Is Fairlane the next mall to die?

[wolverine]

Instead of speculating on the health and future of a mall based on a single, flawed data point, perhaps a better indicator of its health would be the number of vacancies you observed inside the mall?

The national vacancy rate for regional malls back in April stood at 9.1% [source]. Did Fairlane look to be less than 90% leased when you were there? If so, then maybe you could justifiably create a thread like this.

Mall health is not measured by vacancy, it's sales per square foot.
As the OP pointed out you can have a bunch of stores with no one shopping in them.

[GUSHI]

Let them die. Only a matter of time, much easier to shop on the Internet, Oakland is a dump and so is east land and lakeside.

[Gistok]

Let them die. Only a matter of time, much easier to shop on the Internet, Oakland is a dump and so is east land and lakeside.

That's not a very good attitude... you want more blight in metro Detroit?? Besides, postal rates have been going thru the roof... At least if you spend your money in Michigan... at least part of it [[wages) is staying here. If you buy from outside of the state... zippo amount of your money stays here...

[Zacha341]

^^^^ Yeah, and you cannot buy EVERYTHING online, though you can get quite a bit!

[313WX]

I personally like to see and feel what I purchase, and use it immediately after I purchase it. I hate waiting to receive and use something I paid for a week ago. I only purchase items online if I absolutely have it. Many other people feel the same way as I do.

So online shopping will never completely wipe out in-person shopping

[GUSHI]

I can buy the same Chinese made crap online, delivered to my door, don't have to waste my time or gas. Or buy my essentials at Meijer a Michigan company while I am grocery shopping. Somerset mall is a nice mall and so is partridge creek, the other ones are dumps.

[GUSHI]

I personally like to see and feel what I purchase, and use it immediately after I purchase it. I have waiting to receive and use something I paid for a week ago. I only purchase items online if I absolutely have it. Many other people feel the same way as I do.

So online shopping will never completely wipe out in-person shopping

No not completely wipe it out but just kill it slowly,

[313WX]

No not completely wipe it out but just kill it slowly,

I don't even think the option of in-person shopping can be killed.

I agree the landscape will change again, likely in the form of consolidation, but there's still is and always will be a demand for that in-person shopping option.

[jackie5275]

I don't even think the option of in-person shopping can be killed.

I agree the landscape will change again, likely in the form of consolidation, but there's still is and always will be a demand for that in-person shopping option.

Especially if you're making a major purchase like a large appliance, lawn mower, snow blower, etc. These are the types of items you need to see in person before purchasing them.

[Zacha341]

^^^^ Yeah, and I still prefer to see, feel and try on certain clothing items and shoes! Especially high end items.

[GUSHI]

It will be there but only in a smaller scale. What's the difference between Macys and lord and Taylor or even northstroms, or between Saks and neiman Marcus. Sears or jc pennys. Not that much of a difference okay sears sells tools , but besides that, what's the point of having multiply huge stores that sell the same shit.

[jackie5275]

I went to Fairlane two days before Christmas and the mall was almost completely devoid of shoppers. It was the first time I had been there in several years. Driving up to the mall I knew something was off since at least 75% of the parking lot was empty. When I got inside I was the only person shopping in many of the stores I stopped at. The foot traffic looked more like a slow summer afternoon than the day before Christmas Eve. Even in Sears there seemed to be more workers than actual shoppers -- and not really that many of either group -- so I ended up buying a video game partly out of pity.

I was there the week of Dec 12th & noticed the definite lack of shoppers too. However, I chalked it up to the bad economy & folks around here having less money to spend.

[Gistok]

It will be there but only in a smaller scale. What's the difference between Macys and lord and Taylor or even northstroms, or between Saks and neiman Marcus. Sears or jc pennys. Not that much of a difference okay sears sells tools , but besides that, what's the point of having multiply huge stores that sell the same shit.

You obviously don't know women.... or department stores lol...

Many years ago Department Store Catalogs were all the rage... Sears, Penney's, Wards, Hudson's, Macy's and in Canada Eaton's. Those died out 20 years ago.... yes shopping at home was no longer very popular.

Now the internet shopping is as convenient as the old catalogs were... but who wants to buy clothes or shoes without trying them on? Granted you can buy computer equipment and DVDs/CDs online... but appliances and clothing... much less so.

[SteveJ]

I buy most of my stuff online even clothes and shoes. A lot of stores have free 2 way shipping now. I pretty much stick to the same few brands so I know my size and worst case scenario I put it back in the box, tape it up, and drop it off at the ups store.

Actually ordered a range for my parents online a few weeks ago sight unseen. They wanted a maytag and I used my discover card and got 10% cashback on top of that and they got free online shipping. It was delivered and installed and they love it. A lot of little tricks online to save money. I've ordered stuff from walgreens.com before because of an online coupon and free shipping. Why drive over there when I can get it for cheaper at my house. I also subscribe to Amazon prime and get a ton of stuff there.

