Monday, July 28, 2008
Drooling Down the River, Part 2
A few months ago, I wrote a blog entitled Drooling Down the River. It was about a specialty cart at Grapevine Mills where right there in front of God and everybody, you get your teeth whitened. The bad thing was you had to hold your own drool cup.
As I suspected, the place didn't last long. But, not to fear, all you public droolers. Another one has opened up in Grapevine Mills, only this time larger.
It's called spawhite express and you can get your teeth whitened in 15 minutes. I'll give this place credit - they at least tried to give customers some modicum of privacy, but they didn't think it out too well. They put up a partition right behind the headrests of the seats. But it's only as wide as the chair. So if you wanted to witness your friend drooling while he's getting his teeth done, then you just have to move two feet around the partition.
I'm still not into public drooling, no matter how socially acceptable it might be these days. I did an informal poll at lunch the other day, and no one I talked to would go pay somebody else to make themselves drool in public.
I've been to Grapevine Mills three or four times since spawhite express has opened and I've yet to see one person taking advantage of this service.
If you want to get your teeth whitened at the mall, there are a couple of them that now have Wow Smile Xpress. These are inside a tenant space, out of view of the public. The malls that have Wow Smile Xpress are Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville.
Still -- no drooling in public for me, unless you happen to catch me eating an Auntie Anne's pretzel.
Have a Ball At The Mall, Y'all!
A few months ago, I wrote a blog entitled Drooling Down the River. It was about a specialty cart at Grapevine Mills where right there in front of God and everybody, you get your teeth whitened. The bad thing was you had to hold your own drool cup.
As I suspected, the place didn't last long. But, not to fear, all you public droolers. Another one has opened up in Grapevine Mills, only this time larger.
It's called spawhite express and you can get your teeth whitened in 15 minutes. I'll give this place credit - they at least tried to give customers some modicum of privacy, but they didn't think it out too well. They put up a partition right behind the headrests of the seats. But it's only as wide as the chair. So if you wanted to witness your friend drooling while he's getting his teeth done, then you just have to move two feet around the partition.
I'm still not into public drooling, no matter how socially acceptable it might be these days. I did an informal poll at lunch the other day, and no one I talked to would go pay somebody else to make themselves drool in public.
I've been to Grapevine Mills three or four times since spawhite express has opened and I've yet to see one person taking advantage of this service.
If you want to get your teeth whitened at the mall, there are a couple of them that now have Wow Smile Xpress. These are inside a tenant space, out of view of the public. The malls that have Wow Smile Xpress are Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville.
Still -- no drooling in public for me, unless you happen to catch me eating an Auntie Anne's pretzel.
Have a Ball At The Mall, Y'all!
Labels: drooling, malls, teethwhitening
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
WHILE SITTING AT ANN TAYLOR LOFT
Aa-a-h! I just had a great lunch at The Cheesecake Factory at Southlake Town Square.
And since it’s New Year’s Eve, my wife and I shared a slice of chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake. I only have three words to say about that, “DEE LISH US!”
Anyway, now I’m sitting by a sharply-dressed mannequin in Ann Taylor Loft while my wife is checking out the latest fashions.
Right now, there are three other men; oh, make that two other men – one just left. The two men both have the same ambivalent looks and their hands in their pockets.
Why do the two men have their hands in their pockets? It’s certainly not cold in the store. Were they instructed to “not touch?” I guess if I weren’t writing at this moment, then I’d have my hands in my pockets, too.
My wife just told me she was going to try on a couple of things, so I have a few more minutes to write. I’m sure whatever she tries on will look great as she is so classy and has great taste.
Which brings to a point, or at least, another question. Why does a particular blouse captivate a woman’s interest to the point of, “I gotta have it?” Then another woman can just walk by that same blouse with a “Ho-hum?”
Here’s my best guess, from a man’s perspective. I think that women are more conscious of their body types than men, and instinctively know if that blouse will be flattering or not.
