New Life For Old Malls, But Not Here 6 comments
Interesting article on Bloomberg:
Desperate Malls Turn to Concerts and Food Trucks
Malls are fighting for shoppers with one thing their web rivals can’t offer: parking lots.
With customer traffic sagging, U.S. retail landlords are using their sprawling concrete lots to host events such as carnivals, concerts and food-truck festivals. They’re aiming to lure visitors with experiences that can’t be replicated online -- and then get them inside the properties to spend some money.
“Events draw people to come to the shopping center,” said Craig Herkimer, whose company, KevaWorks Inc., is working with big landlords including GGP Inc. and Simon Property Group Inc. to produce outdoor events. “They generate revenue for the owner and offer a chance for cross-promotion, so they can try and drive more customers into the stores.”
I've not noticed anything of this sort in Columbia. To me Dutch Square & Columbia Mall would be iffy, but it seems like a natural concept for the top deck at Richland Mall, whereas in the event all they have on top is a closed garden center and at the side some sort of Farmers' Market that I've never actually seen open.
6 Responses to 'New Life For Old Malls, But Not Here'
Subscribe to comments with RSS or TrackBack to 'New Life For Old Malls, But Not Here'.
-
Stuart
22 Apr 17 at 6:01 am
-
Yeah, they have around 3 or 4 events a year there called "Rooftop Rythms". I leave work way earlier that when they get started, but I understand the last couple of ones were well enough attended that the crowd actully spilled beyond the first up-ramp.
The ram-shacked construction once was a farmer's market, but is now used by the Richland County police for training. Most I ever saw them use it for was chin-ups. They have their own gym on the 2nd floor and you'll see them running around with medicine balls but on a few days out of the year they're running a marathon from the 1st floor of the parking garage to the top level and back again.
Mr BO
22 Apr 17 at 7:37 am
-
There's a canopy between Golden Chick and the former Dillard's/Blacklion where the Farmers Market is...it operates on Wednesdays starting in early May and running through late October/early-mid November...I have an aunt I've taken multiple times and that's where it is...
Andrew
22 Apr 17 at 9:48 pm
-
There's an article in this week's Free Times about the malls in Columbia. Haven't had a chance to read it yet.
Homer
26 Apr 17 at 11:54 pm
-
I have found the article Homer spoke of and it spoke about Columbia's malls and how they are similar to many other malls throughout the country...
Phillips Edison has divested Dutch Square from their property portfolio...now a company called Winbrook owns/operates it.
It also speaks to the struggles of Columbia Place Mall & Richland Mall but also how Columbiana is the rare mall still thriving (and also the success of General Growth Properties (Columbiana's owner))...
Andrew
27 Apr 17 at 4:24 pm
-
Here is a corrected link to that article...
Andrew
27 Apr 17 at 4:25 pm
I recall events at Richland Mall rooftop, including concerts.