Mall Town
“At the rate we’re going we might break even in the first quarter. Which is good.”
They figure they’ve got a shot at success — no other stores carry the big sizes they do. Mike, who “rides about a 3X,” and Shawn, who’s a 2X, said most stores only go to extra large. Irv’s clothes start at medium-tall and go up to 4X. Or 6X or even 10X, if necessary.
They also figure the mall provides the best exposure. They just hope more businesses fill the empty spaces around them.
“We’ve been waiting like crazy for Kohl’s to come in,” said Shawn.
Elsewhere in America, remarkable transformations have occurred with some of these old-style malls. Some have been ripped open and converted into airy live-work-shop places. Others have opened their arms to farmer’s markets. And some, sadly, sit loomingly vacant or have been replaced by a large excavated hole — like the spot where GGP’s Cottonwood Mall near Salt Lake City recently stood; the company had big plans to build anew, but then the economy tanked and it went bankrupt. Yet others have slowly evolved into these quasi town-like environments where the shopping limps along, occasionally breaking into a jog, slowly losing its youthful gleam.
Which direction will the Bayshore blow?
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on the cover
Railroad!
Proposed lines ‘set rich blood a-tingling’ in early 1900s
Some Other Proposed North Coast Railroads
Choo-choo Fantasies
Exposing this east-west rail nonsense
seven-o-heaven
Undeterred Will
Will chides Andrew for lack of attention to detail and makes plans for his inevitable victory.
Recent on the cover
May 17
Ring of Fire
Sun and moon will perform a rare pas de deux in Humboldt skies on Sunday
May 10
District Soup
Racing for the top county seat in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd districts
May 3
A Place in the Woods
As park closure deadline nears, a scramble to save what we can
Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
Flow 2012 Fashion Show
STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
Woodside Preschool's Rummage/Bake Sale
events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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TWO Comments
Comment / By Thirdeye / Sept. 24, 2009, 7:50 p.m.
More rambling, insubstantial piffle of the type we’ve come to expect from the author. No insight at all.
Comment / By Paul Phillips / Sept. 29, 2009, 10:53 a.m.
As a visitor to Humboldt County recently, who intends to retire there soon, I found the article to be a total withering waste of time, rambling on about inconsequentials, boring & just filling space.
There is nothing different between Bayshore and countless malls around the country where tenants come and go quite often. Admittedly losing two older large tenants is a blow but you will find that Kohl’s more than makes up for the absence. I was amazed to encounter Gianni’s, an upscale MEN’S store, in a purportedly dying and backwoods community. If a place like Gianni’s can do well then there’s no reason why other stores should not - providing they have goods that people want to buy. Stores usually go out of business because they haven’t moved with the times. There’s nothing wrong with change and the failure of stores has little to do with the mall owners.