But then I start thinking things like, “What in our brains makes blue someone’s favorite color, and green another’s?” And “Why are some patterns pleasing to some, but not to others?” For instance, I’m just not wild about houndstooth, but I’m at a loss to tell you why.
I look to my left and see a little girl crawling under a table, like it’s a tunnel. Of course, her mom is getting onto her for doing it. I’m thinking if that was my daughter or niece, I’d probably be crawling under the table with her.
What’s the point of all of this rambling? It brings me back to something I’ve written about before: shopping’s not just about the shopping. There are little snippets of life happening all around, vignettes if you will. Sure, there’s the occasional mom getting onto her child, but there are friends in lively conversation, a mom playing with her daughter, adult daughters and their moms talking on a grown-up level.
It’s actually fun to watch the social fabric we’re all a part of when I’m out at the malls and lifestyle centers.
The Bottom Line: When you go shopping, go with people you love and slow down a little. You’ll create memories and good times. My Mom still talks about my cousin and I running in and out of the clothes rack at JCPenney when I was only five or six.
Slow down a little and enjoy. You’ll be glad you did.
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
Aa-a-h! I just had a great lunch at The Cheesecake Factory at Southlake Town Square.
And since it’s New Year’s Eve, my wife and I shared a slice of chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake. I only have three words to say about that, “DEE LISH US!”
Anyway, now I’m sitting by a sharply-dressed mannequin in Ann Taylor Loft while my wife is checking out the latest fashions.
Right now, there are three other men; oh, make that two other men – one just left. The two men both have the same ambivalent looks and their hands in their pockets.
Why do the two men have their hands in their pockets? It’s certainly not cold in the store. Were they instructed to “not touch?” I guess if I weren’t writing at this moment, then I’d have my hands in my pockets, too.
My wife just told me she was going to try on a couple of things, so I have a few more minutes to write. I’m sure whatever she tries on will look great as she is so classy and has great taste.
Which brings to a point, or at least, another question. Why does a particular blouse captivate a woman’s interest to the point of, “I gotta have it?” Then another woman can just walk by that same blouse with a “Ho-hum?”
Here’s my best guess, from a man’s perspective. I think that women are more conscious of their body types than men, and instinctively know if that blouse will be flattering or not.
But then I start thinking things like, “What in our brains makes blue someone’s favorite color, and green another’s?” And “Why are some patterns pleasing to some, but not to others?” For instance, I’m just not wild about houndstooth, but I’m at a loss to tell you why.
I look to my left and see a little girl crawling under a table, like it’s a tunnel. Of course, her mom is getting onto her for doing it. I’m thinking if that was my daughter or niece, I’d probably be crawling under the table with her.
What’s the point of all of this rambling? It brings me back to something I’ve written about before: shopping’s not just about the shopping. There are little snippets of life happening all around, vignettes if you will. Sure, there’s the occasional mom getting onto her child, but there are friends in lively conversation, a mom playing with her daughter, adult daughters and their moms talking on a grown-up level.
It’s actually fun to watch the social fabric we’re all a part of when I’m out at the malls and lifestyle centers.
The Bottom Line: When you go shopping, go with people you love and slow down a little. You’ll create memories and good times. My Mom still talks about my cousin and I running in and out of the clothes rack at JCPenney when I was only five or six.
Slow down a little and enjoy. You’ll be glad you did.
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
Monday, November 26, 2007
SANTA’S ARRIVAL AT STONEBRIAR CENTRE, FRISCO
I arrived at Stonebriar Centre at 9:00am on Saturday, November 17, to await Santa’s arrival, scheduled for 9:30.
On this partly cloudy, cool and breezy morning, there were already a lot of cars there. Parents were trying to hurry as they unbuckled their kids from the car seats and transferred them to their strollers.
I knew that Santa would arrive on a Frisco Fire Department truck, so I positioned myself above the spot where I was sure the fire truck would pull up.
