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According to mall management "something" is going in up there, but were tight lipped as to what. That usually means nothing is signed yet. I do know that a "snack" shop that will sell candy, pop & other things is due to open near the food hall soon.

plaidguy wrote:Looks like Aunt Annie's is moving to a permanent kiosk on the first floor in the center of the mall where Microsoft was. Perfume store has also moved to another bay, meaning all four bays on the second floor near Younker's will be empty. Wonder if someone is moving in to take the whole space since they relocated two businesses?

Random question... When a merchant is relocated, who pays for said remodel and relocation? I'm sure it was not cheap for whomever paid to move Raising Cane's. If a merchant wants a bigger space I'd see them paying, but a move at the malls discretion is another thing.

bbinks wrote:

plaidguy wrote:Looks like Aunt Annie's is moving to a permanent kiosk on the first floor in the center of the mall where Microsoft was. Perfume store has also moved to another bay, meaning all four bays on the second floor near Younker's will be empty. Wonder if someone is moving in to take the whole space since they relocated two businesses?

Random question... When a merchant is relocated, who pays for said remodel and relocation? I'm sure it was not cheap for whomever paid to move Raising Cane's. If a merchant wants a bigger space I'd see them paying, but a move at the malls discretion is another thing.

Usually owners of retail and office space offer a tenant build out allowance. They are negotiable and can range from paying 100% to a small portion of the cost.

As an employee of a retailer that has been relocated 3 times in 13 years at Westroads, I can tell you that it is the retailer who pays for the relocation & remodel.

debradomayer wrote:As an employee of a retailer that has been relocated 3 times in 13 years at Westroads, I can tell you that it is the retailer who pays for the relocation & remodel.

Was it the retailer that wanted to move or the mall? If it's the latter, then that doesn't sound fair.

It was the mall that needed us to move. First we were relocated for DSW, then it was House of Hoops & then it was for Rue 21. When H&M was coming in, they tried to move the Afternoon & the owner didn't like any of the spots open, so she closed. She was one of the original tenants when the mall opened in the late 60's. Pretty much, if the mall needs you to move, they'll offer different locations & it's up to the retailer if they want to take one of the spots or not. Frustrating & expensive, but we're getting people who never even knew we were in the mall. So that's a good thing!

That's crazy how it works in the Mall. From what I have seen elsewhere, the tenant usually gets some compensation. I have even heard of tenants getting a remodeling allowance when they renew their lease.

When we had a store at Mall of the Bluffs, they did give an allowance for remodel but there were trade offs, like a multi-year lease. That was back when GGP still owned it & the mall was in decline. Westroads doesn't do any of that as far as I know. They did do plumbing & electrical for H&M but I think that was a special circumstance.

debradomayer wrote:It was the mall that needed us to move. First we were relocated for DSW, then it was House of Hoops & then it was for Rue 21. When H&M was coming in, they tried to move the Afternoon & the owner didn't like any of the spots open, so she closed. She was one of the original tenants when the mall opened in the late 60's. Pretty much, if the mall needs you to move, they'll offer different locations & it's up to the retailer if they want to take one of the spots or not. Frustrating & expensive, but we're getting people who never even knew we were in the mall. So that's a good thing!

So if none of the open spots are good, what happens to the lease? There needs to be, some wiggle room in these forced move situations.

With our store, the moves were made when the lease expired & then the owners signed a new one for the new location. We've been lucky that all of the spaces have been good in size and with one exception, good exposure and location. The mall usually waits until leases are up before they move stores around.

Aunt Annie's has opened in their new location and the four bays around where they used to be have a construction wall surrounding them. Looks like work is underway on something.

I was at Westroads Sunday. The area directly across from the food court where the retailers were pushed out has a sign up and it reads, "Eat Play Drink-Lounge" or "Shop Play Drink-Lounge." I can't remember the exact wording but it had some combo of 3 words then lounge.

Several years ago, more than 5 I believe, I got called by the MSR Group for a focus group for something like this at Oak View (same owners as Westroads). They were trying to come up with some concept where guys would go play games, relax and drink (I think they were trying to figure out if coffee or alcohol worked better in the setting). The big thing was at least with my group, no one seemed real interested in it. Or at least it was not going to get anyone to go more or stay longer when they did go to Oak View.

