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Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:49 pm
by Candleshoe
New owner found for the Imperial Mall!

Currently housing a semi attaached K-Mart with no Mall access and a pretty nice destination "Herberger"s, a destination restaurant "Napoli's", a Childrens Museum and that's about it. The parking lot has long been looking like a recently tripped minefield. In the 90's it had a rockin' food court that would be standing room only on a school day when the kids came in by the car load. Included a Subway, Runza, I think an Amigos, plus a Chinese food place, a popcorn shop, Snickerdoodles and seems like a pizza place too. When the Burger King and Burlington Food Court and opened up across the street from the High School, along with a McDonalds upgrade, they pretty much killed the food court lunch trade.

Much of the mall was owner operated shops, just like the old Grand Island Mall. The chain stores were all moving out to the sexy new Cimarron Plaza out by the new WalMart Super Center north of town where the daily traffic count was in the thousands, compared to the dozens and dozens at the well hidden Imperial Mall location.

Wish them luck, but hitching up a couple big trucks and moving the whole thing might be easier...

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http://www.hastingstribune.com/septembe ... 12mall.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Following 22 months of intensive negotiations, RockStep Capital, a real estate investment company based in Houston, announced this morning it is in the process of acquiring the Imperial Mall in a deal that includes three other Midwest shopping centers.

Other properties included in the ongoing purchase include Hutchinson Mall in Hutchinson, Kan., Lakewood Mall in Aberdeen, S.D., and Thunderbird Mall in Virginia, Minn.

RockStep Capital President Andy Weiner said this morning that the package deal, which should be completed within the next week or so, involves the purchase of the four properties on a single delinquent note from Illinois-based Rubloff Development Group.

Until then, the property will continue to be managed by court-ordered receiver McKinley Company of Ann Arbor, Mich.

“We are very bullish about Hastings as a community,” Weiner said. “It is a very stable and solid community, and we do think there’s an opportunity to rehabilitate and redevelop that property.” - See more at: http://www.hastingstribune.com/septembe ... c2lTc.dpuf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:23 pm
by bbtran72
You beat me to it, i was going to post this after dinner. I grew up in Hastings and currently still reside there, i have wondered many times why they decided to build it there in the first place, yes the city was growing west back in the 80s but i would have built it where super walmart is now. My reason is even though town was growing west back then it is so tuck way west of town that it's kinda an inconvenience for people traveling on 281 where most of the main traffic is, it is also only 1/4 mile away from the regional center and that might have been why it stop expanding. The area where the mall is has an older population and are more less likely to spend, also poor management is another reason that i have heard of. I would never put money into that mall to resurrect it back into a shopping center, i would bull doze everything and redevelop it into an area with apartments(hastings needs an appartment boom like GI), park, office, restaurants..etc...just my 2 cents lol

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 12:00 pm
by Candleshoe
Verizon retail is returning to Hastings! Building is going up in a Menards outlot.

They closed their retail store on S Burlington several months ago, citing that it wasn't really profitable. Then, a Z Wireless store opened directly across the street to handle the Verizon line. I always thought that the Verizon store looked unbusy till the one time I stopped in there and discovered how ridiculous their parking lot was in that strip mall! It was impossible to drive in and directly into a space. The lot was so shallow you needed to maneuver back and forth to get in and out. Customers knew to park around the corner. I halfway wonder if the lease was up and future relocation was the real reason for the closing?

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:03 am
by Candleshoe
Two closings to announce in one week... Burger King South and Applause Video.

Burger King South was rebuilt around ten or twelve years ago and never seemed as busy as the old location. Don't know why. They are set to close on Jan 1.

Applause Video... I've wondered for the last couple of years how they heck they were staying open. Set to close in Feb.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 10:05 am
by Brad
Candleshoe wrote:Applause Video... I've wondered for the last couple of years how they heck they were staying open. Set to close in Feb.
Wow, I never knew there was still Applause Video around!

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:13 am
by Candleshoe
Brad wrote:
Candleshoe wrote:Applause Video... I've wondered for the last couple of years how they heck they were staying open. Set to close in Feb.
Wow, I never knew there was still Applause Video around!
Welcome to the different dimension that we call "Hastings, Nebraska".

