San Francisco's Retail Scene [Archive] - Page 5

BTinSF

Jul 19, 2006, 12:08 AM

John King (Chron architecture critic) calls this burger place "one of the best examples of recent contemporary architecture in Berkeley" and he is serious!:rolleyes:

Living in Berkeley (see above item), too many new buildings make me pine for what was. Changes tend to arrive with chubby shapes, fussy looks and a wrapping of "architecture" that has all the depth of decals.
So when a project gets done that is stylish and urbane and matter-of-fact about both, I want to pop open a bottle of champagne -- except that alcohol isn't on the menu at Nation's Giant Hamburgers and Great Pies.

Yes, that's the blue-collar client for what has to be the sharpest-looking commercial project in town, even though at 3,700 square feet it's smaller than a new house in the hills. Kava Massih Architects took a dowdy cafe at University Avenue and Grant Street, stripped off the garish 1970s veneer, and turned it into a sophisticated-looking and thoroughly contemporary burger bistro.

Compare before-and-after pictures and the only similarity is the shoe-box-like shape.

The "shoe box" is now two shades of warm green, with large windows separated by wood columns that angle out toward the parking lot and serve as a base for a long screen of fogged glass that leans back against the wall and reaches several feet above the roof. There's also a smart horizontal accent just above head level: metal grills that jut out from the window and break down the scale.

Kava Massih's interior is similarly assured, without even the slightest hint of the retro-diner whimsy that would have been the easy thing to do.

None of the moves are fancy ones, but they create a chic presence that still catches me by surprise -- and they add up to architecture that makes much larger and costlier new buildings on University look as if they're working much too hard to fit in.

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/07/18/dd_ace18_ph.jpg

If this is double posted, I apologize. I thought I had already posted it but I can't find it. If I do, I'll delete one of them. Sorry, but I think it's funny enough (to some) to post somewhere.

dimondpark

Jul 19, 2006, 4:55 AM

I love Nation's-that pic brings back memories of when my dad used to take us to the one in Orinda and Moraga!

BT,
I dont really care for Whole Foods either-that place is 7-11 compared to Berkeley Bowl:yes:

BTinSF

Jul 19, 2006, 6:10 AM

dimondpark

Jul 19, 2006, 6:35 AM

Yeah, but what do you think of the ARCHITECTURE, not the food?
Looks like a place where wannabes hang out and pretend to be doing something really important on their laptops will sipping designer joe. Or should I say designer Jeaux. All that's missing is metallic tables and chairs on the sidewalk-not very burger-jointy if you ask me. But then its not that serious.

At least to me it aint.

fflint

Jul 19, 2006, 10:41 AM

sf_eddo

Jul 19, 2006, 11:09 PM

Nothing we haven't heard about before... ACWLPFB closes today, Books, Inc. plans to opens on Labor Day.

SAN FRANCISCO
Clean Well-Lighted Place dimming its lights for good
After fruitless search for buyer, Opera Plaza bookstore closes today
- Heidi Benson, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Click to ViewClick to View

"I came in to mourn," said Gail Jouida, 80, as she strolled through A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books for the last time. "I'm just really sad."

Since it opened in 1982, the Opera Plaza store has been Jouida's neighborhood bookstore.

But in recent years, lack of pedestrian traffic on Van Ness Avenue added an extra burden to the challenges facing independent bookshops: competition from chain stores and online retailers, and changing consumer habits.

After an unsuccessful search for a buyer this spring, owner Neal Sofman decided the best way to move on was to discount his inventory and clear out the store. The shop will close for good tonight at 7 p.m.

"It's the passing of an era," said Sofman. "It may be that the golden age of bookselling is past. Now, it is a much more corporate phenomenon."

Sofman opened his first bookstore -- named after the Hemingway short story "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" -- in Cupertino in 1975. Another, in Larkspur, opened in 1978. After those two stores closed in '97 and '98, respectively, Sofman poured his energies into the Opera Plaza location, which had the distinction of partnering with City Arts & Lectures for high-profile author events at Herbst Theater and other venues.

Karen Keith, who has been on the bookselling staff for 13 years, remembers the first day she walked in. "The appeal was immediate. ... It was the place as well as the books. It was cozy, it was inviting." Like most of the staff, she doesn't know where she'll land. But she knows it will be in a bookstore.

The news isn't all bad, insists Hut Landon, director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association.

"We have lost A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books," Landon said, "but by Labor Day, we're going to have another independent bookstore in that space."

Opera Plaza will be the fourth San Francisco location for Books Inc., a group of independent California bookstores that, due to economies of scale, may be better able to withstand bookseller competition.

But Sofman has moved on. His new shop, Bookstore West Portal, which opened early this month, is already drawing crowds to its author events.

"Despite the challenges, San Francisco remains one of the strongest independent book markets in the country," said Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association. "There is still an extraordinary range of stores making it work in San Francisco."

E-mail Heidi Benson at hbenson@sfchronicle.com.

Page B - 3
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/07/19/BAG1SK1FU31.DTL

sf_eddo

Jul 19, 2006, 11:11 PM

More proof John King absolutely sucks ass: his high praise for a single-story, single-use commercial building set back from the street behind a parking lot--within the Bay Area's transit-rich urban core.

It's like he saw a modern facade slapped onto a mid-century suburban module and drooled "Ooh, shiny..."

I'm not particularly against the actual building itself, but it would do well to occupy the space at the corner of the intersection with an L-shaped parking lot in the rear, I think, much like Oscars Burgers on Shattuck/Berkeley (I think?).

Then again, it's not like Nations is gonna completely redo the footprint of the building or anything.

BTinSF

Jul 20, 2006, 12:06 AM

Signs of life in the Third St. corridor:

Sports bar, city’s largest, to open on Third Street
Melanie Carroll, The Examiner
Jul 19, 2006 2:00 AM (15 hrs ago)
Current rank: # 7 of 8,598 articles

SAN FRANCISCO - Roughly half way between AT&T and Monster parks, in The City’s industrial heart, The City’s largest sports bar will open its doors, six months before the much-anticipated Third Street Light Rail Project launches service alongside it.

Thursday’s ribbon-cutting for Fanatics, a 10,000-square-foot sports bar offering nighttime dancing, is the largest new business to open on the Third Street corridor, in the emerging Mission Bay neighborhood. Formerly known as an area of industrial businesses, Mission Bay is expected to evolve into a residential, industrial and business area, particularly with the arrival of the light rail.

The new addition to the neighborhood is an excellent use of industrial land, said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, who represents the Mission Bay district

“I appreciate that it’s a new different look at how we do things in the area,” Maxwell said. “There’s a need for creative uses for industrial buildings. … People love being around the docks.”

Butler Enterprises, a local African-American-owned firm, is funding the complex at 601 Cesar Chavez St. at Pier 80. Slated to offer food, drinks, games and sporting events, the split-level bar and lounge will offer open-air dining with views of the Bay. A 3,250-square-foot area for pool, pingpong and other games will transform into a dance floor when the sun goes down, Fanatics spokesman Keith Hazell said.

Once the new football season starts, shuttle service to and from the complex will allow spectators to leave cars in the parking lot, Hazell said.

The fact that local entrepreneurs are behind the idea is exciting for San Francisco, said Jennifer Petrucione, a spokeswoman for Mayor Gavin Newsom.

“The economic impact is huge,” Petrucione said. “It will provide a stimulus for the new business for the southeast area.”

The new club will likely bring people unfamiliar with the area to the club, Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Carol Piasente said.

“The new sports venue club is an example of new life in that southeast portion of The City,” Piasente said. “There’s a new neighborhood emerging, bringing people into neighborhoods some have never been to.”

http://www.examiner.com/a-182277~Sports_bar__city_s_largest__to_open_on_Third_Street.html

BTinSF

Jul 21, 2006, 10:15 PM

EastBayHardCore

Jul 21, 2006, 10:36 PM

blueberry

Jul 21, 2006, 11:14 PM

A Target in downtown SF just a block away from SF Center?

i must say............... i LOVE it!

:boogy:

craeg

Jul 21, 2006, 11:29 PM

BTinSF

Jul 21, 2006, 11:50 PM

Most of the buildings on that south side of the block are fairly forgettable, with the exception of the corners at 5th and 6th (I have a soft spot for that dirty green monstrosity). There are a few taller, decent looking buildings on the west end of the block, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're underutilized and in disrepair.

The same outfit doing this development owns the building on the corner of 5th and Market that houses Marshall's. They don't plan any changes to that.

EastBayHardCore

Jul 21, 2006, 11:53 PM

Yea I wasn't really worried about that building, but what about my precious sea foam green beauty at 6th?

BTinSF

Jul 22, 2006, 12:01 AM

With the large parking garage, they must be planning for some kind of target like place. Not sure how I feel about it being in that exact spot, but I support the integration into the building (its not a store in the middle of a huge parking lot)
It will be interesting to see how the neighborhood responds.

I'm interested in how Chris Daly responds. I'm hoping the developer has greased him to some extent already but I didn't see anything about that in the article. If not, it's predictable he'll want to extract more "affordable" units, maybe cut back the parking and otherwise mangle the project which always carries the risk of killing it. But the article did make it sound like these people are serious and know the situation. They have bought the land and have financing in place from Commonfund, "a $34 billion Connecticutt-based fund that invests money for private colleges." Also, they acknowledge that they are willing to talk about the "the number and type of housing units".

BTinSF

Jul 22, 2006, 12:05 AM

Yea I wasn't really worried about that building, but what about my precious sea foam green beauty at 6th?

It is not in the picture of what purports to be the site which is mid-block. There appears to be a 4-story building, a 2-story building and a 7-story building, all 20th century and all pretty ugly to my eye.

slock

Jul 22, 2006, 12:39 AM

This much parking is excessive.

And 10 stories? On the most prominent street in the City, not to mention the most transit-rich west of Chicago. It should be 50 stories.

BTinSF

Jul 22, 2006, 1:01 AM

This much parking is excessive.

And 10 stories? On the most prominent street in the City, not to mention the most transit-rich west of Chicago. It should be 50 stories.

