Shopaholic?
You might remember during our recent trip to Memphis I was stopped by a reporter in a shopping mall. He was writing for an on line publication alled Memphis Commercial Appeal.com. Today I came across a copy of the story on line, so here it is.
If he knew me, he'd realize how funny the idea of me driving myself around in a 'foreign' town, in a strange car with nothing but a GPS to guide me was, but he obviously didn't notice Grumpy glowering over my shoulder!
Lakeland Outlet Mall owners still plan redesign
By David Healy (Contact), Memphis Commercial AppealTuesday, December 30, 2008
The GPS system in Hilary Decent's rental car brought her to the Lakeland Outlet Mall Monday.
Hoping to get a few hours of shopping in before catching her flight home to Chicago, Decent left in minutes with empty hands and a puzzled look as to why a mall exists with so few stores still open.
"I see this really wasn't a top tourist destination," she said with a laugh.
The 29-year-old retail center looks like an omen of the worst economic predictions. Shoppers must walk through dark corridors to find the few stores that remain open.
But the mall's owner, California-based Gilad Development Inc., insists it's still committed to a redesign to make the place better than ever.
Rene Daniels, a spokeswoman for the company, said the stores are only closing in order for the redesign to begin. A few stores, like Old Time Pottery, will remain open during the transition.
However, Daniels declined to give any details about when the redesign will begin. She also wouldn't say whether any of the closing stores would be coming back.
Last year, the company announced that the redesign would begin in the spring of 2009 with an overhaul of the interior and exterior of the mall. The mall will be renamed Lakeland Station.
The rehab will incorporate an Americana theme with an electric train to carry customers through the mall and outside to the Annex.
City officials are crossing their fingers that it will still happen.
"We are just hoping that when things clear up a little bit in the economy they can get started," Lakeland City Manager Robert Wherry said.
-- David Healy: 529-5880
If he knew me, he'd realize how funny the idea of me driving myself around in a 'foreign' town, in a strange car with nothing but a GPS to guide me was, but he obviously didn't notice Grumpy glowering over my shoulder!
Lakeland Outlet Mall owners still plan redesign
By David Healy (Contact), Memphis Commercial AppealTuesday, December 30, 2008
The GPS system in Hilary Decent's rental car brought her to the Lakeland Outlet Mall Monday.
Hoping to get a few hours of shopping in before catching her flight home to Chicago, Decent left in minutes with empty hands and a puzzled look as to why a mall exists with so few stores still open.
"I see this really wasn't a top tourist destination," she said with a laugh.
The 29-year-old retail center looks like an omen of the worst economic predictions. Shoppers must walk through dark corridors to find the few stores that remain open.
But the mall's owner, California-based Gilad Development Inc., insists it's still committed to a redesign to make the place better than ever.
Rene Daniels, a spokeswoman for the company, said the stores are only closing in order for the redesign to begin. A few stores, like Old Time Pottery, will remain open during the transition.
However, Daniels declined to give any details about when the redesign will begin. She also wouldn't say whether any of the closing stores would be coming back.
Last year, the company announced that the redesign would begin in the spring of 2009 with an overhaul of the interior and exterior of the mall. The mall will be renamed Lakeland Station.
The rehab will incorporate an Americana theme with an electric train to carry customers through the mall and outside to the Annex.
City officials are crossing their fingers that it will still happen.
"We are just hoping that when things clear up a little bit in the economy they can get started," Lakeland City Manager Robert Wherry said.
-- David Healy: 529-5880
posted by Hilary at
3:33 PM
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