Grand Forks Economy

[Cratter]

I noticed there's construction being done on the old hardees/Dickies building. Any clue what's going in there? 

Had to get my vehicle tags renewed which led me to the Grand Cities Mall, sad to see the rock wall is no longer there...and it's surprising a business like Christian Bookstore in that mall can survive 30+ years (along with the vacuum/shoe repair stores).

[UND-1]

2 minutes ago, Cratter said:

I noticed there's construction being done on the old hardees/Dickies building. Any clue what's going in there? 

Had to get my vehicle tags renewed which led me to the Grand Cities Mall, sad to see the rock wall is no longer there...and it's surprising a business like Christian Bookstore in that mall can survive 30+ years (along with the vacuum/shoe repair stores).

Believe they are shifting Starbucks down to that location to untie the sidewalk/drivethru mess on 13th.   

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

5 minutes ago, Cratter said:

I noticed there's construction being done on the old hardees/Dickies building. Any clue what's going in there? 

Had to get my vehicle tags renewed which led me to the Grand Cities Mall, sad to see the rock wall is no longer there...and it's surprising a business like Christian Bookstore in that mall can survive 30+ years (along with the vacuum/shoe repair stores).

The "old mall" is a bit of an enigma and a survivor.  Parking lot is crap and nobody wants to develop the outlots (Ponderosa, anyone?), yet Poppler's recently invested $$$, Play it Again downsized but alive, new kids play area going in...the next "shoe" to ultimately drop for Grand Forks retail will be Sears/Kmart.  I can't see the parent corp. keeping both open, even in the medium term; one will almost certainly be gone.  In fact, every time a list of store closings for either chain is published, I scan it as if fully expecting to see GF on this list.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

Speaking of retail and commercial real estate, I noticed a wooden sign at 32nd/Columbia (RIP Pepperjax) advertising a 30k sq ft "outlot" space coming available in (I think) early 2018...only thing I can think of in that area would be PetSmart...is something going on there?

[Cratter]

10 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

The "old mall" is a bit of an enigma and a survivor.  Parking lot is crap and nobody wants to develop the outlots (Ponderosa, anyone?), yet Poppler's recently invested $$$, Play it Again downsized but alive, new kids play area going in...the next "shoe" to ultimately drop for Grand Forks retail will be Sears/Kmart.  I can't see the parent corp. keeping both open, even in the medium term; one will almost certainly be gone.  In fact, every time a list of store closings for either chain is published, I scan it as if fully expecting to see GF on this list.

Kmart in Moorhead is closing it's doors (appears GF Kmart survived for now. I don't see Sears in the Columbia mall going anywhere or closing anytime soon)

Having a local Church in Hope own the mall is probably a bonus (there's a free wifi sitting area where the rock wall was that is pretty nice with new carpet, tables, chairs, fireplace, coffee machine) but no doubt malls are closing all over the country (I enjoyed watching some abandoned malls on youtube. Check out the akron ohio mall).

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

Anchor vacancy at Columbia Mall...will be hard to fill.  Indoor entertainment venue, anyone?

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4192509-macys-grand-forks-slated-close

[geaux_sioux]

1 hour ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Anchor vacancy at Columbia Mall...will be hard to fill.  Indoor entertainment venue, anyone?

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4192509-macys-grand-forks-slated-close

Whirly ball please

[Oxbow6]

Fargo to lose Sears at West Acres and King Leo's across the street.

[jdub27]

2 hours ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Anchor vacancy at Columbia Mall...will be hard to fill.  Indoor entertainment venue, anyone?

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/4192509-macys-grand-forks-slated-close

Put the library there.

[Cratter]

17 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

King Leo's across the street.

They just opened.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

8 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

Put the library there.

That actually makes way too much sense, so it would never happen.

[Oxbow6]

12 minutes ago, Cratter said:

They just opened.

13 months ago............service was absolutely atrocious.

[Cratter]

2 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

13 months ago............service was absolutely atrocious.

Seems like that's how long construction took just to build it.

