NBC29 brought up an interesting fear about vacancies on the downtown mall. Taking the recent Order from Horder closing into consideration, the reporters discovered the fear of shop owners and tourists. I.e…
“When you’re not used to seeing them, the public comes down and says ‘oh my gosh, look at the empty storefronts.’ So it’s like a shock,” said Morgan Perkins owner of the Art Gallery.
Maybe this is a shock, I don’t know. Off the top of my head, I can think of the following vacancies:
- A&N (near Ventana)
- that Real Estate Office
- Order from Horder
- That block of buildings next to Wachovia
- Hardware Store (is it completely leased?)
- Merrill Lynch Building (near the transit center)
- Landmark Hotel/Boxerjam (soon to be not vacant)
I am not sure that a fear strikes all of you when you look at stores, but there do seem to be a lot of vacancies. Did I miss any? Is it just not a great time for the economy? Where are all the national chains?! Where’s the Apple Store?
[via NBC 29]
Popularity: 26% [?]
Tagged as: business, chrlottesville, Downtown, lease, mall, Questions, vacancies
Where are all the national chains?!
don’t you mean “Where are all the evil money-grubbing, local economy-crippling, minimum-wage-mongering, uncaring, faceless scourges on society that 90% of the C’ville populace would not piss on if they were on fire?”
Thanks Thor. Apparently NBC29 and I have been thinking alike recently. I don’t think the mall needs to be one national chain store after the other, but we do need 2 unique national chains in order to draw foot traffic to the mall. The Apple Store would be perfect, but I seriously doubt that is going to happen. I’m not saying we need to replace the Mudhouse with a Starbucks or replace Christians with a Sbarro, but we do need something to attract more people.
The Apple Store will never be downtown, they will put it on the corner near or in the new CVS space. It is the only logical thing to do. Near the customers is gud- the summer break is the only reason not to.
the problem with inviting chains is limiting them to just two “good” ones. I’ve seen the trend elsewhere, a property owner brings in a chain to provide steady rent and renovation money to a struggling building, then other chains get interested and can offer more rent on other locations, so marginal local businesses get pushed out, regardless of whether they are beloved or not. In my four years in Athens the central block went from 95% local to 40% chain and it broke our hearts. It was one of the most pleasant things about Charlottesville, that it hasn’t had to rely on chain retail downtown yet.
@4: You’re right, it would be difficult, but I was hoping we could end up with something more like Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. A lot of local shops, bars and restaurants, but at the same time, they have a few national chains that keep people coming.
I lived in Boulder for 8 years where they have the same kind of downtown mall. Over the course of my time there the number of locally owned and operated business dwindled as the Gaps, Starbucks, and Cheesecake Factories of the world spread. By the time I left it was really no different than a fancy mall which was great for touristas (so safe, so predictable!) but left the local crowd skeptical at best. I hope the vacancies on the mall are filled with local shops and such, not a dozen new chain stores.
Did I read on here that the guy who owns the block of buildings next to Wachovia wants to demolish them and replace them with one huge, tall building? I know I read that somewhere. That would at least look better than boarded up windows.
I think its time to bring my suggestion from the Pinball thread into this discussion: what we need is a Drunken Arcade, with booze, skiball, pinball, old fashioned games, and more booze.
Yes I agree, again. I was already thinking about where we should put it.
The corner is also losing a lot of business. The O’Neil’s space has been closed for a long time. I heard that Biltmore’s was closing (from here), but I don’t think it ever did. Then they replaced that smoothie place with an ice cream place, which was entirely stupid. That business is doomed to fail.
If you don’t want national chains to survive at a location that you would rather see local business, then don’t patronize the chain. I use CVS often, but I have absolutely no plans to use the new CVS on the corner. The hospital already has a pharmacy and there are three other locally owned convenience stores on the corner. I personally use Cohn’s on the Corner nearly every day to get an afternoon soda because I like the people there, and sometimes they have a dog I can pet. I don’t get that kind of personality from CVS.
