Crossroads Mall

[Intrepid]

I am probably in the minority here, but I decided a long time ago that online shopping was the best for me. Especially with free shipping, and sometimes no sales tax, deals all over the place.

It's very rare that I set foot inside a mall anymore.

[Patrick]

I would think the increase of shoplifting might be in direct correlation with the increased number of visitors brought in by the movie theater .... percentage wise. Usually, when most of the teens are there in the evenings for the movies, the stores are all closed.

I shop there all the time..a few times a week. I haven't encountered any 'teen' problems .. in fact, my teen contributes quite a bit to Hot Topic! lol..

Actually, sales at Quail Springs have fallen below $150 per square foot, while sales at Penn Square are about to top $250 per square foot. The mall's movie theater may be doing well, but the stores are not. That's all I can tell you. Anytime a mall goes over $200 per square foot you can expect high end national retailers to locate there.

[Patrick]

I recall the time I worked at a jewelry store at Quail Springs Mall. A lot of store managers wished AMC 24 wasn't built thanks to increased problems with teens. Another issue at hand was and still is... Tilt Arcade. It needs to be closed. Honestly, arcades have outlived their usefulness, and were best in a time when barely any households owned a game console. Teens quickly burn through money at today's arcades, and when they do go broke, what else is there to do but cause trouble. Granted, not all teens are trouble makers. Some are good kids. But those that are there to cause issues results in a costly burden for mall security. Those that do not drive to the mall get bored until their parents pick them up.

I remember having to constantly kick teens out of the kids' play area in front of our store for climbing all over the toys with little children still playing. In some cases, security had to be called.

Yeah pulse you're 100% correct. That's exactly why mall management at Penn Square didn't renew their lease with Alladin's Castle arcade back in the 1990's. The teen problem it created actually put a dent in their overall sales. And that's why Penn Square hasn't gotten a larger theater, although theater companies have approached the mall about adding on a larger theater.

Tilt arcade at Quail Springs definitely needs to go. BUT, I doubt they'll boot out the arcade, because mall management at Quail Springs-General Growth Properties is focused on reaching families.

You know, Woodland Hills Mall, the state's largest mall, doesn't even have a movie theater, and with good reason. Mall management there has simply wanted to avoid the problem.

Both Penn Square and Woodland Hills Malls have focused on the retail components of their malls and abandoned the entertainment options. That's a decision that's resulted in both malls netting higher end retailers and thus becoming the two top malls when it comes to sales per square feet, Penn Square being #1, and Woodland Hills being #2.

Ask a few of the security guards at Quail Springs, the few that have been there the longest, whether they like Quail Springs better today or pre-AMC 24 and everyone of them will tell you they liked the old Quail Springs Mall better. The toughest project for mall management at Quail Springs has actually been getting the kiosks near the entrances/exits filled with tenants. I've been there a couple of times when those kiosks had tenants, and teens shop-lifted from them. Several months ago when I was at the mall, one teen grabbed a whole rack full of sunglasses, and ran with it out the mall. Mall management chased after him, but he was gone by the time mall management even got out the door.

That being said, Quail Springs isn't in jeopardy of closing anytime soon. But they really need to watch their focus, and the retailers they try to attract.

Crossroads on the other hand is on life support.

[Patrick]

What about the demographics of the surrounding area? Is this another thread that's going to turn into a north vs south thing? Yeah, Crossroads doesn't attract the nicest element of people at this time. That doesn't mean that a completely revamped mall would attract the same people, and it certainly isn't a comment on the surrounding area. Unless, that is, you define "surrounding area" as the mall parking lot.

Well, although the south side does have one of the wealthiest zip codes in the city, it is true that most of the wealth in OKC in concentrated in the Northwest segment of the city. Look at any demographics map, and you'll see that.

Much of the money in the south is closer to the Moore/Norman areas, not Crossroads, thus Crossroads suffers.

[Patrick]

As for Crossroads...Just don't see them spending a lot of money to revamp the mall to try and revive it in that area...Penn Square pulls from all over OKC and Edmond...Moore and Norman folks use Sooner and NW shop at Quail...That doesn't leave much of a base for Crossroads to pull from

Very true!

