Discuss Detroit » Archives - January 2008 » 4 stores leaving Laurel Park Mall « Previous Next »
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 3246
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 9:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The stores are: Talbots, The Disney Store, Wiliams Sonoma, and Bombay

I was there over the holiday, and could help but notice how dead it was compared to when I was a teenager (in the mid-90s)

On the side with the movie theater and all the office space, about 1/3 of the retail space is totally vacant.

http://observer-eccentric.com/ apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200 80113/NEWS10/801130577/1027/NE WS10
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Professorscott
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Username: Professorscott

Post Number: 1055
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 10:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

When I'm riding the buses near Oakland Mall or Macomb Mall I am struck by the number of people who take the bus to and from their jobs at these shopping centers.

Laurel Place, in its location in bus-free Livonia, is not accessible to many of the people who make the kind of money people who work in malls make. When I worked in a store in a shopping center in New York, a good many years ago, I could in no way have afforded a car plus gas plus insurance with the pittance I was being paid.

I don't know if this has anything to do with the stores closing, but I wonder.

DDOT serves Livonia (somewhat ironically) but not anywhere near that particular center.
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Thejesus
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Post Number: 3247
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Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 10:15 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"I don't know if this has anything to do with the stores closing, but I wonder. "

The degree to which the lack of buses might have contributed to these stores closing is a drop in the bucket given the economic reality of a city like filled with auto-workers like Livonia...

This mall was in decline well before Livonia stopped paying for SMART buses a year ago.
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E_hemingway
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Username: E_hemingway

Post Number: 1523
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Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 10:22 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Recently I heard some sort of "expert" say that there are 10,000 dead or dying malls in America. I can't remember what source he cited, but reading headlines like this only makes it seem more accurate.
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Novine
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Username: Novine

Post Number: 352
Registered: 07-2007
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 10:41 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Location-wise, Laural Park really shouldn't be suffering. In addition to shoppers from Livonia, its location should have drawn shoppers from Northville and Plymouth Townships and it has direct access to I-275. But it has always competed with Twelve Oaks and one has to wonder if the mix of stores didn't contribute to this trend. I believe that Bombay is closing its stores across the area so thats not so much a Laurel Park issue as an issue with that chain.
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Rooms222
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Post Number: 81
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Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 10:57 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah, Bombay is closing all their stores in the USA, but did find a buyer for Canada.....
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Wazootyman
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Username: Wazootyman

Post Number: 304
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 11:10 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I was there last weekend and could hardly find a place to park. It never has felt like a crowded mall on the inside, which is one of its attractions vs. Twelve Oaks. I think that Twelve Oaks certainly has cut into its business - but they still have two unique anchors of Parisian and Von Maur.

None of the store closings are exclusive to Laurel Park; they are part of corporate restructuring. Bombay is bankrupt and closing all of its US stores. Talbots is closing its kids and mens stores to focus on its core business - Fortunately, LPP only has a kids store. The Disney Store has been closing stores for years due to under-performance. Williams Sonoma has been closing stores as well.

LPP was hit with three stores closing - as were many national malls - upon the collapse of Casual Corner Group about a year or so ago. They recovered from that, and will recover from this.

Retail as a whole hasn't been doing well nationally. I wouldn't call LPP a dying mall just yet.

I can't imagine a lack of bus service has had any effect, except maybe on some employees. For a mall that sells itself as upscale - with close proximity to Farmington Hills, Plymouth, Northville and northern Livonia - I doubt hardly a fraction of its patrons rely on bus service.

I guess I don't understand why this is significant news worthy of posting, unless it's because 'misery loves company'.
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Detroitplanner
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Username: Detroitplanner

Post Number: 1521
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 11:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I'd agree with Wazoo, it seems like the normal business cycle. Remember how many Disney or Warner Brothers stores there used to be compared to now?

Talbots has many of the same issues that the Brooks Brothers at Ren Cen would have. Its a shrinking market share of the clothing sector.

Bombay is closing stores nationwide.

Williams-Sanoma? Who really cares?
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Danny
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Username: Danny

Post Number: 6988
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 11:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Professorscott,

Trainman was right for one thing. No SMART Buses in Livonia means no economic growth. Give it about 20 to 50 years and Laurel Park will be a dead mall.
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Thejesus
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Username: Thejesus

Post Number: 3251
Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 11:42 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Give it about 20 to 50 years and Laurel Park will be a dead mall."

lol, I should hope so. It's certainly not a timeless design. I would expect that something else would be built on that site by 2058
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Sstashmoo
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Username: Sstashmoo

Post Number: 923
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 3:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Little dispensable income.
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Detroitnerd
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Username: Detroitnerd

Post Number: 1798
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 3:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Disposable?
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Cabasse
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Username: Cabasse

Post Number: 71
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 4:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

laurel park has never impressed me. it's just too small a mall and doesn't offer the variety compared to malls like lakeside or fairlane. (lakeside being replaced with an even bigger one)

twelve oaks is the place to go, and it's only a few miles down the road.
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Daf
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Username: Daf

Post Number: 45
Registered: 02-2007
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 5:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I like Laurel Park, but it's precisely because it's never crowded. Von Maur is great for personal service, and Jos A Bank - well, they usually have a good sale on anyhow. I've been shopping more from their catalog lately though.

I've always been a Bombay fan, for no particularly good reason except I like mahogany - no matter how cheaply made. Guess I'll have to go look for bargains while I can...
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 2245
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 17, 2008 - 5:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Recently I heard some sort of "expert" say that there are 10,000 dead or dying malls in America. I can't remember what source he cited, but reading headlines like this only makes it seem more accurate."

THIS IS WHY:

"laurel park has never impressed me. it's just too small a mall and doesn't offer the variety compared to malls like lakeside or fairlane."

CUSTOMERS KEEP DEMANDING MORE AND MORE, MAKING EXISTING MALLS OUTDATED...
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Ferntruth
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Username: Ferntruth

Post Number: 282
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 12:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Williams-Sanoma? Who really cares?"

Those of us who shop there, I would imagine.
Although I actually prefer the store at Somerset.
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Bob
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Username: Bob

Post Number: 1650
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 1:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Even Somerset is served by SMART.
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Renfirst
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Username: Renfirst

Post Number: 169
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 2:22 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Have you been to Summit Place Mall ?

There's nothing open... it's just dead... I walked in there by accident over the weekend thinking Steve and Barry's was located there and was shocked to see the mall I visited as a child on a weekly basis was void of any open shops...

It was so disturbing seeing an area lose so much over the last 10 years... Somerset really killed this mall...
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Bob
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Username: Bob

Post Number: 1654
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Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 2:31 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great Lakes Crossing killed Summit Place, combined with the fact that the Pontiac/Waterford area is also on the decline, spells why this mall is dead.
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Novine
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Username: Novine

Post Number: 374
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Posted on Friday, January 18, 2008 - 3:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

They're putting a minor league baseball stadium there.
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Paulmcall
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Username: Paulmcall

Post Number: 525
Registered: 05-2004
Posted on Sunday, January 20, 2008 - 1:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If you want to see a dying (dead) mall check out what's left of Livonia Mall. That place reminds me of when Wonderland Mall was going downhill.
It has a real creepy feel to it.
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Reddog289
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Username: Reddog289

Post Number: 226
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Monday, January 21, 2008 - 3:53 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i went to the disney store at fairlane, they didn,t have what i wanted. i then said hey laurel park, good thing for me my girlfriend called, they didn,t have what i wanted and found out that location as well as fairlane was closing. as for livonia mall is it still open? wonderland was just sad when it closed, livonia mall seemed to get the orphan store when wonderland closed.

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