Hey everyone,
In the interest of keeping you posted, I wanted to let you know that this will be the last installment of What's In Store - at least for now, as I'm leaving the Observer to go to law school in Chicago. My last day is Wednesday, so if you have any questions, comments or concerns before then, do let me know. I have so appreciated your readership, interest and feedback, and I will miss writing posts and stories and hearing your thoughts about them. It's also been great to meet and hear from so many merchants working hard to make a go of it in a tough economy. I am not sure how the powers that be here plan to fill my job going forward, so I can't immediately direct you to a successor, but our hope is that someone else will pick up the reins soon. If you have feedback or news about local retail in the meantime, please contact our business editor, Patrick Scott (pscott@charlotteobserver.com).
On a brief personal note, this decision did not come easy: It was agonizing and wrenching, and I'm still not sure I'm doing the right thing. I've loved journalism my entire life and still deeply believe in it. I'm thankful for my nearly six fascinating years here, and it's difficult to contemplate doing anything else. But sometimes, a person needs a change, and so it's with that in mind that I'm heading off for a new challenge - one that I hope will continue to allow me to write and work for good in the world. Only time will tell whether I've made the right choice, and I'm interested in finding out what awaits (aside from a mountain of student loan debt, which, alas, is a given).
Anyway, thank you again. We appreciate your readership, and I hope you'll continue to support my smart, dedicated, caring colleagues as they do their utmost to cover this community. We couldn't do it without you.
Showing posts with label Miscellany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miscellany. Show all posts
What are your local antique/vintage faves?
A few words on Eastland's last day
Eastland Mall closes today, 34 years and 11 months to the day after its much-heralded debut on July 30, 1975. The mall's ride has been a fascinating and rocky one, with all kinds of ties to Charlotte's greater history of growth, development, traffic patterns and changing neighborhoods and identities, fraught with meaning, symbolism and implications. (I've been trying to keep up with news on the mall's fate while delving deeply into some of that in recent stories, which is why my blog posts have been few and far between for the last couple of weeks - for that, I apologize!)
It's been incredibly interesting talking to people about their memories of the mall and their feelings about its slide, and it's reminded me of the role that retail spaces can play in shaping our lives - how they help provide a sense of place, take us back to moments in time and offer not just four walls in which to make some kind of transaction, but serve as a workplace, a social space and a mirror of a community. Are all shopping centers designed and intended to be this way? Certainly not, as evidenced by plenty of disposable architecture littering the landscape. But Eastland wasn't some tossed-off, hastily constructed insta-plaza. As historian Tom Hanchett said when I talked with him about the mall last week: “The mall was thought out in a way that made it a special place, and made it a coming-together place."
I think that's part of why people remember it so fondly and have taken its decline so personally: It was designed as a destination, with entertainment options, spots to sit and relax, waterfalls and skylights and 30-foot ficus trees growing inside. Opening when it did, in the mid-1970s, when malls were ascendant in teen culture and broader society, it became sort of the de facto downtown of a suburban area that otherwise lacked a more traditionally-defined center. And indeed, it struck me that people looked back at Eastland's heyday the same way that someone raised a couple decades earlier might feel upon returning to a small-town downtown that bustled in the 1950s, but has since seen its businesses - drug stores, banks, bakeries, shoe stores, restaurants - depart for newer environs at the edge of town. It's not just that the landscape has changed physically, but what that shift evokes on an emotional level. Or, as David Wayne Evans, the mall's onetime promotions coordinator, said when I interviewed him about how he felt when he last visited Eastland, about four years ago: "I just turned 47, and when you see stuff from your life start to disappear, it's kind of a telling moment how life just changes."
At Eastland, people met their spouses, went on first dates, saw "Star Wars" for the first time, took their first, tentative steps onto an ice rink, got their first jobs, registered for their weddings, bought their first business suits - all life milestones that mean something. "It was a very magical place to go," Donna Ashcraft Pressley, Eastland's longtime marketing director, recalled last week. And no matter how the end came, that's worth remembering.
***The photos with this post are courtesy of Pat Richardson of Charlotte, who generously sent a selection of old Eastland pictures my way. He was 8 and lived two miles from Eastland when it opened, and remembered the excitement of visiting on opening weekend in 1975. "It was so new, exciting and different," he said. "SouthPark was only one level and didn't have a food court. For a teenager, Eastland was a dream come true." Even his cousins who lived near SouthPark would cross town to visit the newer, hipper mall.
Richardson fondly recalls Farrell's ice cream parlor, shopping at the Hub men's store and Spencer Gifts, taking the "up" escalator at the edge of the ice rink, watching his sister when she first got her ears pierced at Eastland and visiting the Record Bar. He also can't forget the distinctive interior design and bizarre seating at Gourmet Gardens, the food court: "It was like you were sitting on boulders." (Oh, the '70s.) Richardson also has a broader interest in Charlotte's dining, advertising and shopping history, and displays some of the very cool artifacts he's unearthed on his two blogs, Charlotte Ads and Charlotte Eats, which are well worth checking out when you have the time.
Coming June 1: Return of the appliance rebates
O ye in appliance purgatory, the suspense is over: There will indeed be a second installment of North Carolina's federally-funded "Cash for Appliances" rebates - a mail-in program starting June 1, with a wider range of eligible appliances.
The initial phase ran from April 22 to 25 and offered an instant 15 percent rebate on Energy Star-rated dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators and freezers. That go-round consumed most of the money allotted for the program, about $7 million, with 54,400 appliances sold. The remaining $1 million will fund the second phase, which involves mail-in rebates for set dollar amounts. Air conditioning systems, gas furnaces, heat pumps and water heaters are covered this time around, as are the appliances involved in the first rebates. However, the discounts on items that were already part of the program will probably work out to be smaller for most consumers than those offered in April, because of the fixed amount - $100 on a washing machine, for instance - compared with with 15 percent off.