[dismayed]

That's an interesting observation about theaters and the malls. I think the same things is happening in Bricktown and not just malls. It's amazing if you're down there on a Friday or Saturday night. If you cross over Reno going south (towards the theater), the average age-group drops about 10-20 years. As we all know it eventually led to curfews.

[Karried]

Yeah, I can see how unsupervised teens could cause problems. They try to show off for their friends and feel invincible.

I guess when my teen is there, he is supervised. I don't let him hang out at the mall without a parent ( but I'm the 'bad' parent because a lot of his friends parents just drop and go).

I guess it all comes down to parents thinking their kids are little angels .. when they are far from it.

But I wonder if the teens are only there because of the theater?

[Patrick]

Karrie, I hope you didn't take me wrong. I'm in Quail a lot since I live in the Quail Creek area....most of the teens there are okay. It's just the select few. And yeah, I think it's because of the movie theater. I remember just a few years back when I was in high school, my parents would drop us off to "see a movie" but of course we'd do other things there as well. But, we never shopped much, and we never really spent money at the stores. Seems like that was the case with most of my other friends in high school as well.

[Karried]

oh no, not at all. I just wish parents would control their kids better .. and not leave them to get into so much trouble.

[redland]

What about the demographics of the surrounding area? Is this another thread that's going to turn into a north vs south thing?

I hope it isn't. Nobody is casting aspersion on the people in southeast Oklahoma City that are adjacent to Crossroads. Their worth as human beings is not in question. But it is a fact that income levels in this area are such that there is very little disposable income. Thus they do not constitute a robust base for the mall.
In the earlier years of Crossroads, shoppers were drawn from other areas of the state. But that is no longer the case. Those from the north and west are not going to bypass Quail Springs and Penn Square to get to Crossroads. To the south and east, both Norman and Shawnee have malls that attract folks from that direction. Historically, Moore has been probably the strongest base for Crossroads. But now many people in Moore go to Sooner Malll instead as well as to the many new commercial outlets opening up in Moore. So there is no intent to pit anybody against anybody else. It's just a matter of economics.

[Pete]

Even though I hate to see it, I think the fate of Crossroads is sealed.

However, that might provide an opportunity for more retail development downtown. For example, perhaps Macy's could anchor a new development. They have been opening some smaller specialty stores.

[Spartan]

Why do you hate to see it?

I wish other dumpy flea markets would fall so lifestyle centers and nicer urban districts can rise. But I suppose we share the same optimism.

[Pete]

The problem is the old places tend to become long-standing eyesores.

Remember the old factory outlet malls in Moore and out on NW Expressway? The one in Moore was either completely empty or a bingo hall for at least a decade -- and I believe longer -- before it was finally knocked down.

I suppose a lot of this is urban darwinism but because there is so much available property around OKC, once projects fail they tend to be a blight for quite some time before it makes much fiscal sense to raize or renovate.

Crossroads is already pretty ugly, even just driving by. And it's highly visible as you drive into town from the south... I hate the idea the place is going to continue its slow rot for what is likely to be a long time.

[okclee]

It will be interesting to see what happens to Crossroads Mall when the 240 and 35 highway intersection is reworked.

[oudirtypop]

Chik Fil-A will probably bail before long. I used to work retail southside. The manager would come and give us free sandwhich coupons to get us to come down to the mall and eat.

It is only a matter of time before they open a southside Chik-Fil-A. It will probably go somewhere south of 240 (104th, 119th or 134th) or down on I-35 & 19th in Moore.

A Chick fil a is getting built in moore in front of new JC penny!

[SoonerDave]

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It will be interesting to see what happens to Crossroads Mall when the 240 and 35 highway intersection is reworked.

Considering they don't even have funding for the interchange rework project (even though they're buying up land for it), the longer-term fate of Crossroads will probably be known before it's done. Last I heard was that funding for that interchange was a minimum of five years down the road, perhaps even as much as ten.


