Penn Square Mall

[Plutonic Panda]

Penn square being the nicest mall in the state really says a lot. If you’ve ever been to a true upscale shopping mall you’d know just how dated PS is. It in need of an upgrade and hopefully once OAK opens the owners will be motivated to do just that.

[therhett17]

Penn square being the nicest mall in the state really says a lot. If you’ve ever been to a true upscale shopping mall you’d know just how dated PS is. It in need of an upgrade and hopefully once OAK opens the owners will be motivated to do just that.

As far as design goes, I really think Quail Springs beats out Penn Square.

[PhiAlpha]

OKC is not alone with regard to major cities with a lack or slow adoption of lifestyle centers. We have malls in the Seattle area too (in addition to ONE lifestyle center - University Village which itself was long standing but refurbished in the 2010s), most if not all of our 4 regional malls - however- have added lifestyle components to them where they expanded the footprint putting the trendy anchor shops on the outside of the existing mall footprint. The end result is the "mall" is physically hidden behind the trendy stores giving the look and feel of a modern lifestyle center while also retaining the traditional mall. See Northgate Mall as our latest example of this.

I'd like Penn Square to adopt this strategy; Tyson's Corner adopts this strategy very well while also incorporating structured parking surrounding the traditional mall. It's all about staying relevant, and up until the last few years Penn Square didn't have any competition other than Tulsa's aging Utica Square; therefore there was no initiative for PSM to refurbish itself. However, as others have indicated - I too believe the time is coming for PSM to catch-up with the 'lifestyle mall' trend or risk being significantly marginalized by the competition that Oak and Classen Curve, Nichols Hills Plaza, Chisholm Creek, and eventually downtown's Park Avenue will/have give(n) them.

I wouldn’t say Utica Square is relevant to any competition conversation with PSM. That’s essentially a mini lifestyle center vs an indoor mall and kind of an apples to oranges comparison. Also I’m not sure how Utica “aging” is relevant either, they’ve constantly been adding to it and keeping it up.

Woodland Hills in Tulsa would be a better comparison and for the most part it has for a long time been a larger/nicer mall than PSM is currently (it’s the largest mall in the state). Woodland Hills of course benefits from lack of indoor mall competition in its own market (it won against the Promenade, Eastgate and others) where as Penn has Quail, Sooner in Norman and the outlet mall to a lesser extent. However all of that said, I don’t really think anything Tulsa does from a mall shopping perspective drives much competition between OKC and Tulsa anymore. The options may be a bit more spread out in OKC but it’s largely surpassed Tulsa in shopping over the last decade, other than a few random stores like Sacs and restoration hardware that OKC doesn’t have yet.

[PhiAlpha]

Penn square being the nicest mall in the state really says a lot. If you’ve ever been to a true upscale shopping mall you’d know just how dated PS is. It in need of an upgrade and hopefully once OAK opens the owners will be motivated to do just that.

Can’t speak for sales number comparisons but as far as quality of the facility and quantity/quality of stores/restaurants, i would put Woodland Hills in Tulsa over PSM. It’s basically what you’d have if you combined quail and PSM (at least from a store offering perspective).

[Plutonic Panda]

Can’t speak for sales number comparisons but as far as quality of the facility and quantity/quality of stores/restaurants, i would put Woodland Hills in Tulsa over PSM. It’s basically what you’d have if you combined quail and PSM (at least from a store offering perspective).

I need to check out Woodland Hills mall next I’m up that way. Never been there.

[PhiAlpha]

I need to check out Woodland Hills mall next I’m up that way. Never been there.

After taking another look, it actually isn’t the largest mall in the state sq footage-wise and isn’t much larger than PSM but does have the most stores of any mall in the state. Not sure why I thought that but it does seem quite a bit bigger. Square footage wise, Quail and Crossroads are larger (at least quail used to be before losing an anchor and crossroads will hopefully make a comeback but is currently empty), but Woodland Hills has more stores. It doesn’t have anything as nice as Von Maur but the Macy’s seems more upscale than okc’s and both Dillard’s are pretty close to the same in quality and size. It’s obviously subjective but the mall itself just seems more upscale than PSM.

