Let me present to you the state of Michigan's largest outlet mall, Great Lakes Crossing, in Auburn Hills, Michigan. This is a one floor mall, with over 1.4 million square feet of retail space, comprised of over 180 inline tenants and around 9 anchor store. Let me tell you folks, Gurnee Mills is nothing after you've walked through this place, St. Louis Mills is 100% vacant, and Great Lakes Crossing at least 90% occupant. I visited Detroit last week, a week before black Friday, based on the amount of people, some might guess its a week before Christmas.
A few of the anchor stores are Burlington Coat Factory, Lord & Taylor outlet, Last Call Neiman Marcus, Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue, The Bass Pro Shop, Marshall's, Legoland, and an AMC theater.
This massive outlet mall was designed by Taubman Properties in the 1990's, originally considered to be called "Auburn Mills", like many other Mills properties Taubman owned. The mall opened in November 1998 will nearly 200 stores and anchor store included Bass Pro Shop, Gameworks, Last Call by Neiman Marcus, Rainforest Cafe, Sportmart, Steve & Barry's (there first mall store), and a JCPenney outlet.
Sportmart was acquired by The Sports Authority shortly after opening, and the JCPenney outlet closed around 2006. H&M and Toby Keith's Bar & Grill split the anchor in June 2007. Steve & Barry's closed in 2007, replaced by a Toronto, Canada based Urban Behavior, later replaced by a Forever 21.
Gameworks closed in 2010 for company reasons, and in 2014, the spaced was acquired to open a SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium.
The mall changed its name in September 2010, and held a grand re-opening in October celebrating several new stores opening, including an Art Van Furniture, Michigan's largest furniture chain's first mall store.
The aquarium opened in January 2015, and Legoland opened in March 2016.
The Sports Authority closed with the rest of the chain in August 2016 resulting in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
Here are my pictures of the mall from November 2016, I consider this an early start to my Holiday tour, there are many malls to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment