What Would Really Be Great To Have on Merchants Row...

[313WX]

A flagship, multi-level Dillards store!!!

Given that there no Dillards stores anywhere within an hour's drive of Metro Detroit [[or anywhere in Michigan), it would likely attract customers from all over the region & state if it's unique enough. It can be a part of the Hudson Block development with frontage along Woodward.

It would also be an anchor store I think downtown needs to kick off its retail renaissance that's been discussed.

Given the success of Moosejaw and John Varvados' store opening on Merchants Row, I think now it could very well work.

If anyone happens to read this site and works closely with Dan Gilbert, perhaps this is something that can suggested to the planners and looked into.

[Hermod]

Why would Dillard's place an "orphan" store outside the area of their distribution network?

Think logistics.

[Bham1982]

Why would Dillard's place an "orphan" store outside the area of their distribution network?

Think logistics.

Stop with your logical responses. Don't you know that Woodward Avenue is a huge retail hotbed? There must be at least three or four storefronts with functioning retail enterprises.

[DetroitPlanner]

I would welcome Dillard's. I drive down to Toledo to shop there a couple of times a year. Would be nice to have one next to work.

If Toledo is part of the distribution network then Detroit is a logical expansion.

To be honest I'd be happy with less, maybe a Family Dollar or Old Navy.

[WPitonya]

While I'm really happy that another storefront is being filled with John Varvados, I do agree that starting with more basic clothing would really do well.....an Old Navy, an H&M, etc. I think a gold mine would be a Uniqlo!! Uniqlo would absolutely be a destination and is very wallet friendly.

[Danny]

What would be really be great to have a Merchants' Row?

Retail stores that would attract people:

1. Dollar Stores

2. Cleaners

3. Thrift Stores

Bring those stores in first then the fancy luxury stores that no-one isn't interested will come.

[Hermod]

While I'm really happy that another storefront is being filled with John Varvados, I do agree that starting with more basic clothing would really do well.....an Old Navy, an H&M, etc. I think a gold mine would be a Uniqlo!! Uniqlo would absolutely be a destination and is very wallet friendly.

But, but, but we really must have a high end cufflink shop, the arts, music, and culture crowd need it. Old Navy and H&M are just so declasse.....

[Danny]

Since John Varvatos is bringing has male version of 'Victoria Secret' to heart of Gilberttown Detroit,will it bring customers? lots of lots of customers? Will it have security around the clock? He's taking a larger investment risk, but if it works for a couple years, other fancy stores will come.

[mikeg19]

Hell lets just put in Gucci, Prada, Burberry, Rolex, Tom Ford, Barny's and Michael Kohr's stores. They'll look great sandwiched between the Lord n Taylor and Macy's.

Now that I'm out of NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS GONNA HAPPEN mode, logical storefronts I'd imagine would be things like H&M, Express, Urban Outfitters, a Jos a Bank, Mens Warehouse, and hopefully plenty of the independant boutique stores that Royal Oak and Birmingham have pushed out. I imagine [[and hope) that the independents put a foothold down in place of large national retailers. There is a place for both of them, but I just hate seeing the same crap over and over at different stores.

[Jason]

I think luxury places like John Varvados are more likely to succeed than bigger midrange places are. The experience and branding of downtown and midtown are beneficial for that kind of thing, but not just generic shopping. There's not big enough or comprehensive enough of a shopping district.

I think in 5 to 10 years there will be a bunch of interesting boutiques, and a handful of the chains that typically locate in downtowns, but I think the shopping will be about the experience and about the interesting and specialty stores. I also think there's a good possibility of a few regional flagship stores like a nike store or something like that. But I think it will be a long long time before you'd go downtown for general shopping.

[dtowncitylover]

Century 21 just opened in City Center, Philadelphia. That would attract shoppers. Zara as well, competing with the suburban Forever 21 and H&M shoppers.

I've always wondered about Dillard's, however they seem to be a suburban mall store. I would understand if they don't want to get into the urban market they know nothing about.

[FormerDetroiter]

DSW Shoes
Nordstrom Rack
Jos. A. Banks

[Hypestyles]

what is Dillard's?

[jt1]

But, but, but we really must have a high end cufflink shop, the arts, music, and culture crowd need it. Old Navy and H&M are just so declasse.....

Who's we...I believe you live in Florida which makes your condescending non-sense even more insufferable.

