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63K views 110 replies 15 participants last post by  pesto 
#1 ·
- dmca
 
#2 ·
Updated April 9, 2012, 12:52 p.m. ET
Uniqlo Expansion Takes Retailer Out to West Coast
By DANA MATTIOLI

Uniqlo is opening its first West Coast location, part of a plan to open hundreds of stores in the U.S. at a time when domestic retailers are retrenching. Dana Mattioli has exclusive details on Lunch Break. Photo: AP

Japanese clothing chain Uniqlo is opening its first West Coast location as parent Fast Retailing Co. rolls out its plan to open hundreds of stores in the U.S., even as American retailers are retrenching.

The 29,000-square-foot San Francisco store, near where Gap Inc. first opened its doors, heralds more pressure on U.S. retailers already battered by foreign competitors. Uniqlo is also scouting locations in Los Angeles and other California cities, says U.S. Chief Executive Shin Odake.

Uniqlo's three existing U.S. stores all are in New York City. The San Francisco store will open in the fall . . . .
Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304587704577333740754213030.html?KEYWORDS=Uniqlo
 
#6 ·
April 18, 2012, 11:01 AM
Westfield Sells Shopping Malls to Starwood for $1.15 Billion
By Gillian Tan

Global property developer Westfield Group says it will sell eight non-core shopping centers in the U.S. for $1.15 billion.

“The proceeds from the transactions will initially pay down corporate debt and then be redeployed in higher return redevelopment opportunities in the U.S., including the World Trade Center,” Westfield Group co-chief executive officer Peter Lowy said in a statement.

Starwood Capital Group will take a 90% stake in seven centers . . . .
Source: http://blogs.wsj.com/dealjournalaus...starwood-for-1-15-billion/?KEYWORDS=Westfield

In the print edition of the WSJ, the article listed the properties being sold. One of them is San Francisco's Metreon.
 
#8 ·
Starwood is a good organization. I don't think this is necessarily bad for them. I can even see benefits to having two such powerful outfits--Starwood and Westfield--competing almost across the street (Mission St.), although Westfield must not be too worried about competition or they wouldn't be selling.

The print article also mentioned that the theme for Westfield is to divest "medium sized" malls and keep the biggies. That means Metreon goes, SF Center is a keeper.
 
#10 ·
#11 ·
Hard to believe H&M has been in San Francisco long enough for one of its stores to require a makeover, but it's true. The now-25,000-square-foot Westfield San Francisco Centre store reopened Thursday after a six-month renovation with a new lower level housing a men's department, plus a more "fashion-forward" interior and fixtures. The first 250 shoppers in line each day ending Sunday received gift passes and giveaways. And that isn't the only change at Westfield: Look for new doors Franchesca's Collection and Ecco (level 2), Steve Madden and Fossil (level 3), Henri Hubert San Francisco (level 4) and more food options throughout the center.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/13/LV1V1OD23M.DTL
 
#12 ·
NikeTown in S.F. to get new name, new look
Andrew S. Ross, Chronicle Columnist
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Swoosh! Just like that, NikeTown will soon disappear from San Francisco.

The 50,000-square-foot store, an anchor tenant in Union Square for the past 15 years, will be closing within the next 12 months for a complete remodeling, according to two company sources.

When it reopens, it will be called NikeSF, or Nike San Francisco, I'm told, as part of a nationwide rebranding exercise by the Beaverton, Ore., athletic apparel giant. Similar changes are taking place at the NikeTown in Chicago, which closed for remodeling in March, and will be called Nike Chicago, said the sources . . . .
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/16/BUCA1OI9IP.DTL
 
#13 ·
I guess this is "retail":

May 16, 2012, 8:08 p.m. ET
Feisty New Player in Newspaper Fray
Todd Vogt Is Buying Local Publications and Ragging on Rivals
By SHIRA OVIDE

Todd Vogt, leader of an investor group that recently agreed to buy the San Francisco Bay Guardian—a left-leaning weekly that boasts of "printing the news and raising hell"—has plans to raise some of his own as a combative newcomer in the local newspaper industry.

