Macy's at Summit Place Closing

**jackie5275** · January-05-10, 04:00 PM

Macy's at Summit Place Closing-just saw this on the Freep website.
http://www.freep.com/article/2010010...pares-to-close

I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. What is left now at the Summit Place? This store was the last thing drawing crowds of tens.

**ASR89** · January-05-10, 05:45 PM

Hey Jackie. You can find some pictures here:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=1646

The mall was shuttered a few months ago. As far as I know, all that will remain after Macy's closes are the Kohl's and Sears.

LodgeDodger · January-05-10, 06:22 PM

We knew it was coming, but it's still hard news to take. I work within a mile of the place. Most days, you could roll a bowling ball down the aisles and not hit anyone.

I've just read the article. They said the store 'underperformed'. You could say that. Aside from the tabletop department, there were many times I would stand around in a department while the sales associates chatted on the phone or talked amongst themselves.

**Detroit500** · January-05-10, 07:42 PM

How this branch stayed open for so many years is probably an even bigger mystery than why it is closing.

**softailrider** · January-05-10, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit500

How this branch stayed open for so many years is probably an even bigger mystery than why it is closing.

You sure got that right, I could never figure out why it stayed open so long either. All I ever saw were a few cars parked out front whenever I drove by. It didn't look like nearly enough traffic to sustain a department store.

**fastcarsandfreedom** · January-05-10, 11:48 PM

This is no surprise. The store, for the history books, opened in 1962...Hudson's, then Marshall Field's...lastly Macy's.

These anchors tend to stick around at dead/dying malls for a number of reasons. Sometimes they are leased locations and the retailers waits for it's lease to expire...keeping in mind the fact that the anchor spaces traditionally had extremely favorable lease terms/rates in comparison to "in-line" mall stores...in other cases the bricks and mortar are owned outright by the retailer, so the stores hang on because it's sometimes cheaper to keep them open than it is to close them and be stuck with surplus real estate.

**Gistok** · January-06-10, 12:52 AM

Deja Vu... for those who remember the 30 year old Saturday Night Live skits about a dying mall [[back in the late 70's when they were all the rage)... the nearly empty Scotch Tape store called Scotch Boutique... and then at the other end of the mall was the Puppy Palace where sales were so bad that the puppies were having puppies...

**Cincinnati_Kid** · January-06-10, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by ljbad89

Hey Jackie. You can find some pictures here:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=1646

The mall was shuttered a few months ago. As far as I know, all that will remain after Macy's closes are the Kohl's and Sears.

Kohl's was closed sometime late last year, Sears is the only one left. I heard they were going to turn Summit place into a baseball/football field.

LodgeDodger · January-06-10, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Kohl's was closed sometime late last year, Sears is the only one left. I heard they were going to turn Summit place into a baseball/football field.

JC Penney is still there.

**East Detroit** · January-06-10, 07:41 AM

I thought people working and living up there and driving import brands were immune to the woes of Detroit, so why would their mall close?

Ravine · January-06-10, 07:54 AM

POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE L

Softailrider wrote:

"You sure got that right, I could never figure out why it stayed open so long either. All I ever saw were a few cars parked out front whenever I drove by. It didn't look like nearly enough traffic to sustain a department store."

Softailrider, please don't use the word, "sustain." We've had a lot of gun-fights break out, right in front of the blacksmith's shop, over that word.

Thanks. We are certain that you completely understand.

INE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO N

**bailey** · January-06-10, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

I thought people working and living up there and driving import brands were immune to the woes of Detroit, so why would their mall close?

Is Summit Place really their mall? I would think its Great Lakes Crossing.

**catch22** · January-06-10, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

JC Penney is still there.

I wouldn't be surprised if JCP was next. They opened a new store in White Lake just a few miles west of this one.

**Detwa** · January-06-10, 09:48 AM

I used to shop at Summit Place as a teenager. Does anyone remember its name before it became Summit Place?

The mall never grew or upgraded. It used to be nice but malls became megaplexes that offered everything in one place, and Summit Place never moved beyond a few outdated clothing stores and coney islands. I dont know if they just never tried to court new business or were unsuccessful in it because they were so drab and boring. Even Universal Mall has gone through a total makeover, I didn't even recognize it the other day.