[D_Town]

I really don 't see Fairlane dying due to the fact its location. Its very close to downtown [[If Detroit makes a comeback then Fairlane will be in the best position to reap those benefits), close to the airport, near tourist destinations, has a dense population with the surrounding areas.

[Parkguy]

I hate malls these days. My first job at 13 was shining shoes in the shoe repair shop in the basement at Westland, and I worked at Ross Music just a few doors down from there when I was in college. Almost all of the stores in the mall at that time were local chains or one-location shops.The one anchor was Hudson's. Now, every mall from here to California is exactly like every other mall. Why bother?

The only mall I go to with any regularity is Laurel Park. It is small, easy to navigate, and has stores that you don't find in every other mall-- well, at least some of the stores are like that.

I tried to do my holiday shopping at locally-owned stores. I was probably 50% successful. Some online, some at Laurel Park, some at Detroit Artists Market, some small shops.

[mwilbert]

While I am sure that people will want to continue to buy clothes in person, that doesn't mean a lot of clothes buying isn't shifting online. If people weren't willing to buy clothes sight-unseen, LL Bean and Zappos wouldn't exist. If you want unusual or specialty clothing you often can't find it in stores. Often items that you either already have or don't have precision fit requirements are easier to purchase online.

And other than Sears, which appears to be doomed, who buys appliances or lawn mowers or snow blowers in malls now? As far as I can tell, people mostly buy those at big box stores, which I agree aren't going away anytime soon. Neither are malls, but I do expect there to be a lot fewer of them per capita, which means a lot fewer altogether in metro Detroit.

[Knocturnal]

I, too, make the vast majority of my purchases online. I dread going to malls and the relative simplicity of clicking and [[usually free) shipping is so much easier and convenient. All of my Christmas shopping was completed online this year.

I've previously purchased kitchen appliances, hardwood flooring,and most recently, a snow blower without stepping foot into a store. You can't beat free freight shipping to your door. I typically research each item as well as read other user reviews before making my purchase, so that I won't be regretfully returning the item. More often than not, promotional codes can be applied before finalizing purchases to save even more than if you were to go to the same store in person. As another member had already mentioned, the cash back bonus that credit cards offer is also much more lucrative when purchasing online than brick-and-mortar purchases.

Not all purchases can obviously be made, but it definitely allows one to stretch his/her dollar a lot further.

[Zacha341]

Yep, Fairlane will survive and it is not fall from that really nice strip mall in Allen park called the Hill? Or something. There's a Target and Home Depot, Marshalls, Bed Bath and Beyond and other stores up there. Really nice. Those kinds of mega strips and outlets will survive when in a good spot where some malls may fail.

I really don 't see Fairlane dying due to the fact its location. Its very close to downtown [[If Detroit makes a comeback then Fairlane will be in the best position to reap those benefits), close to the airport, near tourist destinations, has a dense population with the surrounding areas.

[Gistok]

Yep, Fairlane will survive and it is not fall from that really nice strip mall in Allen park called the Hill? Or something. There's a Target and Home Depot, Marshalls, Bed Bath and Beyond and other stores up there. Really nice. Those kinds of mega strips and outlets will survive when in a good spot where some malls may fail.

What really made Fairlane special was the monorail over to the Hyatt and back. Too bad it was taken out. Used to enjoy the ride. The soaring 18 story lobby of the Hyatt was pretty impressive at the time... just now it too is a product of its' time.

[Meddle]

With Sears, I've been doing some 'buy-on-line, pick-up-in-store'. I don't always like to wander around some stores. This way, I pick what I want, get extra discounts through some third party programs then go pick it up. It's all ready at Will Call and I don't have to wait for shipping.


Isn't Fairlane's proximity to Warrendale part of what caused so many of the problems? I seem to remember stories of quite a bit of gang activity and other problems. A lot of people stopped going there due to roving bands of punks.

[dtowncitylover]

BTW what is H&M?

lol really? It's a Swedish-based retail chain geared to the younger generation...

[Zacha341]

Hah! No wonder I don't know about it [[H&M).... I'd more likely be at K&G Fashions looking for business or casual wear and accessories or JC Penneys.

lol really? It's a Swedish-based retail chain geared to the younger generation...

[Zacha341]

Far, far less than what you have at Northland. Fairlane got on top of it pretty fast in the late-nineties. Security patrols the mall well and deals with teens not shopping, gathering too much.

Thank God they don't have a "Footlocker" store [[I don't think) so they did not have the mania regarding stupid over-priced Jordans... or did they? Was Fairlane was one of the stores caught up in that...?

Isn't Fairlane's proximity to Warrendale part of what caused so many of the problems? I seem to remember stories of quite a bit of gang activity and other problems. A lot of people stopped going there due to roving bands of punks.

[rjk]

Has anyone been to Summit Place or Great Lakes Crossing recently?
I'm curious as to how they're doing.