The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it!
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon!
Today’s question:
QUESTION: If you had control of one shopping center, which only had five businesses, which five businesses would you pick to move in?
Talk about it….
Five Guys drive thru on one side
Walgreens drive thru on the other
Peet’s
Nordstrom’s
Bed, Bath + Beyond in the middle
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Yardbirds, Berkeley Bowl, Shan Shan Lo, Hobby Lobby, Barnes and Noble
The five businesses that I like don’t exist anymore. They are Mervyn’s, Woolworth’s, Grand Auto, Montgomery Ward, and Pacific Stereo.
I liked Pacific Stereo because they would let you haggle over the price, then come down to what you think is a fair price.
The five business that still exist today that I would pick to move in are…..
Hmm, I’m still thinking. Nope, sorry, can’t come up with anything.
I will always miss Mervyn’s – Longs Drugs too.
I bought my first stereo system at Pacific Stereo; great place!
Good old Pacific Stero, my first stero came from there and a lot of equipment after that. I was there for their final days closeout. Had to wait in line to get in.
Department store (Macy’s, Nordstrom)
Candy store (See’s, etc.)
Hallmark store/Gift shop
Candle shop
Any nice restaurant that serves a nice chardonnay
Sportsman’s Warehouse
Grainger
99 Ranch
Monument Auto Parts
a Phở joint
That should take care of my shopping needs
Full service Bass Pro Shop, In-n-Out, Costco, Barnes & Noble, ICE field office
Amazon
Hyatt Guns
Carhartt
Home Depot
John Deere
Olive Garden, Olive Garden, Olive Garden, Olive Garden and Olive Garden
@ BOOYAH!
HA-HA!,….Knew someone had to mention Olive Garden,… 🙂
Not a fan of the “garden,” eh?
That’s just it…… I don’t care for the Olive Garden at all…
I think it has to be an ongoing gag….. Kinda like the gas leaf air blower person…
If it ain’t a gag…. Please, what do you all find so good about the place?
Pasta, salad, and bread are so easy to make…
And they make the BEST corn snake soup I’ve ever had!!!
It is a long lived gag S, like corn snakes.
Nordy’s, Macy’s, Book / stationary store combo, Bass Pro sporting goods, and a fine dining restaurant
Big Poppa Smokers
Powell’s Books
Scheels
Spice Station
Western Beef
*reserve the right to edit my list
Powell’s!!!!!! Now that is in insult as part owner of Swan’s Fine Books.
Well, J…
I did reserve the right to edit….
Make me an offer…
2/4/1 ?
50% off ?
Half price ?
No charge for a bag ?
My own key ?
Work with me here……….
Macy’s, Ulta (although I buy a lot of make up at CVS) a store that sells shoes for those who have foot issues, ( high, low archers, plantar fasciitis, etc.) if you have foot issues it is hard to buy shoes over the internet, you need to try them on. Macy’s sells shoes, but don’t have much for those with special problems.
So: Macy’s. The Walking Store (or similar) Ulta, Starbucks (need a place to get something to drink or a snack when shopping) another clothing store, like “Free People” or similar.
Five local, minority owned businesses. Lettuce In comes to mind.
This information is a few years old, and I don’t know if this is still the case. Lettuce In utilizes some sort of program where they employ wayward kids and the State picks up all of a portion of their payroll cost. I’ve eaten there and I recommend the food, but I’m not sure how I feel about the business model. Good for the kids that need a second chance, but maybe awkward when competing restaurants have to survive making actual payroll, but one restaurant has the government picking up their tab?
Home Depot, Macy’s, Olive Garden, Costco, Gift Shop
Hhmmm
Adult Store/Adult Books
Paddock Bowl
Liquor Store
Used Sporting Goods
Hyatt Guns
Gemco, T, G and Y (or Thrifty), Sir Georges (all-you-can-eat Smorgasbord), Mervyn’s, and Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor.
1. Diablo Foods
2. Cracker Barrel
3. Half Price Books
4. Ben Franklin’s
5. Nordstrom’s
I love Half Price Books, they have a nice location next to where the old Cost Plus use to be, I don’t know that they generate enough business that they could afford Mall rent, which is one reason I didn’t mention them. Before Amazon shopping malls had bookstores, B. Dalton, I believe was at SunValley. Ben Franklin is out of business and food store are not really suited for malls.
Can you think of a shopping center/ mall which has been able to stay financially healthy without there being some sort of grocery-type store in it?
Yes, I named some businesses which I definitely knew were out-of-business, but I’m going to have them in “my” shopping center anyway, damn the torpedoes! I believe Borders was over in Pleasant Hill near the Cinema……. loved that place! …. but they were replaced by a golfing store.
I’ve left out something fun for children, though. There used to be a Popcorn Factory store ar the non-post office shopping center at Treat and Clayton Road. I’m thinking maybe a Fenton’s Ice Cream store at the other end of my mall….. dang, this if getting expensive, Mayor!
Hanne- this is purely fantasy and for fun. Jeesh. I could pick an indoor theme pack if I want. Doesn’t mean that would ever happen here.
HMart, Ethiopian restaurant, Crown Books (miss them!) or Books Inc., Starbird, Cardenas
Cannabis dispensary
Liquor store
Gun store
Methadone clinic
Babies R Us
You forgot check cashing and drive through reparations dispensary.
It was hard to narrow it down to five. Some tough choices had to be made.
All five… Strip Clubs….
Jersey Mikes sandwich, Joann crafts,
A bagel shop, half priced books, a good dive bar
The five that would pay the highest amounts for their lease.
A tack store
A regular pet store
Bangkok Kitchen–the Thai restaurant that closed in downtown Concord
Safeway
Ace Hardware
I could add a few more if allowed.
Andronicos! Just where it was in Walnut Creek
Simon’s
Longs
Army Navy Surplus
Capwells
Great question!! The tenant clients have to be balanced….
Entertainment:
Tilted Kilt Bar & Grill
Food Svc:
Kevin’s Noodle House
Los Panchos
Retail:
Autozone
Kohl’s
Cabelas
A nice indoor shooting range/gun club
A cigar lounge
Fogo de Chao or a Texas de Brazil
A rare coin store
Cracker Barrel
Ace Hardware
Radio Shack
Undress Barn
Many good ideas put forth…but what’s more important to me would be “which 5 things would you pick to design the perfect shopping center?”
1. Real security with the tools to protect; vehicles, shoppers, businesses
2. Smartly designed easy in-easy out access
3. Free parking
4. Non-domed (outdoor), single level, landscape rich, architecture
5. Smartly picked and placed businesses with regard to customer demand, customer age, parking/public transport requirements, extra security concerns
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1. Duluth Trading Company.
2. Woolworths, with an old fashioned sofa fountain and lunch counter/booths like the stores used to have.
3. Emerson Creek Pottery.
4. A Diablo Foods-like grocery store, with outside seating that allowed beer and wine, and had a to go window for deli and prepared food orders, kinda similar to what Andronicos in WC had.
5. A “repair” and sewing business that did shor repair/re-soling, leather repair, alterations, custom sewing, etc. And which sold related notions and possibly fabric.