Waiting next to Sears and The Ice, I heard a siren, but saw no fire truck.
“Oh, good going, Steve. You’re on the wrong side of Sears!”
That’s right. I was on the south side of Sears and Santa arrived at the north side. Had I walked around the other side when I first arrived, the red carpet and the big “Welcome, Santa” sign might have given me a hint as to where Santa was arriving. “What a dork.”
But once I heard the siren, I headed into the mall through Sears and went straight to the courtyard where Santa would reside. Luckily, I went to a spot just in time to see Santa walk right by me and up to the microphone and greet everyone. I was able to get a couple of closeup pictures of Santa.
What a festive atmosphere!
There were hundreds of people and I think the parents were as excited as the children. There were people everywhere. Well, not just people. Let’s see, there was a giant cookie walking around, along with a pretzel, a sonic cup and a giant stuffed bear.
Elves were making balloon animals for the kids, while magicians performed magic tricks for those waiting in lines.
And you didn’t have to worry about getting hungry as there were pretzel sticks and muffins for everyone.
As if this wasn’t all enough, there was a storyteller on one side of the courtyard and Radio Disney was broadcasting from the other side of the courtyard.
My daughter is now grown, so I didn’t take a child to see Santa, but I had so much fun just watching the kids there, and seeing their eyes full of wonder, as they told Santa what they wanted for Christmas.
That brought back home to me the wonder and magic of the Christmas season, even as the politically correct crowd is trying to remove Christmas from our lexicon.
I’m not afraid to say it; “Merry Christmas to you all.”
Steve
I arrived at Stonebriar Centre at 9:00am on Saturday, November 17, to await Santa’s arrival, scheduled for 9:30.
On this partly cloudy, cool and breezy morning, there were already a lot of cars there. Parents were trying to hurry as they unbuckled their kids from the car seats and transferred them to their strollers.
I knew that Santa would arrive on a Frisco Fire Department truck, so I positioned myself above the spot where I was sure the fire truck would pull up.
Waiting next to Sears and The Ice, I heard a siren, but saw no fire truck.
“Oh, good going, Steve. You’re on the wrong side of Sears!”
That’s right. I was on the south side of Sears and Santa arrived at the north side. Had I walked around the other side when I first arrived, the red carpet and the big “Welcome, Santa” sign might have given me a hint as to where Santa was arriving. “What a dork.”
But once I heard the siren, I headed into the mall through Sears and went straight to the courtyard where Santa would reside. Luckily, I went to a spot just in time to see Santa walk right by me and up to the microphone and greet everyone. I was able to get a couple of closeup pictures of Santa.
What a festive atmosphere!
There were hundreds of people and I think the parents were as excited as the children. There were people everywhere. Well, not just people. Let’s see, there was a giant cookie walking around, along with a pretzel, a sonic cup and a giant stuffed bear.
Elves were making balloon animals for the kids, while magicians performed magic tricks for those waiting in lines.
And you didn’t have to worry about getting hungry as there were pretzel sticks and muffins for everyone.
As if this wasn’t all enough, there was a storyteller on one side of the courtyard and Radio Disney was broadcasting from the other side of the courtyard.
My daughter is now grown, so I didn’t take a child to see Santa, but I had so much fun just watching the kids there, and seeing their eyes full of wonder, as they told Santa what they wanted for Christmas.
That brought back home to me the wonder and magic of the Christmas season, even as the politically correct crowd is trying to remove Christmas from our lexicon.
I’m not afraid to say it; “Merry Christmas to you all.”
Steve
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Drooling Around The Dallas – Fort Worth Shopping Malls
I spend about 200 hours in the Dallas – Fort Worth malls every year and you might think I’ve seen at all.
I admit I have seen a few things that I thought were odd. A couple of years ago, almost every mall had a specialty cart selling hermit crabs. There were stores like Crabby Land, Get Crabs Here, or something like that.