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 11:21 am
by Brad
Candleshoe wrote:Welcome to the different dimension that we call "Hastings, Nebraska".
Its been a couple years since I was in Hastings, but it really seems like its the tale of two cities. North Hastings is really growing good, but south Hastings is dying. When I was a kid, we were in Hastings all the time and it seemed like Lake Hastings was "out of towwn" and Lochland was way out there.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:25 am
by bbtran72
It's actually 3 closings,
South burger king( North(by the high school) is getting a major makeover)
Applause Video (owner is retiring)
Long John Silver

I was hopping that when the south McDonald got built that Sunmart and other fast food down in that area would benefit from the extra traffic but i guess not. Burger king's south old location is the little strip mall is right now with Quiznos/five points bank/vierro/ espresso america right across from the police station/chamber development center is is some what closer to downtown, the "new" location where they are now is about /14 mile south of the old location. But Brad you are right it's almost like two cities, south of town is slowly dying while north is expanding. Even when i was in middle school (00-02) the mall was still alive, Lochland was way out of town and the old wal-mart is where durhams is now, it is crazy how much things can change in 10+ years.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 12:10 pm
by Candleshoe
bbtran72 wrote:It's actually 3 closings,
South burger king( North(by the high school) is getting a major makeover)
Applause Video (owner is retiring)
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is kind of a surprise. I would have expected a move rather than a closing. That building is so worn out and the drive up window is on the wrong side of the car... (who came up with THAT?!)

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 1:04 pm
by GetUrban
Candleshoe wrote:
bbtran72 wrote:It's actually 3 closings,
South burger king( North(by the high school) is getting a major makeover)
Applause Video (owner is retiring)
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is kind of a surprise. I would have expected a move rather than a closing. That building is so worn out and the drive up window is on the wrong side of the car... (who came up with THAT?!)
Some Brit that likes greasy fish & chips?

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:07 pm
by Candleshoe
GetUrban wrote:
Candleshoe wrote:
Long John Silver is kind of a surprise. I would have expected a move rather than a closing. That building is so worn out and the drive up window is on the wrong side of the car... (who came up with THAT?!)
Some Brit that likes greasy fish & chips?

Oooooooh, nice one! LOL

Here's a shot of their lunch hour trade today.
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Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 2:19 pm
by gisbuxfan
Candleshoe wrote:That building is so worn out and the drive up window is on the wrong side of the car... (who came up with THAT?!)
That always reminds of of how the Taco Bell off of 72nd and Dodge in Omaha was for so many years. Eventually, I guess I just got used to it. It is poor design though.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 3:58 pm
by bbtran72
2 of my co-worker and i went there yesterday for lunch since it was closing, mind you the last time i was there was back in 2004-2006, we waited 20 minutes for for food since they had one person working up front and one back in the kitchen running the fryer. I got the combo(2 pieces of fish, hush puppies, 1 side and came with drink) for $8+ something and one of my co-worker got the Meal(3 pieces of chicken, 2 sides, hush puppies+ fries)didn't come with drink($1.89)) so he spent $10+. One of the worst place i have ever been to, but that is just my .02 cent, the backward drive through is just the icing on the cake.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:09 pm
by Candleshoe
Add the Hastings Radio Shack to the list of those about to close. Sounds like they could be shuttered by the weekend.

Radio Shack hasn't been relevant to me in 20 years, I'm afraid...

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:16 pm
by bbtran72
Candleshoe wrote:Add the Hastings Radio Shack to the list of those about to close. Sounds like they could be shuttered by the weekend.

Radio Shack hasn't been relevant to me in 20 years, I'm afraid...
wow really? have not heard anything, but i do know that the well-read book store in downtown Hastings is closing, talk about a bad month for the town.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2014 11:00 pm
by Coyote
Candleshoe wrote:Radio Shack hasn't been relevant to me in 20 years, I'm afraid...

Till now:

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2014 9:40 am
by Candleshoe
THAT was magical! :lol:

Radio Shack... you've got questions, we've got batteries.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 11:59 am
by iamjacobm
Cool building for the arts department at Hastings College.

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

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Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 3:53 pm
by Candleshoe
Another Hastings closing, but no surprise. Howard Johnsons Convention Center(formerly Hastings Inn/Quality Inn/Holiday Inn) Been a deathwatch, ever since the Garden Cafe closed. Maybe even before...

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 8:02 pm
by bbtran72
Candleshoe wrote:Another Hastings closing, but no surprise. Howard Johnsons Convention Center(formerly Hastings Inn/Quality Inn/Holiday Inn) Been a deathwatch, ever since the Garden Cafe closed. Maybe even before...
definitely not a surprise there, even back when it was the holiday inn before holiday express open, it was on it's last leg and was in need of a renovation. I had my high school graduation(06) party there in the conference room along with couple friends, the rooms looked old and outdated, they must had some problem with ventilation or didn't have enough because on one side of the hotel there were rooms around the pool and the humidity was INSANEEEE.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 2:32 pm
by gisbuxfan
Is it just me or is Hastings dying?

