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| Post Number: 1
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Spidey 
Group: Members
Posts: 1775
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 04 2003,8:42 pm |
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After reading the bit about Skyline mall and the businesses left behind after Wal-Mart moved ... I had to laugh! What's up with some of the businesses claiming this won't affect them or they even go as far as to say it will "help" their business because people won't want to drive all that way? What would it take ... an entire ten minutes and that's if you hit all red lights?
First of all the mall was a dying mall even when Wally world was there. Have you noticed the parking lot? Good god ... pot holes bigger then the deficit!
Secondly the mall itself is getting old. Take a look around ... there are pieces missing, paint chipping, and it has its own odor to it.
Furthermore ... the only reason I went out there at all was to stop at Wally world. There isn't a store in that mall that I would consider worthy of mall material. A dollar store and next to that is a pin store? What's that all about?
Perhaps if the owner of the mall upgraded a "lot" it would be suitable for office space, or storage. As for another mall with serious shoppers, I don't think so.
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| Post Number: 2
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irisheyes
Group: Super Administrators
Posts: 3040
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 04 2003,8:59 pm |
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Unless the population starts to increase again, or more jobs come to the area, I don't see how A.L. could support any more stores.
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You know it's going to be a bad day when you cross thread the cap on the toothpaste.
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| Post Number: 3
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minnow
Group: Members
Posts: 2243
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 04 2003,9:02 pm |
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I would agree, but the grocery store is always a draw for people in that part of town.
Yes...other than the grocery store, I see no reason tat tall to go der. 
The city shifted to the NE. It makes for good shopping though. Everything in one spot. Home Despot and Wallices Super Saver plus good eats at the truck stop.
I'd like to build a house out there right between the two.
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| Post Number: 4
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rosebudinal
Group: Members
Posts: 303
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 04 2003,10:11 pm |
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What the skyline mall needs is a Kohls store. Not everyone buys 100% cotton clothing and besides Herbergers could use the competition.
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| Post Number: 5
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Lil Pimp
Group: Members
Posts: 62
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,12:21 am |
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I hate to say it rosebud but I don't think Kohl's would ever move into the old Wal-Mart. Kohl's is big on new 'free standing' stores in dense retail environments where they can make their own rules.
If Kohl's would ever come to Albert Lea, I think it would be more likely they'd build a free standing store near the new Wal-Mart but I wouldn't hold your breath on that. 
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| Post Number: 6
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minnow
Unregistered
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,2:17 am |
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Other than staples like toothpaste and laundry detergent...I buy most everything off the net. Who needs stores anymore? This is 2003 baby...
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| Post Number: 7
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Mamma
Group: Members
Posts: 1474
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,8:10 am |
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I was at the Skyline Mall last night and boy....was it dead. I think there are a few stores out there that might hang on....but I think they need a big store of some type to draw people back. JoAnn Fabric has things other stores don't, the Button place (whatever the name is) has some unique gifts, the consignment shop is different, the Hardware store is offering a whole line of Carhartt clothes, the dollar store.....well that's a horse of a different color.......I think some of these businesses may do ok....and I wish anyone else that is starting a business good luck. Irisheyes...I wish your dad all the luck and the world...and I will personally be there to check it out.
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A conclusion is simply the place where you got tired of thinking.
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| Post Number: 8
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Sam Walton
Unregistered
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,11:57 am |
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dat mall was on life support fer years, me and my store just helped put dat last nail in da coffin. retail in der albert lee anit never gonna be grand yall just gots to face da facts. just like da town dis dead so dis retail.
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| Post Number: 9
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i_am_back
Group: Members
Posts: 37
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,10:46 pm |
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Skyline Mall has been on the verge of vacant since Northbridge Mall opened many years ago. I remember many trips to Albert Lea to shop with my parents when stores such as JC Penney and Ben Franklin were still in the mall. The demise started before either of those stores left. Two malls competing for business in a town of under 20,000 is amazing. Even more amazing is to think that both will survive. Another amazing thing is that Wal-Mart took this long to leave their location there. Their trend has been and always be to build stand-alone stores and are leaning towards being anchors in "lifestyle centers" (those groupings of large stores flanked by a strip mall and a couple restaurants. Both Wal-Marts in Rochester are that style and in time the area near Albert Lea's newest Wal-Mart will be pushed towards the same. It is also Wal-Mart's trend to close up a perfectly useful building (with some remodeling) and build an entirely new one a few miles away. A perfect example was the Sam's Club which was located on the industril part of Highway 13 in Burnsville, not too far off 35W. Earlier this year they boarded up that huge building and moved a few miles down the road to the east end of Shakopee where it's paired with a Wal-Mart, a sprawling strip mall and a couple of larger stores with restaurants dotting the outlots. These are only two examples of what Wal-Mart is all about - building rather than remodeling, gobbling up what was once usable land for farming, housing or recreation and leaving behind buildings that will likely never be filled. If you want to avoid this type of company, don't forget that you have a ShopKo store on the north side which has been there for over 20 years if my memory is correct. They seem to be a little more tru to the towns they are in and they are more local (Green Bay based) than the enormous Wal-Mart. If Skyline Mall and its businesses need the support, support them, keep your shopping local and show Wal-Mart where the better location is.
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http://sorenson.blogspot.com
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| Post Number: 10
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Lil Pimp
Group: Members
Posts: 62
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 05 2003,11:21 pm |
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I'll agree with about 98% of what you just said i_am_back.
Wal-Mart in most cases does exactly what you just said but in Mankato & Hutchinson they didn't. They remodeled their Mankato store into a 200,000+ sq foot supercenter (I have my doubts as to if they will really have enough parking there once Christmas rolls around but that is probably another thread).
There is a little interesting background info on what happened in Mankato when they proposed expanding their store a year or so ago.
Wal-Mart proposed the expansion but they needed a city road relocated to the other side of their store (from the east to the west, to run in-between Sam's Club & Wally). They wanted the city to help out. Many city council members frowned upon helping out a company such as Wal-Mart with this but they did give in because of 1 council members concern.
The council member said (para-phrasing of course) that the city should work with Wal-Mart & get this done because if they don't, and Wal-Mart decides to just build a new store (this was being talking about as well) & abandon their current store, it would be an vacant eyesore on a very visible highway (22). I am sure Wal-Mart knew what they were doing & how to play their cards to get what they wanted and it worked. In hind sight I guess it was the right thing to do, the store is nice & there is not a 120,000 sq foot white elephant sitting on HWY 22. Funny how business works sometimes.
Anyway, just another side to this story.
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