[jt1]

what is Dillard's?

From Wikipedia:

• Al Dillard [[born c. 1969), former college basketball player
• Annie Dillard [[born 1945), American author
• Bill Dillard [[1911–1995), American jazz trumpeter
• Harrison Dillard [[born 1923), American Olympic athlete
• James H. Dillard [[1856–1940), American educator
• James H. [[Jim) Dillard [[born 1933), American politician
• James Price Dillard, Communication Professor at Penn State University
• Jarett Dillard [[born 1985), American football player
• Joey Lee Dillard [[1924–2009), American linguist
• John Dillard [[1760–1842), early settler of North Carolina and Georgia
• Kirk W. Dillard [[born 1955), Illinois State Senate
• Mickey Dillard [[born 1958), American former basketball player
• Mike Dillard, drummer for the Melvins
• Raymond B. Dillard [[1994–1993), American Old Testament scholar
• R. H. W. Dillard [[born 1937), American poet
• Ricky Dillard [[born 1960), American gospel singer
• Steve Dillard [[born 1969), founder of the weblog Southern Appeal
• Steve Dillard [[baseball) [[born 1951), former Major League Baseball player
• Flo Rida [[born 1979), Tramar Dillard, American rapper
• Victoria Dillard [[born 1969), American actress
• William T. Dillard [[1914–2002), founder of the Dillard's department store chain
• Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
• Dillard's, a department store chain in the United States
• Dillard High School, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
• Dillard, Georgia
  
  • The Dillard House, a restaurant
  
  
• Dillard, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Dillard, Missouri
• Dillard, North Carolina
• The Dillards, an American bluegrass band
• Dillard & Clark, a country-rock duo

[bailey]

DSW Shoes
Nordstrom Rack
Jos. A. Banks

Jos Bank is in the RenCen

[Bham1982]

what is Dillard's?

It's the Southern version of Macys. Basically a mid-range mall anchor department store, strongest from Texas to the Carolinas.

[jackie5275]

What would be really be great to have a Merchants' Row?

Retail stores that would attract people:

1. Dollar Stores

2. Cleaners

3. Thrift Stores

Bring those stores in first then the fancy luxury stores that no-one isn't interested will come.

Do we have to have bargain basement there? How about Kohl's, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond?

[downtownguy]

Cleaners? Seriously? The last thing I want to do is to have to find a parking spot on Woodward to be near a cleaners, or, park a few blocks away and lug my dirty laundry to the store. Not to mention the business would be paying premium rents on Woodward when they could be more accessible to their customers off the main drag where the rent would be more affordable.

[CrashDummy]

American Girl.

C'mon, I know the rest of you are thinking it.

[Hermod]

It's the Southern version of Macys. Basically a mid-range mall anchor department store, strongest from Texas to the Carolinas.

Most of the malls in the south are anchored by Macy's, Dillard's, Sears, and JC Penny.

[Richard]

Do we have to have bargain basement there? How about Kohl's, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond?

That seems like a more realistic line up,affordable with decent products.

[detroitbob]

It's the Southern version of Macys. Basically a mid-range mall anchor department store, strongest from Texas to the Carolinas.

Mercandise mix more inline with the old Marshall Field brand...better staffing and service than Macy's.

[rb336]

Century 21 just opened in City Center, Philadelphia. That would attract shoppers. Zara as well, competing with the suburban Forever 21 and H&M shoppers.

That's what I've been saying - get Century 21 in here. When I lived in BKLN, that is where I got most of my clothing [[and I lived walking distance). Same with most of the people I knew. A Dillard's would be good as well. Get stuff that isn't in every mall and "lifestyle center" in the burbs

[Bham1982]

Mercandise mix more inline with the old Marshall Field brand...better staffing and service than Macy's.

Marshall Field, Macys and Dillards all have [[or had, in the case of failed MF) highly variable merchandise mix based on local demographic. Same deal with Hudsons, really.

Overall, from a consumer perspective, they are about the same when accounting for the particulars of local demographics. If you're in the Macys flagship in Manhattan, they have huge Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Longchamp boutiques [[I think the LV section is largest in the world), and very upscale restaurants, but if you go to a the Macys in, say, Southland Mall, it's basically a dump.

Just visit the Somerset and Oakland Mall Macys. 3-4 miles apart, but could not be more different.