urban=pedestrians

 

kenwood doesn't have any

I disagree on both parts.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Cult-fave H&M could be hanging its racks in Kenwood

Business Courier of Cincinnati -

by Lisa Biank Fasig Courier staff reporter

 

 

Four years after first confirming its interest in Kenwood Towne Centre, H&M, the Swedish clothing chain known for kicky fashions at discount prices, might be inching closer to a spot in the region’s best-performing mall.

 

 

Read the full article here:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/08/25/story17.html

 

^ Great news!

 

So ... American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and H&M (x2) ... sounds good to me!

It is amazing considering the sprawl nature of Greater Cincinnati, that's the region mega-retail center is a substantially urban shopping district (compare to Tri-County and every thing north). It also would be quite easily retrofitted for more intense mass transit as well.

 

As I recall, the Sycamore Township officials were pretty adamantly opposed to the metro moves plan that would have taken rail to Kenwood Towne Center - hopefully they've all moved on since then and have been replaced by move open minded leaders.

 

Ahh, the carpetbaggers in this town!      I guess any form of public transportation will turn this oasis into something resembling the westside, right??  (I'm not directing this at you guys.)

 

 

I still don't understand why people in this city (still) think that a bus line or Lt rail line leads to crime, poverty, and all that nonsense....  For god's sake it is the 21st century!!

 

H&M would rock. If they come into the market, hopefully we could get them downtown or near UC after a couple years.

H&M would seem to fit like a glove at The Banks, or potentially at the development site in-between Calhoun and McMillan streets in Clifton Heights (American Apparel and Urban Outfitters already located there).

So who knew that Toledo already has an H&M - wtf? Cbus has one but it women's only. Cleveland has four. The cost conscious fashion forward metrosexuals of SW Ohio need to get their act together and make this hapen.

Atlanta just got their first full-scale H&M like last month at Atlantic Station in Midtown.  They do have a women's only H&M at Northpoint Mall though.

H&M would rock. If they come into the market, hopefully we could get them downtown or near UC after a couple years.

 

How old are you? lol ... for some reason I had in mind you were about 40-50 years old? I know this comment can't come from someone in that age bracket though! ;)

All is right in your city when you have an H&M.

All is right in your city when you have an H&M.

 

lol!

So who knew that Toledo already has an H&M - wtf? Cbus has one but it women's only. Cleveland has four. The cost conscious fashion forward metrosexuals of SW Ohio need to get their act together and make this hapen.

 

Westfield properties tend to have H&M. The Westfield Annapolis also has an H&M (but is also significantly trendier than Kenwood Towne Centre).

 

H&M is nice, and it'd be great for Cincinnati to have it. Between IKEA and H&M, it's just like Sweden, but not.

I just sound old I guess . . . 30.

I just sound old I guess . . . 30.

 

Gotcha! ;)

 

We're about the same age then.

I thought you were like 25. You and your wife look really young

 

 

The cost conscious fashion forward metrosexuals of SW Ohio need to get their act together and make this hapen.

 

You sound like you work for the Chamber of Commerce LOL

We still have an advantage with other stores - Tiffany and Ikea for example.

I thought you were like 25. You and your wife look really young

 

 

The cost conscious fashion forward metrosexuals of SW Ohio need to get their act together and make this hapen.

 

You sound like you work for the Chamber of Commerce LOL

We still have an advantage with other stores - Tiffany and Ikea for example.

 

... and Saks.

 

I'm 27, so I consider that about the same age. ;)

 

 

Doesn't anyone ever wonder how areas like the wonderful world of Kenwood will change or react to online shopping as it continues to gain new shoppers that are slowly breaking away from their fear?

 

To us it sounds ridiculous, but there are people out there that still do not shop on the internet, but will 6 months, a year, etc ... from now.

I don't think online shopping will get much more popular. People like seeing stuff in person and if it's clothing, they like to try it on. For women, shopping has just as much to do with the experience than recieving the actual product, I think. Even before online shopping, people used catalogs and TV to buy stuff. There's been low-overhead businesses like that before the internet.