[chssooner]

After taking another look, it actually isn’t the largest mall in the state sq footage-wise and isn’t much larger than PSM but does have the most stores of any mall in the state. Not sure why I thought that but it does seem quite a bit bigger. Square footage wise, Quail and Crossroads are larger (at least quail used to be before losing an anchor and crossroads will hopefully make a comeback but is currently empty), but Woodland Hills has more stores. It doesn’t have anything as nice as Von Maur but the Macy’s seems more upscale than okc’s and both Dillard’s are pretty close to the same in quality and size. It’s obviously subjective but the mall itself just seems more upscale than PSM.

The PSM Dillard's is the most upscale department store in the state. I think it's better than the Saks in Tulsa. They have Creed cologne, and no other Dillard's has it in the country. Same with True Religion amd 7 for all Mankind jeans. No other Dillard's has those brands in the state. Saks doesn't have them in Tulsa. The Dillard's at Penn is amazing! I recommend you check it out. They get all the new brands the same time as the flagship stores, which is rare.

[Bowser214]

Penn Square Mall, 1,083,937 sq ft ---- Woodland HIlls Mall 1,091,888 sq ft (just 8k more sq ft. (not exactly Quail Springs and PSM put together)

[PhiAlpha]

The PSM Dillard's is the most upscale department store in the state. I think it's better than the Saks in Tulsa. They have Creed cologne, and no other Dillard's has it in the country. Same with True Religion amd 7 for all Mankind jeans. No other Dillard's has those brands in the state. Saks doesn't have them in Tulsa. The Dillard's at Penn is amazing! I recommend you check it out. They get all the new brands the same time as the flagship stores, which is rare.

I’ve been going to the Dillard’s at PSM for 20+ years, it is very nice. I haven’t done a ton of brand comparisons between it and the one in Woodland Hills but so far they seem very similar.

[PhiAlpha]

Penn Square Mall, 1,083,937 sq ft ---- Woodland HIlls Mall 1,091,888 sq ft (just 8k more sq ft. (not exactly Quail Springs and PSM put together)

Yes, which is exactly why I said this in my follow up post 20 minutes later:

After taking another look, it actually isn’t the largest mall in the state sq footage-wise and isn’t much larger than PSM but does have the most stores of any mall in the state. Not sure why I thought that but it does seem quite a bit bigger. Square footage wise, Quail and Crossroads are larger (at least quail used to be before losing an anchor and crossroads will hopefully make a comeback but is currently empty), but Woodland Hills has more stores. It doesn’t have anything as nice as Von Maur but the Macy’s seems more upscale than okc’s and both Dillard’s are pretty close to the same in quality and size. It’s obviously subjective but the mall itself just seems more upscale than PSM.

Also the first post said from “a store offering perspective” when I referred to Quail being combined with PSM. There is a bunch of overlap between the two and Woodland Hills has a lot of what those would if they were combined. For example it has a high quality Dillard’s, Macy’s, and H&M in the same mall.

[HOT ROD]

i mentioned Utica because it is Oklahoma's original lifestyle center. And, I mentioned that I've observed here malls are wrapping themselves with trendy lifestyle components. Compared to Oklahoma's newest lifestyle center, Chisholm Creek or even Classen Curve - Utica is aging and given the local density there's not much they can do.

Anyway - I think Penn would do very well adopting such a strategic lifestyle component wrapping the mall, possibly also wrapping structured parking. They'd keep the regional mall but move up significantly in the use category and prestigue if they could land upscale trendy tenants in the lifestyle portion. And it would be far better than anything in the state until possibly if Woodland did the same.

[Rover]

The PSM Dillard's is the most upscale department store in the state. I think it's better than the Saks in Tulsa. They have Creed cologne, and no other Dillard's has it in the country. Same with True Religion amd 7 for all Mankind jeans. No other Dillard's has those brands in the state. Saks doesn't have them in Tulsa. The Dillard's at Penn is amazing! I recommend you check it out. They get all the new brands the same time as the flagship stores, which is rare.

