Valley Mall operators pursue luxury stores in underserved area. (Up Front).Some of the tonier names in retailing are looking to expand along the 101 Corridor, and several different developers are scrambling to get their attention. Westfield America, Macerich Co. and Selleck Development Group are all believed to be in talks with Nordstrom Inc., Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus U.S. department-store chain. It was founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1907 by Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman, and her husband, A.L. Neiman. Group or both in a kind of beauty contest made all the more competitive because these high-fashion retailers open only a small number of stores each year. "We purchased The Oaks Mall last year with the intention of trying to remodel re·mod·el tr.v. re·mod·eled also re·mod·elled, re·mod·el·ing also re·mod·el·ling, re·mod·els also re·mod·els To make over in structure or style; reconstruct. and expand it," Randy Brant brant or brant goose, common name for a species of wild sea goose. The American brant, Branta bernicla, breeds in the Arctic and winters along the Atlantic coast. , a Macerich senior vice president, said of the shopping center shopping center, a concentration of retail, service, and entertainment enterprises designed to serve the surrounding region. The modern shopping center differs from its antecedents—bazaars and marketplaces—in that the shops are usually amalgamated into in Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. . "We felt that the project did not keep up with the growth of the market, both in quality and quantity, and we are talking to Noun 1. talking to - a lengthy rebuke; "a good lecture was my father's idea of discipline"; "the teacher gave him a talking to" lecture, speech rebuke, reprehension, reprimand, reproof, reproval - an act or expression of criticism and censure; "he had to fashion retailers not represented in the market." Macerich officials declined to specify the retailers they have targeted, but the names Nordstrom and Neiman's were both mentioned at meetings the company held with community residents late in April to discuss the expansion. Westfield is shopping for another anchor store anchor store n. A large store, such as a department store or supermarket, that is prominently located in a shopping mall to attract customers who are then expected to patronize the other shops in the mall. as part of a major expansion and renovation at Shoppingtown Topanga in Canoga Park. It has set up tables there inviting customers to complete comment cards that say, "Yes!" in bold, red letters. "I want Neiman Marcus to open at Westfield Shoppingtown Topanga." "We're working to redevelop the center and what you have is a marketing tool to determine interest levels in the marketplace' said Catherine Dickey, a Westfield spokeswoman. Others point out that such efforts go beyond the usual scope of research. "They're pulling out all the stops:' said Richard Giss, a partner with the retail service group of Deloitte & Touche LLP LLP - Lower Layer Protocol , when told of Westfield's campaign. "They're sending a real strong message, we want you here, and they are trying to build their case." Westfield and Nordstrom have just reached an agreement to expand the retailer's Topanga center store, now within the enclosed mall, into a separate, three-story building of 200,000 square feet, 30 percent larger than the space it currently occupies. Officials at both Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus say they do not comment on new store plans until firm agreements have been reached. But brokers in the market say that both retailers have been investigating the region because of its attractive demographics. The average income of shoppers at The Oaks Mall, for example, is $109,468; $83,000 for Shoppingtown. |
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