Downtown Retail Struggling

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:43 pm

I know there's been talk of getting more retail developed downtown. This article paints a different picture.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2074645

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:55 pm

This article is about ONE lady...with a KITE STORE!!! By no means does this represent downtown retail. Are kite stores ANYWHERE successful?

"Honey, tongiht I thought maybe we could catch a romantic dinner at V. Mertz, and then swing over to It Flies and pick us up a nice kite."

No.

Anyway, of course I'm sad to see an independent downtown retailer go, but it's not representative of the market by any means. In fact, maybe it's a sign that the downtown retail market will be coming into its own and the gimmicky demand for specialty retail such as kites no longer has a secure place in the market...

I don't know.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:03 pm

A better indication of downtown retail would be Jobber's Canyon, InPlay and the stuff that will be in Paxton.

It's more an indication that downtown is becoming a hotspot for single people in their 20s and 30s.

Minneapolis Boy · Post by **Minneapolis Boy** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:11 pm

Exactly, too much is being made of one store closing. As the downtown population expands there will be more openings. I'm sad that the store is closing, but there will be new opportunities as time goes on. We don't see a major story on the news, or in a newspaper, when a store in a mall goes out of business.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:19 pm

Yeah, how come no one mentions the specialty clothing and furnishing stores, as well as the art galleries that seem to be doing just peachy down there?

Add me to the group that is always disappointed to see any independent retailer shut down in that area. But let's face it... we weren't dealing with much more than a mall kiosk. I'm not sure It Flys! (as it is today) would be successful in Oakview, VP or any other mall out west.

Let's not confuse an unsuccesful business with an unsuccessful retail area.

-Big E

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:25 pm

Exactly, guys.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Fri Dec 02, 2005 5:44 pm

Guys-

We've already got a thread going on with this topic in the News section:

http://www.eomaha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3059

..Ciao..LiO....Peace