Von Maur at QSM is probably the best, at least the equal of Saks and Dillards PS.

[scottk]

As far as design goes, I really think Quail Springs beats out Penn Square.

Quail Springs Mall (along with Woodland Hills Mall) were designed as large enclosed shopping malls. Woodland Hills was built in the mid-late 70's in Tulsa, and Quail Springs the early 80's. Memorial Road in OKC and 71st Street in Tulsa have very similar offerings with many big box stores and chain sit down dining options next to the malls. It's your carbon copy urban mall sprawl.

Penn Square Mall (along with Promenade Mall) were never originally designed as enclosed shopping centers. Both were open-air, and were converted to enclosed malls, hence the odd layout compared to the racetrack design of Woodland Hills and Quail Springs. Both are in "older" areas of town. Penn obviously has faired much better than the few stores left at Promenade.

Simon Malls operates Penn Square and Woodland Hills, and given Simon's strategy, they tend to have a better selection of retail offerings.

Quail is fortunate that it is in a still very active and growing part of town, they have repositioned themselves as an entertainment venue with the updates to AMC, addition of Round One and Blue Zoo, and Lifestyle fitness replacing Macy's.

On a related note, Eastland Mall in Tulsa was built on the edge of east Tulsa and the growth east stopped. The mall is now an office park/call center. It's nice to see Crossroads Mall in OKC trying something new with the space.

[HangryHippo]

Von Maur at QSM is probably the best, at least the equal of Saks and Dillards PS.

I really like Von Maur, but I imagine they would do/would have done a lot better at Penn Square.

[Mississippi Blues]

H&M is another one I feel would’ve benefitted more by being at PS instead of QSM. It seems like it does decently anyways if for no other reason it’s the only location in central Oklahoma, there’s usually a sizable number of people when I’m there.

[shartel_ave]

Malls like PS and QS need to go or or innovate into indoor outdoor malls like the rim and forum in San Antonio and every other big city that has been doing the indoor/outdoor style for a couple decades

OKC and Tulsa have nothing like those

[Rover]

I really like Von Maur, but I imagine they would do/would have done a lot better at Penn Square.

Maybe, but there is lots of wealth closer to QS than PSM also.

[scottk]

I really like Von Maur, but I imagine they would do/would have done a lot better at Penn Square.

At the time, Quail Springs Mall had an anchor vacancy, Penn Square did not.

Sears at Quail Springs closed right around Christmas/New years 2012-2013. Von Maur opened basically in a brand new, from the ground up, anchor in October 2014 at QSM. Von Maur also received 2 million or so in tax incentives over a ten year period.

[Pete]

Altar'd States is moving to a new, larger and more elaborate space, roughly to where Banana Republic once was and extending all the way north to the GAP.

Their new store designs are beautiful and each is unique. Will be a big step up from the temporary Rally House that has been in that key corner location.

[Mississippi Blues]

I don’t know anything about Altar’d State, I’m just happy to see something more aesthetically appealing than Rally House take that space. It gives me 2003 Oklahoma City vibes every time I walk past it.

[PaddyShack]

Will this also take the old Godiva space as well?

[Bowser214]

Wow this is awesome!! More of this please!!

[Boop]

The dressing room is very nice, the rest, not so much

[Bowser214]

Y'all. Sabarro Pizza is coming to Penn Square! And 2 other local restaurants opening in the food court. I was listing to KFOR in my car during lunch hour. Sorry I can't remember the other two.
https://www.simon.com/mall/penn-squa.../stores/sbarro

[Pete]

They are adding Sbarro (first photo), Edie's Grill (2nd photo), and Spunkies Soul Food (3rd photo).

Edie's is in The Collective:
https://www.ediesgrillsubsaharan.com/

Spunkies is presently a food truck:
https://www.facebook.com/spunkiessoulfoodtruck/