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 11:23 pm
by Garrett
gisbuxfan wrote:Is it just me or is Hastings dying?
Of the tri-cities, it has the least going for it economically, so it's likely to lose compared to GI and Kearney

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:27 pm
by Candleshoe
Hastings has unfair competition in the form of Grand Island's ambitious regional shopping draw only twenty minutes away. A good number of Hastings businesses are thriving because they offer what a drive to Grand island can't, either in convenience, service or niche merchandise. Hastings mall has all but dried up, largely because of its shortsighted and unfortunate location far from good traffic flow, yet Herbergers is a surviving anchor store there, doing great business.

Go figure...

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:35 pm
by Brad
I never did understand why they put the mall way out by the airport and not 281?

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:13 pm
by Candleshoe
Brad wrote:I never did understand why they put the mall way out by the airport and not 281?
Every town will have those folks who say that the "town fathers" don't want new outside businesses coming in, but in the case of Hastings, it could be more true than most places. I had heard legends that business leaders banded together to prevent any decent real estate being available to these outsiders. 12th Street and Marian Roads were both secondary arterials, so maybe there was some arrogance in the original mall developer to make that part of town the new city center?

On the other hand, that logic DID work in GI. Both the Conestoga Mall and Grand Island Mall were built along what was then a two lane Webb Road with the then two lane US281 with no retail development running in their backyards. A good mile and a half away from any other retail, it worked and thrives today.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 10:02 pm
by bbtran72
Candleshoe wrote:
Brad wrote:I never did understand why they put the mall way out by the airport and not 281?
Every town will have those folks who say that the "town fathers" don't want new outside businesses coming in, but in the case of Hastings, it could be more true than most places. I had heard legends that business leaders banded together to prevent any decent real estate being available to these outsiders. 12th Street and Marian Roads were both secondary arterials, so maybe there was some arrogance in the original mall developer to make that part of town the new city center?

On the other hand, that logic DID work in GI. Both the Conestoga Mall and Grand Island Mall were built along what was then a two lane Webb Road with the then two lane  US281 with no retail development running in their backyards. A good mile and a half away from any other retail, it worked and thrives today.
I grew up in hastings and never understood the "town dathers" till high school, Johnson (johnson cashway) and Allens are some of them. To my understanding why the mall was built where it was because back then the town was growing west, hence the imperial development, but sooner or later it had to stop since the Regional Center is less than a 1/2 mile away. Then town slowly grew north and anything west of town slowly died, first was sun-mart then the mall, if i was a developer back then i would have built the mall where Cimeron Plaza is right now just south of Super Wal-mart is now. Even back then there is no way that the traffic count from the old hwy 6 would have been as high as 281.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2015 4:43 pm
by Candleshoe
This story is about 90 days old, but there's no update from anybody yet... A lot of emotions run strong both for and against it. The townies are concerned about closing a downtown artery, losing a full block of downtown long term/short term parking, not to mention the inherent suspicion as to who's really going to pay for all of this. Stay tuned!

http://www.nebraska.tv/story/27968370/h ... -next-step

As Hastings grows, city leaders are looking to a downtown project to give people a reason to come and places to stay. On Monday, the city council gave the go ahead, but hope the project to renovate the auditorium and build a hotel will be much more than that.

"It is just a huge project bringing more people not only to the community, but to the downtown area as well," said Randy Chick, director of business improvement district. Two pictures are the first look of the future auditorium renovation and expansion off Hastings Avenue, as well as a brand new hotel attached in hopes of keeping tourists around.



The city is looking to have a total of 400 plus parking spots after the project is completed whether it's on site, underground, on adjacent properties or on the street.


The project is looking at a $4 million price tag to expand and renovate the auditorium with a portion of it coming from the state grant. The city hopes to break ground on the project in the spring.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2015 11:37 am
by bbtran72
[quote="Candleshoe"]This story is about 90 days old, but there's no update from anybody yet... A lot of emotions run strong both for and against it. The townies are concerned about closing a downtown artery, losing a full block of downtown long term/short term parking, not to mention the inherent suspicion as to who's really going to pay for all of this. Stay tuned!
....

