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Old 02-11-2011, 02:34 PM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 19,999,178 times
Reputation: 4365

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I thought the "Simi Valley Town Center" was a horrible idea before they built it (Simi Valley already had nearly empty shopping centers), but of course builders tossed logic aside during the real estate bubble and built for the sake of building.

Anyhow, I've been waiting for the stores to start closing and it seems like predictable after 5 years (most of the stores would have had a 5 year lease) many of them are starting to close. I counted around 10 empty storefronts, there are a few others that closed but it looks like they are being replaced by other stores.

It also looks like the company that built it started to default on their mortgage (or was going to) and the lender sold the property to a private equity firm (Walton Street Capital).
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Old 02-13-2011, 09:12 PM
 
12 posts, read 34,130 times
Reputation: 23
I am sorry to hear that. We had to move from Newbury Park in 2006 to ABQ. N.M. because we could not afford to retire in the area. I Know what you mean about opening that plaza and having so many others empty but I really liked the ambiance of that one. We visit there when we go back to visit our Son. Hopefully the economy and the State will get back on it's feet. I still think California is the greatest state and hope to be able to move back some day. I know people knock it for so many reasons but IMHO it one of the cleanest, most cultural, and beautiful spots on earth.
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Old 02-13-2011, 10:07 PM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 19,999,178 times
Reputation: 4365
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirkk View Post
I Know what you mean about opening that plaza and having so many others empty but I really liked the ambiance of that one. We visit there when we go back to visit our Son.
But what did you purchase when you where there? The restaurants in the center seem to well and people often walk around after eating, but they don't seem to purchase much. I think part of the issue may be that the stores are higher end than what most people in the area usually shop at.
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Old 03-08-2011, 01:43 PM
 
Location: Dalton Gardens
2,855 posts, read 6,458,541 times
Reputation: 1699
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirkk View Post
I am sorry to hear that. We had to move from Newbury Park in 2006 to ABQ. N.M. because we could not afford to retire in the area. I Know what you mean about opening that plaza and having so many others empty but I really liked the ambiance of that one. We visit there when we go back to visit our Son. Hopefully the economy and the State will get back on it's feet. I still think California is the greatest state and hope to be able to move back some day. I know people knock it for so many reasons but IMHO it one of the cleanest, most cultural, and beautiful spots on earth.
I agree that California is indeed a great state, in spite of the current financial crisis and unemployment rates. My husband and I, as well as my siblings and their spouses, have discussed at length the pros and cons of moving elsewhere. We've decided that since this is where we were all raised we are digging in and riding the storm out.

Regarding the Simi Valley Town Center... I recall this being a regular proposition throughout the years I grew up here, always being knocked back because the people really didn't want it. I was finally built while I was living in another country. Since my return home to the USA and Simi Valley the Town Center has become a favorite place for me and my extended family to meet up, hang out and wander around. I had some favorite shops which I was sad to see had closed down recently. I do agree that most of the shops are way too pricey for the demographics of Simi Valley. One of the major shops they neglected to open, in my opinion, is a book/magazine/newspaper store. Years ago there was a little shop on Cochran & Tapo which specialized in magazines and newspapers from all over the United States and they did quite well.

But on the whole, when compared with the crowds in other shopping malls, like T.O. and Northridge, it is a nice place to have a relaxed and peaceful stroll while drinking a Starbucks and enjoying the views over Simi Valley.

It is also gratifying to see that many storefronts along L.A. Ave. are getting a much needed facelift, bringing Simi Valley back to the beautiful town I grew up in. I just wish the city would make good use of the buildings which are standing empty. With the current recession and unemployment some of these buildings could be turned into transitional housing for families in trouble. One or two buildings could be put to use as co-op shops where local people with skills and talents could create and sell their goods. It would create a form of employment for those whose skills are not much needed in the modern workpace, but are still a valuable creative asset to the community, and it would provide that rare commodity, an honest-to-goodness American made product!
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Old 03-08-2011, 02:22 PM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 19,999,178 times
Reputation: 4365
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyanna View Post
But on the whole, when compared with the crowds in other shopping malls, like T.O. and Northridge, it is a nice place to have a relaxed and peaceful stroll while drinking a Starbucks and enjoying the views over Simi Valley.
Those crowds are what keep the businesses in business.

