Somerset Collection's reign in jeopardy?

[m b v]

Read the paper for crime at Somerset. I'm not making this up. Past few years it's full of trash loitering and being obnoxious. My mother's friends don't feel safe going there on a weekend afternoon.

A mall can be busy and have high occupancy rates but it doesn't mean it isn't showing signs of looming despair.

[detroitbob]

Is it me, or are the threads getting weirder and weirder?

Agreed...at least in this instance...what was [[is) the purpose of this post/thread?

[East Detroit]

I'm glad I don't live in Chicago. Detroit blows Chicago out of the water. Be glad Detroit has not sunk to Chicago's level. No wonder everyone sees so many Chicagoans here.

Somerset has several stores that sell unbunched panties.

[Honky Tonk]

1.4 million square feet, and it's at 98% occupancy. Yeah, it's really hurting.

You can get shirts and suits made in the US at Brooks Brothers, jeans made in the US at Saks, and shoes made in the US at Allen Edmonds.

With all due respect, years ago I had a friend who's Mom worked for Saks. Her job was to inspect and sew "Saks" labels onto the clothes that came from unknown sources in big brown cardboard boxes. They would allow her to bring "seconds" home, within reason. I ended up with a couple of pieces of Saks clothing, sans labels.

[Bham1982]

Read the paper for crime at Somerset. I'm not making this up. Past few years it's full of trash loitering and being obnoxious. My mother's friends don't feel safe going there on a weekend afternoon.

Can you reference some of these alleged criminal incidents at Somerset?

And why don't your mother's friends feels safe going there? Too many scary "ethnics"? Frightened of Louis Vuitton shoppers? Phobia of European sports cars?

[JBMcB]

With all due respect, years ago I had a friend who's Mom worked for Saks. Her job was to inspect and sew "Saks" labels onto the clothes that came from unknown sources in big brown cardboard boxes.

I don't doubt it - the department store branded stuff is usually junk. Saks carries brands like Agave and Earnest Sewn that are still made in the US.

[rb336]

It's March. It's cold, wet, and grey. Go to downtown Chicago on any given weekend or weekday from April thru August and Michigan Ave. and State St. are filled to the brim with tourists and suburbanites getting their urban fix. We see alot of Illinois people because of all the Michiganders, like my sister, who live in the Chicago area now come back to visit. Chicago has plenty of more stores that we don't have, like Zara, Topshop Topman, and AllSaints. Smaller higher-end boutiques too. The near northwest side neighborhoods are also filled with independent and chain stores alike. Somerset and Birmingham are great, but let's not sugarcoat the fact that Detroit is not the Midwest mecca for shopping and fashion.

first off, I do believe that runnerXT was being sarcastic. Second, the people I know from Chicago who shop at somerset aren't from here at all -- they were born and raised in Chicago & NW Indiana. They come here because a) the prices in the Somerset stores are often lower than those in Chicago and b) to avoid the huge sales tax

[rb336]

Can you reference some of these alleged criminal incidents at Somerset?

And why don't your mother's friends feels safe going there? Too many scary "ethnics"? Frightened of Louis Vuitton shoppers? Phobia of European sports cars?

I know there was a rash of car break-ins a few years ago, but I don't recall seeing anything major recently

[leapfrog]

When I was there, I texted my husband that it's every chain retail store I can think of.

In a mall?! THe hell you say!

[DTWflyer]

Read the paper for crime at Somerset. I'm not making this up. Past few years it's full of trash loitering and being obnoxious. My mother's friends don't feel safe going there on a weekend afternoon.

A mall can be busy and have high occupancy rates but it doesn't mean it isn't showing signs of looming despair.

Are you refering to this incident last year?
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthr...set-Collection

Malls obviously are going to have some element of crime by nature. Always have, always will. Shoplifting, theft, credit card fraud, loitering teenagers. Yes, even Somerset has this. Yes, Michigan Ave. in Chicago has this. The Mall of America has these issues. Any area that has a large gathering of people is going to have this type of stuff happening perioidically.

The armed robbery is a rare event.

Your mom's friend is a pretty small sampling size and likely bias. Plus, what you would expect from middle-aged women. My mom refuses to drive on interstate highways and has not done so since at least 2005 [[she's only 61).

