KCRag Forum

yeah, Oak Park mall isn't South Coast Plaza or Short Hills or even Plaza Frontenac.  i don't think it is trying to be a "luxury" mall, it's just a somewhat upscale, teenager-friendly mall like every other mall seeking to attract upper middle class suburbanites.  kansas city's luxury shopping area is the Plaza, period, though it isn't exactly doing the best job at that.

LenexatoKCMO wrote: Dude, that's one of the most sought after retail demographics in the country.  The other indoor malls have failed precisedly because of the fact that they couldn't attract those trendy stores the kids want. 

Stores that appeal to white kids with money from a Blue Valley or Shawnee Mission. Not the kind that take the Troost bus line for rumored gang initiations. Don't most malls fail due to lack of investment, bad management, crime (or perception of)? What kind of demographics should they appeal to to stay open?

chrizow wrote: yeah, Oak Park mall isn't South Coast Plaza or Short Hills or even Plaza Frontenac.  i don't think it is trying to be a "luxury" mall, it's just a somewhat upscale, teenager-friendly mall like every other mall seeking to attract upper middle class suburbanites.  kansas city's luxury shopping area is the Plaza, period, though it isn't exactly doing the best job at that.

So, when will the Plaza get a Hot Topic or Forever 21?

Plus you're forgetting how many older women these days want to dress and behave like teenagers. They're spending money in these places too.

chrizow wrote: yeah, Oak Park mall isn't South Coast Plaza or Short Hills or even Plaza Frontenac.  i don't think it is trying to be a "luxury" mall, it's just a somewhat upscale, teenager-friendly mall like every other mall seeking to attract upper middle class suburbanites.  kansas city's luxury shopping area is the Plaza, period, though it isn't exactly doing the best job at that.

I just wish it was more like a StL Galleria-type center. For JoCo bragging so much about its retail offering, OP is very underwhelming. The main markets they're hitting are 40 year-old moms and 17 year-olds-- no real unique stores, no home goods, no good table service restaurants, vanilla to a fault. The Nordstrom wing is like half empty? They should have stuff like True Religion, Club Monaco, American Apparel in there. 99% of the current stores are found in every mall. I'm sure Jo could support better retail, but Oak Park is such a clunker those retailers would feel out of place.

Macy's, Dillard's and Nordstrom have more appealing spaces than the mall itself. Probably the only reason I would ever come back to this mall is for one of the department stores.

Is this thread from 1995???  I think OP has been rather bland since day one.  Bannister made it look silly in its heyday and OP hasn't changed much since.

For it being the major mall of a regional of over 2 millon.  I'm not sure if you could get any more "underwhelming".

GRID wrote: Is this thread from 1995???  I think OP has been rather bland since day one.  Bannister made it look silly in its heyday and OP hasn't changed much since.

For it being the major mall of a regional of over 2 millon.  I'm not sure if you could get any more "underwhelming".

Bannister was built like an imitation Taubman center-- nice atrium-sized courts, large sculpures, much better aesthetic touches in terms of lighting and design. Architecturally it couldn't hold a candle to places like Galleria Houston, but still seems like a step up from the one size fits all aproach at Oak Park.

I really couldn't see anything like Neiman Marcus attaching its name to Oak Park unless there was a very extensive renovation.  There are malls in Nebraska and Oklahoma that have a lot more going for them architecturally than Oak Park. A good mall space should make you want to spend money and stay for a while-- that place has all the charm of an airplane hanger.

Nice shot of what Bannister offered in terms of aesthetics...notice the wood accenting, lighting on a red piping-type effect...

I've always really liked Indep Center from a interior architectural point of view.  But yea, Bannister was def as step up from OP.

OP has critical mass going for it.  It's over 2 million sq ft now.  It's a monster and with that much retail, it will remain a destination that feeds on itself.

GRID wrote: I've always really liked Indep Center from a interior architectural point of view.  But yea, Bannister was def as step up from OP.

OP has critical mass going for it.  It's over 2 million sq ft now.  It's a monster and with that much retail, it will remain a destination that feeds on itself.

I don't think Oak Park is 2M...?

I haven't been at Independence Center since the early 2000s. The way the ceiling interacts with the rest of the space I thought was quite strange. Do you know of any pictures of the interior? (Sorry...I'm a mall nerd)

trailerkid wrote: I don't think Oak Park is 2M...?