Anyhow, its an odd center. The restaurants are relatively busy, but the stores are dead. Perhaps its just a matter of getting different types of stores in there, don't know.
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Old 03-08-2011, 02:33 PM
 
Location: Dalton Gardens
2,855 posts, read 6,458,541 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by user_id View Post
Those crowds are what keep the businesses in business.

Anyhow, its an odd center. The restaurants are relatively busy, but the stores are dead. Perhaps its just a matter of getting different types of stores in there, don't know.
Yes, and the restaurant situation is kind of odd since they aren't the most affordable restaurants, and the food really isn't all that fantastic for the price.

I think one of the problems is that the Town Center attracted the more upper-crust shops due to Simi Valley also having very expensive housing, which in turn led to a belief that there were lots of rich people here who could afford the upper-crust stores. Granted, if one went to Hollister or Urban Outfitters in L.A. the prices would probably be more affordable due to a higher population base. But the prices in the Town Center mall are higher due to a smaller population base.

There is also a very nice and expensive hotel near the mall to serve visitors to our area, when a less expensive hotel would probably serve the area better. I think this, along with lower-cost stores and restaurants, would vastly improve the viability of the Town Center.
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Old 03-27-2011, 08:21 PM
 
Location: Northern Colorado
4,932 posts, read 12,711,052 times
Reputation: 1364
I am curious as how the Simi Valley Town Center is compared to the The Oaks Mall? Since the open-air malls are supposed to be doing better. And if the lifestyle center format is failing, then how is the The Collection in Oxnard going to succeed? All though, Oxnard's lifestyle center having a movie theater and a Whole Foods will probably keep that center together.

From an article I read, it appears The Oaks Mall is expanding. Perhaps because of the movie theater. It seems lifestyle centers with department stores for anchors aren't working out well.

Last edited by the city; 03-27-2011 at 08:32 PM..
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Old 03-28-2011, 11:43 AM
 
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
12,460 posts, read 19,999,178 times
Reputation: 4365
The Thousand Oaks Mall appears to be to doing a lot better. Around two years ago there were some vacancies, but they seemed to have filled most of them with attractive businesses.

A lot of the "open air malls" are failing because they weren't planned well, they were built during the euphoria of the real estate bubble.
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Old 11-08-2011, 11:52 PM
 
1 posts, read 9,092 times
Reputation: 11
Angry There's politics involved!

Quote:
Originally Posted by user_id View Post
I thought the "Simi Valley Town Center" was a horrible idea before they built it (Simi Valley already had nearly empty shopping centers), but of course builders tossed logic aside during the real estate bubble and built for the sake of building.

Anyhow, I've been waiting for the stores to start closing and it seems like predictable after 5 years (most of the stores would have had a 5 year lease) many of them are starting to close. I counted around 10 empty storefronts, there are a few others that closed but it looks like they are being replaced by other stores.

It also looks like the company that built it started to default on their mortgage (or was going to) and the lender sold the property to a private equity firm (Walton Street Capital).
I remember when the mall had not even been built in 2005. Then, there was a controversy going on among some influential figures in town over whether the mall be built or not! I strongly believe there is politics involved that such a beautiful mall be so empty and dead!! It has been boycotted by a portion of the population of Simi! Overal, it really makes me sad anytime I go there and see it so empty! So unfortunate.

Last edited by tarzan1945; 11-08-2011 at 11:54 PM.. Reason: changing some verbiages.
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Old 12-06-2011, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Kahuku, HI
24 posts, read 48,700 times
Reputation: 48
Lightbulb Outlet

the smartest thing they could do at this point and the people of Simi would love is to do what some of the stores have done and go the "outlet" route. Camarillo is a bit of a ride from Simi and East part of Ventura...open an outlet mall and you will have people. the busiest store is of course Apple!
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