You do see it change what can go into a mall . . . bookstores and record stores used to be a primary store in every mall - sometimes two or three. While there are a couple in Kenwood, they are pretty residual at this point. While you can buy clothes and shoes online, in the end it is more of a pain in the ass to return them if they don't fit. The techno gadget places have been hurt - Brookstone, Sharper Image - because their primary customer shops online far more than he used to.

I'd that this is why the 'lifestyle' part of the retail - read food - has become a much bigger part of any retail development. The original KTC had a crappy food court and Ruby Tuesdays and now it has Cheesecake Factory and so on - and it is better than a couple of the malls in Cbus (Polaris and Easton) that seem to be nearly all food and very little shopping.

Kenwood, while I love it, is not better than Easton and certainly not Polaris.

The original KTC had a crappy food court and Ruby Tuesdays and now it has Cheesecake Factory and so on - and it is better than a couple of the malls in Cbus (Polaris and Easton) that seem to be nearly all food and very little shopping.

 

Are you kidding me? How many times have you been to Polaris and Easton? These malls have a much better selection of upscale stores when compared to Kenwood.

 

These are just some of the stores at Easton:

 

Ann Taylor Loft

Anthropologie

The Apple Store

Archivers

Arden B 

BCBG MAXAZRIA 

Below the Brim 

Benetton   

BOSE

The Buckle 

C.O. Bigelow 

Club Libby Lu

Coach

Coldwater Creek 

Color Your World

Crate & Barrel

D'Sergio Jewelers

D.O.C./SEE Optique

Design Within Reach

The Diamond Cellar

Dr. Mojoe

Fossil

Francesca’s Collections

friends 2B made

giftology Global Gallery

Godiva Chocolatier

Harry & David

Henri Bendel

hhgregg & hhgregg Fine Lines   

Icing by Claire's

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers 

Joseph Shaulov

Justice

L'OCCITANE

Lacoste Co.

Lane Bryant

Life Time Fitness

Lucky Brand

Luxaderm Spa

Macy's

Mario Tricoci Salon & Day Spa   

Moochie & Co.

MW Tux New Balance   

New York & Company 

Nordstrom 

Origins

Perfumania

Pottery Barn 

Pottery Barn Kids 

Puma

Restoration Hardware Fax   

roll:

Ruehl No.

Silverado 

Smith & Hawken

Sony Style

Stitch by Stitch 

Sur La Table

Swarovski

Teavana     

Trader Joe's

VSX

West Elm

White Barn Candle Co.   

White House | Black Market   

Williams-Sonoma

Yves Delorme

Z Gallerie

 

Not to mention, Easton has offices above retail in a pedestrian-friendly environment. I'm not knocking Kenwood but your argument really makes no sense.

 

By the way, why is this thread in Ohio Business and Economy?

 

David, can you post an exclusive list of which mall has which stores while the other doesn't?

 

I could care less, it doesn't mean that much to me, it's just out of curiosity.

I don't have that kind of time lol I will say Ruehl is some exclusive stuff and Easton got it. It's a test store - Abercrombie's luxury brand. Easton is in Les Wexner's (limited brands) back yard. The man owns almost every store you find in malls. I haven't been to Kenwood in a while but I'm guessing they don't have a Lacoste, Puma, BCBG, and definitely not a Ruehl.

 

One thing Kenwood has that I've never seen at Easton, Polaris or Tuttle is a Kenneth Cole. However Buckle is more my style than any other clothng store and they're in all three of the biggest malls in Columbus. I think Tri-county has a Buckle but...it's Tri-county.

okay, here is a list copy/paste ... I do not care to make this clean, so here it is... (btw, KTC has a Lacoste)

 

 

KTC:

 

 

