The Mall at Green Hills

[ATLBrain]

Is there really enough room over there for two new anchors along with 12 other stores?

Didn't the owners buy up lots of land along that bypass street that runs behind the mall? Plus, I know the last time I was in Nashville, the mall had lots of parking on a lot to the north.

QUESTION: I was "thumbing" through some photos put online by the Tennessean a few days ago, and there was an aerial shot of the "Green Hills Shopping Center", the forerunner to the TMAGH. I'm sure it wasn't the old HG Hill strip although it looked like it, with one long row of shops, as it was directly across Hillsboro Rd. from Hillsboro High School. The photo caused me to wonder about the big red brick building of offices and retail on ground that runs perpendicular to the mall. It does not appear in the photo. I had always assumed that it predated the mall. Does anyone have any history of that building?

I can't seem to find the link now as the Tennessean has taken it away.

[smeagolsfree]

Didn't the owners buy up lots of land along that bypass street that runs behind the mall? Plus, I know the last time I was in Nashville, the mall had lots of parking on a lot to the north.

Yes, the street that runs behind the mall. That is where the Green Hills Fitness Center is or was and there was a Mexican Rest. there too. Gosh, its been a while since I have been on that street. I dont know if those places have closed or not. It is a pretty good sized area and it was for a future expansion of the mall. I know there is room for one more major anchor here and 12 stores is not a lot. If they go into the extension of the mall then you could have more than 12. Go two levels times 3 on each side adn floor and that is 12. That would be a cake walk. Two anchors? I dont know. I would have to go and look at the layout of the mall. There has been a lot added already.

[Velo_Editor]

The Mexican food place - La Paz - was still there (and as busy as ever) a few weeks ago. I believe they've torn down a building next to it though.

[ATLBrain]

Admittedly, it's hard for me to recollect how much space is around the mall. However, I seem to remember going all the way back to the expansion in the early 90s, that land was kept (as a parking lot), but slated as the site for a future anchor store. That was on Abbot Martin.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...mp;t=h&z=17

Using my unscientific, eyeballing method, I'm inclined to say "no sweat" on a second anchor. The expansion of the parking as a first step would make lots of sense, as they would then have to give up parking to proceed on the new retail space.

[smeagolsfree]

The Mexican food place - La Paz - was still there (and as busy as ever) a few weeks ago. I believe they've torn down a building next to it though.

For the life of me, I could not remember the La Paz. I have eaten there several times. Thanks.

The building that was across the parking lot was the GH fitness center.

[nsvlbimmerguy]

For a very long time, prior to the last expansion, the mall management has proposed an additional anchor store along the Abbott Martin side, If you look at the facade of the property, it looks designed for a store to anchor it.

My guess is, since the mall has purchased all this land along Cleghorn, they must either find a way to marry the two plots together, or build a seperate mall outpost. I think they've spent too much money for the latter, so the before idea runs into the issue of boundaries with the existing Dillard's and the parking garage for the office building next door. My thoughts are the new anchor (if such happens) will be a remodeled Dillard's, this free's up the west side of the complex to move out and around, allowing for at least 1 perhaps another anchor and other stores in between..... While I would love (LOVE) to see a Saks or a Neiman's right away, I think this might be the most logical use of the space, other than Dillards leaving all together, which really wouldn't break my heart.

[ATLBrain]

Pardon my unfamiliarity with TMAGH, but it's just two anchors, right? That's a Macy's and Dillards... if correct, I don't see how that situation can continue much longer if the mall wants to call itself "upscale". First, as has been laid out by the previous posts, neither of those stores (and Belk too) is upscale. So either they remix their anchors, or they don't stay in the upscale niche much longer. Given recent additions like Tiffany (and what were the other stores, gucci, D&G whoever?), anyway, it would seem to me that a strategic decision to continue its move up would require a remix of the anchors. Really when you think about it, a measly two anchors, and Dillard and Macy's at that do not qualify as destination shopping. Without a true upscale mix of anchors, TMAGH will not be destination shopping center.

I could be wrong, and maybe they don't necessarily want to be destination, but it looks that way to me. Plus, looking at that satellite shot of the center, they couldn't add one anchor, much less two without some heavy duty demolition. I can't see them going to the trouble of adding one store without adding a second one as a definitive statement that the center is completely different than the Gallery at Cool Springs (that's its name?).

[ATLBrain]

Sorry, just checked the name and it's Galleria.

