New tenant for old Jacobson's

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 10:33 am

As Jacobson's has declared bankruptcy and closed all of its stores it leaves a big hole at Town Center in Leawood. On the news, they reported that the developer was thinking of spliting up the building into various stores. Looking at the building, I think they would have to demolish it and just build more small stores in its place. I think this would be a mistake as Town Center already has almost every "mall type" store except for J. Crew. I think the building is something like 100,000 sq. feet. Wouldn't this be a good place for Lord and Taylor to enter the KC market?

What are some other ideas for the spot?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Oct 15, 2002 10:54 am

as we were talking before, Crate & Barrell as been talked about but I doubt it...that place is too big.

Lord & Taylor was rumored to be going into the new Walk at High Pointe mall at 135th or whatever but would also be a good fit there I would think.

go to zonarosa.com and check out the Easton Town Center and their tenants...there are some that KC doesn't have that would be a good fit....that might be coming with Zona Rosa but might fit down there as well....and that's in Columbus...a smaller city but known for their retail and being a test market in the US.

GuyInLenexa · Post by **GuyInLenexa** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 2:01 am

I used to work for C&B in Dallas, I was talking to a friend that is one of the managers for the C&B near The Galleria in Dallas.
Goden Siegle, the owner has made several personal trips to KC to look for places to locate here. On the customer response cards and in the stores and catalogues, Kansas City had more requests than any other place from customers to build there.
But as it was said, the Jacobson's store is too big.
Major department stores are all having troubles in today's economy, especially those that are upscale.
JOCO could handle one more, on top of Nordstroms.
I have heard from a friend that is in commercial real estate here that there is several rumors of suitors for the store.
One was Hall's opening up a store in JOCO (what will The Plaza and Crown Center do?!) Another is Younker's out of Des Moines and another Iowa store, Van Maur.
I would rather a large single tennant go in isntead of the store being broken up.
I personally feel they will have a problem getting it rented out for a long time.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 7:44 am

Is a typical C&B about the size of say Restortation Hardware on the plaza?

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 4:04 pm

I did a little research on C&B. I think the store size varies based on the location of the store. They have a two-level store in the Bay Area at Broadway Plaza(outdoor upscale mall) that is nearly 27,000 sq. feet. It was recently expanded from 9,000 sq. feet to its current size. The 9,000 square feet is basically the size of a Pottery Barn or Restoration while the 27,000 would be similar to a Borders or B & N.

I think it'd be nice if Crate and Barrel put a large two-level store at the plaza and then a small 9,000 sq. foot store at Oak Park. Either way, i think this is a store that KC is really waiting for. Maybe Zona Rosa could surprise us with this long-awaited retailer.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 4:07 pm

Looking at what Steiner pulls in I wouldn't be surprised if they got C&B and gameworks up there at Zona Rosa....

those are a couple retailers that seem to be in alot of their developments. There are going to be a lot more tenants announced before that place opens.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed Oct 16, 2002 5:04 pm

Von Maur = fake Nordstrom
Younkers = fake Jones
KC really doesn't need either of these guys in town

It'd be nice for Hall's to come to Leawood, but then the plaza and CC locations would lose a little cache by having a Jo Co store. But let's not start another Jo Co vs. KC blood bath. It'd be impressive for KC to have a local chain of upscale department stores that you couldn't find anywhere else. Didn't Jones used to be a KC store? Thanks May!

Also, it might just be me, but I really find Town Center to be a terrible place to shop. It's just a big strip mall with a Galyans and AMC on one end. It's a real get-in/get-out type of place, but I guess that's Jo Co for you. The fact that they called this place "plaza of the south" is a bigger joke than Kay Barnes' war on skaters. I'd like to see if this place is still standing in 25 years as Jo Co shifts even further south.

GuyInLenexa · Post by **GuyInLenexa** » Thu Oct 17, 2002 9:53 am

Your research is good, Trailerkid.
It does vary, the average size of a "regular" store is around 9000 s.f., the one I worked in was only 6000. It was closed and replaced with a 35000 s.f. multi level store with a furniture department.
They way the store design was going when I worked with them several years ago was:
Larger stores (apx. 35000+) with full furniture departments. Dallas has two usually multilevel in strip malls adjacent to a major mall, usually upscale.
Standard stores: 5-12000 s.f. in malls and strip centers. In Southlake (suburban Fort Worth/Tarrant Co. there is a fairly new one in Southlake Towne Center)
There were plans for a smaller more compact store geared for malls for smaller markets, I do no think that they ever got that one started.

None the less, KC could handle a Crate and Barrel. I am sure as the economy will pick up, it is already in the plans.

GuyInLenexa

ShowME · Post by **ShowME** » Tue Oct 29, 2002 11:29 pm

I simply can't stand Town Center. I can't wait to see what's there in 20 years as well. You never know it's main anchor might be another Richman Gordman's. Now that would be classic.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:05 am

Has anyone heard what's going on with Jacobson's? It's probably been 6 months and still no news. They must be having a rough time reeling in a suitable replacement.

KC_JAYHAWK · Post by **KC_JAYHAWK** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 9:18 am

I heard a few months ago from a friend that works over there that Neiman Marcus was there looking at the location. Don't know if they changed their mind or decided the time wasn't right. That would be a big draw, albeit to the suburbs.

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 12:00 pm

I heard they are tying to steal the KC Fea Market from the old monkey building on Independence Ave. They will use STAR bonds and TIfs.

kcmajik · Post by **kcmajik** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:58 am

ShowME wrote:I simply can't stand Town Center. I can't wait to see what's there in 20 years as well. You never know it's main anchor might be another Richman Gordman's. Now that would be classic.

town center in 20 years=Blue Ridge Mall in 1995

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Wed May 28, 2003 4:52 pm

Drove by Town Center over the weekend. I know it's a bad economy, but DAMN....how long is it going to take them to fill the old Jacobson's. If they don't have something open before Christmas (which is doubtful) it's a bad sign.

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Thu May 29, 2003 8:31 am

Similar situation in Prairie Village Shops with the old video store, which has sat vacant for several months. Both shopping centers are surrounded by upscale demographics, yet they still struggle to fill vacancies.

GuyInLenexa · Post by **GuyInLenexa** » Tue Jul 08, 2003 7:41 pm

It is sad that the current economy has most retailers (that we would desire having in Leawood TC) unable to expand.
I am certain the the unstable employment levels of Sprint has had a major impact on retail locating here.
I am certain that there will be someone occupy the store within a year.
I have heard that some of the tenants that were looking at The Walk are interested in the location Van Maur and Famous Barr for two.
I agree, the void needs to be filled soon.

LenexaGuy

GuyInLenexa · Post by **GuyInLenexa** » Mon Jul 21, 2003 6:19 pm

I noticed that the Jacobson's sign has finally been taken down. I know it was still on the building earlier this month.
A friend in commercial real estate just told me to expect an announcement within several months.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:36 pm

There's only a number of tenants that could possibly take the spot. Alright here are the impressive choices...

Neiman Marcus
Saks (what if they stole 'em from the Plaza?)
Lord and Taylor
Jones Store Flagship
Subdivide with new to the metro stuff (Tiffany, Crate and Barrel, Sephora etc.)

Here's major disappoinments...

Von Maur
Famous Barr
Younkers
Dillard's
Any other low-brow regional department stores or Nordstrom wannabes

Rooster_Ties · Post by **Rooster_Ties** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:40 pm

K-Mart???

Post by **dangerboy** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 12:53 pm

Big Lot's ?

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