Other news in town, the closing of a block of 9th street for Hastings College, it's not that big of a deal until people had the to vote on it unlike the possible closing of west 4th for the city auditorium which i think would be a bigger impact. I grew up in Hastings and just sent my vote(closed it) in yesterday, and here are the reason why.

1. Russ's IGA took out a block of lexington avenue, First St. Paul Lutheran Church took out a block of 5th street and no one complained.
2. 9th street does not run through town unlike 12th street and 7th street
3. Closing a block of 9th street will greatly impact the campus over all as new projects are underway.


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Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 9:27 pm
by Candleshoe
Hastings voters have spoken. 9th Street will close through the Hastings College campus. Official totals from the special election: No - 4,356 Yes - 3,510.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2015 12:43 pm
by Candleshoe
Planning commissioners postpone action on Dunkin' Donuts

http://www.hastingstribune.com/news/pla ... 06e74.html

The developer of a proposed Dunkin’ Donuts franchise asked the Hastings Planning Commission to postpone his application so he can have more discussion with adjacent property owners.

During the planning commission meeting Monday afternoon, Bryce Bares of Omaha described his plan for a 2,500-square-foot Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant at 708 N. Burlington Ave. — the space between Great Western Bank and Bank of Doniphan. The business would include a drive-through as well as space for sitdown and carry-out dining.
Bank officials are concerned about how the drive-through would affect their own patrons coming in and out of the bank.

“They’re not opposed, of course, to economic development but today, if this is going forward, they’d like to express their concern and their opposition to the approval of this,” Parker said.

He said bank officials are more than happy to discuss the feasibility of the plan with Bares.

Jeanette Dewalt of 747 N. Lincoln Ave. lives directly east of the proposed property. She and her husband, Craig, have lived in the house 12 years

“We like economic development, we’re excited to have a Dunkin’ Donuts; however, we don’t feel like this is the right place,” she said.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:53 pm
by bbtran72
Yeah it's been the news of town every since closing of 9th street for HC. Burlington street from 7th-9th was widen before they built banks of doniphan and great western to accommodate the increase of traffic once that whole plaza would fill up. The problem with the banks is not as bad and can resolve with the redesign of the drive through, the main problem is Jeanette Dewalt. She had just started as one of the board member of Hastings Utilities when i was an intern there(09?) and i am pretty sure her term is not going to be up any time soon, she is also pretty active in the community so she's going to have a pull. Where they want to build dunken doughnut is the empty lot south of Bank of Doniphan and her house is couple houses down, i would have picked the lot just north of Great Western. Make the parking bigger/combine with Great Western parking lot, unless they have already tried and Great Western said no lol, i mean the extra easement in the back is already half done haha.

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Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:06 pm
by gisbuxfan
This is a nice little website that was released for upcoming projects in Hastings area.

http://hastingsprojects.com

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 11:42 am
by Brad
gisbuxfan wrote:This is a nice little website that was released for upcoming projects in Hastings area.

http://hastingsprojects.com
Nice! Coyote and I will need to check out that First Street Brewing Company during our 2017 Sandhill Crane Trip.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 12:52 pm
by Coyote
Brad wrote:
gisbuxfan wrote:This is a nice little website that was released for upcoming projects in Hastings area.

http://hastingsprojects.com
Nice! Coyote and I will need to check out that First Street Brewing Company during our 2017 Sandhill Crane Trip.
:cheers:

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:30 am
by Candleshoe
And the Dunkin Donuts issue once again is the talk of Hastings! The Bank of Doniphan is taking the matter to court.

#freethedonut

http://www.nebraska.tv/story/32142258/h ... d=12484984

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 11:27 am
by MTO
Dunkin' Donuts is the talk of the town? Wow! Talk about the simple life.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 12:24 pm
by Omaha_corn_burner
MTO wrote:Dunkin' Donuts is the talk of the town? Wow! Talk about the simple life.
It's a covenant issue. I remember not long ago that chickens in somebody's backyard were the talk of the town in Omaha due to covenants.

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:57 am
by Greg S

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:35 pm
by bmt
After being completely closed for about a year, the imperial mall is being redeveloped.

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http://www.hastingstribune.com/news/mal ... 83b8a.html

Re: Hastings Rumor Mill

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2020 10:23 am
by nativeomahan
bmt wrote: Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:35 pm After being completely closed for about a year, the imperial mall is being redeveloped.

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http://www.hastingstribune.com/news/mal ... 83b8a.html
One can only hope.