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Those of us who remember the not-too-distant past of the tumbleweed days of abandoned downtown Detroit may find this retail shop listing article, as I do, in today's Free Press heartening.
It lays out the increasing number of retail locations that have the district teetering on a critical mass tipping point of what some thought an impossible transition.
My question for you: is this enough to lure you downtown to do some of your holiday shopping?
^^^ Hardly ever. I still think that most retail stores roll up the sidewalk, closing at 6PM, 7 max.
I know this is not true but the early closures seems branded in my mind.
Good thing H&M is staying open till 9 Monday thru Saturday ;)
^^^ Yes, you cannot beat the competition closing doors before 7PM.
And what's interesting is that most stores back in the hey day didn't stay open to much after 7. Hudson's we know closed at 5:45. Only during the holidays were they ever open too late. Hopefully the stores will begin to adjust their hours downtown. It's only around 7 pm I'm thinking about going out for some errands.
This is a bigger store that will almost act like an anchor for the immediate area, so the surrounding stores will probably start to stay open laterQuote:
Originally Posted by dtowncitylover
Most downtown areas in cities across the country stores closes around 7pm. It's true that Hudson's had closed at 6pm and the stores on Merchant Row followed suite. I wouldn't say that H&M should or will be an anchor store. I still believe as I had said years ago that downtown doesn't need a big anchor store but have smaller individual stores that could be a draw. Having individual stores instead of a department store anchoring a downtown area is a smart way of having a retail district for the whole area won't be affected if one small store closes. Downtown still need a home goods store with reasonable prices such as Bedm Bath, and Beyond and also a good quality furniture store. I feel that downtown midtown area including Jefferson west of Grand Blvd have many closed buildings and warehouse to open an Art Vanm Restoration Hardware, or Bright idea
I have made a couple of trips to the Nike store downtown, which closes at 8 pm, but there's not enough to make me come down on a regular basis. Most stores listed are for clothing I won't buy or specialty items I'm not interested in.
as long as the businesses are thriving, kudos. more diverse shops are welcome.
As a shopping destination, no. But as a pleasant holiday experience with more to see and do, yes!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lowell
That was true all over the country. Stores closed at 6 or 7 and were open till 9 only on Friday night. Most stores were closed on Sunday except for drug stores and small markets. People now have become accustomed to far more convenient shopping hours. Close at 7, the folks will patronize Hall Road.Quote:
Originally Posted by dtowncitylover
^^^ Or even Oakland Mall as dull as it is... with many other stores and shops nearby all open until 9PM!
Downtown will become. A destination for it will be a shopping, working, living, and play destination unlike the downtown districts in other major cities across the country. The Qline make it more convenient to shop in the downtown/midtown area and to attend events that are simultaneously happening downtown, the DIA area, or in the New Center area without having to drive or hop on a slow city bus. Once more stores and shops open along rhe Woodward corridor one will see the Qline being crowded with passengers carrying shopping bags riding along side with passengers going or coming from a sporting event or concert
I am still waiting on some type of computer store to open on the strip hopefully within the next 2 years. Apple would be the icing on the cake eve though Staples could reopen somewhere on Woodward. I would love to see MicroCenter open a store on Woodward or in the midtown area
As MrChrome stated in another thread, the M-Den store in the Columbia Street Promenade is now open.
I'm excited about the H&M store opening soon. No other clothing store downtown catches my interest when it comes to casual clothes. I go to Hot Sam's for dress pants and suits now that Serman's is gone - and that's once in a blue moon. What's available along Woodward is ridiculously too expensive.
I agree with you Royce. The more dressier clothing stores for men are too expensive for my taste. I had shopped at Jos A. Bank for dressier clothing when the store were in the RenCen. I like their executive suits that costs, when on sale as less as any suits sold at Hot Sam's and the Broadway when it was on Randolph. One thing that is missing or are shoes stores for Men and Women. I love wearing Rockport and Ecco. City Slicker is too trendy for me. I wonder if Microsoft it going to have a store inside the Compuware Building being that it's office is there
Exactly. MicroCenter would work!! Then I can build, teach and sell Linux O/S- and teach my students too.Quote:
Originally Posted by stasu1213
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pontiac6000
That's open source, that would a nice language to learn
Downtown still need a good computer/electronic store. H&M us great but why a l9cal independent investor or business person open a variety store such as a Target, JCPENNEY, that sell name brand items including housewares and other goods that are above dollar store quality. I would settle for Big Lot to open in one of the strip malls along Jefferson or in Gratiot somewhere near the Eastern Market district. What had happened to the Meijer affiliated store that was to open on Jefferson? Integrating it inside of a condo was a bad idea that city planners and developers to agree ti. Had it been a stand alone structure ir would had been opened by now. Why wasn't that store out into the former Staples building instead if Gordon?
That space is way to small for a Meijer. Even a shrunken "urban" model.Quote:
Originally Posted by stasu1213
I do like the little bit of shopping that's by geek town, some boutique type stores, handmade things and unique items at various stores, hoping more stores move in. Not enough to go there just for that. But i like getting pizza, shopping hitting the casino