@7 i want to demolish that building too. maybe he’ll let us help.
then don’t patronize the chain
that’s not the problem. The problem is the chain attracts new customers. That’s the whole point. And those people don’t care that it used to be a local sandwich shop or a dive bar where punk bands used to play. They just want their Starbucks thank you very much.
I’m not against the chains in theory. Investing in downtown buildings, keeping them structurally sound, hopefully generating foot traffic for other businesses. These are all good things. It’s maintaining the balance that I find isn’t possible without serious government/business association intervention.
waiwaiwait…there’s a pharmacy in the hospital? is it cheaper than CVS and WalMart?
my biggest problem with the downtown mall is the lack of interesting retail. the book stores are ok, but where’s the record store (Sidetracks is ok, but have you ever tried to find something in there?) or the clothing store aimed at someone younger than my mom or with less money than Coran Capshaw? after the hobby store moved, the DM became a food/drink option for me, not a retail experience. if they want to invite strolling patrons, they need to update their retail options, whether that involves national chains or locally owned businesses.
I think there are a lot of interesting options for the ladies.
no. no we don’t. I avoid the DM because it is TOO crowded, with a bunch of people who don’t know the difference between the east or west end, and who cannot remember when there was a woolworth’s lunch counter there.
We don’t need to attract more people per se, but having more stores for people who live on the Mall and don’t like to drive if they don’t have to would be great. I wish there were a Video store and a decent Grocery.
who cannot remember when there was a woolworth’s lunch counter there.
I don’t remember that. Guess I have to cancel my cafeteria gig tonight for fear of getting jacked by OC’s.
Maybe more people isn’t the answer. If there were some way to attract people who would actually shop in the stores it would be nice. I have seen too many places close and nothing reopen in their spots. I agree with shen. We definitely need a video store and a grocery.
do people still use video stores?
If I could walk to one, I would.
To your point caroline, The Onion did a great story (video) about video stores.
@16 I remember the lunch counter at Woolworth’s, the Monticello lunch counter where Bizou is.
The Mall is just going though a small step back. Most of the spaces you are talking about have yet to have big money invested in them. This mall is so much for vibrant then 20, 10 years ago.
No time to panic, perhaps time to buy. I hear the Cville building is for sale as well
@20: Um, yeah. I go to music stores and buy CDs still too.
@22 funny stuff echo.
I just hate the idea of renting from stores because of the late fees
/haven’t been in a video rental store since Netflix began
I feel like someone in that Onion vid that echo posted above…I like going to the record and book stores and “wasting” a few hours looking and listening. Perhaps archaic, but somehow better than always ordering stuff online.
/I wonder if someday humans will fear sunlight
I still go to the library too.
I wonder if someday humans will fear sunlight
Yes, when it does this.
@27: What’s a library?
Shun the sunlight, summon oy!
SHUN oy! He is watching a movie and eating my favorite dish at one of my favorite places — while th rest of us work. I hate him.
@28: It’s a building full of these things called books. People used to read them before the internets.
I think a library is someplace, like any good municipal facade or stately court house, that has giant marble steps where people pass out after late nights of binge drinking and having lost their way home find a nice cool spot upon which to rest their rosy cheek.
/my microwaved burrito just went supernova…damnit, the sun is gaining power over me
@30 you luv oy or he wouldn’t make you so mad
I used to hang out at a bar called The Library. Best bar name evar.
@34 in NYC there is a bar called LAVA GINA- carefully how you say it
@34 Had one of those in Williamsburg too, always good to say you were heading to the Library and leave it at that.
@30 If you are working SO hard, what are you doing posting on all these threads Tues? Back to work for you!
There is a vacancy in my apartment. 2 blocks off the mall. I want a roommate. 2br/2ba. Porch. It rules and I don’t want to move. Hit me up for more details if you’re interested. cz@coffeezombie.org
you also have cats. don’t forget to mention the cats!