The investor group's deal to acquire the Guardian in April followed its purchase in December of the San Francisco Examiner. Deal prices weren't disclosed. Mr. Vogt, 44 years old, says he may not stop there, and would like to piece together a Bay Area newspaper chain . . . .

To save money and free up Guardian staff to focus on news coverage, Mr. Vogt plans for the Examiner to take over some business functions from the Guardian, including printing copies of the weekly paper. Mr. Vogt has pledged to continue the Guardian's progressive viewpoints as he works to steady the paper's finances and perhaps buy another newspaper . . . .
The Bay Guardian and Examiner: Corporate siblings. Will wonders never cease? Now whose election endorsements can I read (in order to vote the opposite to what they recommend)?
 
#14 ·
A mega-Walgreens is headed for lower Powell Street
C.W. Nevius, Chronicle Columnist

An epic Walgreens store - "unlike anything you've ever seen," according to District Manager Dave Devencenzi - is planned for lower Powell Street, just off the cable car line. The store will remodel the lower floor of the existing Walgreens and then expand upstairs to take over Lori's Diner, which is moving up the street . . . .

It will feature its own bakery, a custom cosmetics department, fresh produce, a juice and coffee bar, and fine wines and alcohol. First, however, the location must have a liquor license approved.

. . . there are only two like it in the country, one in New York City and the other in Chicago.

At the Chicago grand opening in January, a Tribune reporter gushed about the sushi bar, mini health spa and $2,000 bottle of cognac . . . .
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/neviu...is-headed-for-lower-Powell-Street-3694215.php
 
#15 ·
LA's Littlejohn's Candies Is Coming To Market Street
Friday, August 3, 2012, by Carolyn Alburger

Los Angeles old-timer treasure Littlejohns Candies is currently building out its first candy shop/English toffee house outside of LA in the former furniture store at 1422 Market Street. Littlejohn's has been doing its thing for about as long as our local See's Candies, and they've been in the same spot at the Farmers Market in LA since 1946 . . . . Littlejohn's San Francisco, a local candy kitchen and retail outpost that's been six years in the works, will be just about a half block from the new Twitter enclave (1355 Market). There will be a chocolate window looking onto Market Street, allowing passers-by to see the candy-making process. A huge retail case and an open kitchen with copper kettles will populate the interior.

The plan is to serve the exact same signature products they do down South: English toffee, handmade fudge, salted caramels, hand-dipped hand-rolled chocolates, these marshmallow caramel things, and more . . . .
http://sf.eater.com/archives/2012/08/03/la_favorite_littlejohns_candies_to_market_street.php
 
#16 ·
Virtually all of the ground floor commercial tenants have moved out of the Odd Fellows building in front of the Civic Center BART/MUNI station on the corner of 7th. It is the building that had a few Asian "restaurants," a Payday Loans, a barber shop, and a liquor store . . . .

The 1909 building was designed by G.A. Dodge as a meeting hall for the Odd Fellows Fraternal Order, who occupied the upper three floors while the first three floors were leased out. The Odd Fellows arrived in San Francisco during the Gold Rush and were housed on the site in previous buildings since the 1880s. In 1917, the store fronts were remodeled by architect Earl Bertz.

Building permits from June 2012 indicate that the ground floor will be occupied by CVS . . . . The entrance will be located at the corner where the cash checking business used to be, though it's unclear if the pharmacy will take up the entire ground floor retail space.

http://sf.curbed.com/archives/2012/09/11/whats_happening_at_the_odd_fellows_building.php#more

This change at 7th & Market is more excellent news for Mid-Market. This is one of the few areas downtown that actually needs a new drugstore since the Merrill's that was on the next block forever closed a few years ago. And one lest check cashing business is a good thing. The Chinese take-out place actually wasn't bad, though.
 
#17 ·
I feel like screaming Hallelujah!

After 30 years of vacancy, the old Honda motorcycle dealership at Van Ness & Eddy is being fixed up (covered by scaffolding at the moment) and I was told today by one of the workers a Mini Cooper dealership is moving in.
 
