Norfolk Stores and Retail and Resturants

[BFG]

It's slightly clickbait-ish, but City Council had a chance to build a grocery store (Aldi) downtown. They passed on it, because it would've been on the Greyhound site. They made the right move...90% of your residents live on the other side of Brambleton. It would've been a nightmare trying to carry groceries across that busy street.

https://pilotonline.com/business/consumer/article_d19af3b8-d0cc-11e8-90e9-9b8be1741e8d.html

[Helium3]

Looks like the proposed new barcade Circuit Social submitted an application to make some exterior changes to 258 Granby St.  There are a few more renderings in the final pages of the document. 

https://www.norfolk.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4554?fileID=9133

[Willy18]

Is the "adult arcade" business model still a thing? 

[HRVA]

MacArthur Center's Williams-Sonoma to close next month - The Virginian-Pilot

Not surprising and we should expect another article about Pottery Barn closing as well. And then Nordstrom early next year…

[HRVA]

MacArthur Center's Pottery Barn will close by the end of January - The Virginian-Pilot

The other expected article…

[baobabs727]

Expected or not, surprising or not, these departures for TC of VB coupled with Nordstrom's impending market exit  do not reflect well on the once-venerable MacArthur Center ...nor do they make Norfolk look particularly appealing to national better-scale retailers.  In fact, the fact that this Nordstrom is a Tier 4 store and only does an astonishingly paltry $11M/yr reflects poorly on the entire region relative to retail. Incredibly sad, as I have been a cheerleader and customer since the beginning. Well, at least until they gutted all of the merchandise that appealed to me!

Edited December 14, 2018 by baobabs727

[HRVT]

2 hours ago, baobabs727 said:

Expected or not, surprising or not, these departures for TC of VB coupled with Nordstrom's impending market exit  do not reflect well on the once-venerable MacArthur Center ...nor do they make Norfolk look particularly appealing to national better-scale retailers.  In fact, the fact that this Nordstrom is a Tier 4 store and only does an astonishingly paltry $11M/yr reflects poorly on the entire region relative to retail. Incredibly sad, as I have been a cheerleader and customer since the beginning. Well, at least until they gutted all of the merchandise that appealed to me!

I last went in there a few years ago (when I lived in VB).  It was basically a JC Penney selection at the price of.... well.. Nordstrom.

[HRVA]

Banana Republic latest to close at Norfolk's MacArthur mall - The Virginian Pilot

Another announced closure at MacArthur. The article also includes information regarding Nordstrom, whose lease expires next month. Nothing official but potential options include a month to month lease, downsizing, or closure. 

[Willy18]

I think it's time for MacArthur to be reinvented before we have an empty building.

[Norfolk757Kid]

Or knock it down and remake the street grid. Macarthur eats up about half of downtown

[Willy18]

You're correct, everything should be put on the table. I think it would be cool to chop it up into a town center type complex. The street grid would be narrow pedestrian/bike only with lower level store fronts with offices, housing and open air kiosk type restaurants on upper floors. 

Anyway, just a "If I ruled the World idea" 

[carolinaboy]

MacArthur rebirthed downtown. Without it, most of what has happened down there in the last 15 years wouldn't have. They need to add traffic generating businesses and ones for normal people. Target, a grocer, etc. I would hate to see it go.

[BFG]

MacArthur is massive, and like carolinaboy, rebirthed downtown. But yes, it is a very much a late-90s concept now. I do think it needs to move into the 21st Century, and an open air concept is intriguing. But I’d like to see the shell of the mall remain mostly intact. Lynnhaven made it work, so who knows?

Maybe offer spaces to more artists and small businesses, like at Selden Arcade. Create a more mixed-use concept to go with the apartments they plan to add on to the mall. 

[Up2313]

Honestly this is a great opportunity to get a good sized grocery store downtown, I think it's a no brainier.  That way downtown can support more appartments. 

[BeagleAccountant]

Reaver Beach Brewing will be moving into the old Milan Station Post Office on the corner of Colley and 38th Street.

Bold Mariner submitted plans for their exterior alterations on the old Bank of the Commonwealth building in OV.

https://www.norfolk.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/4683?fileID=9367

 

[BFG]

This CNBC article suggests that turning shopping malls into mixed-use developments could be the future. For some reason, I could see how doing this with MacArthur could transform downtown yet again. Keep the Dillard's, bring in a Target, keep a few stores, the movie theater, but create an outdoor plaza, and the apartments. There's a lot of space to work with.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/19/mixed-use-centers-could-save-american-malls-retail-expert.html?fbclid=IwAR08HAYu0J9Q-JAcekRawQhzpy0czNsMKrivJy9iZk3Fmmfz9M8UH31dysE

[baobabs727]

21 hours ago, BFG said:

This CNBC article suggests that turning shopping malls into mixed-use developments could be the future. For some reason, I could see how doing this with MacArthur could transform downtown yet again. Keep the Dillard's, bring in a Target, keep a few stores, the movie theater, but create an outdoor plaza, and the apartments. There's a lot of space to work with.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/19/mixed-use-centers-could-save-american-malls-retail-expert.html?fbclid=IwAR08HAYu0J9Q-JAcekRawQhzpy0czNsMKrivJy9iZk3Fmmfz9M8UH31dysE

Target? I don't think they would come, and I'm not sure they're a good fit. Population too small, Nordstrom's space too big. (Perhaps... a very small Target as part of a larger redevelopment of that space?)  

