj]

Originally Posted by dundermifflin

NOoooo - it was a thriving art center and the owner decided to not lease any longer to new art related tenants in favor of more cash....

Capitalism

[LilMikey]

I'd say it's an issue of location, location, location. Look at the thriving malls... West County, immediately off I-270 (has it's own exit in fact) pretty close to I-44 and I-40. South County, immediately off I-270 and I-55. Chesterfield, immediately off I-40.

Crestwood was just too hard to get to relative to other malls. West Co and Chesterfield being located in higher avg income neighborhoods doesn't hurt either. I would guess, thought that if you stuck Crestwood at I-40 and I-170 even before the rebuild it would've had a much easier time.

Today there is simply no reason to visit it unless you live next door. I miss Exhilarama as much as the next ex-kid too.

[flynavyj]

Originally Posted by LilMikey

Today there is simply no reason to visit it unless you live next door. I miss Exhilarama as much as the next ex-kid too.

I agree, especially with the last. Being a north county kid, i personally spent more time at Tilt at North West Plaza...That was a great hangout till a couple of thugs got a hold of it.

[1greatcity]

Originally Posted by LilMikey

I'd say it's an issue of location, location, location. Look at the thriving malls... West County, immediately off I-270 (has it's own exit in fact) pretty close to I-44 and I-40. South County, immediately off I-270 and I-55. Chesterfield, immediately off I-40.
Crestwood was just too hard to get to relative to other malls.

True that all of these other malls stole some of the business away from Crestwood. But those malls had all been in existance for decades, and they all co-existed nicely. The main reason for Crestwood's decline, in my opinion, was the addition of one new ginormous retail mega-center a few miles to the southwest of Crestwood: Gravois Bluffs.

(And note that the highly-successful Gravois Bluffs is NOT even located by an interstate highway. So location isn't necessarily the whole key to success.)

[1greatcity]

Also, nearby Kirkwood Commons stole business away from Crestwood Plaza.
There's only so much retail that can survive in a specific area. Once there's a glut, someone will lose out.

Crestwood can be reborn, but it will need to be completely re-thought. Retail alone won't cut it. It will need to be a mixed-use center (shopping, restaurants, entertainment, even office space.) And as far as retail, one answer would be to bring in a new name to the St. Louis market, one that could serve as the main anchor. Imagine what an IKEA would do for business there.