98% occupancy rate even through the depth of the recession, full parking lots, packed with shoppers, and still referred to as a regional shopping destination.

There is no indication that Somerset is "DOA/declining/failing" if is well then where is everyone going????

[m b v]

Can you reference some of these alleged criminal incidents at Somerset?

And why don't your mother's friends feels safe going there? Too many scary "ethnics"? Frightened of Louis Vuitton shoppers? Phobia of European sports cars?

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/05/...d-at-gunpoint/

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...a361832852.txt

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...0282805794.txt

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/NEWS03/121101016

http://www.freep.com/article/20120709/NEWS03/120709065

http://www.freep.com/article/20120724/NEWS03/120724036

These were just from a 5 second Google search. The last few times I've been there I've witnessed "grab & goes" at both Macy's and Neiman Marcus. Dance around the issue all you want, let's not pretend there hasn't been a crowd shift at Somerset. Even store associates tell me "grab & goes" are happening on a DAILY basis, and no longer even warrant a reaction. When I witnessed grab & goes the associates didn't even acknowledge what just happened. You guys are so fixated on being hyper PC, to the detriment of constructive conversation. It has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with crime, loitering and groups of people behaving inappropriately, most with their underwear showing while they struggle to keep their jeans on. Because of this, people are avoiding Somerset, which did not used to be the case.

[Downtown Lady]

Plus, what you would expect from middle-aged women.

Wow, nothing like painting with a broad brush.

[Bham1982]

The last few times I've been there I've witnessed "grab & goes" at both Macy's and Neiman Marcus.

Ok, this clears it up, thanks. You just have an agenda, and have chosen to fabricate incidents.

If I lived in the most crime-ridden ghetto in the U.S., there's no way I would witness a robbery every single time they I visited a retail establishment. Even 10% of the time, hell no.

Based on your description, Neiman Marcus should be empty of merchandise, given there's allegedly nonstop pilfering. Of course, in reality, the department stores at Somerest have been expanding, they're the highest grossing stores in Michigan, and there are almost no vacancies.

[Shollin]

As someone who has worked loss prevention at a department store, associates cannot legally "acknowledge" a shoplifter. Shoplifting happens on a daily basis. Stores even budget for it. If you've witnessed so many grab and go's, I wonder if you were the one grabbing and going? Get back to me when it becomes as bad as Eastland.

[ccal]

Ok, this clears it up, thanks. You just have an agenda, and have chosen to fabricate incidents.

If I lived in the most crime-ridden ghetto in the U.S., there's no way I would witness a robbery every single time they I visited a retail establishment. Even 10% of the time, hell no.

Based on your description, Neiman Marcus should be empty of merchandise, given there's allegedly nonstop pilfering. Of course, in reality, the department stores at Somerest have been expanding, they're the highest grossing stores in Michigan, and there are almost no vacancies.

So totally ignore the news articles posted or are all those fabrications?

[ccal]

Ok, this clears it up, thanks. You just have an agenda, and have chosen to fabricate incidents.

If I lived in the most crime-ridden ghetto in the U.S., there's no way I would witness a robbery every single time they I visited a retail establishment. Even 10% of the time, hell no.

Based on your description, Neiman Marcus should be empty of merchandise, given there's allegedly nonstop pilfering. Of course, in reality, the department stores at Somerest have been expanding, they're the highest grossing stores in Michigan, and there are almost no vacancies.

Also, this did use to happen on a daily basis when Hudsons was open downtown, and I do mean daily.

[DTWflyer]

Wow, nothing like painting with a broad brush.

I didn't mean to paint a broad brush and I know that is in no way reflective of all middle-aged women.

However, I'm surprised that "his moms friends" in Birmingham might be scared of Somerset by some "different looking people" and a few blurps in the police blopper section of the paper. Guess what, there is plenty of theft, break-ins in Birmingham & Bloomfield.

Here are some statistics about shoplifting:
http://www.shopliftingprevention.org...ceducstats.htm

It happens everywhere. I have friends that manage large retail stores all over the country and this is a problem they all deal with.