Nothing experiential or unique or cool about a Target either. The mall still needs to draw on a super-regional basis. How bout high tech bowling plus other experiential dining/entertainment options. A grocery store maybe?

[Former Resident of HR]

On 1/13/2019 at 9:25 PM, baobabs727 said:

Target? I don't think they would come, and I'm not sure they're a good fit. Population too small, Nordstrom's space too big. (Perhaps... a very small Target as part of a larger redevelopment of that space?)  

Nothing experiential or unique or cool about a Target either. The mall still needs to draw on a super-regional basis. How bout high tech bowling plus other experiential dining/entertainment options. A grocery store maybe?

There are a few Targets up here in the DC area that are multi-story in mixed use settings. I think a two story Target and maybe chop up the third floor into something else (destination restaurant) might work. MacArthur was an innovation for Norfolk at the time but now it is like the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand. As is the case with lots of retail, the owners want to hold out for top dollar instead of filling space with different retailers. 

The west side of Norfolk has almost no retail like Target or Walmart or anything. The current Norfolk Target is... well it's just kind of ick. When I lived there, I would pass it by to go to the Pembroke one. 

[Cjnfkvb]

I can picture something like a more urban version of short pump working there (ie. Making it feel more like an extension of downtown), however  it would have to be an inprovement on what already sits on that lot. MacArthur center is the grandest, most upscale mall we have, and if it truly goes downhill our entire region will suffer. Sadly, it seems that the age of the shopping mall as we know it is coming to an end and no one is immune. Malls need to adapt, or die.

Edited January 21, 2019 by Cjnfkvb

[Cjnfkvb]

On 1/16/2019 at 9:05 PM, JPN0731 said:

There are a few Targets up here in the DC area that are multi-story in mixed use settings. I think a two story Target and maybe chop up the third floor into something else (destination restaurant) might work. MacArthur was an innovation for Norfolk at the time but now it is like the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand. As is the case with lots of retail, the owners want to hold out for top dollar instead of filling space with different retailers. 

The west side of Norfolk has almost no retail like Target or Walmart or anything. The current Norfolk Target is... well it's just kind of ick. When I lived there, I would pass it by to go to the Pembroke one. 

City council seems to prefer small business in the southwest corner of Norfolk, over superstores. 

[HRVA]

Three more stores closing in Norfolk's MacArthur mall by Saturday - Virginian Pilot

Zales, Chico’s, and Yankee Candle are closing this weekend, bringing the total closures to 7 for January. 

[jeffconn]

On 1/21/2019 at 3:13 PM, Cjnfkvb said:

City council seems to prefer small business in the southwest corner of Norfolk, over superstores. 

There was supposed to be a shopping center in Lambert's Point, next to the railroad tracks, but that seems to have just stopped cold.

[urbanvb]

3 hours ago, 23320 said:

Three more stores closing in Norfolk's MacArthur mall by Saturday - Virginian Pilot

Zales, Chico’s, and Yankee Candle are closing this weekend, bringing the total closures to 7 for January. 

I’m really disappointed but not surprised to hear of all of these closings. Lynnhaven updated their mall though it doesn’t seem that would help MacArthur very much if at all.  Short of redevelopment, I’m not sure what can be done to stop the hemorrhaging. 

Edited January 23, 2019 by urbanvb

[BFG]

I wonder if it's a management or rent issue, with downtown on the rise lately? 

[HRVA]

14 minutes ago, BFG said:

I wonder if it's a management or rent issue, with downtown on the rise lately? 

If I had to guess - these stores have probably been suffering for awhile and are leaving as leases expire and with the expectation that Nordstrom will be exiting. There’s not much management can do about Nordstrom’s exit since the space is owned by the city. 

The mall itself doesn’t mesh with the demographic that is moving into Downtown. They are going to have to change their store mix to appeal to millennials. Everyone here seems to like the idea of Target coming in & I could see one of their new, smaller formats but not a Super Target - no where near enough population & traffic Downtown. 

It’s going to suck for the mall for awhile but this is an opportunity to get the mall to better align with what’s going on Downtown. Hopefully there’s a mix of offices, apartments, retail, and experiences in its future.