Indoor malls?

[Coyote]

From a previous post... Is the traditional indoor mall a fading trend?

[Brad]

Not Sure.  Westroads said in December that they had the highest occupancy ever.  Meanwhile Crossroads and Mall of the Bluffs are empty.

I don't shop, I hate shopping.  If I am at a traditional mall or village point mall, it usually for one thing and I am in an out and it doesn't matter which way.

However if you really liked to shop, I can't imagine any day in the past couple weeks in Nebraska where you would like to stroll along in an outdoor mall like Village Pointe or Shadow Lake.  I would much rather be in Westroads where its warm and dry.

[icejammer]

However if you really liked to shop, I can't imagine any day in the past couple weeks in Nebraska where you would like to stroll along in an outdoor mall like Village Pointe or Shadow Lake.  I would much rather be in Westroads where its warm and dry.

That's the problem though, people DON'T stroll much at these places, they like to park close, take their stuff out to their car after shopping at one group of stores, and move (i.e. drive) to the next parking lot and resume shopping at the next set of shops.  Terribly inefficient in my view, but who am I to say?

[Brad]

The main reason I went to the mall was to get pants at JC Penny.  Now I just head to the the Bluffs and go to the JCP on 24th Street.

[Omababe]

The main reason I went to the mall was to get pants at JC Penny.  Now I just head to the the Bluffs and go to the JCP on 24th Street.

I end up shopping at that CB JCP every couple weeks or so. The Papillion JCP (if you fell asleep in one and woke up in the other you would not know the difference) is closer to me, but I'm usually right by the CB one every so often.

I'm kind of getting used to the outdoor malls.

My big gripe has always been that you need to re-park if you want to hit several places.

Then, worse, is getting OUT of the place! Village PointE is very convenient to me, but getting out of the lots on the east end can be a nightmare! It's often quicker to take the far north service road way west than fight the turning and exiting traffic. The L Street shops where Western Electric used to be can be just as bad if not worse!

[Uffda]

The main reason I went to the mall was to get pants at JC Penny.  Now I just head to the the Bluffs and go to the JCP on 24th Street.

.

Then, worse, is getting OUT of the place! Village PointE is very convenient to me, but getting out of the lots on the east end can be a nightmare! It's often quicker to take the far north service road way west than fight the turning and exiting traffic. The L Street shops where Western Electric used to be can be just as bad if not worse!

Heading west to180th is the easiest way out and I feel the fastest way out. It park in the lot just west of s heels all the time and walk into the Main Street. It s funny to see people driving back and forth on the street hoping to find a store front parking spot.

[Jason4225]

A few weeks ago my kids and I had to hit Best Buy, Scheels, and the movie theater. I hated the fact that I had to park in three different locations and the traffic is horrible on the weekends. It took much longer than it should have and was very inconvenient. I would have much rather gone to an indoor mall and been able to walk to all three.

[Omaha_Gabe]

A few weeks ago my kids and I had to hit Best Buy, Scheels, and the movie theater. I hated the fact that I had to park in three different locations and the traffic is horrible on the weekends. It took much longer than it should have and was very inconvenient. I would have much rather gone to an indoor mall and been able to walk to all three.

Isn't Bestbuy to the movie theater less than two blocks? Usually when my kids and I go, we walk instead of trying to move the car a short distance

[nebugeater]

A few weeks ago my kids and I had to hit Best Buy, Scheels, and the movie theater. I hated the fact that I had to park in three different locations and the traffic is horrible on the weekends. It took much longer than it should have and was very inconvenient. I would have much rather gone to an indoor mall and been able to walk to all three.

Isn't Bestbuy to the movie theater less than two blocks? Usually when my kids and I go, we walk instead of trying to move the car a short distance

Best Buy     333 N 170th St
Marcus Theater   304 N 174th St


Guessing from this that is is about 4 blocks if the address is based on a traditional block.

[Big E]

I'll cut some slack if it was cold out, but if that distance were inside the Westroads no one would blink an eye at walking it.  Put a parking lot in the middle and suddenly its Mordor.

[Omaha_Gabe]

I'll cut some slack if it was cold out, but if that distance were inside the Westroads no one would blink an eye at walking it.  Put a parking lot in the middle and suddenly its Mordor.

