Penn Square Mall update

[My4sonsjrbm]

I prefer Quail Springs Mall. The parking at Penn Square is so inadequte.

[Patrick]

Sephora is coming to Penn this Fall. Fossil is looking at possibly locating there next Spring.

I've never had a problem parking at Penn Square. But then again, I've never had a problem parking in Bricktown either.

Quail Springs Mall has set itself in a very dangerous position. If a mall locates in Edmond, I'd really begin to worry about the future of the mall. The AMC movie theater is already a turn off to many shoppers, as it's become a big teen problem. Also, if Warren Theatres does choose to locate down Memorial Rd., I think they'd give AMC a good run for the money. I'd personally go to Warren for the reasons already mentioned in other threads.

They've lost out on all of the upscale national retailers to Penn and Edmond. Many of the stores Quail is now attracting are either local or traditional mall stores. Unfortunately, I don't see traditional lower end national stores doing so well. They're simply not competing well with Wal-Mart and Target. Penn Square is way above the national average in sales, while Quail continues to stay near average or below. It's all a domino effect. Once national retailers see your sales reach a certain figure, everything starts falling into place. That's why Penn Square has a waiting list.

I live near Quail Springs and shop there ocassionally, but if I'm doing any serious shopping I usually go to Penn Square.

My wife tends to like stores like Georgiou, White House-Black Market, J. Jill, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, and J. Crew, which Quail Springs simply doesn't have.

[okcpulse]

Ahh, I miss Penn Square Mall. It is very stylish, commmunity oriented, not to mention upscale. The Woodlands Mall here in Texas is great, but it has a dash of the Quail Springs Mall feel... not so much in the teen problem, just the fact that 70% of the mall is upscale, then you have this bulk section with nothing but traditional lower-end stores. Of course last time I was there, twelve spaces were under conversion.

[Patrick]

I actually really like the Woodlands Mall. By the way, okcpulse, how is the new canal system working in that area? Water Taxi is operating there, and Norm Bekoff, former manager here, is running the operation there.

I will agree though. Woodlands Mall reminds me more of Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa. It has a dash of everything. I'd say Woodlands Mall is more of a mixture of Quail Springs and Penn Square.

[Patrick]

I will agree with one thing that has already been stated. Parking is easier at Quail Springs Mall. But, I think that's more due to the fact that it was originally designed to be a mall. Penn Square's parking is more spread out, and tight, mostly due to the fact that it was originally developed as an outdoor open air shopping center.

[BDP]

I like the parking at Penn much better. You don't have to park out in a wheat field.

But, like Patrick, I don't seem to have a problem parking there are bricktown.

[fsusurfer]

I've never liked going to Quail Springs...the stores are just normal, run-of-the-mill mall stores. Penn has better stores, and just "feels" better.

[okcpulse]

By the way, okcpulse, how is the new canal system working in that area? Water Taxi is operating there, and Norm Bekoff, former manager here, is running the operation there.

The canal, called Woodlands Waterway, is actually very nice. It's very wide, and deeper, will a longer length than Bricktown's. The water taxis there are actually water taxis, not just tour rides. People are taxied from the Woodlands Marriott to the mall and outdoor shopping square that is connected to the mall. However, the waterway does not attract much foot traffic, and the entire setup is very suburban. Everything along the waterway is spread out, whereas the upper canal in Bricktown has a very urban feel since it meanders along the old California Avenue along old warehouses. There isn't much of any other kind of activity, no restaurants, with the exception of the waterway's starting point at the mall. All of the live bands, or concerts, rather, are at the Pavilion, which is several blocks east of the mall.

[Patrick]

I've never liked going to Quail Springs...the stores are just normal, run-of-the-mill mall stores. Penn has better stores, and just "feels" better.

Yeah, I guess that's what I was trying to say. Quail Springs just has your general everyday mall stores. They don't really have any upscale stores. It's the upscale specialty stores that make Penn Square unique. My wife likes Penn Square better...the reason she told me is that it has everything Quail has and then some.

Her favorite stores are actually the upscale specialty stores like Georgiou, Cache, White-House Black Market, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, J. Jill, J. Crew, Kirklands, and now Aldo. She wishes she could afford Coach! LOL! She still likes New York and Company, Express, and Limited, but they're found anywhere.

I will agree with one thing that was said about Quail Springs. I notice that I have to walk further from the parking lot. The parking lots at Penn aren't as deep but they're more spread out.

[metro]

FYI...I just talked to one of my contacts in the corporate offices of GAP in San Francisco. I advised him to help push for a store in downtown OKC since he is in store development. Unfortunately GAP is not expanding anywhere right now but are working on remodeling efforts.

I'm told to look for an all-new GAP Adult in Penn Sq. and Quail in mid 2007. Thankfully an Oklahoma native is designing these two stores so hopefully they will put more effort into these stores than others.