#20 ·
#22 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
^^Considering Old Navy parent Gap was THE place to buy Levis back when THE Levis were 501s (and before Gap had their own brands).
So basically, Old Navy, Levi's, Dockers, and Gap are one brand with different names... And based right on Battery Street close to The Embarcadero. I finally got the connection.

Moving on to a related topic, which Bay Area malls do you think are the most -- and least -- successful, and why?
 
#24 ·
JoshuaSantos said:
Valley Fair, highest revenue per sqft (almost the highest in the US) and a 500k sqft planned expansion planned sometime this decade. Across the street from Santana Row.
I've been to Valley Fair myself, and it's a large two-story, high-end shopping center, only to be rivaled by Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto. Is Westfield in SF a good example of a successful shopping center too?
 
#25 ·
Is Westfield in SF a good example of a successful shopping center too?
America's Most Profitable Malls
June 26, 2009

Using data from Green Street Advisors, an investment research firm in Newport Beach, Calif., that specializes in publicly owned real estate companies, U.S. News identified malls in which the retail economy is relatively healthy. While bargain shopping is obviously popular, the nation's most profitable shopping centers generally don't rely on discounters. Instead, they tend to feature chains with a strong brand identity, like Nordstrom, Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple, and Anthropologie. Since it's all about real estate, location is vital: The best malls tend to be in densely populated areas or tourist hotspots. And it sure helps if local residents are affluent.

The data we analyzed includes sales, occupancy rates, and quality grades for about 650 of America's biggest shopping centers. All of these properties post average sales of about $420 per square foot, and the average occupancy rate is 92 percent. That earns an A- grade. The 10 malls at the top of the list perform much better, with sales well above $600 per square foot and occupancy rates of 94 percent or higher. And each earns an A+ from Green Street for its performance and the quality of its tenants. Here's where shoppers are still spending money:

Ala Moana, Honolulu, Hawaii. (Occupancy rate: 95 percent*; sales per square foot: $1,125).

Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego, Calif. (99 percent; $810*).

Forum Shops at Caesars, Las Vegas, Nevada. (100 percent; $1,400*).

Westfield Garden State Plaza, Paramus, N.J. (95 percent; $702).

Mall at Millenia, Orlando, Fla. (94 percent*; $1,000).

The Mall at Short Hills, Short Hills, N.J. (94 percent*; $1,000*).

Queens Center, Elmhurst, N.Y. (98 percent; $876).

Roosevelt Field, Garden City, N.Y. (96 percent; $810*).

Westfield San Francisco Centre, San Francisco, Calif. (95 percent; $675). The parking stinks, but this high-end complex located two blocks from Union Square—the biggest urban shopping center in the western United States—enjoys a great location and strong merchants like Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. A recent renovation makes it a pleasant stop in one of America's top destination cities.

Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale, Ariz. (95 percent; $618).
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/flowchart/2009/06/26/americas-most-profitable-malls
 
#27 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
Not exactly. Gap Inc. owns Gap Stores, Baby Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Levi Strauss, maker of Dockers as well as Levi jeans, is an entirely separate company, created in San Francisco in the Gold Rush (their HQ is also just off the Embarcadero but the other end, at the base of Telegraph Hill) making pants for miners.

But at one time (1970s) Gap stores carried Levi jeans (and other clothes by makers other than themselves) and was usually the cheapest place in town to buy them.
Ah interesting. I didn't know that Levi's was sold at Gap stores before, and I thought that the two are related. I knew that the two are completely different companies, but I never knew that part of history before. But I'm happy to see that both Gap and Levi's are based right here in the San Francisco Bay Area where I live.
 
#28 ·
#30 ·
^^He asked if SF Centre was also a successful mall and things haven't changed so much in 3 years as to change the fact that the answer is an unequivocal YES. Further, those rankings were not based only on sales per square foot only but also things like vacancy rates of stores and a subjective "quality grade".

I'm not interested in a "my mall is better than your mall" contest. SF Centre is not even comparable in that it's a mall sitting in the middle of a much larger shopping area of the city. But no one can argue with the assertion that it is successful.
 