It could end up slightly taller. I get the feeling they are just beginning the negotiations with the planners. But this area is not zoned for great heights. The tallest nearby structure will be the new SOMA Grande condo project 1 1/2 blocks away which is 22 stories. If it were nearer Market/Van ness, perhaps, because that too is zoned for taller buildings, but this part of mid-Market isn't. The problem is that a number of the buildings, including the one on the corner of 5th and Market, are historically and architecturally significant older buildings that are midrise structures not unlike the old Emporium being redone as Bloomingdales and I think the Planning Dept will want to keep a reasonably consistent street wall on Market while putting taller buildings such as the SOMA Grande and the new Intercontinental Hotel (5th and Howard) a block or two over on Mission or Howard.

San Frangelino

Jul 22, 2006, 3:08 AM

200,000 square feet of new retail, sounds like a good chunk to begin a new retail stroll the length of Market to Civic Center (just what I would have hoped to see). Thats about half the size of the current SF shopping center, before the new annex opens in September. Hopefully Target will move in rather than a Kohls. Targets the Middle America store thats exceptable to the urban markets, and a testament to what some image spiffing can do. I venture to the West Hollywood one quite often. All good news for what I still believe is the best place to shop in the West.

Chase Unperson

Jul 22, 2006, 4:09 AM

This much parking is excessive.

And 10 stories? On the most prominent street in the City, not to mention the most transit-rich west of Chicago. It should be 50 stories.

10 stories is a fine height on any street. Plus SF only has only one building over 50 stories currently built and it is nowhere near market St. Also, depending on how you measure. SF might be more transit rich than Chicago, but I guess it is still the most transit rich city west of Chicago (so your statement is still true even if not the strongest possible statement)

San Frangelino

Jul 22, 2006, 9:35 PM

I was having a dull day on the job and thought I would look up the size of "Mag Mile" shopping Centres in Chicago. Specifically Water Tower Place, 900 Michigan Avenue, and Chicago Place. The First article I came across from the New York Times http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE6DE1539F934A25751C0A967958260

said that
WITH the opening last September of a third vertical mall on this city's fashionable North Michigan Avenue, some questioned whether the "Magnificent Mile" could absorb its 320,000 square feet of additional space.

The new Chicago Place mall supplements a total of 1.1 million square feet in Water Tower Place and 900 North Michigan Shops and 800,000 additional square feet in stores along the avenue.

Now take into account that the article is from 1991, which may not be accounting for any expansions. But if it still rings true, that would give the total space of the three centers around 1.5 million square feet, about the same as SF's soon to open Center. I was suprised to find that out, thinking that the centers there were much larger. I didnt account for the Westfield shopping mall On the "Mile" which I think is called North Bridge. Anyone know how large that is?

Anyhoo I thought it would be interesting to note being that there is an upcoming proposal to add another 200,000 square foot center between 5th and 6th. Also I am not sure if I read correctly but the JMA Ventures Tower addition to the Mercantile building on Mission and Third might have a small retail center as well. Not to mention a 300,000 square foot Metreon and 100,000 square feet underneath the Four Seasons Tower all nearby.

I always hear that the San Francisco Shopping center is suppose to be the largest Urban Mall in the West. Which Urban shopping centers are larger in the east, and how is urban defined?

BTinSF

Jul 22, 2006, 10:07 PM

I always hear that the San Francisco Shopping center is suppose to be the largest Urban Mall in the West. Which Urban shopping centers will are larger in the east, and how is urban defined?

Wikepedia says: "Mall of America has a gross area of 4.2 million ft² (390,000 m²), with 2.5 million ft² (230,000 m²) available as retail space." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mall_of_America ) I believe this remains the largest mall in the country.

South Coast Plaza is "the largest mall in the country by retail space (over 2.7 million square feet) and most profitable mall by total sales (over $2 billion in sales each year)."

But, as usual, we are losing the mall size race to Asia:

[quote]The race is on to build the largest mall. Beijing's Golden Resources Shopping Mall, opened in October 2004, is the world's largest, at 600,000 m² (approximately 6 million square feet). Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is advertised at 700,000 m². SM Mall of Asia in the Philippines, opened in May 2006, is the World's third largest at 386,000 square meters of gross floor area with further expansions still ongoing. The Mall of Arabia inside Dubai Land in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which will open in 2006, will become the largest mall in the world, at 929,000 square meters (10 million sq. feet).[quote]

Sorry, I couldn't find a size ranking for just downtown malls in the US.

BTinSF

Jul 24, 2006, 6:47 AM

Yes!! Today's SF Business Times carries a front page/above the fold article that says that Urban Realty Inc. has applied to erect a 10-story, 550,000 sq. ft. development on the south side of Market St. between 5th and 6th. The project would require demolition of 935-939, 941-945 and 947-965 Market and would replace them with 189 housing units (105 one-bedrooms, 54 studios and 30 two-bedrooms) and 205,000 sq ft of retail plus an underground parking garage for 346 cars. Furthermore, the article goes on to say, "The site is large enough to accomodate 40,000 sq ft floor plates. That's enough to attract big, value-based retail like Target or Kohl's . . . ."

As usual, the article won't be available on-line until Sunday evening and I'll try to post it then, but meanwhile . . .

Target!! :omg:

Here's the article:

Westfield mall sparks Market revival
Urban Realty leads investment rush with $175M project
San Francisco Business Times - July 21, 2006
by J.K. Dineen
A developer hoping to capitalize on the September opening of the new Bloomingdale's and the expanded Westfield San Francisco Centre is proposing to build a $175 million retail and housing complex on the mostly vacant and downtrodden block of Market Street between Fifth and Sixth streets.

Urban Realty Inc. has applied to erect a 10-story, 555,000-square-foot development less than a block from Westfield and Forest City's $420 million development.

The new Mid-Market complex calls for razing three small buildings -- 935-939 Market St., 941-945 Market and 947-965 Market -- and replacing them with 189 housing units, 205,000 square feet of retail and an underground garage with 346 parking spaces, according to a document filed with the city.

Market Street has become a magnet for investors looking to feed off the Westfield San Francisco Centre, which will bring nearly 1 million square feet of new retail, including a 357,000-square-foot Bloomingdale's flagship and nine-screen Century Theater complex to the old Emporium building at Fifth and Market streets.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher land use attorney Mary Murphy, who is representing both the Westfield project and Urban Realty, said the proposed mixed-use complex would finally pump new life into a block that has seen numerous redevelopment schemes falter over the years.

"We're looking forward to doing something exciting in Mid-Market," said Murphy. "This has been a tremendous amount of investment in the area with the Westfield project and I think everybody is very optimistic about it. Market Street still has a lot of challenges, but it is one of the great streets of San Francisco."

Assembling a site
For the past 18 months, Urban Realty, headed by veteran local real estate players Martin Sawa and David Rhoades, has quietly been buying up property along Market Street. In addition to the three buildings slated for demolition, the group recently shelled out $65 million for 901 Market, a landmark building that anchors the corner of Fifth and Market streets, but is not contiguous with the other three properties the group owns. The developers are backed by equity partner Commonfund, a $34 billion Connecticut-based fund that invests money for private colleges.

The building at 901 Market is leased up, with Marshalls and Copeland Sports occupying the ground level. Murphy said there is no plan to renovate or change the use of that building, which Urban Realty bought from the Lurie Co. in June.

But observers say Urban Realty is in a great position to prosper from any Market Street upturn. The assembled 46,000-square-foot site is large enough to accomondate 40,000-square-foot floor plates. That's enough to attract big, value-based retail like Target or Kohl's Department Stores, which are absent from both the high-end expanded Bloomingdale-anchored shopping center and Union Square, which has seen a proliferation of deluxe single-brand fashion flagships.

Vikki Johnson, a principal of retail leasing brokerage JohnsonHoke, called Urban Realty's development "one of the best ideas to ever come around." She said that it could fill a void created with the passing of discount department stores like Woolworths and the old Emporium Basement, and suggested that it might be a good fit for Target, which has recently opened a store in Brooklyn, N.Y., and has been focusing on smaller, more urban locations.

"I think there is an entire category of retail that is missing in the greater Union Square area," she said. "What you don't have anymore is value-based retail, partially because they have been priced out of the market."

While San Franciscans have traditionally resisted big box chains, Johnson said there are plenty of smaller value-based retailers that would offer a more affordable shopping alternative in an increasingly residential downtown neighborhood.

"There is no place to buy a stroller or a pad for your baby," said Johnson. "We don't want big box, but that doesn't mean that there is not a need for really good value-based retail. If it's done is a great-looking building, you can make it part of the shopping experience instead of a step child."

Housing component
With the Mid-Market redevelopment plan stalled, and the city currently debating changes in the inclusionary housing requirements, Murphy said the number and type of housing units that will be built is still an open question. The current application calls for 105 one-bedrooms, 54 studios, and 30 two-bedrooms, as well as common garden space and private terraces.

Michael Yarne, director of development at the Martin Building Co., which is constructing a number of condos and restaurants around the corner from the proposed development, said he hopes the project remains mixed-use.

"We are delighted with the project," said Yarne. "We hope they don't cancel the housing piece. We think Mid-Market is ideal for mixed-use development. Mid-Market in our mind is a great place for workforce housing. The land value is cheaper than in trendier areas and one hopes there could be relatively more affordable housing there."

J.K. Dineen covers real estate for the San Francisco Business Times.

http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/07/24/story1.html?t=printable

sf_eddo

Jul 24, 2006, 4:31 PM

A Target would do well in San Francisco, I think. I know many people who shop at the Target near Serramonte but would never set foot in a WalMart.

San Frangelino

Jul 25, 2006, 5:33 AM

Not sure if this has been added here before. But since I cant recall seeing it I will give it a post.