[jdub27]

11 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

That actually makes way too much sense, so it would never happen.

K-Mart would be a better spot but somehow they are still open. Devils Lake did a nice job repurposing their old Walmart. Would make a ton of sense to do something similar here.

[82SiouxGuy]

3 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

K-Mart would be a better spot but somehow they are still open. Devils Lake did a nice job repurposing their old Walmart. Would make a ton of sense to do something similar here.

I would think that property along 32nd Ave is going to be pretty expensive. There isn't much left to develop. The company that owns the property isn't gong to give it away, even for a library. And renovating a 40 year old building to re-purpose for a library would also be pricey. It would probably be cheaper to buy either Kmart or the Travelodge, tear them down, and build a new library, rather than renovate Macy's.

[UND-1]

18 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

13 months ago............service was absolutely atrocious.

This.   And the food was blah.   It takes a lot for me to dislike fast food but they did it, somehow. 

[jdub27]

33 minutes ago, 82SiouxGuy said:

I would think that property along 32nd Ave is going to be pretty expensive. There isn't much left to develop. The company that owns the property isn't gong to give it away, even for a library. And renovating a 40 year old building to re-purpose for a library would also be pricey. It would probably be cheaper to buy either Kmart or the Travelodge, tear them down, and build a new library, rather than renovate Macy's.

I do think KMart makes more sense for a few reasons but like I said, somehow still open. I'm curious how long Macy's will sit vacant. Same with the old Scheel's spot, which is nowhere near as desirable but haven't heard of anything even being remotely interested in it. 

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

36 minutes ago, 82SiouxGuy said:

I would think that property along 32nd Ave is going to be pretty expensive. There isn't much left to develop. The company that owns the property isn't gong to give it away, even for a library. And renovating a 40 year old building to re-purpose for a library would also be pricey. It would probably be cheaper to buy either Kmart or the Travelodge, tear them down, and build a new library, rather than renovate Macy's.

Mall owner is going to have to think outside the (big) box.  Malls are dying everywhere.  Legacy chains are dropping like flies.  Macy's is the surprise, in my opinion...it's no secret that Sears is on the ropes.  Grand Cities can be written off as a charity project (anybody been in there lately?); the Columbia Mall is literally and figuratively at a crossroads.  If Columbia loses two anchors, it's Goodnight, Irene.  I have personally seen malls turn to flea markets to fill space, and it is not a pretty sight.  The reinvention needs to take place, and it starts with Macy's.  Otherwise, you're looking at another Target...a bombed-out shell taking up valuable, high-visibility frontage along 32nd.

Whether it's a library or some other form of community destination, I can envision a revitalized food court and an expanded transit presence, if not a new transit hub to serve Greater Grand Forks.  Win-win for all mall tenants, including heavy hitter Scheels.  And speaking of them, I still see nothing going in over at the Med Park Mall.  Shame.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

7 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I do think KMart makes more sense for a few reasons but like I said, somehow still open. I'm curious how long Macy's will sit vacant. Same with the old Scheel's spot, which is nowhere near as desirable but haven't heard of anything even being remotely interested in it. 

I was writing my post when yours went up.  Definitely agree re: need to fill old Scheels space.

[82SiouxGuy]

2 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I do think KMart makes more sense for a few reasons but like I said, somehow still open. I'm curious how long Macy's will sit vacant. Same with the old Scheel's spot, which is nowhere near as desirable but haven't heard of anything even being remotely interested in it. 

Hugo's has some interest in the old Scheel's spot so they can expand the liquor store and the grocery store. I don't know if the hold up is cost of rent or if they have decided to concentrate on building the new store on South Washington. It may take some time to sort out the Macy's spot. I assume that Kmart is still making money and that's why they keep it open. Overhead is probably pretty low on that building, which helps with profitability. That plus a built in clientele within walking distance.

