Merle Hay Old Chicago Closing

[CYdTracked]

Just got an email today that the OC location is permanently closing this Saturday. Wow, Merle Hay Mall has to be hurting with Younkers and Sears gone now, they lost Staples there a couple years ago. To close down the only OC location in Des Moines it must really have been tanking. I see there is a mention of this in the DM register a week ago but of course my free articles are up for the month so can't read it.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Malls are fast becoming an obsolete concept.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I work at the OC in Ames. New management took over a little over a year ago. OC in Cedar Falls is closing too. Never understood having an OC at Merle Hay as Jordan Creek has destroyed Merle Hay.

 

[ISUCyclones2015]

Malls are fast becoming an obsolete concept.

They should become all encompassing apartment complexes with shops for old people. Reinvent the old people home into a whole "town". Hot topic is now the local diner. Yonkers is now a mini apartment building where everyone sleeps. Macy's is a movie theater. Etc etc

 

[jbindm]

I'd guess Merle Hay's saving grace is Target and Flix. They always seem to be pretty busy. Kohl's and American Eagle keep chugging along as well.

 

[Sigmapolis]

They should become all encompassing apartment complexes with shops for old people. Reinvent the old people home into a whole "town". Hot topic is now the local diner. Yonkers is now a mini apartment building where everyone sleeps. Macy's is a movie theater. Etc etc

Agreed, the redevelopment potential is definitely there. Considering you already have the existing structure and land, there is a ton you can do with it.

Embracing the "modern" mixed residential-commercial-retail model of development instead of just being storefronts over and over again is the way to go with it.

Long-term, as retail goes more and more digital, I would think the only storefronts that will remain will be the ones that have to be physical -- repair shops. restaurants, premium retailers for durable goods that require a significant purchase by consumers, and the like.

 

[CYCLNST8]

Malls are fast becoming an obsolete concept.

Internet shopping is killing the retail chains who haven't modernized with their own online options. Malls can stay relevant by updating their businesses with places people still need to actually visit. FLIX was a good idea. Trying on shoes and clothes is still important. Gotta cater to all the smart phone giants. Hair salons. Etc.

 

[NickTheGreat]

That's surprising to hear. I think Merle Hay Mall is in better shape than Valley West. They're lost a lot of stores in the last year there too.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

If you look back 10-15 years, a lot of brick and mortar retailers didn't taking the online marketplace serious enough. Retailers drug their feet on expanding their digital footprint and by the time they were releasing retail websites they were well behind the curve as far as functionality goes.

 

[Urbandale2013]

Just got an email today that the OC location is permanently closing this Saturday. Wow, Merle Hay Mall has to be hurting with Younkers and Sears gone now, they lost Staples there a couple years ago. To close down the only OC location in Des Moines it must really have been tanking. I see there is a mention of this in the DM register a week ago but of course my free articles are up for the month so can't read it.

If you do read it I think it is a good thing. At least in my experience Old Chicago wasn’t ever good. I’m doing this off of memory from a week ago so I might be misremembering some details. This is part of a plan to continue to do what people are suggesting. They are going to continue to try and make it more of an entertainment district. I believe that they already have plans to replace Old Chicago and my understanding was it was more Old Chicago got kicked out than left. They are going to revamp the bowling alley and Des Moines is going to invest in it to make it a sustainable place instead of a dying abandoned mall.

People IMO look at Merle Hay only in current conditions when they should look broad long term. For the health of the metro Merle Hay would succeed and Valley West would close. Valley West is just to close to Jordan Creek. It closing would also help better distribute the limited mall traffic back to Merle Hay which is far enough away to be sustainable.

 

[Tri4Cy]

That's surprising to hear. I think Merle Hay Mall is in better shape than Valley West. They're lost a lot of stores in the last year there too.

I stopped into Valley West for the first time in a year or two. Holy ****. I think they were maaaaaybe at 30% occupancy. It was a ghost town in there. Except for the walkers of course.

 

[jbindm]

That's surprising to hear. I think Merle Hay Mall is in better shape than Valley West. They're lost a lot of stores in the last year there too.

