Texas: A Shopping Paradise (Houston, Dallas: professionals, land, retirement)

[Jasonsim]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

Looks like you missed a few. Most notably the Dior flagship in River Oaks District.

What others would you consider I to be missing?

The Dior in Houston has been on the list for a while, under Christian Dior. The Houston store although in its own building is not what I would consider a flagship store. Even just a quick glance online shows that the Dallas store carries lines that Houston does not including the exclusive Exotic Leathers.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by R1070

If anything returns to the market, I'd imagine it would be Bloomingdales.

Bloomingdales? That's a modern(-ist), true-blue, bi-coastal chain. I doubt that it would appeal to conservative Dallasites' traditionalist decor/tastes. It might have an easier time in Houston with all the young people here.

The store seems to be shifting to appeal to hipsters/yuppies. Their newest L.A. stores in Glendale and Santa Monica are acid-washed polished concrete floors and ironic youth-oriented displays and merchandise. In contrast, the Century City store seems to stay in the traditional polished, sophisticated checkerboard tile look. But that is a whole another level of Bloomingdales!

[R1070]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Bloomingdales? That's a modern(-ist), true-blue, bi-coastal chain. I doubt that it would appeal to conservative Dallasites' traditionalist decor/tastes. It might have an easier time in Houston with all the young people here.

The store seems to be shifting to appeal to hipsters/yuppies. Their newest L.A. stores in Glendale and Santa Monica are acid-washed polished concrete floors and ironic youth-oriented displays and merchandise. In contrast, the Century City store seems to stay in the traditional polished, sophisticated checkerboard tile look. But that is a whole another level of Bloomingdales!

We don't have that demographic in Dallas?

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by R1070

We don't have that demographic in Dallas?

In L.A., you really have to bring your A-game. Century City is a whole another level of upscale that cannot be found in Texas, even in Houston and Dallas. (Even Rodeo Drive is being ceded to tourists; the locals have moved on to C.C.) Caruso's Grove and Americana are also worth an honorable mention for the immersive 1920's-1930's Art Deco architecture.

Dallas tends to stick to the traditional, WASP-y Southern fashion sense. Dillard's is a good example of that style.

Bloomingdales is iconoclastic; well suited for the coasts. They have already closed most of their Middle America stores a few years ago (and declined to build their first western store outside of California, in Phoenix, as the recession started).

[R1070]

But I wouldn't say Houston has a hip young demographic that Dallas doesn't as was implied earlier.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by R1070

But I wouldn't say Houston has a hip young demographic that Dallas doesn't as was implied earlier.

The Westside is so affluent that it makes River Oaks and the Park Cities middle-class.

But recently Houston has been attracting the young, while Dallas was chasing corporate relocations--different strategies. But if Bloomingdales has been trying to attract a younger crowd evidenced with the SoHo store and cumulating in the Glendale and Santa Monica stores, Houston would be a far likely contender to land Bloomingdales with the demographics.

[TheOverdog]

Century City is a whole another level of upscale that cannot be found in Texas

What? Are you referring to some other Century City mall than the one on Santa Monica Blvd in LA? That place is like a mid-tier mall, like StoneBriar in Frisco or maybe the Dallas Galleria since it has fallen so far. It doesn't compete with fancy malls.

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

What? Are you referring to some other Century City mall than the one on Santa Monica Blvd in LA? That place is like a mid-tier mall, like StoneBriar in Frisco or maybe the Dallas Galleria since it has fallen so far. It doesn't compete with fancy malls.

I wouldn't put Westfield Century City to that level at all. It is definitely above Stonebriar and the Dallas Galleria. Those malls you named are more akin to say Westfield Culver City or Westfield Arcadia. Century City is like a hybrid between Northpark and Stonebriar.

It's also false to say that the locals have completely abandoned Rodeo Drive. Still plenty of shopping down in that area (just maybe not on Rodeo).

[TheOverdog]

It is definitely above Stonebriar and the Dallas Galleria.

I guess... I didn't see any fancy stores on their listing, and going there is totally unremarkable, unlike a place like say Fashion Island maybe.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

The Westside is so affluent that it makes River Oaks and the Park Cities middle-class.

But recently Houston has been attracting the young, while Dallas was chasing corporate relocations--different strategies. But if Bloomingdales has been trying to attract a younger crowd evidenced with the SoHo store and cumulating in the Glendale and Santa Monica stores, Houston would be a far likely contender to land Bloomingdales with the demographics.

Dallas like Austin just attracts young professionals for what it has to offer. The city doesn't have to do it.

Central Dallas in particular is full of young professionals from all over. I'm not sure your view of Houston to Dallas is accurate.