Bay Area Retail scene

Posted on Sat, May. 20, 2006
Valley Fair plans to expand
MALL WOULD GROW BY A THIRD, ADD 2 BIG STORES BY END OF '08
By Katherine Conrad
Mercury News
Westfield Valley Fair could add two major stores within the next three years, making it the largest mall in the
region. If San Jose and Santa Clara officials sign off on plans the company submitted this week,
construction could be finished at the end of 2008. The expansion would increase Valley Fair's retail space by
a third, to more than 2 million square feet. Great Mall in Milpitas is listed at 1.6 million square feet, and
Stanford Shopping Center at 1.3 million square feet.
City officials said several stores could come with the changes, including two the size of the Macy's and
Nordstrom that already anchor the mall. Because the plans are in the early stages, Westfield General
Manager Kurt Utterback would not identify the tenants, or give details on why the company wants to expand.
This comes on the heels of a similar-size expansion of 475,000 square feet that was completed in 2002, and
Utterback attributed the growth to simple supply and demand. ``Customers continue to demand and they
continue to look for new stores and new concepts,'' he said. ``This is the 10th biggest city in United States.
We have to meet that customer demand.''
The area's residents are also a retailer's dream. The San Jose area has more than 550,000 households with
a median income of at least $83,000 a year, which is 79 percent more than the U.S. median income,
according Marcus & Millichap, a real estate investment brokerage. For the Valley Fair expansion,
preliminary drawings call for enlarging the 1.5-million-square-foot mall by 600,000 square feet. The
expansion alone would be about the size of Santana Row, which has 558,000 square feet of retail space
directly across the street from Valley Fair.
The preliminary expansion plans suggest most of the additions would be on the San Jose side of the mall.
Part of the mall also reaches into Santa Clara. Plans also include:
• Knockdowns: The company wants to raze a 4-year-old parking garage to make room for new stores. It
might also knock down the Safeway, Longs Drugs, Bank of America and Washington Mutual buildings, and
move them to different locations on the site.
• New parking: One new structure would front on Stevens Creek Boulevard, and another along Monroe
Street where there is now a ground-level lot.
Paul Krutko, San Jose's economic development director, said a survey by the city in 2004 found that San
Jose residents were 20 percent underserved in retail and were taking their dollars elsewhere. ``There is a
substantial unmet market in San Jose and they want to leverage the asset they already have,'' Krutko said.
``For this particular facility, if you have a chance to make it grow, it's a much easier proposition than
developing a new one.''
Westfield, which also owns Oakridge Mall, bought Valley Fair in 1998. The mall, which opened in 1956 with
a Macy's store, also offers Pottery Barn and stores such as Williams-Sonoma, Tiffany and an Apple Store.
Utterback would not say how much Valley Fair earns in sales per square foot, but he said the mall ranks
among the top 10 in the country. More square footage at the mall means more money in San Jose and
Posted on Sat, May. 20, 2006
Santa Clara coffers. As Krutko put it, ``Westfield wants to make a significant investment in San Jose and
their plans to expand Valley Fair are very welcome.'' The mall currently contributes about $7 million in tax
revenue annually to San Jose and about $1 million to Santa Clara. Currently the bulk of the mall is in San
Jose with the Macy's Men's Store in Santa Clara. ``My understanding is the growth to 2 million square feet
will raise the revenue from $8 million to $12 million and we'll get our proportional share,'' Krutko said.
New customers mean more traffic -- already a challenge in the retail-intensive area. The city will require an
environmental impact report to address those concerns. ``The biggest constraint is traffic,'' said Jeannie
Hamilton, San Jose's acting deputy director of planning. ``It might involve some significant economic
investment to mitigate the impacts of this amount of expansion so that we're not creating havoc.'' The plans
eventually would be subject to city council approval.
The expansion could face opposition from neighbors for that reason. Toni Sindelar, a member of the Cory
Neighborhood Association near Valley Fair, said the mall has been a good neighbor, but the plans might not
be welcome. ``It's a mess now. If you add more development, it's not doable,'' Sindelar said. Not enough
has been done to address traffic and parking problems, she said. ``The infrastructure is not there.''
Sindelar said Westfield has scheduled a June 13 open house to talk to neighbors about the mall's future.
Mercury News Staff Writer Michele Chandler contributed to this report. Contact Katherine Conrad at
kconrad@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5073

Combine that with Santana Row you got the South Coast Plaza of the Bay Area. Probably wouldnt be as upscale but almost similar in size.

shrek05

Jul 25, 2006, 6:06 AM

Combine that with Santana Row you got the South Coast Plaza of the Bay Area. Probably wouldnt be as upscale but almost similar in size.

Still impressive though. There arent many malls in the states exceeding 2 million square feet in retail space...around like 20 if I remember correctly. Even though its retail may not match (SCP is an anomaly), still impressive. its a rather upscale mall, and those types of malls tend to be built smaller and smaller each year.

The biggest constraint is traffic,'' said Jeannie
Hamilton, San Jose's acting deputy director of planning. ``It might involve some significant economic
investment to mitigate the impacts of this amount of expansion so that we're not creating havoc.'' The plans
eventually would be subject to city council approval.
The expansion could face opposition from neighbors for that reason. Toni Sindelar, a member of the Cory
Neighborhood Association near Valley Fair, said the mall has been a good neighbor, but the plans might not
be welcome.

i dont recall the area, is it that tight in space? would this proposal likely pass?

dimondpark

Jul 25, 2006, 1:29 PM

Last time I saw stats, Valley Fair and Stanford Shopping Center were the 2nd and 3rd as far as shopping mall annual sales per sq ft. in the western US. Ala Moana is 1st

shrek05

Jul 25, 2006, 3:23 PM

Thats not true. For the past many years the highest grossing in the nation was the Bal Harbour Shops in Florida grossing over 1300 per square foot but last year the highest grossing was Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (assuming thats counted as west) which grossed about 1380 per square foot. South Coast has always been the highest grossing per square foot in Cali. Also the Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix ranks right after South Coast grossing roughly oover 750 per square foot.

However, both malls rank pretty high (national average is around 350 per square foot) Valley Fair usually around 750-760 i think last year it fell a little and Stanford usually around 730. Santana Row is expected to rise with the new openings of Ferregamo and Furla. In Cali, im sure Valley Fair and Stanford rank right behind South Coast.

Among the top 10 nationally, Valley Fair has made the list the past couple years, and have most commonly also included Houston's Galleria, Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, Mall at Short Hills in NJ, Copley Plaza in Boston, South Coast in Costa Mesa, King of Prussia, Ala Moana, Bal Harbour and Forum. Valley Fair has never been at the very top, usually ranking around 8 or 9. This is very impressive as Valley Fair has a rather small collection of luxury retailers compared to these other malls which boast many flagship sites among designers.

Next year The Westchester in White Plains/Americana Manhasset and most likely NorthPark Center in Dallas will probably bump Copley and Valley Fair off the national list

shrek05

Jul 25, 2006, 3:23 PM

double post

dimondpark

Jul 25, 2006, 6:00 PM

shrek05

Jul 25, 2006, 6:24 PM

San Frangelino

Jul 25, 2006, 6:52 PM

• Knockdowns: The company wants to raze a 4-year-old parking garage to make room for new stores. It
might also knock down the Safeway, Longs Drugs, Bank of America and Washington Mutual buildings, and
move them to different locations on the site.
• New parking: One new structure would front on Stevens Creek Boulevard, and another along Monroe
Street where there is now a ground-level lot.

Am I thinking correctly that those stores line Stevens Creek Boulvard. If so that could be fantastic in making it an easier transition walk towards Santana Row, connecting the two centers. Last time I went into ValleyFair was 2003 and I remember walking to Santa Row thinking how alienating both centers were to eachother. I figured since it was competing companies running the two, that they didnt want to compliment one another. Always hoped that some small change could be made though so that you could walk from one to the other fairly easily...hopefully this expansion will facilitate that change if it happens.

dimondpark

Jul 25, 2006, 8:34 PM

Never said it wasnt near the top. Actually, I said it was very impressive that Valley Fair was able to rank so high (however that was back in 2002 before many renovations in Cali). Heres the most current list I could find for an entire list ranking cali shopping centers (2004). The 2005 numbers I remember only account for South Coast which went a little over 800.

South Coast: $800
Fashion Island $750
The Grove: $750
Santana Row: $700
Stanford Shopping Center: $700
Westfield Valley Fair: $634
Westfield Century City $627
Fashion Valley San Diego: $600
Glendale Galleria: $550
San Francisco Centre: $534

These are all very impressive malls as the national average or 2005 was actually lower than $350 and was around $300 per square feet. For Santana Row and Stanfor Shopping Center and Valley Fair to all double the national average is amazing. If Valley Fair successfully undergoes the renovation it should be able to increase its sales (as Fashion Island did).
Found some other ones
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek $711 psf
The Village at Corte Madera, $613 psf
Arden Fair, Sacramento $576 psf
http://www.bigmallrat.com/mall_types/mall_types.html

Stoneridge Mall is reportedly also over $500 psf
http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/story.php?story_id=356

Im not a South Coast fanatic or anything so dont think this is biased but South Coast has been at the top forever. Its a mall thats uncomparable and is one of the handful of mega malls like Ala Moana, Forum Shops and Bal Harbour.
SCP Sales per sq ft are more in line with Valley Fair then it is with with Forum Shops, Bal Harbor, Ala Moana and Americana at Manhasset.

If Valley Fair does the expansion and gains many new tenants it might have a chance of surpassing South Coast, but I doubt it. Closest for now will be Santana Row because of its small size and high number of luxury retailers.
Valley Fair is extremely unpretentious and unassuming. You dont get the sense that its one of the top malls in the country. And it still ranks that high?
http://static.flickr.com/3/10480296_b7e4deda16.jpg?v=0
It would take very little effort for Valley Fair to surpass South Coast Plaza if it got an injection of just a few more posh retailers.

shrek05

Jul 25, 2006, 8:56 PM

SCP Sales per sq ft are more in line with Valley Fair then it is with with Forum Shops, Bal Harbor, Ala Moana and Americana and Manhasset.
By mega-mall I meant the number of unique designers they have. Many designers have their 3 or 4 US stores at either Forum Shops/Bal Harbour/Ala Moana and/or South Coast.

It would take very little effort for Valley Fair to surpass South Coast Plaza if it got an injection of just a few more posh retailers.
In response to both this and south coast sales/sq feet near Valley Fair, you can't really compare South Coast to Forum Shops or Bal Harbour, both if which ahve very low gross leaseable area (less than a million). As for Ala Moana, after its current expansion it will have around 2.2 million. The larger the mall, the more difficult to maintain a high sales per square feet.