I think they benefit from being highly accessible right off 235, but I can't think of any store there that functions as an anchor for the mall itself. The only reason we ever go there is my wife's salon is there as well as the place where we get our kids' shoes.

Are there any rumors about what they might do with the vacant Younkers space?

 

[jbindm]

If you do read it I think it is a good thing. At least in my experience Old Chicago wasn’t ever good. I’m doing this off of memory from a week ago so I might be misremembering some details. This is part of a plan to continue to do what people are suggesting. They are going to continue to try and make it more of an entertainment district. I believe that they already have plans to replace Old Chicago and my understanding was it was more Old Chicago got kicked out than left. They are going to revamp the bowling alley and Des Moines is going to invest in it to make it a sustainable place instead of a dying abandoned mall.

People IMO look at Merle Hay only in current conditions when they should look broad long term. For the health of the metro Merle Hay would succeed and Valley West would close. Valley West is just to close to Jordan Creek. It closing would also help better distribute the limited mall traffic back to Merle Hay which is far enough away to be sustainable.

The last time I ate at Old Chicago was on New Year's Eve; we had just finished up an afternoon of bowling and we didn't want to put the kids in the carseats and then turn around and unload everyone again so we just stayed in the mall and had the saddest NYE meal ever. If you're just going by food quality, it's a surprise they lasted as long as they did. It was not great.

 

[ScottyP]

If you look back 10-15 years, a lot of brick and mortar retailers didn't taking the online marketplace serious enough. Retailers drug their feet on expanding their digital footprint and by the time they were releasing retail websites they were well behind the curve as far as functionality goes.

Even the stores that quickly added online shopping still are struggling. People use Amazon as one stop shopping.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I think they benefit from being highly accessible right off 235, but I can't think of any store there that functions as an anchor for the mall itself. The only reason we ever go there is my wife's salon is there as well as the place where we get our kids' shoes.

Are there any rumors about what they might do with the vacant Younkers space?

You have Von Maur and Penney's, and that's it at Valley. I heard today that Banana Republic, and some Salon is closing soon. Maybe your wife will have to find a new one?

 

[ScottyP]

The last time I ate at the Old Chicago on Merle Hay, Iowa State upset Oklahoma and Baker Mayfield.

 

[CYdTracked]

Malls are fast becoming an obsolete concept.

No kidding! Even Jordan Creek as much as they keep building more outlets in the area still has stores closing up in the main mall. Was there the other week while waiting on my wife to get out of an appointment and besides Scheels I really have little interest in the rest of the shops in the mall.

I dunno about Merle Hay's long term future. Polk county apparently is sending some money their way so they can tear down the Sears and build an outlet building on that side of the mall. Lot of empty stores in that mall last time I was there and if you drive down Merle Hay Road a lot of stuff has closed up on what used to be a prime place to own a business.

 

[jbindm]

Even the stores that quickly added online shopping still are struggling. People use Amazon as one stop shopping.

Yeah, I'd estimate over 90% of my non-food purchases are made either on Amazon or another online retailer. Malls and stores are a pain in the ass. So is returning something if I got the wrong thing or if it doesn't fit, but at least then I don't have to deal with anyone face to face. Slap a return label on a box and be done with it. You can support one dinosaur (USPS) or another (brick and mortar retail).

 

[browns4cy]

Sad to hear this as I worked there when it first opened. Always busy but went through alot of employees. Think the manager had a bit of an ego. Feel bad but dont think the maintained very well. Also it is part of Rock Bottom family. Is there still a rock bottom in des Moines?

 

[CYdTracked]

If you look back 10-15 years, a lot of brick and mortar retailers didn't taking the online marketplace serious enough. Retailers drug their feet on expanding their digital footprint and by the time they were releasing retail websites they were well behind the curve as far as functionality goes.

Agreed. Makes me wonder how long places like Best Buy, Staples, Office Max/Depot etc. will be able to keep stores open. Granted they all have some other services that help make up for the loss in sales they don't get anymore with being able to buy a lot of the same stuff online cheaper. It already happened to stores like RadioShack and Circuit City