[82SiouxGuy]

4 minutes ago, NoiseInsideMyHead said:

Mall owner is going to have to think outside the (big) box.  Malls are dying everywhere.  Legacy chains are dropping like flies.  Macy's is the surprise, in my opinion...it's no secret that Sears is on the ropes.  Grand Cities can be written off as a charity project (anybody been in there lately?); the Columbia Mall is literally and figuratively at a crossroads.  If Columbia loses two anchors, it's Goodnight, Irene.  I have personally seen malls turn to flea markets to fill space, and it is not a pretty sight.  The reinvention needs to take place, and it starts with Macy's.  Otherwise, you're looking at another Target...a bombed-out shell taking up valuable, high-visibility frontage along 32nd.

Whether it's a library or some other form of community destination, I can envision a revitalized food court and an expanded transit presence, if not a new transit hub to serve Greater Grand Forks.  Win-win for all mall tenants, including heavy hitter Scheels.  And speaking of them, I still see nothing going in over at the Med Park Mall.  Shame.

Grand Cities Mall was purchased by Hope Church, which makes it a whole different type of animal. I believe the mall itself is still considered a for profit business, so it is still paying taxes.

The mall doesn't own the Macy's building so they may not have much control in the situation unless they buy it. I believe that Macy's parent company, May Department Store Company, owns the building. The mall itself was built by Dayton Hudson. Macy's was originally a Dayton's store. But Dayton Hudson kept ownership of the Dayton's building and the Target building (also part of Dayton Hudson at the time) when they sold the rest of the mall. Dayton's stores later merged a couple of times to end up as part of Macy's. Dayton Hudson later changed its name to Target Corp when Target became the biggest part of the company. Target sold its building to Scheel's. But Target kept the building empty on purpose for a couple of years so that a direct competitor couldn't some how get access to the building as people got used to shopping down the street. The mall itself has been sold at least a few times over the years. The mall, JC Penney, and Sears buildings are all owned by companies out of Chicago.

[darell1976]

10 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

13 months ago............service was absolutely atrocious.

I had no problem with their service and their food. I will miss them. Also heard Godfather's Pizza in Fargo closed. Businesses are closing left and right here. So as empty builds sit they keep building new ones. Its becoming an eye sore all over town.

[Nodak78]

11 hours ago, 82SiouxGuy said:

Grand Cities Mall was purchased by Hope Church, which makes it a whole different type of animal. I believe the mall itself is still considered a for profit business, so it is still paying taxes.

The mall doesn't own the Macy's building so they may not have much control in the situation unless they buy it. I believe that Macy's parent company, May Department Store Company, owns the building. The mall itself was built by Dayton Hudson. Macy's was originally a Dayton's store. But Dayton Hudson kept ownership of the Dayton's building and the Target building (also part of Dayton Hudson at the time) when they sold the rest of the mall. Dayton's stores later merged a couple of times to end up as part of Macy's. Dayton Hudson later changed its name to Target Corp when Target became the biggest part of the company. Target sold its building to Scheel's. But Target kept the building empty on purpose for a couple of years so that a direct competitor couldn't some how get access to the building as people got used to shopping down the street. The mall itself has been sold at least a few times over the years. The mall, JC Penney, and Sears buildings are all owned by companies out of Chicago.

I position out of collide was part of Dayton Hudson opening the Mall.  Many changes over the years.  Big Box stores is a dying breed with internet sales.  Something like entertainment may work not sure of the solution. 

[Siouxperfan7]

5 minutes ago, Nodak78 said:

I position out of collide was part of Dayton Hudson opening the Mall.  Many changes over the years.  Big Box stores is a dying breed with internet sales.  Something like entertainment may work not sure of the solution. 

"Smaaash' just opened up in the MOA.  Not saying it has to be this establishment, but something like this might be a good fit to fill the space.

http://smaaashusa.com/#/

 

 

[Nodak78]

22 minutes ago, Siouxperfan7 said:

"Smaaash' just opened up in the MOA.  Not saying it has to be this establishment, but something like this might be a good fit to fill the space.

http://smaaashusa.com/#/

 

 

Interesting.  this could generate foot traffic and is unique.