South Coast at nearly 2.7/2.8 million is extremely large. Valley Fair (also large and after an expansion) would have to do a lot in order to raise its current sales per square foot to over 800 (not just add a couple retailers, you would need many retailers).

Since Valley Fair is so large makes it less likely. As I said, Santana Row has a better chance. Its a small center and still has vacant lots. If it fills everything with high luxury retailers, it might be able to match SCP. But this is still unlikely as most luxury retailers put there main stores at Union Square. Though Santana and Valley Fair have some of these stores like LV or Ferregamo, Union Square steals most of the collections. For Santana or Valley Fair to increase its sales/sq foot and compete with Union Square for retailers will make it more unlikely to match SCP, where even competition with Fashion Island doesnt seem to affect its profits.

blueberry

Jul 25, 2006, 9:02 PM

dimondpark

Jul 25, 2006, 9:29 PM

By mega-mall I meant the number of unique designers they have. Many designers have their 3 or 4 US stores at either Forum Shops/Bal Harbour/Ala Moana and/or South Coast.
But this is what I mean. Valley Fair is right up there with South Coast Plaza even with the absence of designer boutiques-that's hillarious. Imagine if you inject more upscale boutiques?

Trojan

Jul 25, 2006, 9:42 PM

What Valley Fair needs is two upscale anchor stores..... They have a Nordstrom and Macys.. They need a Bloomingdale's/Neiman Marcus and a Saks.

BTinSF

Jul 25, 2006, 10:08 PM

Heres the most current list I could find for an entire list ranking cali shopping centers (2004). The 2005 numbers I remember only account for South Coast which went a little over 800.

South Coast: $800
Fashion Island $750
The Grove: $750
Santana Row: $700
Stanford Shopping Center: $700
Westfield Valley Fair: $634
Westfield Century City $627
Fashion Valley San Diego: $600
Glendale Galleria: $550
San Francisco Centre: $534

These are all very impressive malls as the national average or 2005 was actually lower than $350 and was around $300 per square feet. For Santana Row and Stanfor Shopping Center and Valley Fair to all double the national average is amazing. If Valley Fair successfully undergoes the renovation it should be able to increase its sales (as Fashion Island did).

Im not a South Coast fanatic or anything so dont think this is biased but South Coast has been at the top forever. Its a mall thats uncomparable and is one of the handful of mega malls like Ala Moana, Forum Shops and Bal Harbour.

If Valley Fair does the expansion and gains many new tenants it might have a chance of surpassing South Coast, but I doubt it. Closest for now will be Santana Row because of its small size and high number of luxury retailers.

What really impresses me is that San Francisco Centre made the list. Except for its Nordstrom anchor, SFC is full of middlebrow retailers like American Eagle, A&F, J. Crew, Wet Seal, Footlocker and on and on. The designer and upper end fashions are not there but in boutiques and separate stores mostly a few blocks away. The other malls on the list are suburban destinations with no nearby competition from downtown shopping (please correct me if I'm wrong--I haven't been to them all). The new Bloomingdales annex (about doubling the size of the place) is billed as containing some more upper end stuff, especially a high end food court and restaurants, but that remains to be seen.

But all you have to do is Google things like "urban mall" or "downtown mall" to find any number of articles about how these vertical malls in downtown locations don't do all that well. SFC seems to be a glaring exception.

blueberry

Jul 25, 2006, 10:47 PM

What really impresses me is that San Francisco Centre made the list. Except for its Nordstrom anchor, SFC is full of middlebrow retailers like American Eagle, A&F, J. Crew, Wet Seal, Footlocker and on and on. The designer and upper end fashions are not there but in boutiques and separate stores mostly a few blocks away. The other malls on the list are suburban destinations with no nearby competition from downtown shopping (please correct me if I'm wrong--I haven't been to them all). The new Bloomingdales annex (about doubling the size of the place) is billed as containing some more upper end stuff, especially a high end food court and restaurants, but that remains to be seen.

But all you have to do is Google things like "urban mall" or "downtown mall" to find any number of articles about how these vertical malls in downtown locations don't do all that well. SFC seems to be a glaring exception.

actually, SFC doesn't really surprise me because even though it's a mediocre mall. for one, it is not very big, so $$$/sq ft is easier to attain than a large mall, and second, the location is superb and it is almost always VERY busy with tourists and regional visitors due to the BART/muni station and it's proximity to the cable car turnaround. very few malls, incl. urban malls, have that sort of accessibility.

J Church

Jul 25, 2006, 10:50 PM

Which begs the question of how the expanded mall will perform.

J_Taylor

Jul 26, 2006, 2:27 AM

Which begs the question of how the expanded mall will perform.
I know my wife is going to be over there alot.
Just cause of Mango.

shrek05

Jul 26, 2006, 7:00 PM

shrek, do you study malls or something?

i think it's odd how you are so "surprised" by Valley Fair. remember, the san jose area has the highest household incomes in the nations, moreso than orange county or anywhere else you seem to be so fond of.
Haha, no. I read a lot about retail as my sister and wife are both heavily involved in retail (sister works for macerich in arizona, wife use to work as a leasing manager for simon malls). Similarly, both love shopping so every place I traveled to as an adolsecent and now, I end up getting stuck at a mall for at least a day. And as I am not an urban plannist and dont read too much new construction news nationally, the only knowledge I know of that I can contribute to outside of LA, Phoenix and NYC is retail or real estate.

I was surprised because to be ranked in the top 10 is outstanding. I realize the Bay Area is extremely wealthy, but Valley Fair ranked number 8 in 2002 if i remember, and it has some luxury retail but compared to other malls in the top 10, has barely anything. Usually, those with the highest sales per square feet are luxury retail centers. Valley Fair has its share but not like Ala Moana or Forums.

dimondpark

Jul 26, 2006, 7:12 PM

I was surprised because to be ranked in the top 10 is outstanding. I realize the Bay Area is extremely wealthy, but Valley Fair ranked number 8 in 2002 if i remember, and it has some luxury retail but compared to other malls in the top 10, has barely anything. Usually, those with the highest sales per square feet are luxury retail centers. Valley Fair has its share but not like Ala Moana or Forums.
But this is precisely why Valley Fair is more impressive then the others-it doesnt have that many luxury retailers and its still runs near the Top!

BTinSF

Jul 26, 2006, 9:54 PM

Valley Fair has its share but not like Ala Moana or Forums.

In 1991 I spent 6 weeks in Hawaii with nothing much to do so I went to Ala Moana a number of times. I didn't see anything special about it at all. Has it changed since then in some way?

EastBayHardCore

Jul 27, 2006, 1:14 AM

^ It's an air conditoned escape in a way too humid region. That's about all I saw that it had going for it.

rs913

Jul 28, 2006, 5:26 AM

If we're mentioning Valley Fair, we've also got to mention downtown Walnut Creek, which I'd consider one of the three bright lights of Bay Area retail (along with Union Square and Valley Fair)

Here's an interesting article from SF magazine on what Walnut Creek has accomplished.
SF Magazine on Walnut Creek (http://www.sanfran.com/home/view_story/1110/)

According to this site (http://www.bigmallrat.com/shopping-malls/cities/walnut-creek/broadway-plaza.html), Broadway Plaza is planning an expansion. I could easily picture a Bloomingdale's or Neiman Marcus over there.

San Frangelino

Jul 28, 2006, 2:43 PM

According to the Macerich corporate Web site, plans are underway to expand the plaza with another department store and 150,000 square feet of specialty stores.

Thats a pretty significant expansion for Broadway Plaza. Are they still building a big office/retail complex near the Bart Station? I hope so because a good connector is needed between to fill in the whole between the main shopping strip.

San Frangelino

Jul 28, 2006, 6:43 PM

:uhh: Is This an indicator that TARGET is coming to Jack London Square?!?! :uhh:

I would hate to add something to the rumor mill, but I went to the Jack London Square website and found a big Target symbol plopped right on the opening page with a link to the Target website. Does this indicate anything or just a basic sponsorship?

Check it out for yourselves. http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/index.php

dimondpark

Jul 28, 2006, 7:24 PM

BTinSF

Jul 28, 2006, 11:11 PM

SF Business Times says Westfield SF Center is 95% leased (the newest tenant being Adidas Sport Performance) and is expected to be 100% leased by the time it opens September 29.

rs913

Jul 29, 2006, 4:28 AM

I think Target sponsored the Jack London Square fireworks display earlier this month, hence the logo. Target in Jack London Square seems pretty far-fetched, although one article suggested Target was "inquiring" about a spot on Broadway.

Anyone know if a site plan or full tenant list for Westfield SF Center is floating around somewhere on the Web? Just curious...

BTinSF

Aug 6, 2006, 3:23 AM

Getting ready at Westfield:

53 DAYS AND COUNTING
Construction crews hurrying to finish work on expanded Westfield San Francisco Centre
- Pia Sarkar, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, August 6, 2006

Construction on the Westfield San Francisco Centre on Market Street is entering its final weeks, with workers frantically putting together the last pieces of the project in time for opening day on Sept. 28.

Ninety-five percent of the retail space has been leased to tenants, according to Maureen Collins, development marketing director for Westfield. Upon completion, the shopping center will total 1.5 million square feet -- triple its original size.

San Francisco State University will rent 107,125 square feet of office space on the sixth floor and part of the fifth, which will be devoted to its business programs, continuing education and community outreach. Westfield has not announced any tenants for the remaining 137,875 square feet of office space, which occupy the fifth, seventh and eighth floors.

Westfield, in partnership with Forest City Enterprises, began construction on the $440 million project in November 2003. The final product will be one of Westfield's signature shopping centers. The Australian company operates 128 shopping centers in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

On a recent tour of the San Francisco Centre, workers raced around the building, with power tools constantly buzzing in the background. Sunlight seeped through the fully-restored 19th century dome of the old Emporium building, which can be seen from the fourth floor up.