#31 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
^^He asked if SF Centre was also a successful mall and things haven't changed so much in 3 years as to change the fact that the answer is an unequivocal YES. Further, those rankings were not based only on sales per square foot only but also things like vacancy rates of stores and a subjective "quality grade".

I'm not interested in a "my mall is better than your mall" contest. SF Centre is not even comparable in that it's a mall sitting in the middle of a much larger shopping area of the city. But no one can argue with the assertion that it is successful.
That's so true. I just wonder what makes Westfield malls here in the Bay Area are much more successful than those owned by either Simon or Macerich. I mean, Simon-owned malls (e.g. Santa Rosa Plaza, Stanford Shopping Center, NewPark Mall) are great malls, but Westfield malls are like the cream of the crop. Is it possible for the Macerich-owned malls (I.e. The Mall at Northgate) to replicate the successes by Westfield?

And no, I'm not aiming for "my mall is better than yours". I'm just interested in mall dynamics: aside from location (of course), how come certain malls here are more successful than others?
 
#34 ·
It depends on the metric you are looking at. If you are looking at why the revenue per sqft is higher than other malls, than I think a key component is luxury retail, which people in the Bay Area (and NY) can better afford than other markets. That helps keep the revenue per SQFT higher. All the other malls you mentioned have less of a focus on this and don't have the supporting infrastructure to attract the luxury segment. Wesfield SF did a good job of even making the food court upscale and oriented towards a demographic that will spend more money. The remodel of the dome also looks phenomenal.

As for Valley Fair, they are all in on the luxury segment going forward. They are remodeling the current luxury wing they have right now to be even nicer and are putting in a flagship Burberry, Tag Huer, Wolford, and David Yurman (which will the first one in the Bay). Their next major expansion will be a second luxury wing with Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and a direct connector to Santana Row's luxury block with Gucci, Tesla, etc.

I would also look at the Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo as another one that is relatively successful and ranks well in revenue per sqft and has a strong luxury component.
 
#32 ·
^^I'm not sure there's anything really comparable to San Francisco Centre in the Bay Area. There is in other cities but not here that I know of. Did you notice the piece I posted snarkily mentioned "the parking stinks"? I mean where's there another mall of this size with NO PARKING in northern CA? I can't recall the details but I assume Westfield simply outbid the competition when a developer was sought to redo the old Emporium store and/or build the original half of the mall (where Nordstrom is). Being an Australian company with an international perspective, they may be a little better able to see unconventional potential.
 
#33 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
^^I'm not sure there's anything really comparable to San Francisco Centre in the Bay Area. There is in other cities but not here that I know of. Did you notice the piece I posted snarkily mentioned "the parking stinks"? I mean where's there another mall of this size with NO PARKING in northern CA? I can't recall the details but I assume Westfield simply outbid the competition when a developer was sought to redo the old Emporium store and/or build the original half of the mall (where Nordstrom is). Being an Australian company with an international perspective, they may be a little better able to see unconventional potential.
Basically, that development is essentially prime development, in which it is better accessed by foot and transit. Westfield San Francisco is at a sweet, premium spot wherein you get the best of many worlds: tourists, commuters, office workers, you name it. Parking around that area is already at a premium that adding more parking at the mall premises simply couldn't work because there is already a massive parking lot across Bloomingdales on Mission Street which takes up half of a city block to begin with. Plus, adding more parking to an already tight and busy corridor could hamper traffic flow in the area, thus Westfield developed it as it was to begin with, with better management, shops, restaurants, and amenities. I'm very happy to say that Westfield is integrated in my commute pattern between Novato and San Francisco that it is my preferred choice to stop and eat on my way to school or home.
 
#35 ·
there is already a massive parking lot across Bloomingdales on Mission Street which takes up half of a city block to begin with. Plus, adding more parking to an already tight and busy corridor could hamper traffic flow in the area, thus Westfield developed it as it was to begin with, with better management, shops, restaurants, and amenities. I'm very happy to say that Westfield is integrated in my commute pattern between Novato and San Francisco that it is my preferred choice to stop and eat on my way to school or home.
Are you familiar with the Market Street Place coming (soon I hope--like they've said they place to start site prep in December) in the next block (between 5th and 6th)?

