Gretz wrote:
How do we know they aren't? Tigerfan's comment notes that even with near free rent they have a hard time in downtowns, so it's quite possible that they are offering it up but there still aren't any takers because Borders/B&N still don't think they can turn a profit even without that overhead.
I don't have any doubt that most big chains aren't in expansion mode in places like downtown KC. However, I find it very hard to believe that Borders would jump on Louisville and not KC if the same leases were offered. Books-a-Million just opened a store in downtown Houston which has a similar residential population as KC. Again, wasn't Cordish brought to KC to deliver? Give me the land and money and I can make up excuses for why a certain store won't come downtown.
Call me crazy, but I truly believe that a large, downtown bookstore would do quite well. There are hundreds of thousands of people within a few miles of downtown that would would be potential patrons. The downtown store would probably be more accessible both by car and bus than the Plaza B&N and offer another choice besides B&N for everyone living in the city.
Saying that a downtown bookstore would put B&N on the Plaza out of business is completely ridiculous. That's like saying that 801 shouldn't come to town because it'll put Plaza III out of business. Or saying that a GAP store would put the Plaza GAP out of business. Geographically, KC is a very large city and I'd like to believe we can create a destination downtown while still maintaining all the tacky, middle-brow chain stores at the Plaza.