The 102-foot-wide steel and glass dome is the centerpiece of project, which preservationists had fought to keep. Restoration focused on thousands of elements, such as the galvanized metal windows overhead, historic ornamental plaster between the base of the lunette windows and an exterior galvanized metal structural rib covering. More than 900 lights have been restored in the dome to reflect original designs.

New stores in the expanded shopping center are still outlined in metal framing, and no merchandise has been moved inside. The only thing that gives away the stores' identities are generic black and white signs hanging in each entryway.

'Get er done'

Power cords snake across floors that have been covered with paper to protect the newly installed limestone and granite tiles underneath. Caution tape cordons off fresh cement still drying. In the back elevator used by construction workers, a wooden plank is nailed to the wall with a countdown of how many days left to finish the project, along with the motivational words, "Get er done."

Collins said each tenant inside the expanded center has its own construction crew, but all must have their stores set up by opening day. As of now, the project is on schedule, she said.

Tom Roach, owner of Tom's Cookies, will open a 472-square-foot store inside the mall and said he is looking forward to moving into the old Emporium building, where he used to go as a child to see Santa Claus during the holidays.

"To me, it's like coming home again, because that building holds a special place in my heart," said Roach, who has been operating his business in the Macy's food court in Union Square since 1993.

Notara Lum, general manager for Kozo Arts, a book bindery, said the shopping center will give her business more exposure than her current location on Union Street. "Here on Union, we get some tourists and neighborhood locals," Lum said, "but we want the whole Bay Area to see us."

Bloomingdale's will be the shopping center's largest tenant, occupying 357,000 square feet and making it the chain's second-biggest store in the country, behind its flagship store in New York. A spokeswoman said it is 85 percent complete, with some of the exterior signs already in place.

Construction crews are installing showcases and back islands for the jewelry room. They will then install 70 vendor shops.

Nordstrom nearby

The existing Nordstrom store, measuring 312,000 square feet, will serve as the shopping center's co-anchor. No renovations are planned for that store.

Among the other big tenants are a nine-screen Century Theatre, a 30,000-square-foot Bristol Farms gourmet market, a 20,000-square-foot Borders bookstore, a 16,000-foot Burke Williams day spa and an 11,000-square-foot Adidas outlet.

A handful of stores inside the existing mall, including Bebe, J.Crew and Aldo, plan to move over to the new space when it opens. Westfield has already backfilled those vacancies with tenants, who will open their stores in January, Collins said.

New ideas

Some retailers are using the expansion to introduce new concepts. For instance, Gap will open its first Forth & Towne store in San Francisco, aimed at women 35 and older; Bebe will open Bebe Sport and Neda; Abercrombie & Fitch will open Ruehl and Hollister; Gymboree will open Janie & Jack; and American Eagle will open Martin + Osa.

Walkways on the concourse and the first four floors will link the new shopping center with the current one.

Shoppers will be able to enter the megamall on Market, Fifth and Mission streets. There will be an additional entrance into the expanded space for BART and Muni riders.

Westfield San Francisco Centre
-- What: A $440 million retail-office-entertainment complex in downtown San Francisco

-- Who: Developed by Westfield of Australia, in partnership with Forest City Enterprises

-- When: Opens Sept. 28

Page F - 1
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/06/BLOOMIES.TMP

SSLL

Aug 6, 2006, 2:22 PM

Target would be good to have, there's one in Minneapolis' downtown.

dimondpark

Aug 6, 2006, 5:44 PM

Here are some construction pics from sfgate that illustrate that 53 days and counting(till the bloomie's at SF Center is done) article posted by BT!

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/08/06/bu_westfieldxx_069_l.jpg
The elegant rotunda of the expanded Westfield San Francisco Centre is the domain of construction workers and heavy tools in the weeks leading up to its grand opening on Sept. 28. Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/08/06/bu_westfieldxx_042_l.jpg
Allyn Cook of Burlingame works on a panel under the old Emporium dome. Westfield hopes the workers will be replaced by crowds of shoppers in a few weeks. Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/08/06/bu_westfieldxx_046_l.jpg
Sunlight floods the interior of the San Francisco Centre, three times larger than its original space. Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/08/06/bu_westfieldxx_004_l.jpg
The old Emporium dome is reflected on a floor design outside the original facade, as well as signs throughout the complex. Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2006/08/06/bu_westfieldxx_078_l.jpg
A piece of wood in an elevator marks the countdown to completion of construction on the Westfield San Francisco Centre. Chronicle photo by Lea Suzuki

San Frangelino

Aug 7, 2006, 10:06 PM

Shopping list
Here's who's moving into the new Westfield San Francisco Centre:

Abercrombie Kids

Adidas

Aldo

Aldo Accessories

Amoura

Andale Mexican Restaurant

Anne Klein N.Y

Art of Shaving

Asqew Grill

Bakers Shoes

Banana Republic

Bandolino

Bare Escentuals

Bath and Body Works

BCBG Max Azria

Beard Papa

Beata

Bebe Sport

Bebe

Bistro Burgers

Bloomingdales

Blu by Antik Denim

Borders Books Music & Cafe

Borders Express

Bose

Bristol Farms

Buckhorn Grill

Burke Williams Day Spa

Century Theatres

Clarks

Cocoa Bella Chocolates

Cocola Bakery

Coriander Thai Gourmet

Derco Jewelers

Eddie Bauer

Forth & Towne

Fraganza

Furla

Global Gourmet

H&M

Hand & Mind

Hollister

Illuminations

J Crew

Jacadi

Jamba Juice

Janie & Jack

John Atencio

Juicy Couture

Kay Jewelers

Kipling

Kozo Arts

Landau

Lark Creek Steak

Lids

LL Brown Jeweler

Lladro

Lucky

Lucky Kids

Lupicia Fresh Teas

Mai Do

Mango

Marciano

Martin + Osa

Maui Divers

Melt Gelato & Crepe Cafe

Metro Park

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Michal Negrin

Mr. Hana

Napolean Perdis

Neda

Neutrogena Skincare Center

Next Authentic

Odysea

Out the Door

Palm Pilot

Pasta Moto

Reiss USA Ltd.

Ruehl

S & L Gem Co.

San Francisco Soup Co.

Sarit Simayof

Sigrid Olson

Soho

Solstice

Sorabol Korean BBQ & Asian Noodle

Starbucks

Sterling Works

Straits

Sunshade Optique

Teaz Me - Fusion Cafe

Sock Spot

Tom's Cookies

Tourneau

Walking Co.

Wichcraft

Yankee Pier Express

Zara

Zazil
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/06/BUGA3K9EE346.DTL&hw=westfield&sn=001&sc=1000

I don't believe this is a complete list though. In other retail news, a Samsonite "black label" store is opening at 291 Geary Street. Not sure what Black Label mean but I do know Samsonite is one of the luxury luggage brands and we dont have one here in LA...yet. Also Jimmy Choo has job postings for their new store so they are opening soon somewhere in the city...maybe in Westfield.

BTinSF

Aug 7, 2006, 10:21 PM

Also Jimmy Choo has job postings for their new store so they are opening soon somewhere in the city...maybe in Westfield.

I really doubt it. In SF, those kind of designers hardly ever open in malls. I'm sure they'll have a storefront location somewhere near Union Square; Maiden Lane; Post, Sutter or Grant Sts.

dimondpark

Aug 7, 2006, 10:26 PM

Napolean Perdis?

wow...that's an ANZ make up brand-I didnt think they had any stores outside of that region.

FourOneFive

Aug 7, 2006, 10:27 PM

that's an impressive list. it's a mix of existing brands as well as some new faces. with most of those stores have locations on union square (banana republic, borders, bebe, etc.), i hope these new locations don't pull too much business away from the original locations. h&m is certainly making a splash too. they opened 2 stores last year and now they're opening a third within a mile radius of the existing two? h&m must have high hopes for san francisco.

after reading the list, do you know what store i'm most excited about? jamba juice! i no longer have to walk all the day to the macy's cellar for a fix! :D

btw any news on the tenants for the westfield metreon? if anyone can snare up some retailers, westfield can.

EastBayHardCore

Aug 7, 2006, 11:39 PM

Just a quick FYI, it appears that the old FAO Schwarz building at Stockton and O'Farrell is being renovated right now for the Barney's store.

BTinSF

Aug 9, 2006, 5:21 PM

A real Bay Area "flagship":

Home Depot plans its biggest store in East Palo Alto
San Francisco Business Times - 3:15 PM PDT Tuesday
by Raksha Varma
Home Depot plans to build its largest store in the country in East Palo Alto.

The Atlanta-based construction supplies retailer (NYSE: HD) submitted plans to annex the Expo Design Center -- adjacent to its existing Home Depot store at 1781 E. Bayshore Road in the Gateway 101 Shopping Center -- seven months ago, said Marie McKenzie, redevelopment project manager for the city.

"Although the city has approved the majority of it, there are some pending final approvals," she said. The East Palo Alto Planning Commission meets Aug. 28 to deliberate.

McKenzie said the tenant improvement would add 103,000 square feet to Home Depot, creating a 200,000-square-foot super store. Construction will most likely end in April.

The move comes on the heels of other expansion efforts for the Gateway 101 Shopping Center. Circuit City is to replace Good Guys this November, while Best Buy is in the midst of large renovation, according to McKenzie.

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/08/07/daily21.html?t=printable

dimondpark

Aug 9, 2006, 5:31 PM

Take that South Coast Plaza! LOL

You know its ridiculous how closely spaced their stores are in the bay area.

San Frangelino

Aug 10, 2006, 2:43 AM

Home Depot plans its biggest store in East Palo Alto

Speaking of which....whatever happened to the Home Depot planned near Bernal Heights. One would hope it would resemble a compact design like the one in Lincoln Park, Chicago http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=90214561&size=l

But I am thinking more along the lines of daily city. BTW, never eat at that hotdog outside that store. I paid for in for a few hours after.

BTinSF

Aug 10, 2006, 5:43 AM

Speaking of which....whatever happened to the Home Depot planned near Bernal Heights. One would hope it would resemble a compact design like the one in Lincoln Park, Chicago http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=90214561&size=l

But I am thinking more along the lines of daily city. BTW, never eat at that hotdog outside that store. I paid for in for a few hours after.