A T & T (Kiosk) C 1 (513) 792-9300

Abercrombie B 2 (513) 936-9117

Abercrombie & Fitch A 2 (513) 984-4211

Aeropostale C 1 (513) 794-1073

Aldo B 2 (513) 936-8143

American Eagle Outfitters D 1 (513) 793-3510

Ann Taylor B 2 (513) 791-0702

Ann Taylor LOFT B 2 (513) 793-1340

Ann's Hallmark C 1 (513) 791-4366

Apple B 2 (513) 791-9866

Arhaus Furniture A 2 (513) 791-4200

Ashcroft & Oak A 2 (513) 791-5646

Auntie Anne's D 1 (513) 791-8804

Aveda Lifestyle Store B 2 (513) 985-9855

babyGap C 1 (513) 984-4946

Banana Republic B 2 (513) 791-3700

Bankhardt's Luggage Shop Co. B 2 (513) 791-4021

Bare Escentuals A 2 (513) 984-4280

Bath & Body Works A 2 (513) 891-0903

BCBGMAXAZRIA A 2 (513) 936-0302

bebe B 2 (513) 891-5588

bebe sport A 2 (513) 745-0391

Bleach Bright (kiosk) C Lower Level (513) 791-7000

Blue Chip Cookies C 1 (513) 793-4001

Body Shop, The A 2 (513) 745-0802

Bose B 2 (513) 891-4384

Bostonian C 1 (513) 891-9462

Brighton Collectibles A 2 (513) 791-7780

Brookstone A 2 (513) 791-0052

Build-A-Bear Workshop B 2 (513) 794-1333

Burger King C 1 (513) 891-6966

Burrito Joe's C 1 (513) 985-0333

C.O. Bigelow A 2 (513) 891-2441

Caché A 2 (513) 791-7499

California Closet Company D 1 (513) 793-3055

Cardboard Heroes A 2 (513) 791-1651

Cellaris (Kiosk) C 1 (513) 791-1388

Champs Sports D 1 (513) 792-9015

Cheesecake Factory, The B 2 (513) 984-6911

Chick-fil-A C 1 (513) 793-7149

Chico's A 2 (513) 792-9750

Children's Place, The B 2 (513) 984-2950

Cincinnati Bell (kiosk) C 1 (513) 794-1200

Claire's Boutique D 1 (513) 984-9827

Clarks B 2 (513) 791-0548

COACH B 2 (513) 745-0235

CordaRoys (kiosk) C 1 (513) 891-4823

Crabtree & Evelyn B 2 (513) 891-2056

crewcuts by J. Crew B 2 (513) 891-6500

Crocs (kiosk) C 1 (513) 745-9296

Dakota Watch Co. (kiosk) C 1 (513) 791-5075

Dillard's Anchor 1 & 2 (513) 745-4489

Dillard's Salon Anchor Upper Level (513) 745-4473

Easy Spirit A 2 (513) 791-0775

Ecco A 2 (513) 891-2928

Eddie Bauer B 2 (513) 984-0033

Electronics Boutique D 1 (513) 936-9285

Embroidery Station (kiosk) D Lower Level (513) 745-9584

Essence (kiosk) B Upper Level (513) 791-1862

Everything But Water B 2 (513) 791-4862

Express B 2 (513) 891-8955

Finish Line D 1 (513) 791-8200

Foot Locker C 1 (513) 793-9099

Footaction A 2 (513) 745-0718

Forever 21 D 1 (513) 791-2787

Fossil C 1 (513) 891-9500

Franklin Covey C 1 (513) 792-0099

Frullati Café & Bakery C 1 (513) 791-5515

FYE - For Your Entertainment A 2 (513) 745-9067

G by Guess B 2 (513) 793-6608

Gap C 1 (513) 984-5300

Gap Body C 1 (513) 984-5300

Gap Kids C 1 (513) 984-4946

Glamour Shots D 1 (513) 891-5500

GNC-General Nutrition Center D 1 (513) 793-5443

Godiva Chocolatier B 2 (513) 745-0081

Gold Star Chili C 1 (513) 793-9353

Great Steak & Potato Company C 1 (513) 745-9517

Gymboree B 2 (513) 745-9920

Hannoush Jewelers C 2 (513) 793-6161

Helzberg Diamonds A 2 (513) 793-3340

Hollister C 1 (513) 936-0096

Indoor/Outdoor B 2

