The Mall is Dead; Long Live the Mall
Malls have traditionally held a soft spot in people’s hearts. Malls offer a place for people to meet up, enjoy a variety of food, and shop for products all without having to walk that far. But in recent years, malls across the country have lost some of this appeal to shoppers . As Time magazine reported last July, “analysts estimate that 1 out of every 4 malls in the U.S. could be out of business by 2022”.
But what does this look like in our backyard of Redmond, Bellevue and Woodinville? To find out, The Overlake Independent interviewed Steve Hanson, president of JSH properties, which manages and co-owns Redmond Town Center. RTC is now an “lifestyle center” focused on experiences as a result of increased competition with online shopping, says Hanson.
The traditional mall model has been fairly simple, relying on the abundance of products in a high shop density location where people can go to find most products. The “American mall” has its origins in the work of Austrian architect Victor Gruen, who designed the first commercial mall, Southdale Center, in Edina, Minnesota. Recently, Southdale Center has struggled with a series of high profile store closures such as JC Penny and Marshalls. As a result, Southdale Center has been forced to shift its focus away from big retailers hurting from the effects of online shopping and towards a more experience based system.
So too, has RTC. Hanson made the point that while Macy’s is not leaving RTC, big retailers are not exactly flocking there either. But when it comes to where growth is going to come from, he adds it will be from shops that offer something that online shopping cannot”.
The positives of this reinvention are more salient than the negatives. One of the largest mixed-use complexes in Redmond is being built right at Redmond Town Center, the Talisman. The Talisman not only will offer “9,400 square feet of ground floor specialty retail shops”, but also plenty of high quality apartment space with a “mix of one- and two-bedroom flats and lofts”. In all of these additions cement Redmond Town Center’s shift from the old model of malls to the new one as a lifestyle, commercial and cultural center.
While one could bemoan the pangs of this shift, one man certainly wouldn’t. Architect Victor Gruen wanted the mall to not only serve as a commercial center but also as a lifestyle center to rival the Greek Agora and Roman Forum.
Hanson echoes that view of the mall’s future. As Hanson puts it, “You can work here, you can live here, you can stay here”.
What's Out, What's In at RTC
By Nell C. '23
When was the last time you visited Redmond Town Center? Well, if it’s been a while, a lot has changed. Steve Hansen of JSH Properties explained some of the new features being added – and the stores being replaced.
· Hot Yoga Experience – Redmond Town Center is now less of an “outdoor mall” and more of a “lifestyle center,” as Hansen says. A focus on classes and activities such as yoga is a new priority since they “promote the return of customers” he adds.
· Goldfish Swim School – Sometime in September, a children’s pool will be opening. Don’t get too excited Overlakers, because the pool is only open for kids up to 12. The pool will offer classes year-round, allowing kids to enjoy pool time not only during the summer. Goldfish Swim School will be able to host up to 3000 kids every week.
· iPic Theaters – Let’s face it: movies are one of the go-to mall experiences. But iPic Theaters in Redmond Town Center is trying to change the way people experience movies by offering in-cinema food and beverage services, comfortable seating (with blankets!), and the ability to reserve theaters for a party or gathering. They also have free popcorn – Hansen notes that “it’s like flying first class instead of coach on an airline.”
· Second Story Repertory – Live theater in a mall? Well… why not? Redmond Town Center has been hosting the small theater since 1999. Kids can not only take classes at Second Story Rep but enjoy the experience of seeing a live show.
· Guitar Center – Everyone loves music, and buying equipment online is risky without trying it out first. Luckily, Guitar Center offers gear, lessons, and repairs for people who aren’t comfortable buying their beloved instruments online. The lessons provided encourage kids and adults alike to learn how to play and read music – nearly 500 students take classes every single week.
· Ducati – Have you ever seen a motorcycle dealership in a mall? Well, Redmond Town Center has a Ducati location. Hansen himself thought of the idea after seeing a Ducati dealership on a pedestrian-heavy street in Paris. Before it became the dealership it once was, it was a Borders Books – a pretty significant change for the shopping center. A BMW dealership also joined that location later on. “Those are truly lifestyle brands,” Hansen says, “People come back to it, it’s a lot more about community.”
RTC vs. Bellevue Square
By Maria R. '18
Going to school in the Redmond area, most students go to the Redmond Town Center purely out of convenience after a long day of school or extracurricular practices. However, on the weekends when school is not in session, it seems that Bellevue Square dominates the shopping habits of people in the area.
Steve Hansen, the president of JSH Properties, wants to change those habits.
Hansen places high value on the types of stores that Redmond Town Center has in comparison to Bellevue Square, stating that it’s not “going to be a Bellevue Square that has Uniqlo, a Nordstroms and so forth” but rather focuses on having smaller, more targeted stores which aide it’s goal to bring in people “for everyday life.”
He recognizes that Bellevue Square brings in people from a larger area simply because of these more mainstream, national chain stores it has, but he believes people will go to Redmond Town Center “for what’s more convenient and a better experience” than Bellevue Square.
Bellevue Square is a “very controlled” environment, he says, and with the large population of people buzzing and moving through the space, it can become stuffy, and the experience quickly can become uncomfortable.
Conversely, Redmond Town Center is open-air and Hansen believes that creates an experience where “people would rather go to a storefront, maybe sit outside and eat, than go inside to a mall to eat.” At Bellevue Square, a customer would have to “go five levels down for parking” and go into the mall, wait in the long lines, finally get their food, he adds, whereas in Redmond Town Center the stores are right there, and extremely easy to access.
Overall, Bellevue Square may pull in more customers simply because of its commercial storefronts, and central location between Redmond and Seattle, but Hansen believes the best experience is at Redmond Town Center, which values the individual experience, and tailors its function to the shopper.