Also, Nordstrom is the only store that has given a definite "NO" with respect to expansion to Nashville. Knowing their product mix, I still never thought of them as compatible with the Green Hills market. It would seem to me that they would eventually go out to Galleria.

So those of you who know the Nashville market better that I, how far off am I?

[nsvlbimmerguy]

Sorry, just checked the name and it's Galleria.

Also, Nordstrom is the only store that has given a definite "NO" with respect to expansion to Nashville. Knowing their product mix, I still never thought of them as compatible with the Green Hills market. It would seem to me that they would eventually go out to Galleria.

So those of you who know the Nashville market better that I, how far off am I?

I think you're totally on target. The Macy's/Dillard's are not upscale, anyone knows that, while the Macy's is the better of the group in the city, the Dillard's is craptacular, dirty, poorly laid out, etc. (which is why I think it will be removed and relocated, if not to Abbot Martin, somewhere) The mall must aquire at least one high end anchor, which I think has been a given for a while, however recent reports of off sales by Neiman's, coupled with exponentially increased online sales for both Neiman's and Sak's concern me about the viability they will spend the cash to drop anchor in our fair city. Most Nordstrom's, while usually "nice" are generally a middle ground between a Macy's and a Bloomingdale's. (another choice I think would work well, as Federated Dept stores already has a presence in the city and the overall feeling of many posters that the Macy's should have been opened as a Bloomies anyway) The problem with these retailers, Belk, Nordstrom, etc., is the really nice iterations are generally "flagship" stores, a format unlikely to land in Nashville.....

IMHO

[smeagolsfree]

According to the Tennessean and TMAGH, this is only an addition to the parking garage and there are no major tenants to announce, contrary to any speculation. So until they are ready to announce We know nothing more on this one.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar.../803120326/1553

[smeagolsfree]

A little extra news here. 3 stores will open in March. Brooks Bros. Lacoste, and New York & Com. This is from the NBJ today.

http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville...ml?surround=lfn

[Clark, you serious?]

The Brooks Brothers is not an entirely new store. They are just moving to a new, bigger space, formerly occupied by the American Grill. The new Brooks Brothers space will be accessible from both inside the mall and the parking lot near the theater. The new store will be quite a bit bigger than the current one and allow room for more inventory and accessories like shoes, formal wear, etc. The space being vacated by BB will be split in two, with one side being a new Burberry store and the other still TBD. Lacoste will be where the Discovery Channel store was. NY&Co. will be upstairs near Macy's, next to Kay Jewelers...yawn. Interesting moves, because I would consider Burberry upscale, and Lacoste somewhat so(at least price-wise) but not NY&Co. I've seen it located in strip centers next to Target before so not sure about that addition to TMAGH. Also, Bebe is expanding their space.

As a Green Hills resident and frequent visitor I would certainly like to see an additional anchor store. Personally, I would prefer Nordstrom. They are a step up from Dillard's and Macy's, but not as expensive and lavish as a Bloomindale's, Saks, or Neiman Marcus.

[wrdbrn]

The Mall at Green Hills used to be community friendly! Now it is just a place where the board go with their plastic... Nordstrom!?! Yet another place you can

[eastofnowhere]

I agree... Green Hills used to have personality. The Museum Company was a prime example of this. I think the nail in that coffin was when the mall chased out the Disney Store a few years ago (you know, because it was so "pedestrian"), and after Metropolitan Deluxe shut down, I stopped having any reason to go there other than the Apple Store, which, other than the theater, and occasionally Panera, is the only thing I ever go to there these days.

[jeb1974]

The Brooks Brothers is not an entirely new store. They are just moving to a new, bigger space, formerly occupied by the American Grill. The new Brooks Brothers space will be accessible from both inside the mall and the parking lot near the theater. The new store will be quite a bit bigger than the current one and allow room for more inventory and accessories like shoes, formal wear, etc. The space being vacated by BB will be split in two, with one side being a new Burberry store and the other still TBD. Lacoste will be where the Discovery Channel store was. NY&Co. will be upstairs near Macy's, next to Kay Jewelers...yawn. Interesting moves, because I would consider Burberry upscale, and Lacoste somewhat so(at least price-wise) but not NY&Co. I've seen it located in strip centers next to Target before so not sure about that addition to TMAGH. Also, Bebe is expanding their space.

As a Green Hills resident and frequent visitor I would certainly like to see an additional anchor store. Personally, I would prefer Nordstrom. They are a step up from Dillard's and Macy's, but not as expensive and lavish as a Bloomindale's, Saks, or Neiman Marcus.

