When the Gurnee Mills outlet mall opened in 1991, recession and downsizing were the economic watchwords, and shoppers had one thing on their mind: value.
Six years later, the economy is growing steadily, and outlet shoppers’ priorities have changed. Low prices now rank No. 4 among customers’ concerns, surveys show.
Instead, what shoppers want most today are unique products in a fun setting, said Laurence Siegel, chairman and chief executive of The Mills Corp.–Gurnee Mills’ parent–in Arlington, Va.
So his company is evolving away from its original outlet concept toward a more entertainment-oriented destination with unusual stores. Gurnee Mills has added a Planet Hollywood restaurant and Rainforest Cafe, and doubled the number of movie theater screens to 20.
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At its outlet in Ontario, Calif., The Mills Corp. has added Stephen Spielberg’s virtual reality arcade, Gameworks, as well as a jazzy eatery by hot Los Angeles restaurateur Wolfgang Puck.
The idea isn’t new, of course. A veritable throng of retailers are using entertaining concepts to arouse the shopping instinct in an increasingly blase population.
But there’s one thing that separates The Mills Corp. from other mall owners. It’s helping to create some of the new retail outlets in its malls rather than just waiting for others to come up with them.
One of the latest is Off Rodeo Drive, a store that recreates the look and feel of the tony Beverly Hills shopping street, with offerings from designers such as Armani and Ungaro. Three have opened so far in The Mills Corp. malls, although there are no current plans to open one in Gurnee Mills.
The idea arose when Siegel and other executives were perusing an American Airlines in-flight magazine and saw an ad for Rodeo Drive retailers.
Another new concept is the Bass Pro Shop, which debuted last week at Gurnee Mills. The giant sporting goods retailer features an archery range with pop-up targets, a bass casting pond where serious fishermen can test equipment, and a simulated trout stream.
“It’s incumbent on all developers to find or create unique retail concepts to keep the environment new and fresh,” Siegel said.
More Holiday Trivia: You know the Generation X stereotype–a bunch of selfish, cynical twenty-somethings who care more about body-piercing than family responsibilities.
Turns out they may be a lot more altruistic than previously thought, according to Deloitte & Touche’s annual “Holiday Mood Survey.”
Almost 40 percent of Gen-Xers reported they were de-emphasizing gift-giving this year because of a growing distaste for the season’s commercialism. And more than one-third agreed that getting home for the holidays and celebrations has become more important.
Next they’ll be baking gingerbread people.
Where’s the suit? Perhaps Bigsby & Kruthers was aiming at subtlety in a recent newspaper ad for a 40 percent-off suit sale. There’s not a suit in sight.
Instead, a heavily made-up blonde “babe” strikes a sexy pose, and the text reads, “Are you going to pick her up in that old suit?”
Too bad the reference appears aimed more at bar-hopping conventioneers than devoted husbands or mates. Maybe the Bigsby’s ad team should go back to messing up traffic on the Kennedy Expressway with paintings of Dennis Rodman.