Anyway, what do you do with a hermit crab painted like the Texas flag? I guess people bought those things, but I just wonder what the people did with them after the first 15 minutes or so after they got them home.
Little Rebecca invites her friend over, Hanna and Rebecca’s all excited, “Hanna, look at my hermit crab – it’s painted just like the Texas flag!”
Hanna says, “That’s coo-o-ol!” And then after a long pause, Hanna asks, “What does it do?”
Rebecca: “It’s painted like the flag and it … it … it... uh, I don't know.”
OK, I thought the hermit crab idea was kind of weird. Or at least, I think that people that bought them didn’t really have a long-term hermit crab strategy. I apologize right now if you bought one.
I found something to top that. I was at Grapevine Mills the other day, and saw a specialty cart called Dazzle Bright.
And just what do you think that is?
Teeth Whitening!
Right there in the middle of the mall, with all of the mall-goers looking on.
I’m an extrovert and all that, but this ain’t the kind of attention I’m looking for.
Let me set the scene for you. There are two reclining chairs, like the ones at the dentist or the salon. You lips are propped open and you’re baring your teeth to the world. It’s kind of like the dentist – they put this gel stuff on your teeth and shine an intense light on your soon-to-be pearly whites.
They also give you something to hold while your teeth are whitening. Any guesses what that is?
It’s a disposable drool repository.
Did you catch that? A CUP TO CATCH YOUR DROOL!
Now that’s attractive.
Maybe I just grew up in a more modest generation, but paying somebody so you can drool for the general public just sounds bizarre to me. I don’t even like to drool when I’m in the privacy of the dentist’s office.
Now that I think about it, drooling in general is not an active pursuit of mine. I will occasionally get my slobber factory going when I use those teeth-whitening strips you can by at the store. But I’m even self-conscious about those. I have my wife turn her head if I need to drool in a cup. If I don’t like to drool on myself in private or in front of my wife of 30 years, I sure don’t want the citizens of Dallas/Fort Worth watching this white, milky slobber/gel concoction running down my beard. (What a visual, huh?)
As I said before, I’m an extrovert and I don’t mind being the center of attention when the situation calls for it. But here’s something you’ll never hear me say, “Hey y’all hurry up and come over here – I’m going to slobber into this cup for you!”
“Good times - Good Times!
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
I spend about 200 hours in the Dallas – Fort Worth malls every year and you might think I’ve seen at all.
I admit I have seen a few things that I thought were odd. A couple of years ago, almost every mall had a specialty cart selling hermit crabs. There were stores like Crabby Land, Get Crabs Here, or something like that.
Anyway, what do you do with a hermit crab painted like the Texas flag? I guess people bought those things, but I just wonder what the people did with them after the first 15 minutes or so after they got them home.
Little Rebecca invites her friend over, Hanna and Rebecca’s all excited, “Hanna, look at my hermit crab – it’s painted just like the Texas flag!”
Hanna says, “That’s coo-o-ol!” And then after a long pause, Hanna asks, “What does it do?”
Rebecca: “It’s painted like the flag and it … it … it... uh, I don't know.”
OK, I thought the hermit crab idea was kind of weird. Or at least, I think that people that bought them didn’t really have a long-term hermit crab strategy. I apologize right now if you bought one.
I found something to top that. I was at Grapevine Mills the other day, and saw a specialty cart called Dazzle Bright.
And just what do you think that is?
Teeth Whitening!
Right there in the middle of the mall, with all of the mall-goers looking on.
I’m an extrovert and all that, but this ain’t the kind of attention I’m looking for.
Let me set the scene for you. There are two reclining chairs, like the ones at the dentist or the salon. You lips are propped open and you’re baring your teeth to the world. It’s kind of like the dentist – they put this gel stuff on your teeth and shine an intense light on your soon-to-be pearly whites.
They also give you something to hold while your teeth are whitening. Any guesses what that is?
It’s a disposable drool repository.