Who owns that, Pontiac or Waterford? If its Pontiac, get your pennies together, Summit Place land will be on sale or auction for about $200k, lol. Maybe we can all pool together and buy it!

bartock · January-06-10, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

I thought people working and living up there and driving import brands were immune to the woes of Detroit, so why would their mall close?

Get that tongue out of your cheek! It is good to know the region. Not many people living "up there" in Pontiac drive import brands. Check out the neighborhood over there some time...they've got a bit of an issue with police staffing and crime as well. Even the new-ish aluminum siding housing they put up where the mental hospital used to be has come way downhill. Lack of police and public corruption will do that, you know? Kinda considered part of Metro Detroit also...and as someone said, the people "up there" that you are apparently referring to probably shop at Great Lakes Crossing [[Auburn Hills...also considered Metro Detroit) and I would add whatever The Village of Rochester Hills [[Rochester and Rochester Hills...also consdered Metro Detroit). Heck, throw Somerset while you're at it - Troy...and that is only one part of one of the tri-counties [[etc., etc)

**catch22** · January-06-10, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Detwa

I used to shop at Summit Place as a teenager. Does anyone remember its name before it became Summit Place?

The mall never grew or upgraded. It used to be nice but malls became megaplexes that offered everything in one place, and Summit Place never moved beyond a few outdated clothing stores and coney islands. I dont know if they just never tried to court new business or were unsuccessful in it because they were so drab and boring. Even Universal Mall has gone through a total makeover, I didn't even recognize it the other day.

Who owns that, Pontiac or Waterford? If its Pontiac, get your pennies together, Summit Place land will be on sale or auction for about $200k, lol. Maybe we can all pool together and buy it!

Never grew? Originally it was just the straight shot between Hudson's [[now Macy's) and the now-dead Montgomery Ward space. Then they added a wing and the JCP store. The final expansion added the [[now defunct) Kohl's and the food court, and connected the mall to the previously free-standing Sears. The inline space at the north end was [[for the most part) never occupied. If anything, I think they overexpanded.

Stosh · January-06-10, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Ravine

POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE L

Softailrider wrote:

"You sure got that right, I could never figure out why it stayed open so long either. All I ever saw were a few cars parked out front whenever I drove by. It didn't look like nearly enough traffic to sustain a department store."

Softailrider, please don't use the word, "sustain." We've had a lot of gun-fights break out, right in front of the blacksmith's shop, over that word.

Thanks. We are certain that you completely understand.

INE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE DO N

I just had to laugh at this. [[Sustain) + [[able) = ? Note that I kept them in the brackets to avoid combustion.

**jackie5275** · January-06-10, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

I heard they were going to turn Summit place into a baseball/football field.

I was talking to my mom about it last night as she still lives out that way. She said there is a minor league baseball team that's supposed to be building a stadium behind the area of the mall. From what she understands, it will be ready for play next year.

**jackie5275** · January-06-10, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by catch22

Never grew? Originally it was just the straight shot between Hudson's [[now Macy's) and the now-dead Montgomery Ward space. Then they added a wing and the JCP store. The final expansion added the [[now defunct) Kohl's and the food court, and connected the mall to the previously free-standing Sears. The inline space at the north end was [[for the most part) never occupied. If anything, I think they overexpanded.

I agree. The overexpansion wasn't good for it. Although they were probably just trying to compete with 12 Oaks & then GLC. I liked it better when it was more compact.

**jackie5275** · January-06-10, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Detwa

I used to shop at Summit Place as a teenager. Does anyone remember its name before it became Summit Place?

It was originally called the Pontiac Mall.

**jackie5275** · January-06-10, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by ljbad89

Hey Jackie. You can find some pictures here:
http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=1646

The mall was shuttered a few months ago. As far as I know, all that will remain after Macy's closes are the Kohl's and Sears.

I remember this thread from last summer. I think more stuff has closed since then besides Macy's. My mom was telling me last night that they had closed off the entrance to the mall area from the remaining stores late last year [[2009).

LodgeDodger · January-06-10, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by jackie5275

I was talking to my mom about it last night as she still lives out that way. She said there is a minor league baseball team that's supposed to be building a stadium behind the area of the mall. From what she understands, it will be ready for play next year.

The team's name is the OC Cruisers.

Some folks still call it the Pontiac Mall.

**Traveller1** · January-06-10, 01:33 PM

Nationally, Macy's hasn't been doing very well. Plus, Summit Place has been declining for many years. How can an old mall like Summit Place compete with malls like Somerset Collection, Twelve Oaks, Great Lakes Crossing, and Patridge Creek? Not to mention all the stand alone competition that all those malls have today such as Kohls, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Target, Meijer, etc...

It's a very big suprise that Summit Place is still opertaing today.

**Onthe405** · January-06-10, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Traveller1

Nationally, Macy's hasn't been doing very well.

Traveller, you bring up yet another issue in this story. IMO [[as well as many corporate strategists) Macy's senior management has been way too slow in reacting to the over-retailed/reduced demand US economy. Only closing 5 out of 849 stores? This may very well lead to their demise.

Their first stupid move was taking on a crushing amount of debt in order to acquire their primary competitor, May Department Stores, at a time when it was already obvious the economy was going to implode and the department store market share of retail continues to slide.

The second blunder was obliterating May’s nameplates/product lines [[Burdine’s, Field’s, Robinson’s-May, Foley’s, et al) which created a unique “home-town department store” identity for each region of the country. Why would a tourist bother to shop at Chicago’s [[once resplendent) former Marshall Field store, when they can find the same cheap, overpriced cr*p at their local mall?

This national, one-brand strategy was driven largely by the misguided & narcissistic notion that the entire nation is somehow enthralled and enamored with their [[once) iconic Herald Square store. Anyone who has been to this bland, run-down, disheveled store in the past 25 years knows otherwise. The fact that a McDonald's is the only sit-down restaurant in the store speaks volumes as to how it has declined.

Thirdly, it couldn’t be more obvious that the future of retail is not on their side. Consequently, it’s time to wake up and downsize to a core group of maybe 300-400 profitable, successful stores instead of the other remaining 400 losers that pull the others down. Saks, Neiman’s, and Nordstrom have it all over Macy’s on the high end on both service & quality. Kohl’s & JCP have them backed against the wall at the mid-tier, and Target & Wal-Mart are mopping up the floor with all of them.

**dtowncitylover** · January-06-10, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Onthe405

Traveller, you bring up yet another issue in this story. IMO [[as well as many corporate strategists) Macy's senior management has been way too slow in reacting to the over-retailed/reduced demand US economy. Only closing 5 out of 849 stores? This may very well lead to their demise.

Their first stupid move was taking on a crushing amount of debt in order to acquire their primary competitor, May Department Stores, at a time when it was already obvious the economy was going to implode and the department store market share of retail continues to slide.

The second blunder was obliterating Mayâ€™s nameplates/product lines [[Burdineâ€™s, Fieldâ€™s, Robinsonâ€™s-May, Foleyâ€™s, et al) which created a unique â€œhome-town department storeâ€ identity for each region of the country. Why would a tourist bother to shop at Chicagoâ€™s [[once resplendent) former Marshall Field store, when they can find the same cheap, overpriced cr*p at their local mall?

This national, one-brand strategy was driven largely by the misguided & narcissistic notion that the entire nation is somehow enthralled and enamored with their [[once) iconic Herald Square store. Anyone who has been to this bland, run-down, disheveled store in the past 25 years knows otherwise. The fact that a McDonald's is the only sit-down restaurant in the store speaks volumes as to how it has declined.

Thirdly, it couldnâ€™t be more obvious that the future of retail is not on their side. Consequently, itâ€™s time to wake up and downsize to a core group of maybe 300-400 profitable, successful stores instead of the other remaining 400 losers that pull the others down. Saks, Neimanâ€™s, and Nordstrom have it all over Macyâ€™s on the high end on both service & quality. Kohlâ€™s & JCP have them backed against the wall at the mid-tier, and Target & Wal-Mart are mopping up the floor with all of them.

I agree. As a former employee, I can tell you that my store had incompetant managers and durng training it seemed that Macy's had no plan whatsoever. They seem to be very desperate and veteran employees told me that the store and company have gone downhill since the takeover. At least Marshall Field's kept Hudson's reputation.