The pictures around the construction looked exactly like what they were describing to us. Board games will be there.


Greg

Greg S wrote:I was at Westroads Sunday. The area directly across from the food court where the retailers were pushed out has a sign up and it reads, "Eat Play Drink-Lounge" or "Shop Play Drink-Lounge." I can't remember the exact wording but it had some combo of 3 words then lounge.

Kinda like a Dave & Buster's type of thing?

EricHaley wrote:

Greg S wrote:I was at Westroads Sunday. The area directly across from the food court where the retailers were pushed out has a sign up and it reads, "Eat Play Drink-Lounge" or "Shop Play Drink-Lounge." I can't remember the exact wording but it had some combo of 3 words then lounge.

Kinda like a Dave & Buster's type of thing?

No-though that would have appealed some to me. These are more of the board game variety. Almost like Spielbound http://spielbound.com/ crossed with a coffee shop. I just could not tell if it has more for coffee, alcohol drinks or both.


Greg

Greg S wrote:
No-though that would have appealed some to me. These are more of the board game variety. Almost like Spielbound http://spielbound.com/ crossed with a coffee shop. I just could not tell if it has more for coffee, alcohol drinks or both.


Greg

Slightly off topic, but Spielbound is both a coffee shop and has alcohol.

Dundeemaha wrote:

Greg S wrote:
No-though that would have appealed some to me. These are more of the board game variety. Almost like Spielbound http://spielbound.com/ crossed with a coffee shop. I just could not tell if it has more for coffee, alcohol drinks or both.


Greg

Slightly off topic, but Spielbound is both a coffee shop and has alcohol.

Yeah I go there sometimes for trivia on Wednesdays. I think of it more as a game place that has coffee and beer. The place at Westroads looks more like a coffee shop in the pictures.

Greg

Greg S wrote:I was at Westroads Sunday. The area directly across from the food court where the retailers were pushed out has a sign up and it reads, "Eat Play Drink-Lounge" or "Shop Play Drink-Lounge." I can't remember the exact wording but it had some combo of 3 words then lounge.
...
Greg

I walked by there today (across from the food court), and from the graphics Jones Bros Cupcakes will be a key part of this project. The decor appears to blend with the food court, (rustic wood, modern fixtures, etc.). I did not notice much reference to board games, but it may be there. There was a reference to Auntie Anne's to be there as well, but since they already moved not sure what the deal is with that.

I wonder if this is a pilot project with GGP as the new food court was.

Lonnie

lonnie wrote:

Greg S wrote:I was at Westroads Sunday. The area directly across from the food court where the retailers were pushed out has a sign up and it reads, "Eat Play Drink-Lounge" or "Shop Play Drink-Lounge." I can't remember the exact wording but it had some combo of 3 words then lounge.
...
Greg

I walked by there today (across from the food court), and from the graphics Jones Bros Cupcakes will be a key part of this project. The decor appears to blend with the food court, (rustic wood, modern fixtures, etc.). I did not notice much reference to board games, but it may be there. There was a reference to Auntie Anne's to be there as well, but since they already moved not sure what the deal is with that.

I wonder if this is a pilot project with GGP as the new food court was.

Lonnie

The article in the World Herald mentions shuffleboard and other games.

Here's the link:


http://www.omaha.com/money/jones-bros-c ... 3e7db.html

Greg

schumatt wrote:

mrsticka wrote:Just out of curiosity, is there anyone who misses the old food court, the Grand Cafe?

I definitely liked it, but I don't know if I'd say I "miss" it.

What I DO miss were the kiosks where you could place your order at Runza. They had them when the food court first opened, but they were way ahead of their time. People would probably love them today.

I remember those kiosks, too. I ordered a burger from them once. This was shortly after it opened. For 1991, definitely WAY ahead of their time.

The food court was nice but the last few years seemed to be stuggling.

Greg

I definitely still miss Sbarro. It's been two years now, been to one in Minneapolis and Denver and they weren't as good as the one we had here. Probably had to do with Omaha being a small city and easier to manage.