Did you catch that? A CUP TO CATCH YOUR DROOL!
Now that’s attractive.
Maybe I just grew up in a more modest generation, but paying somebody so you can drool for the general public just sounds bizarre to me. I don’t even like to drool when I’m in the privacy of the dentist’s office.
Now that I think about it, drooling in general is not an active pursuit of mine. I will occasionally get my slobber factory going when I use those teeth-whitening strips you can by at the store. But I’m even self-conscious about those. I have my wife turn her head if I need to drool in a cup. If I don’t like to drool on myself in private or in front of my wife of 30 years, I sure don’t want the citizens of Dallas/Fort Worth watching this white, milky slobber/gel concoction running down my beard. (What a visual, huh?)
As I said before, I’m an extrovert and I don’t mind being the center of attention when the situation calls for it. But here’s something you’ll never hear me say, “Hey y’all hurry up and come over here – I’m going to slobber into this cup for you!”
“Good times - Good Times!
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
Monday, July 09, 2007
Shopping Lessons I Learned While Watching Drag Racing
OK, you’re probably thinking, “That’s a stretch.”
“What in tarnation does drag racing have to do with shopping?” (Apologies to Yosemite Sam).
I stayed up wa-a-a-y too late on a recent Sunday night to watch the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tennessee.
Racing speeds are greatly affected by track temperature and it was unusually hot at Bristol. In fact, the track temperature reached 136 degrees! The hotter the temperature, the slicker the track and the harder it is for the cars to get traction.
Stay with me here.
The premier bracket of NHRA is the Top Fuel category. These beasts are about 25’ feet long, boast over 7000 horsepower and reach speeds of 320 MPH in the quarter-mile. By comparison, if your street car even reached 100MPH in a quarter-mile, you’d have one powerful street car.
Drag racing is conducted in an elimination style, similar to March Madness in college basketball.
The top 16 drivers with the fastest speeds qualify to be in the race. Then they pair off and race. The winner advances to the next round and the loser goes home.
Brandon Bernstein is one of the top performers in the Top Fuel category. Bernstein eventually won the top fuel event, but he had challenges along the way.
Many drivers had to do what’s called “Pedaling” when their tires lost traction. They press and release the accelerator in short bursts to try to regain traction. In round two and the semifinal round, Bernstein and his competitors all experienced lost traction and they got into a pedal-fest.
Bernstein didn’t give up on his car and stuck with it. He did a better job of pedaling than his competitors, went on to the final round, where he won convincingly.
OK, here’s the point. Were rounds 2 and 3 pretty? Not by a long shot.
Is that the way Bernstein’s team planned it? No way!
But even though things didn’t go exactly the way they planned, Bernstein’s team was still successful and triumphed at the end of the day.
I want you to think about that the next time you’re shopping at your favorite mall. Things may not go exactly as you had hoped.
Did you find the perfect shoes? Maybe not.
Did your son spill his drink? Probably.
But at the end of the day, you survived, spent time with your family, enjoyed a snack, and, BONUS - you weren’t at work.
It may have been a challenge, but you were doing something you chose to do and that’s liberating in itself.
Mall trips – rarely perfect. But you can still make them downright pleasant with a little pedaling, and stopping to smell the roses every now and then.
Keeping your mall trips from being a “drag.”
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
OK, you’re probably thinking, “That’s a stretch.”
“What in tarnation does drag racing have to do with shopping?” (Apologies to Yosemite Sam).
I stayed up wa-a-a-y too late on a recent Sunday night to watch the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tennessee.
Racing speeds are greatly affected by track temperature and it was unusually hot at Bristol. In fact, the track temperature reached 136 degrees! The hotter the temperature, the slicker the track and the harder it is for the cars to get traction.
Stay with me here.
The premier bracket of NHRA is the Top Fuel category. These beasts are about 25’ feet long, boast over 7000 horsepower and reach speeds of 320 MPH in the quarter-mile. By comparison, if your street car even reached 100MPH in a quarter-mile, you’d have one powerful street car.
