I have set my sights on several planning jobs in towns that are in very modest-size.
The temptation is to say gee, if they just put in a few more up-scale chain stores they could generate a lot of business. A Gap over here, an Abercrombie over there and people would flock from miles around!
Afterall, that is what I am thinking whenever I drive around Des Moines- gahh if they just had an H&M or a Barnes and Noble!
This is not entirely fair to say. The "upscale" mall, and the newest mall in town, Jordan Creek contains many national brands, including J. Crew, Pac-Sun, Ann Taylor Loft, etc., But H&M is among the missing. Barnes and Noble is in town and scattered throughout, though their bargain section is lacking in terms of quality.*sigh* I'm still looking for a Crate & Barrel or a Whole Foods. Yes, I am a horrible yuppie snob. I swear it's latent!!!
But as past experience has taught us, relying on a mall is a dangerous proposition. Other cities have tried building a mall as their Hail-Mary economic development strategy. And at first they appeared to be a resounding success. Afterall, who doesn't love a shiny, new building filled with all of your favorite stores?
The question is posed, what happens when the cruel hand of Time leaves its grubby fingerprints on an establishment? What happens when thirty years have passed and the age of a structure begins to show? It's hard to pass off an era-specific 1960s mall as hip and happening when a sleek new mall is built. Insert analogies culled from Sunset Boulevard, All About Eve, or any Joan Crawford movie centering around an aging (badly) starlet here.
And what is one left with besides a monstrosity of a building that is hard to convert into other uses. Imagine how hard it is to retrofit a former McDonalds or Taco Bell building into something else. Yes, they can be turned into a hair salon, pet boutique, or office. But these archetypal buildings are firmly ingrained in our psyches. And when we drive by the new Tammy's Toys for Pets, we still think why is the Taco Bell now a pet shop!? Imagine trying to do that with an old mall!*
Therefore, my proposals are minimal in terms of expense and often rely on social gathering, such as spaghetti suppers and pancake breakfasts. I figure, people have to eat, why not do it together? I also suggest other community-building activities, such as organized sports teams and talent shows. I'd share the list, but one must save some ideas for the interview!
People may tire of American Eagle or Macy's, but our need to be social creatures is not as fickle as the next season's hemlines. And in some communities the need to keep with the latest trends is not as important as keeping up with one's family.
Though I love big city life, I'd be willing to trade it in for a government job in a small town that allows me to think creatively and not have to worry about breathing in deeply. LA's air quality leaves much to be desired. But fresh, country air? Can't get enough!
In the end, it is community, not commerce that triumphs.
*= this is not to say that the old malls must go the way of ill-conceived housing projects. Sometimes the spaces are leased out to grocery stores-
Here are some other interesting ideas from Retail Traffic magazine
But it does require money, on some one's part. And no one knows that better than Cloverfield, Virginia
And if one does raze a building and build a new "destination center", one must remember to build it for tourists and locals.
With thanks to Planetizen.com's search engine for these results.