As the below article indicates, it's been approved but I am not sure when construction will start (or, perhaps, has started--because I haven't been out there since Whole Earth Access shut down). It will indeed be smaller than HD wanted to build but I think that's silly. This is the one area in SF where a true big box wouldn't look out of place. Look at what's there now:

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2005/10/26/ba_homedepot.jpg

But the doctrinaire Supes hate big boxes so much they had to show who was boss so they did pare it, even when/where it makes no sense.

By the way, did you see the New York City store I posted elsewhere? I love it so, here it is again:

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b6d839b3127cce8a655b211c6a00000016100Acsmblw0ZsmLA

SAN FRANCISCO
Supes narrowly approve Home Depot
6-5 vote allows controversial project to move ahead
- Charlie Goodyear, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 9, 2005

By a narrow margin and over strong objections, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 6-5 Tuesday to approve an environmental review of a proposed Home Depot store on Bayshore Boulevard, clearing the way for the controversial project.

The vote capped years of community wrangling and political infighting at City Hall. The Atlanta-based retail giant says it expects to open what will be its first San Francisco warehouse-style store by 2008, and it credited Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, whose district includes the future store site, for delivering the necessary political support.

"It's kind of like finishing a marathon," said Jeff Nichols, Home Depot's director of real estate for the West Coast, after the vote. "Sophie Maxwell really did a herculean job."

Resistance to big companies such as Home Depot doing business in San Francisco is nothing new. In recent months, several business districts in the city have instituted bans or controls on chain stores operating in those areas.

But the fight over Home Depot, whose planned store will operate in a Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood bordering Bernal Heights, revealed deep divisions among residents and the supervisors who represent them.

Proponents like Maxwell argue the company will bring much-needed jobs to an economically depressed part of the city.

"We need you to vote for San Francisco and San Franciscans," Maxwell said Tuesday in urging her colleagues to support the project. "We need to think about the balance of San Francisco."

On Tuesday, Maxwell also introduced legislation that would bar any other large retail development near Home Depot's planned store to keep the area from becoming "big box alley."

Opponents such as Supervisor Tom Ammiano, whose district includes neighboring Bernal Heights, believe the company's promises to hire locally will prove false. "This frankly sucks," Ammiano said Tuesday in an impassioned argument against Home Depot. "This is a scam and a sham." Foes say Home Depot's move into San Francisco threatens smaller retailers that could be forced out of business, resulting in job and tax revenue losses.

Supervisor Jake McGoldrick said Home Depot had sought to play "the politics of resentment" in winning approval for the 107,000-square-foot store by pitting neighbor against neighbor.

"They have come into our community and caused deep and perhaps lasting harm by dangling jobs," he added. "We want good jobs. We do not want poverty-level jobs."

Ultimately, the fate of the project came down to board President Aaron Peskin, who provided the key swing vote in favor of Home Depot.

"This may be the first time in five years when I went into an issue and made a 180-degree turn and had my mind changed," Peskin said. "I clearly have not been a fan of chain stores. But I have been a fan of communities determining their own destinies."

Voting with Peskin for Home Depot were Maxwell and Supervisors Michela Alioto-Pier, Bevan Dufty, Sean Elsbernd and Fiona Ma. Supervisors Ammiano, Chris Daly, McGoldrick, Ross Mirkarimi and Gerardo Sandoval voted no.

"It really is a disappointment to give Home Depot carte blanche," Ammiano said afterward. "It's not a proud day for the Board of Supervisors and I'm sure it will be challenged."

Asked for her reaction, Home Depot lobbyist Evette Davis said, "We're very gratified by this vote and we're looking forward to putting a shovel in the ground."

Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/09/BAG92FL1PN1.DTL&hw=Home+Depot&sn=003&sc=766

FourOneFive

Aug 10, 2006, 6:19 AM

BTinSF

Aug 10, 2006, 8:14 AM

i *LOVE* the home depot on 23rd street. (in fact, i'm going there tomorrow!) it fits perfectly into the urban fabric of new york that you wouldn't even notice that it's a "big box" retailer.

come to think of it, wouldn't a home depot of this sort work well in mid-market or along van ness avenue? hmmm....

Sure it would, but try to convince the Supes of that! I've even got a potential building for them (although it might not be big enough)--the old Honda motgorcycle dealership on the corner of Van Ness and Eddy. It takes up half the block's Van Ness frontage, has two floors with fairly large floor plates (possibly they could engineer additional floors) and it has been vacant forever. At the very least, it could work for one of their smaller formats and there's no other hardware store anywhere close (Brownie's at Polk and Sacramento is the closest).

FourOneFive

Aug 11, 2006, 4:36 AM

From the San Francisco Business Times:

Bloomingdale's gives a peek at new store
San Francisco Business Times - 1:32 PM PDT Thursday
by Sarah Duxbury

Bloomingdale's is weeks away from its San Francisco debut.

Building a new store from scratch is rare for Bloomingdale's and means that the San Francisco store will be customized to reflect the way Bloomingdale's sees itself today.

Bits of the store look a lot like Bloomies' 59th Street flagship in New York, especially the two floors that have recently undergone a makeover, but other elements, like the five-story glass wall on Mission Street are unique to San Francisco. The San Francisco store will also feature some designers not found in New York.

"This is the closest we've ever come to bringing the energy, design and excitement of 59th Street" to another Bloomingdale's, said Jack Hruska, Bloomingdale's director of store design. Some elements of the store, like breaking a vast open space into intimate shopping corridors, work better here than in New York, he added. "In every way, this is the best example of a Bloomingdale's store."

Each of the floors will have a different design, though black accents throughout will give the store coherence.

Inside the light, airy space, scaffolding is still up and sawdust and plywood cover the black and white tiled floor. But counters await cosmetics and the different departments are beginning to take shape. Primary construction is almost complete and over the next month vendor installations will be complete and construction clean up will begin.

Bloomingdale's takes possession of the space August 25 and on August 26 the weeks-long process of moving in merchandise begins.

The store is about halfway to its total staffing goal of 536. It will have around 35 executives; all the managers have been hired, and associates are now coming in.

Near the main store entrance, Jimmy Choo, Dior Couture, Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton will run mini boutiques.

Merchandise, presentation and service are Bloomies' focus as it enters San Francisco's crowded department store market, said chairman and CEO Michael Gould. Westfield San Francisco Centre already has a Nordstrom, itself undergoing a transformation. Nearby on Union Square, Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Saks all do strong business and next year Barneys New York will also open just blocks away.

Yet Gould has high hopes for his West Coast flagship, the second largest Bloomingdale's outside of Manhattan. He said he expects San Francisco to rival Boston as Bloomingdale's second-highest volume store.

"People connect to newness, to excitement, to passion," Gould said, and San Francisco associates are being trained to deliver that, with a particular emphasis on service.

Indeed, new associates in San Francisco are trained for ten days, nearly twice as long as associates in other cities. The store will feature seating areas for weary shoppers and a hospitality center with multi-lingual associates.

Gould thinks Bloomingdale's will capitalize on the energy and development booming south of Market, from hotels to museums to condos to retail.

This is the only new Bay Area Bloomingdale's store for now, though the company will open two other new stores, in San Diego and Chestnut Hill, before year's end.

"There are very few things that anyone can have that you can't buy somewhere else. And there's nothing here you really, really need," Gould said. "So we are appealing to people's emotions and aspirations. We are in a relationship business, not a transactional business."

BTinSF

Aug 11, 2006, 6:35 AM

I just keep wondering who they think their market is. The store faces a giant parking garage and they once wanted a skybridge across Mission St. to it. Do they think the market is people who are going to drive in from the burbs and enter from Mission St. or are they really looking to serve San Franciscans? I'm interested to see how one approaches the store from the Market St. entrance and from BART/Muni.

San Frangelino

Aug 11, 2006, 5:44 PM

From http://mattlanning.com/blog.html

Falletti's (Broderick Place) update
http://www.fallettifoods.com/
http://www.sigprop.com/nbds/broderickplace/

From the North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association blog,
I got to meet Tick Falletti today and get a walkthru of the store. It's going to be great. They've been working on this alone for several years as they had to close all their other stores after losing their lease at Plaza (now Albertsons). Their manager, Alan, started working for them at the Plaza location when he was 17 years old. Tick's two sons are also involved, and they have rehired some of their old-school butchers so there will be some real experienced folks behind the counter. The rendering on the Falletti's site shows the butcher/fish counter. There will also be produce, wine, a couple refrigerated aisles, and about 4 aisles for other foods and necessities. Modest scale.

Falletti's is also handling all the leasing for the other spaces. They've lined up Delessio's for a delux NY style deli on the SW corner (Broderick & Oak). I ran into Mr. Delissio on my way out (not his real name) and he claimed that they will be preparing over 100 different food items there including cakes and pastries, and perhaps eventually their own ice cream (Elsa will be excited to hear that!).

Peets is confirmed for a small cafe space facing the BofA. There is another retail food space w/ seating facing Broderick that they have yet to lease, and three small store fronts on Fell, also unleased at the moment. Sounds like they will get one or two restaurants/take out (burritos, sushi?), possibly a cleaners. I suggested a florist... if you have other's, let me know. They seem really interested in finding tenants who will be a good fit for the area. Given that this project is 2 years behind schedule and has been their central focus for 4-5 years, they are deeply invested in making the project work.
For those that weren't around pre-1999, Falletti's was a fantastic, locally-owned grocery store at Fulton & Masonic (where the new Albertson's is now), which also featured separately-owned butchers, dry cleaners, photo developing, liquor store, etc.

When they lost their lease on the land at Fulton/Masonic, they were able to work out a deal to purchase the old Bank of America site on Broderick. They got approval for 70+ housing units and their grocery store, as well as multiple smaller business spaces. This is going to be a FANTASTIC addition to the neighborhood, and we're all very glad (and lucky!) to have them back! And this comes just in time, with many of the city's grocery stores closing for various reasons...

Their site says that they'll be open September 2006, but Kevin (quoted above) was told it would be closer to the first week of October 2006.