Burger King and Arby's pulling out of there might've done them in. They never should've left.

I doubt that Flagship would have wanted a ton of competitors and may have negotiated some sort of exclusivity in their contract.

I haven't been to Westroads in years. I used to enter and exit through the food court. It was pretty convenient. Now that it's gone, where should I enter and exit the mall now?

mrsticka wrote:I haven't been to Westroads in years. I used to enter and exit through the food court. It was pretty convenient. Now that it's gone, where should I enter and exit the mall now?

The roof, or maybe tunneling underneath and trying to surface right into the shop you're looking for?

MadMartin8 wrote:

mrsticka wrote:I haven't been to Westroads in years. I used to enter and exit through the food court. It was pretty convenient. Now that it's gone, where should I enter and exit the mall now?

The roof, or maybe tunneling underneath and trying to surface right into the shop you're looking for?

..

I find a helicopter landing on the roof might be his best option..

In all seriousness, there are about 50 different entrance/exit points for Westroads. You could simply enter and exit the mall from where the Container Store is right now.. since it's pretty much the exact location of where the old food court used to be..

Good luck.. And let us know if you make it safely in and out mrsticka LOL...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

When i was a kid and this first opened, they installed a commercial helipad on the roof where Von Mar's is now. I always wanted to fly into the mall just to say that I did.

bigredmed1 wrote:When i was a kid and this first opened, they installed a commercial helipad on the roof where Von Mar's is now. I always wanted to fly into the mall just to say that I did.

Wait, really? They had a helipad?

MadMartin8 wrote:

bigredmed1 wrote:When i was a kid and this first opened, they installed a commercial helipad on the roof where Von Mar's is now. I always wanted to fly into the mall just to say that I did.

Wait, really? They had a helipad?

Yep, where Von Maur is now. That's how Santa arrived. I bet the OWH or may be the Durham has a photo of it in the archives.

"The Lounge" opens August 21. Featuring Jones Bros Cupcakes and Auntie Annies Pretzels will have a second location. In addition there will be several 'pop up" kiosks.

MadMartin8 wrote:

bigredmed1 wrote:When i was a kid and this first opened, they installed a commercial helipad on the roof where Von Mar's is now. I always wanted to fly into the mall just to say that I did.

Wait, really? They had a helipad?

Big one. Could have landed an Apache.

debradomayer wrote:"The Lounge" opens August 21. Featuring Jones Bros Cupcakes and Auntie Annies Pretzels will have a second location. In addition there will be several 'pop up" kiosks.

Sounds gross. Of course, to me all references to JBC imply grossness.

Better yet, don't walk in the Container Store. There is a low-key entrance on the northwest corner of that building. It's between the Container Store and Younkers. There's also one between JCPenny and VonMaur, and one in between Dick's and JC Penny. Really there's not a bad way to get in unless you are looking to avoid masses of teenagers/cool kids and children. Just depends what store you're there for. I'm an in and out kind of guy so I just walk in the entrance that is closest to my store. Also you can park on the upper level of the garage and walk in JC Penny from there.

Abercrombie's has closed. Store is shuttered & website says store is permanently closed

debradomayer wrote:Abercrombie's has closed. Store is shuttered & website says store is permanently closed

Good.

Busguy2010 wrote:

debradomayer wrote:Abercrombie's has closed. Store is shuttered & website says store is permanently closed

Good.

Agreed.

bigredmed1 wrote:

Busguy2010 wrote:

debradomayer wrote:Abercrombie's has closed. Store is shuttered & website says store is permanently closed

Good.

Agreed.

LOL..

Well, perhaps they can lock in and replace that shuttered parcel for a Rain Forest Café. I'd support that development ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

Other than Hollister where will all the teen boys And young men go now for their overpriced clothing??

Okay, is A&F struggling nationwide? Otherwise, is it not a bit disconcerting that a major tenant like that is pulling out of the area's highest traffic retail center?

I noticed another store that closed on the upper level that looked out onto the center court - can’t remember the name but it was there before Christmas