I haven't been at Independence Center since the early 2000s. The way the ceiling interacts with the rest of the space I thought was quite strange. Do you know of any pictures of the interior? (Sorry...I'm a mall nerd)

No pics,sorry.  I just like how Indep Center is so open, the ceilings just sore up there and you can see the entire mall.

The problem with that mall is there is no real way to expand it and it's not that big of a mall, I think it's 1.2 million sq ft.

OP is at least 1.9 million, but I'm pretty sure it's over 2 now, especially after the latest expansion.  I think that mall started at about 1.2 million.

Maybe if a big space opens.
Would like to see a MCSPORTS or other Medium size Chains come to it.
It's probley going next to Chic-Fl-A because that's what's in the Site Plan along with Retail Buildings wher Firestone is right know.

Is it just me or has Oak Park Mall become too upscale?

I remember growing up in the 80's and even throughout the 90's when it was great to shop in, lots of stores with neat stuff.  I used to always make a run through around Christmas, knowing I'd find an impulse item.  But now it's just upscale clothing store after clothing store.  No Merle Harmon's fan fair (the best store ever, the new ones don't match up), no Knowledge Store, no Succesories store, nothing. 

I miss the day's of York Steakhouse and Long John Silver's being inside.  Just no where to go anymore, though I'm glad Barnes & Noble is opening.

Lenexan wrote: Is it just me or has Oak Park Mall become too upscale?

I remember growing up in the 80's and even throughout the 90's when it was great to shop in, lots of stores with neat stuff.  I used to always make a run through around Christmas, knowing I'd find an impulse item.  But now it's just upscale clothing store after clothing store.  No Merle Harmon's fan fair (the best store ever, the new ones don't match up), no Knowledge Store, no Succesories store, nothing. 

I miss the day's of York Steakhouse and Long John Silver's being inside.  Just no where to go anymore, though I'm glad Barnes & Noble is opening.

The tenant mix has outpaced the mediocre and dry mall environment because there isn't rival big mall elsewhere in the county. It's become the de facto "mall of the jo" even though it obviously wasn't constructed for such purposes. I think you're correct in that there isn't a very broad appeal there today, but it would be empty if the management didn't fill spaces with trendy retail. I don't see it as being too upscale, but way too focused on teenagers.

the mall just got a new tax incentive by charging more sales tax to pay for some of the renovations that the mall is embarking.  Right now, they are working on the barnes and Noble, and a new entrance to the mall at that location with going to make new entrances everywhere else.  They are in the middle of re-vamping the food court with new resturants and heard that they are going to redo that area as well.  Firestone is from I've heard is building a new location by Advance autoparts/midas near Sam's club, so that building with the Firestone current location will be razed or revamp with a new tenant.  I am not sure on what the mall will do inside to upgrade yet

People have gone on for pages and pages about how racist the P+L District is, which has a good percentage of patrons of color and will be opening a large, minority-owned, local restaurant soon, but where are the comments about the OVERT racism happening at Oak Park Mall? What would the reaction be if this happened at Ted's or Raglan Road? 

http://www.tonyskansascity.com/2008/10/ ... ceipt.html

^ wow, that is awful.  at least it sounds like Journeys stepped up and immediately fired the moron who typed that on the receipt. 

my guess is that it won't get the same traction as the P+L racism because it isn't an official policy of Oak Park Mall to type "ni**er" on a patron's receipt, whereas it is the official policy of the P+L that a hip-hop derived style of dress will prevent your entry.  the receipt incident is more overtly and troublingly racist, but it doesn't carry the imprimatur of policy. 

Oak park has dress codes as well. Those must be fine since the media types use oak park.

As does Independence Center.  They have signboards all over the mall saying that groups of 5?? or more persons under a certain age are not permitted as well as dress codes that if I remember correctly does in fact limit baggy pants among other things. 

The missus called me from the Oak Park Mall parking lot yesterday to report that the security staff there has replaced their BMW X3s with Smart Cars with little lights on top.  I'm sure they get much better mileage and may be more appropriate to the task, but I just have a hard time taking those things seriously when I see them.

jimb wrote: The missus called me from the Oak Park Mall parking lot yesterday to report that the security staff there has replaced their BMW X3s with Smart Cars with little lights on top.  I'm sure they get much better mileage and may be more appropriate to the task, but I just have a hard time taking those things seriously when I see them.

They would take more seriously if they were in Chevy Broncos