-soonerdave

[SoonerDave]

A Chick fil a is getting built in moore in front of new JC penny!

One along I-240 would be just fine with me, or even somewhere in that newer development at 89th and Western, or even down to 119th and Western, though I don't know they want to put them that close together...

-soonerdave

[Metro Master]

The problem is the old places tend to become long-standing eyesores.

Remember the old factory outlet malls in Moore and out on NW Expressway? The one in Moore was either completely empty or a bingo hall for at least a decade -- and I believe longer -- before it was finally knocked down.

So far, they have leveled the former "Sams" and "Microtel Inn" that was on the property. Believe it or not, that old "Outlet Mall of America" building is still there and occupied by a few retailers.

[CCOKC]

oh no, not at all. I just wish parents would control their kids better .. and not leave them to get into so much trouble.

What are the teenagers suppused to do for fun? I remember when I was a teenager here in OKC we didn't have anything to do but cruise 39th street. We did not have the big multi-plex movie theaters back then so when we went to a movie we usually just cruised around and looked for something to do until curfew. I concede that the kids hanging at the mall is a nuisance but there needs to be an alternative. The kids to think that there are options in OKC or they will want to get out of here and go somewhere fun when they graduate. I have two teenagers in high school now and am truly looking for suggestions of what they can do on a weekend night besides staying at home and not get into trouble and not be a nuisance to the public.

[SoonerDave]

I always suspected that the merchants at Quail Springs hated that theater. It makes parking a struggle, brings in people who almost certainly aren't going to spend a penny anywhere outside the food court, and increases traffic without increasing sales....

-soonerdave

[Metro Master]

So far, they have leveled the former "Sams" and "Microtel Inn" that was on the property. Believe it or not, that old "Outlet Mall of America" building is still there and occupied by a few retailers.

I should have said that the old outlet mall building at S. 19th and I-35 "was occupied" by a few retailers. I noticed yesterday that the entire building is currently being leveled.

[Easy180]

So sad to see such a historical and lovely building torn down

(Feel free to replace the word historical with worn and lovely with crappy)

[SeinfeldBlock]

I had to return a shirt over the weekend that I purchased at a store in Penn Square to Crossroads (I live in Moore, work in Capitol area). I didn't want to drive all the way to Penn or Quail, so I went into Crossroads. It was the first time I'd been in there since 2005 (I lived in NYC for awhile). It was HORRIBLE how much it had declined. I was shocked--at noon on a Saturday! So I was talking to the clerk at the store, and I mentioned that the store was larger and I'd take a look around since I'm rarely in Crossroads.

I quote:

Clerk: "Well, I don't blame you for not coming to Crossroads! I wouldn't come here if I didn't have to..if I didn't work here."
Me: "Really? That bad?"
Clerk: "Yeah, it's ok as long as you don't have to be here after 4:00 p.m."

Wow. That says more than anything.

I have mixed feelings about Moore booming. I guess I always liked the smaller-suburb appeal.

[Patrick]

My wife and I went to Crossroads several months ago at night. At the west exit, the police was called in because some guy was making a drug deal......well, the purchaser decided to take the drugs and run. The seller ran him down, and started beating him up. It ended with the police arresting both of them.

[Karried]

What are the teenagers suppused to do for fun? I remember when I was a teenager here in OKC we didn't have anything to do but cruise 39th street. We did not have the big multi-plex movie theaters back then so when we went to a movie we usually just cruised around and looked for something to do until curfew. I concede that the kids hanging at the mall is a nuisance but there needs to be an alternative. The kids to think that there are options in OKC or they will want to get out of here and go somewhere fun when they graduate. I have two teenagers in high school now and am truly looking for suggestions of what they can do on a weekend night besides staying at home and not get into trouble and not be a nuisance to the public

I think it is fine for teenagers to go to the movies and hang out at the mall.. I have one myself.

What's not fine is the kids whose parents don't care and who get in trouble because they have no consequences. These are the kids who shoplift, run through the mall yelling.. act crazy and give all the others a bad name.

They ruin it for the rest of the teens who go to watch a movie and have fun.