Drag racing is conducted in an elimination style, similar to March Madness in college basketball.
The top 16 drivers with the fastest speeds qualify to be in the race. Then they pair off and race. The winner advances to the next round and the loser goes home.
Brandon Bernstein is one of the top performers in the Top Fuel category. Bernstein eventually won the top fuel event, but he had challenges along the way.
Many drivers had to do what’s called “Pedaling” when their tires lost traction. They press and release the accelerator in short bursts to try to regain traction. In round two and the semifinal round, Bernstein and his competitors all experienced lost traction and they got into a pedal-fest.
Bernstein didn’t give up on his car and stuck with it. He did a better job of pedaling than his competitors, went on to the final round, where he won convincingly.
OK, here’s the point. Were rounds 2 and 3 pretty? Not by a long shot.
Is that the way Bernstein’s team planned it? No way!
But even though things didn’t go exactly the way they planned, Bernstein’s team was still successful and triumphed at the end of the day.
I want you to think about that the next time you’re shopping at your favorite mall. Things may not go exactly as you had hoped.
Did you find the perfect shoes? Maybe not.
Did your son spill his drink? Probably.
But at the end of the day, you survived, spent time with your family, enjoyed a snack, and, BONUS - you weren’t at work.
It may have been a challenge, but you were doing something you chose to do and that’s liberating in itself.
Mall trips – rarely perfect. But you can still make them downright pleasant with a little pedaling, and stopping to smell the roses every now and then.
Keeping your mall trips from being a “drag.”
Steve Moreland,
The Mall Pages, LLC
Monday, May 07, 2007
Malls vs. Lifestyle Centers – It’s Not “Either, Or”
Shopping malls have been the big daddies of the shopping world since the 1970’s. But “Lifestyle Centers” are edging their way into the malls’ business these days.
What is a lifestyle center? It’s essentially an open-air mall. Unlike a normal strip center, lifestyle centers are usually built like a village, containing similar stores to the enclosed mall. They also have grassy areas, maybe a central “town square,” fountains, gazebos, and other outdoor design elements.
In the Dallas – Fort Worth area, Firewheel Town Center in Garland, Highland Park Village in Dallas, Southlake Town Square in Southlake, and West Village in uptown Dallas are examples of lifestyle centers.
No doubt, you’ve seen a mall in your area that has closed recently, or is on its way to being closed.
There are several reasons why malls close, and a new lifestyle center opening near an existing mall could be a factor, but it’s definitely not the only reason.
An advertising trend I’ve noticed these days is that lifestyle centers are pitting themselves against malls. Some even refer to themselves as the “anti-mall," or "the mallternative.”
This makes it sound like an either-or proposition.
I don’t believe that’s the case. There is room for both, and distinct advantages and disadvantages to each.
For instance, on Saturday, my wife and I visited West Village, a newer lifestyle center in the revitalized Uptown area of Dallas.
We first had lunch on the patio at Taco Diner. It was perfect dining weather – sunny, about 72 degrees, with plants and umbrellas to shield us from the sun.
Then I waited patiently while my wife shopped at Ann Taylor Loft, one of her favorite stores.
It was a great, relaxing time at West Village. Springtime in a lifestyle center is almost the perfect shopping situation.
But this is Texas and Dallas is in the great southern plains. Let’s move forward and imagine it’s June, July and August when it’s in the 90’s most days, some days over 100 degrees.
When I need to shop, I’m not going to a lifestyle center and roast myself in the Texas sun. I’m headed to an enclosed mall where it’s about 72 degrees all the time.
And if it’s raining, I’m definitely heading to a mall where I can take advantage of covered parking.
And usually, I find parking at the malls is easier than a lifestyle center. Parking at lifestyle centers is limited, if you want to park close to your favorite store.
So here’s the bottom line for me at least. Spring and fall are the times to visit the Lifestyle Centers – Summer and winter are for the malls.