J. Crew B 2 (513) 891-6500

J. Jill A 2 (513) 792-0973

Janie & Jack A 2 (513) 891-1400

Johnston & Murphy A 2 (513) 791-1780

Journeys D 1 (513) 984-3243

Kay Jewelers D 1 (513) 793-8247

Kelly's Cajun Grill C 1 (513) 791-8283

Kenneth Cole B 2 (513) 891-2127

Kenwood Cinemas D 1 (513) 791-2483

L'Occitane B 2 (513) 793-8640

Lacoste B 2 (513) 985-0124

Lady Foot Locker C 1 (513) 984-9412

Lenscrafters Optique B 2 (513) 793-5059

Let's Go Straight C 1 (513) 745-9089

Lids C 1 (513) 985-0887

Lids Kids D 1 (513) 791-5985

Limited Too C 1 (513) 891-6914

Limited, The A 2 (513) 791-2761

Lucky Brand Jeans B 2 (513) 936-8411

MAC Cosmetics A 2 (513) 936-0739

Macy*s Anchor 1 & 2 (513) 247-6400

Maggiano's Little Italy B 2 (513) 794-0670

Maison De Sourcils A 2 (513) 891-2769

Marble Slab C 1 (513) 984-4300

Marmi B 2 (513) 891-1949

Max Orient C 1 (513) 936-0878

Metropark B 2 (513) 791-0555

Mimi Maternity / Motherhood Maternity Combo B 2 (513) 891-1472

Mobile Solutions (kiosk) C 1 (513) 791-5269

Modern Nails A 2 (513) 985-0077

Moochie & Co. A 1 (513) 791-4846

Nine West Collection A 2 (513) 891-3299

NYS Collection (Kiosk) B 2 (513) 745-0950

NYS Collection (Kiosk) D 1 (513) 745-0950

Osterman Jewelers C 1 (513) 791-2570

Pacific Sunwear D 1 (513) 791-9434

Papyrus B 2 (513) 791-5554

Pearle Vision D 1 (513) 791-6106

Picture People A 2 (513) 985-0067

Pottery Barn B 2 (513) 794-0705

Pottery Barn Kids A 2 (513) 984-2787

Premier Skincare (Kiosk) C 1 (513) 791-4975

Premier Skincare (Kiosk) B 2 (513) 791-4975

Proactiv (kiosk) C 1 (513) 791-0749

Radio Shack C 1 (513) 791-3823

Regis Hairstylists B 2 (513) 791-5556

Restoration Hardware B 1 (513) 984-0151

Rogers Jewelers A 2 (513) 745-9966

Sam Meyers D 1 (513) 791-8077

Sbarro C 1 (513) 891-7560

Select Comfort A 1 (513) 792-0332

Sephora A 2 (513) 794-0250

SGH - Sunglass Hut International A 2 (513) 891-4869

Silver Mountain (kiosk) C 1 (513) 793-4580

Smoothie King C 1 (513) 984-0194

SOHO (kiosk) B 2 (513) 891-1234

Sony Style B 2 (513) 793-0512

Starbucks C 1 (513) 984-1014

Sterling Cut Glass B 2 (513) 985-8100

Steve Madden D 1 (513) 745-9578

Stride Rite D 1 (513) 984-0182

Subway C 2 (513) 793-3468

Swarovski B 2 (513) 745-0064

T-Mobile (kiosk) C 1 (513) 794-1101

Talbots A 2 (513) 791-2880

The Walking Company A 2 (513) 936-9091

Things Remembered D 1 (513) 984-0536

US Bank Express A 2 (513) 794-3973

Verizon Wireless (kiosk) C 1 (513) 984-9939

Verizon Wireless (kiosk) C 2 (513) 791-1333

Victoria's Secret A 2 (513) 891-0147

Waldenbooks D 1 (513) 791-0011

West Elm B 2 (513) 794-1222

White Barn Candle Company C 1 (513) 794-1128

White House/Black Market B 2 (513) 791-6402

Williams-Sonoma Grande Cuisine A 1 (513) 793-3445

Williams-Sonoma Home A 2 (513) 936-0400

Yankee Candle Company B 2 (513) 984-1985

 

 

^^ Looks like no Steve Madden, Kenneth Cole, Nine West, Aeropostale, Aldo, Banana Republic (wtf?), Forever 21, bebe ...