@34 the library was so ridiculous. in blacksburg, right? the one that came in when pedro’s shut down? that place was like the cocaine hub of southwestern virginia. i once so a bartender/bouncer combo so fucked up on jack that they grabbed a girl and MANHANDLED her up the stairs, then threw her out on to the street. the bartender was pissed because she paused when he asked for her drink order.
oh, to be that high.
@39: That would be the one. One of the few places in town that never gave me any trouble about my fake ID, and nothing is better than telling someone you were going to class then the library and coming home plowed.
Oh yeah cats - they’re well behaved and mostly outdoor. Those things that lower me on the masculinity index - forcing me to spend my nights reading romance novels, getting drunk on cheap champagne in a martini glass, and screaming obscenities about the neighborhood from my front porch.
/is never gonna get a roommate
and the credit card bill that went to mom & dad! THE LIBRARY!
what cards we were.
keep the faith, man. and go on craigslist.
@42: I had my own credit card and just told them what they owed me. It could have been drugs and strippers, and they wouldn’t have known.
/misses college
Because the city’s about to launch a $7.5M don’t know how many months/years rebricking of the mall, I’m guessing new businesses interested in a mall location are waiting a bit. It sucks to invest in renovations & inventory and saddle yourself with a big, juicy rent and then have no one walk in your store for a) six months because they can’t get there and then b) another year beyond that because they think they can’t get there.
@41 for real though, he’s got a cool house.
can i just point out that this post is all at once: relevant, helpful, entertaining, and economically stimulating to the local community? i feel like jesus must have felt when he helped his tall, cat-owning friend use the internet to find a roommate in downtown charlottesville.
@45 just ask the box.
SHUN oy! He is watching a movie and eating my favorite dish at one of my favorite places — while th rest of us work. I hate him.
I lied about lunch, we at at Taco Hell. Do you love me again?
Indiana Jones, however, rocked
/nerd alert!
The check’s in the mail if I get a roommate, parlie. And if I can do it without touching CL with anything short of a double layer of latex gloves I’ll buy you an awesome domain name. Also I found a faux pas in my comment - it should have said ’sparkling wine’ since the cheap shit doesnt come from France. I was too drunk to read the label.
@47. I fear for the box, because once a crane comes around, you never know what The Box was. Dude, it’s crazy how this year has been filled with crane accidents.
/much love to The Box.
@39: Oh man, I totally do that. if you pause when I ask you what you want to drink at OXO, I will throw you up the stairs.
@41: Dude, you just described what I do every night. We should move in together. My current roommate is an asshole. Last night he helped himself to my wine for the umpteenth time. Tonight I fill that bottle with pee and wait with the cats, snickering into my romance novel.
/whoa, does anyone else see the spell check???
@51- “Some fresh chilled pee with your marinara sauce?” Did he eat that concoction you whipped up?
He will probably stop eating my spaghetti sauce since I dumped a bunch of salt and cayenne pepper in it. The pee prank will happen soon.
@51 Well great. NOW if you move in I’ll be constantly checking the uric acid content of my orange juice… Just don’t pee in my whiskey.
@54- shen not likely to pee in your alcoholic beverage. But she might filter it through her kidneys before you use it. She’s big on recycling…
sweet: do not EVER fall asleep on the library steps. You will awaken to find yourself covered in roaches
cbob: what’s the rent?
$600, I’ll include utilities. I’ll take some pics and email ‘em if you want. You have my facebook.
I have your facebook? really?
You can figure out who I am I’m sure. I have yours. I’ll send you a mesg.
utilities = electricity, water, trash, gas, phone, internet?
Utilities = water, gas, trash, electricity, internet, cable. Well I have to buy trash stickers from the city so maybe we could split those. Got no landline phone tho - just cell.
cable huh? basic 72 channels or digital with recorder box?
Only the pr0n. Scowly hooked it up somehow.
I smell a housewarming parteee…..
/oh wait, sorry that’s just what the rock is cooking.
//don’t hurt me
Give those empty spaces to the homeless!
/not homeless anymore but I will always be an advocate