12 Oaks as it, Partridge Creek has it, the Village.

[Bham1982]

Also, this did use to happen on a daily basis when Hudsons was open downtown, and I do mean daily.

And what are the chances a shopper would see a smash and grab every single time they stepped into the downtown Hudsons, as alleged at Neiman Marcus?

[Shollin]

So totally ignore the news articles posted or are all those fabrications?

Shoplifting happens all the time at any department store. Just ask Winona Ryder. Those only made the news because they were expensive items.

[Bham1982]

So totally ignore the news articles posted or are all those fabrications?

What would you like as a response?

Large gatherings of people, whether at a shopping mall, Disneyworld or the airport, will result in crimes being committed.

The claim was that there was some epidemic of crime at Somerset. No one ever counter-claimed that Somerset was some magical bubble where crime has ceased to exist.

[Patrick]

I am currently in Northern Virginia, which is one of the wealthiest areas in the country and we do have some so-so malls our way. Tysons Corner is similar to Somerset in that there are two malls...a fairly high end mall and a very fancy mall across the street [[similar to the Somerset setuo). However, we have a mall called The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City that experiences more crime that probably even Eastland. Cars are always being broken into and even stolen from the parking deck. Keep in mind that this mall is surrounded by fairly affluent communities, so explain the crime. Trust me, there is little crime at Somerset compared to Pentagon City and the area surrounding the average mall Pentagon City has much more wealth than Troy and its environs.

[Honky Tonk]

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/05/...d-at-gunpoint/

http://www.freep.com/article/20121102/NEWS03/121101016

http://www.freep.com/article/20120709/NEWS03/120709065

http://www.freep.com/article/20120724/NEWS03/120724036

These were just from a 5 second Google search. The last few times I've been there I've witnessed "grab & goes" at both Macy's and Neiman Marcus. Dance around the issue all you want, let's not pretend there hasn't been a crowd shift at Somerset. Even store associates tell me "grab & goes" are happening on a DAILY basis, and no longer even warrant a reaction. When I witnessed grab & goes the associates didn't even acknowledge what just happened. You guys are so fixated on being hyper PC, to the detriment of constructive conversation. It has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with crime, loitering and groups of people behaving inappropriately, most with their underwear showing while they struggle to keep their jeans on. Because of this, people are avoiding Somerset, which did not used to be the case.

By Jove, I think you've made your point!

[m b v]

I am currently in Northern Virginia, which is one of the wealthiest areas in the country and we do have some so-so malls our way. Tysons Corner is similar to Somerset in that there are two malls...a fairly high end mall and a very fancy mall across the street [[similar to the Somerset setuo). However, we have a mall called The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City that experiences more crime that probably even Eastland. Cars are always being broken into and even stolen from the parking deck. Keep in mind that this mall is surrounded by fairly affluent communities, so explain the crime. Trust me, there is little crime at Somerset compared to Pentagon City and the area surrounding the average mall Pentagon City has much more wealth than Troy and its environs.

And affluent people don't go to Pentagon City [[anymore). It would be a tragedy if Somerset becomes a Pentagon City--but contrary to some delusion commenters that like to pretend nothing has changed at Somerset--it appears to be headed down that path. Pentagon City is always busy, but I won't step foot in there.

[Bham1982]

It would be a tragedy if Somerset becomes a Pentagon City--but contrary to some delusion commenters that like to pretend nothing has changed at Somerset--it appears to be headed down that path.

You should call up Mr. Forbes, then [[family owners of Somerset). Tell him his mall [[one of the highest grossing in the nation) just isn't cutting it anymore, and that all the wealth has fled to Macomb Township and Brighton.

They're already planning Somerset Phase 3, with even more retail [[on the old KMart HQ site), so better get to him soon.

[ccal]

What would you like as a response?

Large gatherings of people, whether at a shopping mall, Disneyworld or the airport, will result in crimes being committed.

The claim was that there was some epidemic of crime at Somerset. No one ever counter-claimed that Somerset was some magical bubble where crime has ceased to exist.

Wait, you asked for references about the crimes as if it weren't possible and when he did you now admit that it is possible? Who said it was a magical bubble, you asked for proof and got it, whats your beef?