 

okay, I'm going to stop ... did you copy/paste, because I would bet ETC has some of these stores. lol

I didn't want to post an extremely long list so I just posted the more notables at easton.

 

I didn't know they had a Lacoste store at Kenwood, that must be new.

 

If you go to Easton Towne Centre's website they have a full list. They also have a Tiffany which isn't mentioned on the site but I'm not sure if you can count that since Cincy has one, just in a different location (and of course, a better location). I don't want to turn this into a Easton vs. Kenwood debate but I still think Easton has slightly more to offer, simply because it's near major fashion headquarters.

 

I still love Kenwood and would take it over Polaris and Tuttle Crossing.

That's what I was thinking.

 

By the way, why is this thread in Ohio Business and Economy?

 

 

No idea, but it's in here now.

I don't have that kind of time lol I will say Ruehl is some exclusive stuff and Easton got it. It's a test store - Abercrombie's luxury brand. Easton is in Les Wexner's (limited brands) back yard. The man owns almost every store you find in malls. I haven't been to Kenwood in a while but I'm guessing they don't have a Lacoste, Puma, BCBG, and definitely not a Ruehl.

 

One thing Kenwood has that I've never seen at Easton, Polaris or Tuttle is a Kenneth Cole. However Buckle is more my style than any other clothng store and they're in all three of the biggest malls in Columbus. I think Tri-county has a Buckle but...it's Tri-county.

 

Kenwood does have a Lacoste and a BCBG, no Ruehl or Puma though.  I would love to have a Puma store in the Cincy area.  Most of the stores you posted from Easton exist in Cincinnati between Kenwood and Rookwood.

That's why it's dumb to compare individual malls side by side.

about the above comment regarding ruehl/abercrombie...I'm a manager at hollister (another abercrombie brand) and abercrombie and its affiliated brands are not part of the limited. they havent been for years. just fyi. they're owned by mike jefferies the president of the company.

I'll grant you Easton (though it still seems food heavy to me). I was not impressed with Polaris at all -store-wise or clientele. It had a Tri-County vibe of a say ten years ago (pre-serious decline).

personally I like the section of the green thats completed already more than easton because it doesnt feel "disneylike" at all it feels like a real town. I think once that is complete its going to be the best example of an outdoor mall in ohio. we need to put something like that in the crappy old lots over by union terminal...I think it would tie together downtown with the terminal really well.

who cares who has better malls.  I would rather be in a city with 'worse' malls.  In Columbus, a lot of people pride themselves on Easton.  Maybe not people on this board, but this is definitely true.  In Cincinnati, we pride ourselves on Hyde Park Square, Oakley Square, Mt. Lookout Square, Northside, Mt. Adams, O'brionville, Main Street, Ludlow...ya know, what Easton tries to replicate.  Why desire a better mall when you have killer NBD's all over the city?   

I don't know about that one.  I know many Cincinnatians who love Kenwood, Rookwood, Tri-County, etc.  I think you'll find urban Cincinnatians that love the Mt. Lookouts and Cliftons just as you'd find urban Columbusites that love the German Village and Short North.

 

I just think it's all biased perspective on what people like and what the perceive.

I don't know about that one.  I know many Cincinnatians who love Kenwood, Rookwood, Tri-County, etc.  I think you'll find urban Cincinnatians that love the Mt. Lookouts and Cliftons just as you'd find urban Columbusites that love the German Village and Short North.

 

I just think it's all biased perspective on what people like and what the perceive.

 

When I wrote that, I knew youd be the first to respond.  I agree with you....but my experience has been that people in C-Bus are prouder of their malls more so than people in Cincinnait are...and b/c they tend to be better I suppose.  :)  But my point is if we're going to have comparisons, lets compare Cincy's NBD's to Columbus's Short North.  The two cities are a different structure....in C-Bus everything revolves around High Street.  In Cincy, every 'hood has an NBD on smaller scales.  An interesting comparison I think....which is more effective, to have one hub of activity or many small hubs? 