[BDP]

They may need to try remodeling their entire offering. GAP has been slipping for a few years now.

[metro]

Not sure about that. I was just posting what I know, nothing more.

[travich]

Anyone been the Elephant Bar? I've heard not so good things about the food being overpriced and average quality. Never actually been myself, so it could be better than it's lack of hype...

[jbrown84]

My parents went to the one it Tulsa right after it opened and enjoyed it. I think i'ts more of an atmosphere place than anything else--kind of like Rainforest Cafe or Planet Hollywood.

[Yodachaos]

what about Quall Springs? how much per square foot is it compared to Penn?

[metro]

Anyone been the Elephant Bar? I've heard not so good things about the food being overpriced and average quality. Never actually been myself, so it could be better than it's lack of hype...

travich, check the Food Court section of this site. There are multiple reviews of the restaurant.

[Patrick]

Penn Square is averaging well over $500 per square foot. Quail Springs is around $300. National average is around $350. The $500 mark is generally what upscale retailers look for when locating stores. Because Penn Square surpassed this mark in late last year, you can start to expect seeing more upscale retailers. For comparison, the next closest to Penn is Woodland Hills with approx $400-450 per foot.

[writerranger]

Penn Square is averaging well over $500 per square foot. Quail Springs is around $300. National average is around $350. The $500 mark is generally what upscale retailers look for when locating stores. Because Penn Square surpassed this mark in late last year, you can start to expect seeing more upscale retailers. For comparison, the next closest to Penn is Woodland Hills with approx $400-450 per foot.

That's good information. Interesting. Thanks, Patrick!

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[Patrick]

For what it's worth, Crossroads is less then $200. LOL!

[metro]

Retailer set to open Penn Square beauty store

By Chris Brawley Morgan
Prime space in Penn Square Mall will get a makeover, as two stores become transformed into the mega-size beauty retailer Sephora.
More than 150 brands of makeup, fragrance, hair care and smile care -- all available for in-store sampling -- will be available when Sephora makes its Oklahoma debut Nov. 17.

"There is a lot of opportunity in the Oklahoma beauty market," said Leslie Clyde, Sephora retail marketing director. "Having received client requests for a store in the area, we believe that consumer demand for Sephora in Oklahoma City is strong and we're excited to make our debut here."

Sephora will move into 5,054 square feet of space on the northwest corner of upper center court in Penn Square.

"It's a great store. I went to one in the Dallas market. It's every bath and beauty product under one roof," said Jeannette Smith, director of mall marketing for Penn Square Mall.

Sephora will occupy space previously inhabited by Casual Corner and Petite Sophisticate, two women's clothing stores that closed in January, Smith said.

Beauty giant Sephora was started in France and acquired by Paris-based LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 1997. It operates 515 stores in 14 countries, including Canada, Italy, Greece and China. Sephora opened its first U.S. store in New York in 1998. It now operates more than 122 American stores in 26 states.

Edmond resident Marsha Keller shopped at a Las Vegas store several years ago when her friend, Vonda Rice of Oklahoma City, suggested they check out Sephora.

"We spread out, and we each bought something from a different brand," Keller said. "You can spend a lot of time because there are so many different kinds of brands."

Some of Sephora's most popular brands include Dior, Chanel, Smashbox, Benefit, Bare Escentuals, Oscar Blandi, Go Smile, Fusion Beauty, Anastasia and Sephora's private label.

"It was a bigger variety than I've ever seen in one store," Keller said.

Sephora has adopted an "open-sell" philosophy, which means all its products are available for sampling, with disposable makeup utensils ready for the application.

Sephora also carries skin care and fragrances for men and recently launched a line called piiink for tweens and teen girls.

Among its offerings for women are Anastasia brow products, which include brushes, pencils and stencils.

"Something like this gets my attention," Rice said.

Rice immediately looked up Sephora's Web site and perused the long list of makeup lines when she learned the company was coming to Oklahoma City.

"There are tons of names on here. Actually, a lot of these I've never heard of," she said. "I'm excited that we are finally getting Sephora."

[BDP]

Awesome. One more store I don't have to go to with my wife when on vacation!

[TStheThird]

I am just glad that I can finally buy Jonathan Product in Oklahoma.

[OklaCity_75]

For what it's worth, Crossroads is less then $200. LOL!

I think they are also offering a free bullet proof vest for every square-foot leased. If you lease an anchor section you get a dozen AR-15's and 50,000 rounds of ammunition.

[Patrick]

While Penn Square gets stores like Sephora and Apple, Quail Springs boasts about Galaxy Clothing. Just shows you the difference in attitude of the mall management groups.

[jbrown84]

Well you boast in what you can. If that's the best Quail can do, they're going to boast.