[Jason4225]

The walk is actually about a half mile. It was about 25 degrees that day and pretty windy. Plus my kids are 6 and 8. Indoors it wouldn't have been a problem but not walking outside. Unless you are walking in the center corridor of Village Pointe it's not a very good setup for pedestrians.

[icejammer]

The walk is actually about a half mile. It was about 25 degrees that day and pretty windy. Plus my kids are 6 and 8. Indoors it wouldn't have been a problem but not walking outside. Unless you are walking in the center corridor of Village Pointe it's not a very good setup for pedestrians.

Actually, it's about 1/3 of a mile.  Of course, the longest distance from one end of Westroads to the other is only a little over half of that distance. The only way to get a comparable distance would be if someone were going to walk from Dick's to Cheesecake Factory, and I don't see many people doing that unless they move their car.

[Greg S]

If the weather is bad with kids I can see some driving at VP.  When the weather's decent I walk all over out there all the time with my kids.  

VP is definitely thriving right now.  Last few times I've been there, their parking lot has been very, very full.

Greg

[cdub]

I don't think enclosed malls are going away.  They serve a pretty useful purpose, particularly in cold climates like ours.  However, like most things, the market is pretty clumsy and tends to overbuild almost everything at some point or another and its taken a while for other options to force the marginal malls to fail.  I don't see Westroads or Oakview going anywhere.

[jag42]

check out deadmalls.com

[Greg S]

Are there any under construction right now in the US.  They are definitely dying.

Greg

[Omababe]

They can still sell more profits ...

Sell more profits?

[nebugeater]

They can still sell more profits ...

Sell more profits?

Yep,  it is the oposite of buying more expenses    :;):

[cdub]

Many malls are dying but I think its due to competition and that too many were built.  The strong ones I still say arent leaving any time soon.  

Deadmalls is an interesting site.  I checked it out years ago when one I grew up with showed up there.

[Omababe]

Deadmalls is an interesting site.  I checked it out years ago when one I grew up with showed up there.

The one that really surprised me is the Bannister Mall in Kansas City.

[iamjacobm]

One of the biggest things slowing or reversing the indoor mall trend is the internet.  Online shopping obviously, but less obvious is social media.  In the 90's when indoor malls peaked they were the place to meet up with people, interact with people, walk around and just hang out.  Now people just do that on facebook, so when they do go to real retail they want to go in the door of the store they planned on, get what they want and leave.  Shopping is a much less social action than it used to be and that will be the fall of the indoor mall.

[jessep28]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Omababe]

less obvious is social media.  In the 90's when indoor malls peaked they were the place to meet up with people, interact with people, walk around and just hang out.  Now people just do that on facebook, so when they do go to real retail they want to go in the door of the store they planned on, get what they want and leave.  Shopping is a much less social action than it used to be and that will be the fall of the indoor mall.

I've never thought of it that way, but it's very true. When I was young (we're talking 1970s here), the old King's Plaza was **THE** place to be late afternoon or early evening. More of a social event than a shopping event.

[Greg S]

less obvious is social media.  In the 90's when indoor malls peaked they were the place to meet up with people, interact with people, walk around and just hang out.  Now people just do that on facebook, so when they do go to real retail they want to go in the door of the store they planned on, get what they want and leave.  Shopping is a much less social action than it used to be and that will be the fall of the indoor mall.

I've never thought of it that way, but it's very true. When I was young (we're talking 1970s here), the old King's Plaza was **THE** place to be late afternoon or early evening. More of a social event than a shopping event.

King's Plaza, where was that?

Greg

[Omababe]

King's Plaza, where was that?

Brooklyn, NY, Flatbush at Avenue U.

Alexanders and Macy's were the original anchors back then, as well as countless smaller shops. It was quite the hang-out in the early 1970s.

I'm assuming it's still open. I haven't been back to that part of the city in years.

I'm sure you've heard of Sbarro, a mall staple. King's Plaza was their flagship location, although they did have a smaller storefront before that. King's Plaza was the one that put them on the map!

[skinzfan23]

Saw these stats in an article in the World Herald today.

Mall owner General Growth Properties reported this month that Oak View had a 93.9 percent occupancy rate in 2014, down from 95 percent in 2013.
Junge said her Westroads Mall location, which will stay open, has more sales. Westroads’ occupancy rate rose to 98.3 percent in 2014, up from 95.7 percent.

[RNcyanide]

Saw these stats in an article in the World Herald today.