Had always hoped for Divisadero street and surroundings to become an area of Interesting shops and eateries, and new infill developments. Maybe that will happen sooner rather than later!

BTinSF

Aug 11, 2006, 5:49 PM

:omg: Faletti's is coming back??!! I had no idea, but I'm really beyond happy about it. It seemed like a chunk of San Francisco died when they closed.

sf_eddo

Aug 11, 2006, 6:06 PM

Had always hoped for Divisadero street and surroundings to become an area of Interesting shops and eateries, and new infill developments. Maybe that will happen sooner rather than later!

Divisadero currently *is* a neighborhood of interesting shops and eateries. With the opening of Nopa bar/restaurant, it's just now becoming known to the more affluent yuppie-types (readers of 7X7, etc.), and hence "choice" retail like Peets is opening up in the hood.

It's actually one of my favorite parts of the City. I love the bars and nightlife along Divisadero - The Page, The Independent, and Lions Pub/Den are amongst my fave in the City...

rs913

Aug 11, 2006, 7:12 PM

Do they think the market is people who are going to drive in from the burbs and enter from Mission St. or are they really looking to serve San Franciscans? I'm interested to see how one approaches the store from the Market St. entrance and from BART/Muni.

Seems like they're in a unique situation since their market (and ultimately their success) is somewhat tied to that of the center. If it were a standalone store, they probably wouldn't go for a spot across from a parking garage, but the mall faces Market and has direct BART entrances, and Bloomingdale's is a huge part of the mall, so maybe that's just as good? Hard to say.

It also looks like they're putting Bloomingdale's logo on the new Market-facing facade of the center, which seems unusual, since it's over an entry that doesn't even lead directly to Bloomingdale's.

sf_eddo

Aug 11, 2006, 7:37 PM

craeg

Aug 11, 2006, 7:38 PM

I think the fact that it is the only bloomingdales other than in San Jose will help it quite a bit. Marinites now no longer have to travel to SJ to get to bloomies - plus the one in SF will be over 100k sq ft larger than SJ.

fflint

Aug 11, 2006, 9:16 PM

It seems obvious to me that Bloomingdales will draw people from not only the city, but also from the North and East Bays.

dimondpark

Aug 11, 2006, 9:23 PM

^Westfield's market research for SF Centre was based on the 2.7 Million households that surround the mall. They estimate the median household income in the entire region by 2007 is going to top $100,000.

Ronin

Aug 11, 2006, 9:28 PM

BTinSF

Aug 11, 2006, 9:29 PM

I see no reason why their market can't be both types of consumers.

It could, but what do they think? I just want to see what you are confronted with if you walk into the mall off Market St (the old Emporium main entrance) --whether you have to navigate a maze of other stores or whether there's some direct approach to Bloomingdales making it clear who is the Queen of this realm.

SSLL

Aug 11, 2006, 9:33 PM

^^I don't know about that. I've seen signs for stores in malls that are just for visibility, rather than location.

BTinSF

Aug 11, 2006, 9:37 PM

Hmm.. other than Bloomingdales, the shop list looks like Valley Fair north. I'd go to SF Centre to check out the ambience and the atmosphere, but as far as shopping goes, I'll stick with good ole VF. I'm really interested in seeing what they do with the Metreon, partly because of the two high profile competing movie theaters in such close proximity.

It IS Valley Fair North and I doubt there's any effort to lure people with easy access to VF there. Once again, in SF, the very highest end retailers are not in malls--they have their own store-fronts. If you are looking for couture clothing and so on, you won't find it in SF Centre EXCEPT, perhaps, in Bloomies or Nordies. Outside of Bloomies (and even there, I believe they have a store at Standford Shopping Center), this mall is for locals and tourists staying in the City. I think it's mostly an attempt to bring the high-end mall experience, such as one finds at South Coast Plaza or even Valley Fair, downtown. The previous iteration of SF Shopping Centre was nice, but fairly limited in its size and tenants.

As to the movie theaters, the Century Theaters chain was just sold: "One major transaction, Cinemark USA Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Century Theatres Inc., was struck this week, while a few other theater-related businesses -- including No. 2 theater chain AMC Entertainment Inc. -- are considering public offerings, analysts and investors say. Source: http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB115517342055231730.html " Soon America will have two mega chains, Cinemark and AMC.

AMC has already bought Loew's which owned the Metreon cineplex: "Movie theater chains AMC and Loews have won government approval for their planned merger on condition they sell 10 theaters, including two in San Francisco, to independent buyers.

State Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced his acceptance of the merger Thursday in a federal court settlement that requires AMC to sell its two San Francisco multiplexes, the eight-screen Kabuki at 1881 Post St. and the 14-screen Van Ness at 1000 Van Ness Ave., within six months. Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/12/23/BAGEKGCJE41.DTL&hw=Metreon+theaters&sn=005&sc=196 "

So what we will have at 4th and Mission, really, is the two huge national chains facing off. It makes for interesting moviegoing. And with the closure of most of the city's single-screen neighborhood theaters, Hollywood movie-going (as opposed to independent movies) is really boiling down to the Metreon, 1000 Van Ness, Kubuki (if it stays open) and the new SF Center complex. Anyway, that's why I said elsewhere I like to see more neon at 4th and Mission. With about half the city's movie screens, let's make it a real mini-Times Square.

FourOneFive

Aug 11, 2006, 9:39 PM

rs913

Aug 11, 2006, 10:34 PM

More on Bloomingdale's: http://tinyurl.com/fmda7

This picture suggests that you'll have to navigate through the mall to reach Bloomingdale's from Market st.

http://www.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2005/07/24/bu_bloomies.jpg

Ronin

Aug 11, 2006, 10:36 PM

So what we will have at 4th and Mission, really, is the two huge national chains facing off. It makes for interesting moviegoing. And with the closure of most of the city's single-screen neighborhood theaters, Hollywood movie-going (as opposed to independent movies) is really boiling down to the Metreon, 1000 Van Ness, Kubuki (if it stays open) and the new SF Center complex. Anyway, that's why I said elsewhere I like to see more neon at 4th and Mission. With about half the city's movie screens, let's make it a real mini-Times Square.

Neon sounds great. I'm all for it. As far as the movie theaters go, most of the people on the West and Southern parts of the city already go to the Daly City complex, which is much less of a hassle to get to.

fflint

Aug 11, 2006, 10:41 PM

When I lived in the Richmond, it was still a lot easier for me to get to the Metreon than it was to get to the Daly City complex.

sf_eddo

Aug 11, 2006, 10:59 PM

More on Books in the SF Bay Area...

I await DubbaG's response to Powell's and Portland...

Powell's Books looming large in the Bay Area
- David Lazarus
Friday, August 11, 2006

When Berkeley's Black Oak Books closed its North Beach branch in San Francisco this summer, there was no hassle dealing with the thousands of volumes that made up the used-book inventory.

Black Oak cut a deal with Powell's Books, the world's largest independent purveyor of used books. Powell's has eight stores in Portland, Ore., making the city a mecca for used-books lovers, and a Web site (www.powells.com) that's become the go-to destination for anyone seeking a hard-to-find tome.

"They sent down a truck," said Nick Setka, a Black Oak employee. "They spent a day packing. They spent a day loading. And they were gone. They've obviously done this many times before."

In recent years, Powell's has systematically purchased the entire inventory of a number of Bay Area used-book stores. Before Black Oak, there was Chelsea Books in San Francisco. Before that there was Adobe Book Shop, also in the city.

Used-book sellers in the region say it's become increasingly difficult to compete with Powell's because of its vast inventory -- more than 4 million titles in stock -- and the company's ability to undercut rivals' prices.

They also say that as more used-book stores go under amid economic hardship, Powell's will only grow more formidable as it snaps up huge quantities of additional books at fire-sale prices, often as low as 15 cents on the dollar.

"Powell's has been doing this all over the country," said Allan Milkerit, a San Francisco bookseller specializing in used and rare volumes. "But they've been especially active in the Bay Area because of the number of used books here."

He said Powell's sends buyers to the Bay Area every two or three months to scour the shelves of various shops, and dealers routinely alert one another whenever the Powell's people are making the rounds.

"I always know when they're coming to my store," Milkerit said.

Emily Powell, daughter of Powell's owner Michael Powell and the company's director of used books, said she understands the impact Powell's has had on smaller used-book sellers.

"We certainly make it harder for others," she acknowledged. "We're part of why this is an increasingly challenging business."

But Powell said the company's Portland facilities constitute an important cultural resource -- something anyone who's visited the sprawling flagship store, which takes up an entire city block, would readily attest to.

She also said that ever-increasing online sales are a factor of Powell's having been among the first independent bookstores to embrace the Internet, making it today the Amazon of used books.

Powell's recorded its first online sale in 1994. Within 10 years, the company's online operation had dozens of employees and was operating out of a 60,000-square-foot warehouse.

"Powell's saw, for better or for worse, what the Internet's impact would be on the book industry," said Hut Landon, executive director of the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association. "They quickly figured out how to use it to their advantage."

Powell said her company's turnover of millions of used books annually requires a steady stream of additional volumes to replenish and expand its supply.

"We need books," she said. "We have folk who keep their ear to the ground and know when libraries are closing or businesses are shutting down."

Powell added: "We try not to be buzzards flying over. But if we see something that would be a good match for us, inventorywise, we'll make a call. We'll send buyers to anything that looks like it might be a good deal."

Or, just as often, Powell's will be contacted by a prospective seller.

Black Oak's Setka said that when a decision was made in the spring to close the North Beach store, one of the company's co-owners, Bob Brown, called Powell's and asked if there was any interest in purchasing the inventory. There was.

Setka said Powell's immediately dispatched buyers to appraise the stock.

"While they were here," he recalled, "they sent one of their people over to our Irving Street store as well and then said they wanted to make a deal for that, too."

The North Beach branch was shutting down, but Black Oak was committed to its Irving Street operation. Nevertheless, Black Oak's owners recognized Powell's offer as a unique opportunity to clear out excess inventory and agreed to also empty the other store.

In all, about 250,000 books were carted away in mid-June by Powell's for a price rumored to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Neither Black Oak nor Powell's would discuss details of the transaction.