Both work, thus neither is better.  It's the Chicago-model or the Tokyo-model.  Both work, different tastes.

Easton > KTC, but in the next 12-24 months KTC will be good enough to keep Cincinnatians from driving to Easton.

 

Also, I thought H&M was taking the large space in the new "Nordstrom Connector."  The plans have space for one large store that would appear as a Streetscape store between Nordstrom and West Elm.  Across the connector's hall on the Kenwood Rd side they have space for four stores.

 

However, if Showcase leaves when they open their Millworks location, that would be some great space. 

OK, it is official.  Cincinnati is a one mall metro.  We went to Tri-County yesterday to check out some appliances at Sears.  I hadn't been there in months and I was shocked...  I mean seriously, tear down Cincinnati Mills and save what is left of Tri-County.  Northgate, Cincinnati Mills & Tri-County have been beating each other up for years now and what you have is 3 half empty malls in that part of the metro.  Tri-County is half empty, the Disney Store had pulled out, even cheesy stores like Things Remembered and Select Comfort are now gone.  Once Penney's announced the pull out of Tri-County it has been a chain reaction that hasn't stopped.  Even Whitehall's jewelry was having a closing sale.  I also give Krazy City a year and they will be closed.  My family and I went to play duck pin bowling and they wanted $5 a game.  At that price, we can play a full game of "real" bowling for cheaper.

 

Now I know why I go to Kenwood when I need to go to the mall.  The only reason to go to Tri-County at this point is Sears and Cincy Shops which has some of the best local ballcaps and jerseys.

 

There are only two reasons to go to Cincinnati Mills.  One is if you are a redneck and go to Bass Pro Shops and the second one is if you are having a baby because Cincinnati Mills has a monopoly on cribs and baby furniture with Babies R Us, Baby Depot in Burlington Coat Factory & Treehouse Kids on the lower level.  Other than that, there aren't many places to shop for cribs and baby furniture in the metro.

Northgate is all but dead. The JCPenny addition (which was not all THAT old) was demolished for RAVE that never came -- and the mall is being beaten up by the new strip developments to the north. Cincinnati Mills is DEAD outside of Bass Pro and the other anchors; it's outlots are depressingly empty and vacant as well. Tri-County on my first visit was okay -- there is a healthy mix and vibrancy, although it has plenty of empty storefronts. Save this mall out of the other two...

^I wouldn't quite say it's a one mall metro, but there is definitely a dominant mall, and that is Kenwood. Rookwood Commons still does well and has some good stores, and I hear that Florence Mall does alright.  The thing about Cincinnati though, is that nicer retail shops are fairly spread out across the region.  Kenwood is definitely the hub, but you also have downtown (Saks, Tiffanys, and Brooks Brothers), the boutiques of Hyde Park, Maderia, Oakley, and other scattered around town (Wyoming, P-Ridge, Clifton, Clifton Hts., etc.)

edale summed it up best.

I don't think you can say Cincinnati's malls are declining because of the neighborhood business districts. Other cities have those too and Columbus' High Street corridor including sporadic shops throughout German Village probably equal the quality of places you find in Cincinnati business districts.

 

The real difference is that Cincinnati has more big box malls throughout the region than Columbus that are still in business but struggling more. There are also more shopping centers in Cincinnati that are marketed as mall destinations. In Columbus, if you want to do some shopping, you immediately either thing "Polaris, Easton, Tuttle". Stores are more centralized in only three major destinations. That's not to say Columbus doesn't have it's own problems. There are many dead malls in Columbus that are MUCH more dead than Tri-county, etc. Those malls don't even come to mind, to Columbusites.

 

Tri-County on my first visit was okay -- there is a healthy mix and vibrancy, although it has plenty of empty storefronts. Save this mall out of the other two...

 

I haven't been to Tri-county in a while but last time I went the interior looked like sh!t and the stores were mostly independently owned with mediocre products. It's unfortunate that independent stores are a sign of decline. I think they're better off in NBDs

I don't think you can say Cincinnati's malls are declining because of the neighborhood business districts. Other cities have those too and Columbus' High Street corridor including sporadic shops throughout German Village probably equal the quality of places you find in Cincinnati business districts.