Mall owner General Growth Properties reported this month that Oak View had a 93.9 percent occupancy rate in 2014, down from 95 percent in 2013.
Junge said her Westroads Mall location, which will stay open, has more sales. Westroads’ occupancy rate rose to 98.3 percent in 2014, up from 95.7 percent.

There seems to be more empty bays at Oak View lately, and I've heard from former employees Express is moving out of there soon too, which occupies quite a bit of space. I think this mall has hit its high point and is going to go the way of crossroads.

[Stargazer]

Oakview really is in a horrible location, what were they thinking? Anyone notice (think it's been for years now), that Sears closes, at like... 8pm? Meanwhile, Westroads seems to be kicking |expletive|, probably living up to it's 'regional' moniker, as never before. So, it's certainly not an 'indoor mall' thing, although increasingly, it seems all they cater to, are teen girls. One used to be able to peruse the Sharper Image... or even Radio Shack... while waiting for the women to finish shopping.

[Greg S]

Indoor malls are dying. Honestly I think 10 years from now it might just be Westroads. I think one works but no need for any more than one in the metro. Just saw that Metro North in KC was bought by a local developer there that redeveloped Blue Ridge Mall site. Metcalf South in KC is also going to be redeveloped (the site that is, the mall will be gone),

Greg

[skinzfan23]

I still love the indoor malls, especially in the 5-6 months of winter and during the heat of the summer as well. I like the "open air" centers like Shadow Lake and Village Point, but many times I have seen people hoping into their cars and driving to the other side of the shopping center because the weather is bad. At an indoor mall, most people just park and walk around in the mall. I am glad that we still have 2 good malls to do this in.

[Erik]

I know you said 5-6 months of winter in jest. But it is those kind of histrionic statements that I hate about Omahans. The absolutism of negativity has worn me out and in the last few years ive decided to get away from that |expletive|.

Sorry and no offense. But those kind of statements make us look sad and tired.

Tell me where the heck you see 6 minths of winter:
July 88
Aug 86
Jun 84
Sept 78
May 76
Oct 66
April 65
Mar 53
Nov 50
Feb 39
Dec 36
Jan 34

[Stargazer]

Those 3 months of 30's are bad enough. But I love everything else so much, I'm willing to endure them.

[S33]

Tell me where the heck you see 6 minths of winter:
July 88
Aug 86
Jun 84
Sept 78
May 76
Oct 66
April 65
Mar 53
Nov 50
Feb 39
Dec 36
Jan 34

On paper, it doesn't sound bad. But there is no kidding yourself, winters in Omaha are brutal, and they seem to linger for what seems like an eternity.

[skinzfan23]

I know you said 5-6 months of winter in jest. But it is those kind of histrionic statements that I hate about Omahans.  The absolutism of negativity has worn me out and in the last few years ive decided to get away from that |expletive|.

Sorry and no offense. But those kind of statements make us look sad and tired.

Tell me where the heck you see 6 minths of winter:
July 88
Aug 86
Jun 84
Sept 78
May 76
Oct 66
April 65
Mar 53
Nov 50
Feb 39
Dec 36
Jan 34

I understand what you are saying and I love being outside as much as possible. Those are probably the avg monthly temps, but there are numerous days in November - April that are too cold to "hang out" outside. A good example would be my first experience of Nebraska Crossing. We went the first Thanksgiving it was open and it was 55-60 when the sun was out, but after it started to go down, the temps fell into the 30's and it was windy. In my opinion that is way too cold to sit and relax outside in between shopping. At least at an enclosed mall when the guys don't want to go shopping they can sit in the food court or just walk around.

[Greg S]

I'm not a fan of winter, but anymore it just does not seem like they are near as bad as they were 20 years ago. It got cold here for about a month this year and that's really it.

Greg

[skinzfan23]

I'm not a fan of winter, but anymore it just does not seem like they are near as bad as they were 20 years ago.  It got cold here for about a month this year and that's really it.

Greg

I agree, this year was not bad at all. 2009 was a different story.

[Greg S]

I'm not a fan of winter, but anymore it just does not seem like they are near as bad as they were 20 years ago.  It got cold here for about a month this year and that's really it.

Greg

I agree, this year was not bad at all.  2009 was a different story.

That was brutal with all of the snow, but those seem so few and far between anymore.

Greg