I'll have to agree with you that Nordstrom is not as expensive as Bloomingdale's, Saks, or Neiman Marcus. Nordstrom has a broader customer base than the other three luxury department stores.

These days, however, when Nordstrom announces a new store opening, it's several years down the road. Unfortunately from one of Nordstrom's last annoucements, the Birmingham area is getting a Nordstrom in the spring of 2012; now you wonder if Nashville will ever get one. The announcement was made around the end of November and beginning of December 2007.

I went to two Nordstrom locations in Atlanta in August 2005 as well as the two Bloomingdale's stores. If I ever walk into Neiman Marcus, it's only for a short time because everything is so outrageously priced. Saks is also very expensive.

If you want to go to Atlanta, I would let you know that the Bloomingdale's at Perimeter Mall is more traditional than the one at Lenox Square; I had better luck on two occasions at the Perimeter Mall Bloomingdale's. The Bloomingdale's at Lenox is more "hip."

While I am not a typical luxury department store shopper, I would prefer a Nordstrom over the other luxury department stores as well.

[dragonfly]

Didn't the owners buy up lots of land along that bypass street that runs behind the mall? Plus, I know the last time I was in Nashville, the mall had lots of parking on a lot to the north.

QUESTION: I was "thumbing" through some photos put online by the Tennessean a few days ago, and there was an aerial shot of the "Green Hills Shopping Center", the forerunner to the TMAGH. I'm sure it wasn't the old HG Hill strip although it looked like it, with one long row of shops, as it was directly across Hillsboro Rd. from Hillsboro High School. The photo caused me to wonder about the big red brick building of offices and retail on ground that runs perpendicular to the mall. It does not appear in the photo. I had always assumed that it predated the mall. Does anyone have any history of that building?

I can't seem to find the link now as the Tennessean has taken it away.

Green Hills Shopping center was the main place to go outside of downtown for people in Hillwood, West Meade, Belle Meade, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, in short, all of the upper end Nashville neighborhoods, in the 1950's when my family moved there. Unless you wanted to go to (fabulous) Zayre on Charlotte, or Melrose on Franklin Rd. This state of shopping remained until 1961 when Belle Meade Plaza was opened. Sometime in the early '60's the long brick office building you are referring to was built by Southern Bell for their middle TN headquarters, before the South Central Bell split off. It was office only and was almost like a government building, sort of staid, but not unattractive. I do remember a store opening on the right end in '67.

Green Hills Shopping center was not torn down en masse for the purpose of building a mall. They built circa 1965 a standalone 2-story building for Cain Sloan, which is the only original piece still in use which is now Dillard's if I'm not mistaken. They then tore out a middle section circa 1969 to make a bi-level clothing and accessories store. In 1980 I visited Nashville and had lunch at the shopping center with no change since the remodel. I wasn't living there at the time but later in the '80's they started to tear down the strip center, one section at a time and build the mall as an ongoing endeavor.

Nobody guessed the "theme song" of Belle Meade Plaza's opening week after my last post on the opening. Every 15 minutes over the outdoor P.A. they played a song which was absolutely sensational to the 11 year old I was and all the teenagers mobbing the place, getting ready for the school year. The song went on to become the #1 hit of '61, made the singer rich and was one of 2 hits he had, securing a career as a retro act for decades. It was Bobby Lewis with "Tossin and Turnin", still sounds good after 46 years.

[ATLBrain]

Thanks for that info. From humble beginnings, TMAGH didn't exactly zoom to the top of high-end shopping, did it? Considering that it's not there yet, it's been fifty years in the making. This year may be pivotal for the center.

[deninnash]

Anyone know the status/possibility of improving the area/infrastructure surrounding the mall. I have never seen a destination shopping area in a major city that is so run down and poorly designed. Why on earth would Nordstrom come to such a neglected shopping district that has no theme, design, connectivity, or reasonable access. Nashville needs to get with the program and invest some money in what could be a major tourist attraction and generator of enormous tax revenue for the city.

I am new to the area so I apologize if I am missing some facts here but the area is shockingly ugly and underutilized. I believe I have seen an article or two regarding burying the unbelievable amount of power lines and adding sidewalks/landscaping/lighting but not sure if this will be happening soon or if just conceptual.

