Dan Gilberts Retail Renaissance to include 70-90 retailers, including Target & Apple

I was in the car talking to someone the other day, he works downtown. He told me that it was no secret [[at least to him) that Dan Gilbert's retail plan for Detroit had already been released or leaked. He told me that it would include 70-90 permanent or long-term retailers, and that Target was one of them. he was going to name one more, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Aside from that, he also told me that Apple was planning to construct a flagship store [[in a glass square) in downtown, and that they would make the announcement in January 2013. I don't think this is made up, what do you guys think?

I've heard similar rumors. They are also taking to at least one large department store and it's not Macy's.

I haven't heard any rumors, but if it's going to look anything like Woodward between Campus Martius and Grand River that would be awesome.

It's cool to think that downtown could be coming back as a place to visit.

If Target opened up downtown I most certainly would shop there if prices were the same as suburban stores.

I assume that those aren't locked down retailers, just a goal at this point. Even if those numbers are ambitious it'd still be exciting to get half that right now. I don't want to wait for January!

hopefully the development will continue to progress, with profitable retailers.. a mixture of major chains and local based outlets could be good.

Wasn't there a plan a year or two ago to build a Target at the former Hudson site? Target has done well integrating stores into urban environments.

put a target and apple store downtown and i wont have a reason to go north of 8mile at all outside of visiting family. i get the feeling that 2013 is going to be a very interesting year for the city.

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Originally Posted by Shollin

Wasn't there a plan a year or two ago to build a Target at the former Hudson site? Target has done well integrating stores into urban environments.

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It was on the site near Cadillac Square, the Cadillac Centre project.

Attachment 17260Attachment 17261 What the Apple Store and Target just might look like downtown. The target is in Chicago, and to be honest, I can see something very similar in Detroit. A nice, new, modern Target in old architecture. Love it!

I have heard from a couple people who would have knowledge of it... Nordstrom is one they are shooting for. Whether or not it happens, is another story.

Rumor has it that December 21, 2012 is the last day of the world.

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Originally Posted by jw101

Attachment 17260Attachment 17261 What the Apple Store and Target just might look like downtown. The target is in Chicago, and to be honest, I can see something very similar in Detroit. A nice, new, modern Target in old architecture. Love it!

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The Chicago Target is in Chicago's famous [[Louis Sullivan designed) Carson Pirie Scott Building... which takes up the first 2 floors of this famous building with its' fabulously ornate corner entrance....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson,...mpany_Building

If is a Target then it'll probably be one of their new smaller City Target concepts.

Target opened its first City Targets, in Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle, on Wednesday. At 80,000 to 100,000 square feet, City Target, at its smallest just over half the size of a remodeled Target, is aimed at urban shoppers. For instance, City Targets would not carry a six-piece patio set, but a three-piece balcony set instead.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/26/business/retailers-expand-into-cities-by-opening-smaller-stores.html

It's funny because I was talking to an older women at work today about weekend plans and I told her I was going downtown tonight. She thought I meant Royal Oak, and had no idea people went downtown at all. It was really interesting to hear that from someone after so many people talk about the positive development in Detroit. If any kind of semblance of retail pops up down there, people with the mindset of my co-worker may have a change of heart and start venturing down there again.

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Originally Posted by esp1986

I have heard from a couple people who would have knowledge of it... Nordstrom is one they are shooting for. Whether or not it happens, is another story.

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Nordstrom? We have three already. I could envision the Grosse Pointers would be well served by it but that isn't enough...Dillard's or a Bon Ton store or if they wanna be high-end, a Bloomingdale's.

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Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Nordstrom? We have three already. I could envision the Grosse Pointers would be well served by it but that isn't enough...Dillard's or a Bon Ton store or if they wanna be high-end, a Bloomingdale's.

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Don't shoot the messenger. That's from people inside the Quicken Loans Family of Companies...

However, it would be the only one in Wayne County.

Seriously??? If this stuff has been leaked then why isn't it all over the news?

Apple stores average $6,000 a square foot in sales. These are the highest grossing stores around, three times the square foot in sales of the nearest retailer, Tiffany. I doubt Detroit is ready for this. Nor would apple build a store in an area that would mess up their sales targets.
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/...re-foot-again/

Besides Apple is seen as over rated and about ready to have issues as the market is getting flooded with tablets and smart phones that are actually usefull [[remember apple maps/navigation)?

apple is more about image and prestige when it comes to retail stores than pure sales figures. just look at some of their other downtown and flagship stores. its about brand. i would think that a lot of workers downtown would visit the place during lunch or after work and allow the place to break even, but i could very easily be wrong. even if they dont make a ton of money how many billions do they have in their coffers?

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Originally Posted by esp1986

Don't shoot the messenger. That's from people inside the Quicken Loans Family of Companies...

However, it would be the only one in Wayne County.

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Don't worry not shooting you, just the idea.

The demographic that probably shops frequently at Nordstrom in Wayne County lives along the 275 corridor, Canton, Livonia, Northville, Plymouth and therefore has easy access to 96 to Nordstrom at Twelve Oaks.

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Originally Posted by southen

i would think that a lot of workers downtown would visit the place during lunch or after work and allow the place to break even, but i could very easily be wrong. even if they dont make a ton of money how many billions do they have in their coffers?

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It did not get billions by putting stores in unproven places. Just because you like apple does not mean that it will do well downtown. Most office workers are more familiar with PCs and in general shy away from spending $100's more for what is basically the same computer just because it has a couple of trendy apple features.

Anyways, this is all just here-say based upon what some guy said some other guy said. He said that the information was leaked. If it was leaked, where the hell is it?

I think a Nordstrom would do very well in Detroit. Detroiters are very fashion forward and don't mind spending money on clothes. Many think nothing of going to Troy and Novi to shop because that's where the stores they want to shop at are located.

im sensing a general dislike of apple...

i would venture a guess that of the 80k+ working downtown that you have more than a few mac users and people interested in mac. if office workers arent buying them who is? blue collar folk? apple builds these lavish flagships to stroke its own ego and because its a good way to brand the company. storefronts are much more economical, but they like to make a splash, which is why i think with gilbert pushing them we may get one downtown.

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Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

It did not get billions by putting stores in unproven places. Just because you like apple does not mean that it will do well downtown. Most office workers are more familiar with PCs and in general shy away from spending $100's more for what is basically the same computer just because it has a couple of trendy apple features.

Anyways, this is all just here-say based upon what some guy said some other guy said. He said that the information was leaked. If it was leaked, where the hell is it?

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PC Preferences aside, it's fair to say that there is a market for Apple products in downtown Detroit. The've had a 10-story iPad "billboard" on the front of the David Whitney building foreva

I think some underestimate the number of young folks who are moving downtown. I live here and attend many Downtown/Midtown arts and redevelopment meetings and events. I don't think that "office workers" in the old sense is the market for Apple, but these new [[mostly white) kids that I see everyday and on week ends [[including me, I guess, since I'm not a kid, nor white, but I am a Mac head). If I was a bettin' woman, I'd bet Apple will be here. The issue, IMO will not be customers, but security.

The new City Target in the old Carson Pirie Scott store at 1 So State St. Chicago ...everything you need to live downtown or in a city center plus food...rememember they run Super Targets in that part of the world, so fresh goods comes as a natural. Pret a Manger on the main floor. Now if they could get Walgreens to do what they just did in Chicago...this is a wow
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...hp_ref=chicago