Steve
Shopping malls have been the big daddies of the shopping world since the 1970’s. But “Lifestyle Centers” are edging their way into the malls’ business these days.
What is a lifestyle center? It’s essentially an open-air mall. Unlike a normal strip center, lifestyle centers are usually built like a village, containing similar stores to the enclosed mall. They also have grassy areas, maybe a central “town square,” fountains, gazebos, and other outdoor design elements.
In the Dallas – Fort Worth area, Firewheel Town Center in Garland, Highland Park Village in Dallas, Southlake Town Square in Southlake, and West Village in uptown Dallas are examples of lifestyle centers.
No doubt, you’ve seen a mall in your area that has closed recently, or is on its way to being closed.
There are several reasons why malls close, and a new lifestyle center opening near an existing mall could be a factor, but it’s definitely not the only reason.
An advertising trend I’ve noticed these days is that lifestyle centers are pitting themselves against malls. Some even refer to themselves as the “anti-mall," or "the mallternative.”
This makes it sound like an either-or proposition.
I don’t believe that’s the case. There is room for both, and distinct advantages and disadvantages to each.
For instance, on Saturday, my wife and I visited West Village, a newer lifestyle center in the revitalized Uptown area of Dallas.
We first had lunch on the patio at Taco Diner. It was perfect dining weather – sunny, about 72 degrees, with plants and umbrellas to shield us from the sun.
Then I waited patiently while my wife shopped at Ann Taylor Loft, one of her favorite stores.
It was a great, relaxing time at West Village. Springtime in a lifestyle center is almost the perfect shopping situation.
But this is Texas and Dallas is in the great southern plains. Let’s move forward and imagine it’s June, July and August when it’s in the 90’s most days, some days over 100 degrees.
When I need to shop, I’m not going to a lifestyle center and roast myself in the Texas sun. I’m headed to an enclosed mall where it’s about 72 degrees all the time.
And if it’s raining, I’m definitely heading to a mall where I can take advantage of covered parking.
And usually, I find parking at the malls is easier than a lifestyle center. Parking at lifestyle centers is limited, if you want to park close to your favorite store.
So here’s the bottom line for me at least. Spring and fall are the times to visit the Lifestyle Centers – Summer and winter are for the malls.
Steve
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Top Ten Reasons To Visit North Park Mall in Dallas
If you haven’t visited North Park Center recently, you may not recognize the place.
And if you’ve never visited, it’s definitely worth a trip now.
In just a minute, I’ll share with you the top 10 reasons to visit North Park Center. But first a little background is in order.
Since its beginning in 1965, North Park Center has been a well-visited mall. The upscale stores matched the purchasing power of the affluent North Dallas residents. The rotating sculptures placed in the mall added to the ambience.
Now there are lots more reasons to visit North Park. The upscale stores are still there, plus some, but there are many new stores to match the mobility of today’s society.
In the fall of 2006, North Park completed a major renovation that doubled the floor space and more than doubled the number of merchants.
In fact, North Park Center is now ranked third in the number of Dallas/Fort Worth mall merchants, with 223 stores (at last count). Only Grapevine Mills and The Parks at Arlington have more.
Prior to the renovation, North Park Center was a simple L-shaped mall. Basically what they’ve done is added another “L” shape, upside down this time, and made a big square shape out of the mall. And it’s two stories all the way around.
With the addition of Nordstrom, each corner of the square has an anchor store.
The new addition mimics the style of the North Park we’ve known all these years, so the addition is almost seamless.
I promised the top 10 reasons to visit North Park Center. Here they are:
1. 223 merchants!
2. They’ve added some really cool stores like Michael Kors, Barneys New York, Metropark, Original Penguin, and CH Carolina Herrera, to name a few.