 

The real difference is that Cincinnati has more big box malls throughout the region than Columbus that are still in business but struggling more. There are also more shopping centers in Cincinnati that are marketed as mall destinations. In Columbus, if you want to do some shopping, you immediately either thing "Polaris, Easton, Tuttle". Stores are more centralized in only three major destinations. That's not to say Columbus doesn't have it's own problems. There are many dead malls in Columbus that are MUCH more dead than Tri-county, etc. Those malls don't even come to mind, to Columbusites.

 

Tri-County on my first visit was okay -- there is a healthy mix and vibrancy, although it has plenty of empty storefronts. Save this mall out of the other two...

 

I haven't been to Tri-county in a while but last time I went the interior looked like sh!t and the stores were mostly independently owned with mediocre products. It's unfortunate that independent stores are a sign of decline. I think they're better off in NBDs

 

Eh, while I confess to not being overly familiar with Columbus, I have been to German Village a few times, and there was basically no shopping.  There was a book store and a few restaurants but thats about it.  High Street seemed like a lot of art galleries and then, closer to campus, you had the typical college town stuff (Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, etc.).  Cincinnati is unique in the amount of boutiques it has around the city.  Hyde Park and Obrionville alone probably has close to 40 boutique stores.  If you add in Maderia which has about 5, Wyoming, Glendale, Pleasant Ridge, Clifton, Montgomery, the area by UC, Oakley, downtown, and the other random districts, all told you have about 75 boutiques plus a Saks and a Macy's for DT, which is fairly substantial.

Now understand that when I refer to malls, I am not including Rookwood, Deerfield & Crestview Hills.  Those Anderson developments are nothing more than strip malls.  There are also mall like power centers like Bridgewater Falls, Newport on the Levee and distant Jeffersonville Outlets.  If it was a complex like the Greene or Easton I would count it but it is not.

 

I am also not referring to Cincinnati's fantastic neighborhoods like Hyde Park, O'Bryonville (Evanston), Oakley, etc...  I am strictly referring to tradition malls and in that sense we have:

 

Kenwood

Florence

Eastgate

Tri-County

Northgate

Cincinnati Mills

Towne Mall (If you count Middletown)

 

I would rank them in that order.  The reason why malls like Florence do well is the same that malls like St. Clair Square in the Metro East (Illinois) do well in St. Louis Metro, because many people don't cross the river so the mall supports the entire NKY part of Cincinnati. 

 

What I find amazing is the transformation of Kenwood vs Tri-County.  When I moved here five years ago, Kenwood would have still been considered the premier mall in the region but from the outside, that part of Montgomery Road looked like crap.  That whole addition to the exterior of the mall has improved the presence of the mall ten fold.  Since then all the strip malls across Montgomery have been rebuilt and Montgomery Road has been widened and freshened up.  The retail center that is being built off I-71 that will be home to Crate & Barrel looks massive and will only add to the strength of this shopping area.  The one puzzling factor about the Kenwood shopping area is the lack of an electronics store.

 

Tri-County on the other hand continues to look aged.  The exterior upgrade of the mall was a poor attempt with little impact.  Part of this is Springdale's fault.  The nasty street lights, poor roads and lack of fancy signage don't help.  This shopping district is teetering on going downhill fast which is hard to imagine when you consider how central Tri-County is to the northern suburbs.  Not only has numerous stores closed inside but there are many along the exterior that have closed.  Some in part do to bankruptcy (CompUSA & Don Pablo's) but the city leaders need to get their head out of their ass and invest in a street beautification plan quick.  It appears that Cincinnati Mills is officially dead.  It is the nicest abandoned mall in the entire country.  The walk between the Babies R Us & Burlington Coat Factory could be the nicest stretch of interior that any mall has in the entire metro if it only had stores worth a damn or even stores.