Black Oak is now replenishing the stock at its Irving Street branch. But Setka said he doesn't know what the future holds for used-book companies like his.

"We have a store full of books, and the Internet has made 90 percent of them less valuable than they were before," he observed. "It makes books more accessible, which means that something we used to sell for ten bucks we now sell for a dollar."

Pete Mulvihill, co-owner of San Francisco's esteemed Green Apple Books, said he hasn't been approached by Powell's about a possible buyout. But it could be just a matter of time.

"They're aggressive about buying books," he said. "They'll be a bigger and bigger player if they continue to operate this way."

Bryan Bilby echoed this sentiment. He sold about 12,000 volumes to Powell's several years ago when he closed Chelsea Books in San Francisco's Inner Sunset District and moved to the East Coast.

"They're a really powerful bookselling engine," Bilby said. "They shake things out."

In the Mission District, used- and rare-book dealer Milkerit said he's barely keeping his head above water.

"Business has been terrible," he said. "It's really awful -- as bad as I've ever seen it."

Things are getting so rough, Milkerit said, he's fallen behind on the rent for his San Francisco apartment and for the first time is pondering the likelihood of having to close his shop and dispose of his beloved books.

How would he do that?

"I'd call Powell's," Milkerit said.

David Lazarus' column appears Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Send tips or feedback to dlazarus@sfchronicle.com.

Page D - 1
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/11/BUGPNKFS2J1.DTL

BTinSF

Aug 11, 2006, 11:09 PM

Less books for the Bay Area! I read that article as saying that Powell's, a Portland outfit, was sucking used books out of the Bay Area for its Portland retail and online operation. I even bookmarked the online site because I didn't know about it before.

SSLL

Aug 12, 2006, 10:35 PM

fflint

Aug 12, 2006, 10:37 PM

It's a very old strategy, having customers walk past the smaller stores on their way to the desination store. Hardly indicative of a developer's supposed bias toward motorist-consumers.

rs913

Aug 13, 2006, 1:42 AM

From the cutaway view, it does like you'd have to go through Bloomie's, but I don't think it's totally representative of it. It's hard to do a 3D version of a crosssection like that, since Bloomie's will be in the back (from Market). Also, in the view, it looks like there'll be one floor that goes from Bloomie's straight into Nordstrom, which I doubt

The cutaway diagram is a little inaccurate in that where it shows Bloomie's, there's actually mall retail "in front" of it from the Market St perspective. There's no direct entrance from Bloomie's into Nordstrom, but from the little flythrough video on Westfield's site, it looks like the 4th floor of the new wing will have direct entrances into Bloomie's as well as Nordstrom (the latter being a "side" entrance into Nordstrom's first floor, which was previously only accessible from the old center below)

By the way, this discussion of SF's retail scene makes me wonder about developments that seem to have failed, like Blackhawk Plaza in Danville (which I visited for lunch last week). It's half-empty and about to lose its main anchor...what happened there?

EastBayHardCore

Aug 13, 2006, 2:06 AM

BTinSF

Aug 13, 2006, 4:22 AM

It's a very old strategy, having customers walk past the smaller stores on their way to the desination store. Hardly indicative of a developer's supposed bias toward motorist-consumers.

Yes, it's an old strategy, but in this case it reminds me of the typical suburban mall--you can enter the anchor store directly from the giant parking lot (or, in this case, the parking garage) or through the mall. How many Bloomie's customers you think plan to duck into Footlocker or Wet Seal on the way in? But it isn't a question of bias toward motorists I'm curious about. It's a question of who they think their target market is. It's not a criticism. Just a curiosity--how direct will the approach to the store be if you arrive via BART, Muni or foot from Market St. as San Franciscans are more likely to do. Will they, in fact, make us city dwellers pass the teen retailers and other hoi poloi to get to them. Remember that this mall is really all about Bloomingdales, more than most malls, because it wouldn't exist if Federated hadn't bought Emporium and had to figure out how to turn a real estate white elephant into a 21st century retail gem.

I think the way Nordstrom does it is quite effective--an elegant little elevator lobby straight to Nordies. You do NOT have to climb floor to floor on the escalator or mingle with the Wet Seal crowd in an elevator that stops at the lower floors. Will Bloomies offer an equivalent welcome?

BTinSF

Aug 13, 2006, 4:31 AM

I think most of us couldn't give a rats ass about what crappy strip malls are failing out in the exurbs...Well maybe one member cares about Danville ;) But yea, that's why this is the SF Retail thread, and not the Greater Bay Area retail thread, the thought of which makes me shudder.

Well, sheesh! Now I AM wondering if the nouveau riche in Blackhawk somehow have lesser wallets than their older money colleagues at Standford Shopping Center which does quite well, I think (I've been near either of them).

Ronin

Aug 13, 2006, 7:06 AM

Shopping areas should be motorist friendly. I for one have never purchased more than one item at a time in downtown due to the simple fact that lugging bags onto Muni, Bart, or AC Transit = NO FUN.

EastBayHardCore

Aug 13, 2006, 7:35 AM

Obviously a large number of people don't agree with you about that. If they dead Union Square wouldn't be as active as it is.

rs913

Aug 13, 2006, 4:26 PM

It's a question of who they think their target market is. It's not a criticism. Just a curiosity--how direct will the approach to the store be if you arrive via BART, Muni or foot from Market St. as San Franciscans are more likely to do.

I still don't see that they're not targeting shoppers outside the suburban demographic just by virtue of the layout, though.

Granted, by virtue of being a mall, it'll have some similarities to its suburban counterparts.

But Bloomie's has a facade and entrances on Mission Street, which, while it isn't Market Street, still has a decent amount of foot traffic, which will grow as a result of the new condo development and new InterContinental hotel. (The plan also called for some of the first-floor shops to have Market Street entrances...not sure if that's actually happening)

And the store mix isn't the typical suburban mall crap...it seems to be a little more upscale, maybe comparable to Valley Fair but not Bay Fair, and with a more "urban" restaurant mix too. Certainly not the kind of thing people would mind walking past en route to Bloomie's from Market/BART, especially since that same crowd walks past lots of similar stores en route to the Union Square department stores.

Places like Boston and Chicago have downtown malls that aren't just suburban centers which happen to be downtown. The new SF project seems like it avoids that trap too...

dimondpark

Aug 13, 2006, 4:37 PM

Well, sheesh! Now I AM wondering if the nouveau riche in Blackhawk somehow have lesser wallets than their older money colleagues at Standford Shopping Center which does quite well, I think (I've been near either of them).
Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek actually tops Valley Fair and Stanford in sales per sq ft-but its classified in a different class of shopping centers since its smaller.

Stoneridge Mall's Market Area has the highest average household income of any mall in California. And that mall is very high up there as far as sales per sq ft as well.

Shopping areas should be motorist friendly. I for one have never purchased more than one item at a time in downtown due to the simple fact that lugging bags onto Muni, Bart, or AC Transit = NO FUN.
People find a way. Otherwise Union Square wouldnt be where it is today.

dimondpark

Aug 13, 2006, 4:47 PM

By the way, this discussion of SF's retail scene makes me wonder about developments that seem to have failed, like Blackhawk Plaza in Danville (which I visited for lunch last week). It's half-empty and about to lose its main anchor...what happened there?
It was built too prematurely IMO. Blackhawk only has what? 10,000 people? Those are people who in many cases dont spend time in Blackhawk itself but seek entertainment and shopping elsewhere. Camino Tassajara is still a rural highway once you leave Blackhawk and it seems out of the way for people from Danville and San Ramon.

Trojan

Aug 13, 2006, 5:28 PM

The new SF center is basically just a new Beverly Center, but not with as many luxury stores since the luxury stores have their own boutiques around Union Square.

BTinSF

Aug 13, 2006, 5:51 PM

Places like Boston and Chicago have downtown malls that aren't just suburban centers which happen to be downtown. The new SF project seems like it avoids that trap too...

Just to note--SF has had such a project for a decade or so (can't remember when SF Shopping Centre opened). This just doubles its size.

fflint

Aug 13, 2006, 9:32 PM

The new SF center is basically just a new Beverly Center, but not with as many luxury stores since the luxury stores have their own boutiques around Union Square.
No, San Francisco Centre is--and always has been--quite different from Beverly Center, in that it is fully integrated into the surrounding street-level urban fabric and public transportation network. The existing Market and 5th Street sides are lined with traditional storefronts; those stores are accessed mainly from the sidewalk. That will also be true of the new Mission Street facade as well--direct access from the sidewalk to Bloomingdales' main entrance. Indeed, all the existing and future above-ground entrances are not from parking garages, but rather from busy downtown sidewalks. Meanwhile, where there is now a direct entrance to SFC from the Powell Street BART and Muni subways, there will soon be two such direct connections between the mall and the municipal and regional passenger rail networks--one on each side of the complex.

San Frangelino

Aug 17, 2006, 4:43 AM

One year later...More H&M cometh!!!

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/08/14/daily21.html?surround=lfn

Retailer H&M to open next year in Emeryville
San Francisco Business Times - 9:07 AM PDT Wednesday
by Ryan Tate

H&M, the retailer of discount high fashion, plans to open in Emeryville's Bay Street mall in spring 2007.

H&M will take close to 13,000 square feet adjacent to the shopping center's AMC movie theater. The lease puts H&M in a shopping center next door to Ikea, another Swedish purveyor of discount consumer goods.

H&M has two stores in San Francisco's Union Square, opened within the past year, and three other locations planned aside from Emeryville, one in the Bloomingdale's expansion of Westfield's San Francisco Centre, another in the former Eddie Bauer store in Walnut Creek and the other at Concord's Sun Valley mall.

Based on previous statements from H&M executives, the company is expected to open one other East Bay location after Emeryville, although specific plans, if any, remain a mystery.

At Bay Street, H&M could cinch together a retail strategy that has struggled to come together. Although the retail center's movie theater and Old Navy retail stores do brisk business, other retailers were struggling to draw more shoppers a year and a half after the center opened. The store mix includes Coach (NYSE: COH), Williams-Sonoma (NYSE: WSM), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF), Banana Republic, the Body Shop, and an Apple store.