Here's the best rendering (go to the page--you can make it much bigger, too big to post):


http://marketstreetplace.com/?page_id=20

This will have some parking (about 120 underground spaces as I recall) entered from Mission St. I attended the Planning Commission meetings on it and testified for it and the parking. At that time, it was hoped that one of the anchor tenants would be Target (the delay was too long--Target went to the Metreon instead) and I argued, as did others, that such a store sells some items that are just impractical to lug onto Muni (or even to lug a block down the street to the parking garage, which can be full anyway when there's a big event at Moscone). Somebody who is going to buy a new TV, say, would want to be able to drive to get it (I would use Zip car since I don't have a car in SF).

Since Target went elsewhere, they haven't said who will anchor this new "mall" but the idea has been to go somewhat downscale from the other nearby shopping and give Tenderloin and SOMA residents someplace to buy essentials and reasonably priced clothes and such.
 
#36 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
Are you familiar with the Market Street Place coming (soon I hope--like they've said they place to start site prep in December) in the next block (between 5th and 6th)?

Here's the best rendering (go to the page--you can make it much bigger, too big to post):

http://marketstreetplace.com/?page_id=20

This will have some parking (about 120 underground spaces as I recall) entered from Mission St. I attended the Planning Commission meetings on it and testified for it and the parking. At that time, it was hoped that one of the anchor tenants would be Target (the delay was too long--Target went to the Metreon instead) and I argued, as did others, that such a store sells some items that are just impractical to lug onto Muni (or even to lug a block down the street to the parking garage, which can be full anyway when there's a big event at Moscone). Somebody who is going to buy a new TV, say, would want to be able to drive to get it (I would use Zip car since I don't have a car in SF).

Since Target went elsewhere, they haven't said who will anchor this new "mall" but the idea has been to go somewhat downscale from the other nearby shopping and give Tenderloin and SOMA residents someplace to buy essentials and reasonably priced clothes and such.
Wait, Target? I thought Target will open at the Metreon as City Target (opening 10/14)... Opening another Target two blocks away will surely drive commercial prices down because of the strength of Westfield and other nearby shops, plus the fact that Mid-Market isn't complete as yet. So I think it will take more than just Target to make it alive and well. Has the City considered other stores to become an anchor tenant too? Plus, you're right about Zip Cars too: I think that new development should have adequate spaces for Zip Cars and electric vehicle charging stations.
 
#37 ·
No, I tried to explain. Target was apparently first considering Market St. Place but the approval of that development got dragged out too long for them and they went to Metreon. More recently, JC Penney was supposedly looking at MSP but I think they decided not as well. But it's too great a location and building not to attract someone that will be positive for the area.

The "consideration" isn't up to the City. It's whoever the developer can sign. The City has approved the project (with the small amount of parking mentioned, mitigated by the developer), the fencing for the demolition of the existing buildings is up and said demo is supposed to start in December.

Regarding Zip cars. I didn't mean they should be there (although perhaps a couple should). I have 2 in the garage of my condo building. I meant that if I were buying something bulky in this mall, I would use one of them to drive over there and haul it home.
 
#38 ·
Cal_Escapee said:
No, I tried to explain. Target was apparently first considering Market St. Place but the approval of that development got dragged out too long for them and they went to Metreon. More recently, JC Penney was supposedly looking at MSP but I think they decided not as well. But it's too great a location and building not to attract someone that will be positive for the area.

The "consideration" isn't up to the City. It's whoever the developer can sign. The City has approved the project (with the small amount of parking mentioned, mitigated by the developer), the fencing for the demolition of the existing buildings is up and said demo is supposed to start in December.

Regarding Zip cars. I didn't mean they should be there (although perhaps a couple should). I have 2 in the garage of my condo building. I meant that if I were buying something bulky in this mall, I would use one of them to drive over there and haul it home.
So if neither Target nor Penney chose to locate at the MSP, what do you think would be the store that would grace the new shopping center? That area truly deserves redevelopment, and I'm looking forward to seeing the new Market Street Place built. And do you think that it will provide paid parking instead of free parking?
 
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