 

Eastgate is hanging on due to its location.  The mall is the hub of retail for Clermont County and the eastern I-275 residents but a walk through the mall will make you think you are no longer in Cincinnati.  You know how you always wonder where those odd characters come from that you see at Riverfest since you don't tend to see them throughout the year in Cincinnati?  Well that is because they all hang out at Eastgate during the rest of the year.  I don't think you can enter this mall without having some part of your clothing attire in camo. Clermont County is like the distant cousin you tend to hide when guests are in town.

 

Northgate primarily supports Northwestern Cincinnati including Westsiders from Price Hill/Westwood looking for more than what can be found in the Western Hills shopping area.  The problem with Northgate is again..."Cincinnati Mills".  So it is in the best interest of Tri-County & Northgate to buy Cincinnati Mills together and make sure this mall never comes back from its current state of failure.

 

 

"You know how you always wonder where those odd characters come from that you see at Riverfest since you don't tend to see them throughout the year in Cincinnati?  Well that is because they all hang out at Eastgate during the rest of the year.  I don't think you can enter this mall without having some part of your clothing attire in camo. Clermont County is like the distant cousin you tend to hide when guests are in town."

 

LOL! I always am wondering where all the nasty people that are found at Riverfest, Bengals games, and Kings Island come from!

 

As the retail situation continues to sort itself out, it appears that the 3 dominant shopping destinations will be Kenwood Town Center, Florence Mall, and the Center City (Downtown, OTR).  It's amazing that with as much struggles as Tower Place Mall has seen, the area still seems to be relevant in the Cincy retail scene.  With new options that will be opening at The Banks, boutiques in OTR, and new street-level options in the CBD (all potentially connected together by a streetcar) you have yourself a pretty strong retail presence.

 

I would say that at this point Tower Place Mall is more stable than Cincinnati Mills, and it won't be long before Northgate slides down that slippery slope with the new Stonecreek Town Center addition down the road.  Like I said, it's amazing, but while the center city lacks specialty retailers it still has unique options that can't be found anywhere else (Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany's, the many boutiques opening up in the Gateway Quarter, etc).

Downtown is another animal.  I also don't consider Saks & Macy's part of Tower Place.  Tower Place in itself is pretty vacant.  The one plus of a vacant Tower Place is the lack of size.  It is too small to notice and doesn't have the impact that a City Center has on Columbus as far as a blight on Downtown.

 

 

LOL! I always am wondering where all the nasty people that are found at Riverfest, Bengals games, and Kings Island come from!

 

I solved two of them for you.  The Riverfest crowd comes from Eastgate/Clermont County & rural Kentucky.  The folks you see at Kings Island are from Indiana.  Next time you are at KI, notice how many "Hoosiers" and "Colts" t-shirts you see and then check to see if these people are missing teeth. ;)

 

^I know that Downtown is a different animal, and I don't consider Macy's and Saks to be a part of Tower Place either.  I'm just saying that the center city setting itself up to be one of the 3 major retail destinations in the Cincy region.  Maybe Rookwood, but I just don't see it growing much more, and what it offers now is minimal at best with no department stores.  Everything you see at Rookwood could be something that eventually opens up at street-level at The Banks or in the CBD.  Hell it could even happen in OTR at some point.  On the other hand, I don't see Rookwood ever being able to handle a department store, much less another Macy's, Saks, or whatever else.

I agree with you but disagree with Rookwood not being able to support a Department Store.  I bet you a Kohl's in the Rookwood area would be a success but I still have hopes that Kohl's will fill the abandoned K-Mart on Ridge.  Cincinnati still lacks a Nieman Marcus which could be supported in Rookwood based on the income levels of the surrounding areas with Indian Hill right up the road.  Basically the I-71 corridor of Cincinnati is a solid investment for retail in Cincinnati.  The area has proven that it is the one area in Cincinnati that can support saturated retail to include upscale retailers.  From Downtown to Montgomery, you can't go wrong if you are a store looking to enter the Cincinnati market. 

 

Fields-Ertel / Mason-Montgomery has proven to be too fickle with struggling Deerfield Towne Center.  What has happened over the last five years is that retail has just shifted 1.5 miles from Fields-Ertel to Mason-Montgomery in Deerfield Township although it does have the land for further growth.