3. For your entertainment, there is now an AMC 15-theater movie complex.
4. With the parking garage, there’s plenty of parking, and you’ll be protected just in case it’s raining outside.
5. It takes a while to visit North Park so you’ll probably get hungry and thirsty while you’re there. No problem. There’s a whole new food court on the 2nd level between Macy’s and Nordstrom.
6. And chances are, you’ll be entertained while you’re shopping. North Park Center maintains one of the busiest event calendars of any Dallas or Fort Worth shopping mall.
7. The sculptures.
8. The new Food Court, called North Park Cafés, on the second level between Macy’s and Nordstrom.
9. Valet parking.
10. North Park Concierge. Get mall information. Transportation and hotel information, wheelchairs and strollers; there’s even coat, luggage, and package check services.
If you’re planning a trip to North Park Center, here are a few tips to make your visit as pleasant as possible:
• Allow yourself plenty of time, to shop and admire the sculptures – you’ll probably miss something if you rush and it only adds to your stress level.
• Wear comfortable shoes – this place is big!
• Park near one of the anchor stores. This makes it easy to make the complete loop.
• If it’s raining, the parking garage is on the east side of the mall.
When you’re spending the day visiting Dallas – Fort Worth shopping malls, North Park Mall is a must-see. Have fun! You’ll enjoy the new North Park Center.
If you haven’t visited North Park Center recently, you may not recognize the place.
And if you’ve never visited, it’s definitely worth a trip now.
In just a minute, I’ll share with you the top 10 reasons to visit North Park Center. But first a little background is in order.
Since its beginning in 1965, North Park Center has been a well-visited mall. The upscale stores matched the purchasing power of the affluent North Dallas residents. The rotating sculptures placed in the mall added to the ambience.
Now there are lots more reasons to visit North Park. The upscale stores are still there, plus some, but there are many new stores to match the mobility of today’s society.
In the fall of 2006, North Park completed a major renovation that doubled the floor space and more than doubled the number of merchants.
In fact, North Park Center is now ranked third in the number of Dallas/Fort Worth mall merchants, with 223 stores (at last count). Only Grapevine Mills and The Parks at Arlington have more.
Prior to the renovation, North Park Center was a simple L-shaped mall. Basically what they’ve done is added another “L” shape, upside down this time, and made a big square shape out of the mall. And it’s two stories all the way around.
With the addition of Nordstrom, each corner of the square has an anchor store.
The new addition mimics the style of the North Park we’ve known all these years, so the addition is almost seamless.
I promised the top 10 reasons to visit North Park Center. Here they are:
1. 223 merchants!
2. They’ve added some really cool stores like Michael Kors, Barneys New York, Metropark, Original Penguin, and CH Carolina Herrera, to name a few.
3. For your entertainment, there is now an AMC 15-theater movie complex.
4. With the parking garage, there’s plenty of parking, and you’ll be protected just in case it’s raining outside.
5. It takes a while to visit North Park so you’ll probably get hungry and thirsty while you’re there. No problem. There’s a whole new food court on the 2nd level between Macy’s and Nordstrom.
6. And chances are, you’ll be entertained while you’re shopping. North Park Center maintains one of the busiest event calendars of any Dallas or Fort Worth shopping mall.
7. The sculptures.
8. The new Food Court, called North Park Cafés, on the second level between Macy’s and Nordstrom.
9. Valet parking.
10. North Park Concierge. Get mall information. Transportation and hotel information, wheelchairs and strollers; there’s even coat, luggage, and package check services.
If you’re planning a trip to North Park Center, here are a few tips to make your visit as pleasant as possible:
• Allow yourself plenty of time, to shop and admire the sculptures – you’ll probably miss something if you rush and it only adds to your stress level.
• Wear comfortable shoes – this place is big!
• Park near one of the anchor stores. This makes it easy to make the complete loop.
• If it’s raining, the parking garage is on the east side of the mall.
When you’re spending the day visiting Dallas – Fort Worth shopping malls, North Park Mall is a must-see. Have fun! You’ll enjoy the new North Park Center.