[ATLBrain]

You've struck the chord that bugs me the most, power lines. I believe that Nashville could be one of the prettiest large cities in the country but for those damn power lines. Yes, they're ugly as hell, and I'm not sure there's a plan (or will) to bury them. A few years ago when the apparently do-nothing Mayor Bill Purcell was in office, Metro passed a huge bond issue to put sidewalks all over the county. Others could elaborate on the sense in doing that, but IMO that money would have been better spent burying utilities and street improvements from East Nashville to Green Hills. Perhaps, someone can elaborate more on that.

On your question regarding why green hills. Dare I say, "Money"? When I was living in Nashville, it was the fourth wealthiest zip code in the nation thanks in large part to Forest Hills, Oak Hill, and Belle Meade. Obviously, none of those high end stores has seen fit to land there. That's only one reason why I'm not a retail consultant.

[timmay143]

I agree about the power lines. There are several places around town that I would like to see them gone.

[franktown]

I spend a ton of time in GH and coming from Williamson County, they just really make the area look MUCH cheaper than it is. It would be awesome if the streetscape plan the Civic Design Center came up with was implemented because it would greatly improve the area's look enormously. They have removed the powerlines from the west side of the street, and near Hill Center the sidewalks are better than before, but they're still far too narrow.

[DaltonGA]

I think Nordstrom will come to Nashville (and Memphis) in the not so distant future. Given the distance from Nashville to Atlanta, St. Louis, or any other market with a high-end department store as compared to Birmingham which has Saks and will be getting Nordstrom, and much closer to Atlanta, exactly why is hard to gage. Typically retailers radiate outward from a central base, and I assume the high-end stores do the same-thus Birmingham is closer to Atlanta than Nashville.

Given that Tennessee is the most populous state without a high-end department store, and none are in neighboring Kentucky, Arkansas and Mississippi, the market for such a store may be bigger than most retailers realize. Also, their is the task of chosing between Memphis and Nashville. With Nordstrom, as stated, I think both cities can support one, but for Saks, Bloomingdales and Nieman-Marcus, they have to be more selective. Nashville has a more central location and overall better demographics as well as more growth. As the capitol of country music, the tourist base would be there more than Memphis. Ease of access to other major population centers favors Nashville over Memphis.

North Carolina is a better bellwether for Tennessee than Georgia or Alabama, as rather than one dominant city-Atlanta and Birmingham, Tennesse has Memphis and Nashville as well as Knoxville and Chattanooga while North Carolina has Charlotte, The Triangle and The Triad for major cities and Fayetteville, Asheville, and Wilmington as the secondary markets. Also the wide east-west short north-south geography is similar. Population growth-wise, Tennessee seems more comparable to North Carolina than Georgia. Also, the dispersion of population makes the three regions of Tennessee more equal than in Georgia, an area with some difference to North Carolina, as the major three are located in the Carolina Piedmont, leaving eastern and western North Carolina less developed than the central area.

[Velo_Editor]

I agree that the area is unattractive and difficult to get to. When your major access point is Hillsboro Road you're never going to get to Green Hills Mall quickly unless you live right there.

Now, about the sidewalks. The city of Nashville has 2-3 times the mileage of roads the city of Portland, OR has, but that city has many times more mileage in sidewalks and bike lanes than we have. Nashville desperately needed more sidewalks. It's impossible to walk in many places in this city without walking on the road or in a ditch. The sad fact is it took a major bond issue to add sidewalks in this city. I agree there are plenty of other things to spend money on to improve this city, but we also needed sidewalks.

[Rural King]

^One cannot walk to Green Hills from Downtown without the sidewalks running out. Not that I ever have walked there and back on a lazy afternoon just to say it could be done or anything. I mean sidewalks aren't really needed for that particular purpose, but the city should have the sidewalk infrastructure link various areas of the city better.

It's definitely less stressful to walk to Green Hills than to drive there via Hillsboro Pike sometimes. LOL

[jice]

^One cannot walk to Green Hills from Downtown without the sidewalks running out. Not that I ever have walked there and back on a lazy afternoon just to say it could be done or anything. I mean sidewalks aren't really needed for that particular purpose, but the city should have the sidewalk infrastructure link various areas of the city better.

It's definitely less stressful to walk to Green Hills than to drive there via Hillsboro Pike sometimes. LOL

no doubt... i have no clue how you would possibly walk from downtown to green hills... it seems that you would run into a major hurdle known as 440 but maybe there's a way that im not aware of.. ive never tried it myself, haha.