As with the earlier appliance rebates, the upcoming discounts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and only N.C. residents replacing older appliances can apply.
The appliances covered in the phase two rebates include Energy Star-rated:
The initial phase ran from April 22 to 25 and offered an instant 15 percent rebate on Energy Star-rated dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators and freezers. That go-round consumed most of the money allotted for the program, about $7 million, with 54,400 appliances sold. The remaining $1 million will fund the second phase, which involves mail-in rebates for set dollar amounts. Air conditioning systems, gas furnaces, heat pumps and water heaters are covered this time around, as are the appliances involved in the first rebates. However, the discounts on items that were already part of the program will probably work out to be smaller for most consumers than those offered in April, because of the fixed amount - $100 on a washing machine, for instance - compared with with 15 percent off.
As with the earlier appliance rebates, the upcoming discounts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and only N.C. residents replacing older appliances can apply.
The appliances covered in the phase two rebates include Energy Star-rated:
- Air conditioning systems, $300
- Washing machines, $100
- Dishwashers, $75
- Refrigerators, $150
- Freezers, $75
- Gas furnaces, $300
- Air-source and ground-source heat pumps, $300
- Water heaters, $200 (gas storage, gas tankless, solar with electric backup, solar with gas backup)
Appliance rebates wrap up, with a little change to spare
North Carolina's "cash for appliances" rebate program concluded yesterday with most of its money depleted - about $7 million of the roughly $8 million in federal stimulus funds set aside for the instant 15 percent discounts on Energy Star refrigerators, freezers, washing machines and dishwashers.
Thanks in part to a real-time computerized tally tracking rebate dollars spent, the program appeared to run smoothly, without any Cash For Clunkers-style confusion about how much money remained. And it helped retailers sell likely hundreds or thousands more major appliances than they otherwise would have in late April: Statewide, the rebates were used on purchases of 15,621 washing machines, 15,102 dishwashers, 2,234 freezers and 21,471 refrigerators, for a total of about 54,400 appliances.
It's unclear whether there's enough money left to launch a second phase of rebates in June, as had been the state's plan if funds remained: The N.C. Energy Office said in a press release that it's reviewing and accounting for the money spent this weekend before making a determination. If the second phase takes place, it would offer mail-in rebates on selected water heaters, central air conditioners, heat pumps and gas furnaces, at least according to the state's earlier plan. Those discounts would be redeemable with retailers, contractors and programs offered through utilities.
Thanks in part to a real-time computerized tally tracking rebate dollars spent, the program appeared to run smoothly, without any Cash For Clunkers-style confusion about how much money remained. And it helped retailers sell likely hundreds or thousands more major appliances than they otherwise would have in late April: Statewide, the rebates were used on purchases of 15,621 washing machines, 15,102 dishwashers, 2,234 freezers and 21,471 refrigerators, for a total of about 54,400 appliances.
It's unclear whether there's enough money left to launch a second phase of rebates in June, as had been the state's plan if funds remained: The N.C. Energy Office said in a press release that it's reviewing and accounting for the money spent this weekend before making a determination. If the second phase takes place, it would offer mail-in rebates on selected water heaters, central air conditioners, heat pumps and gas furnaces, at least according to the state's earlier plan. Those discounts would be redeemable with retailers, contractors and programs offered through utilities.
Teeter launches electronics recycling rewards
Also on the Earth Day front, Matthews-based grocer Harris Teeter is kicking off a new program designed to reward shoppers for recycling electronics. People wishing to dispose of old music players, computers, cell phones, video game systems, cameras, GPS units, flat-panel monitors and selected other electronics can visit this website, key in details of the product they're hoping to recycle and then find out how much their donation is worth. (It may not be much, depending on the product, but then, even a few bucks can help make a dent in a grocery bill.) They can then opt to receive payment in the form of a Harris Teeter gift card or donation to the school of their choice. The company will also provide a prepaid shipping label and voucher for mailing in the old items.
The site, in conjunction with the awesomely and appropriately named MyBoneYard.com, also allows people to order collection materials for a one-time electronics recycling event or start a recycling fundraising program to benefit local schools, the company says.
The site, in conjunction with the awesomely and appropriately named MyBoneYard.com, also allows people to order collection materials for a one-time electronics recycling event or start a recycling fundraising program to benefit local schools, the company says.
Earth Fare ditches plastic bags for good
Just in time for Earth Day - which, yes, is today - Asheville-based specialty grocer Earth Fare is eliminating plastic grocery bags at all 17 of its locations, including those in Ballantyne, SouthPark and Rock Hill. The chain has long made a 5-cent donation to local nonprofits for each reusable bag used in a shopping trip, but customers without reusable bags will still have options: The chain will continue to offer recyclable paper bags and grocery boxes, it said in a news release (although if anyone can tell me what a grocery box is, I'd be interested in knowing).The aim, unsurprisingly, is to be more eco-friendly and reduce the amount of plastic clogging landfills, oceans and roads.
Though fairly unusual for a Carolinas company, there's plenty of precedent for Earth Fare's move: Retailing giants Whole Foods (which still, alas, does not have a Charlotte location) and Ikea don't provide plastic bags for their customers, either. Ikea goes a step further and requires customers to use a reusable bag, if they're using one at all - I definitely once left the University City store with an armful of goods, having forgotten my reusable tote. Trader Joe's also generally steers clear of plastic bags.
Some cities, meanwhile, have taken action themselves to reduce plastic bag use, with what they say are noticeable reductions in bag waste: In 2007, San Francisco instituted an outright ban on plastic grocery and pharmacy shopping bags, while Washington, D.C. this year began charging shoppers 5 cents per disposable shopping bag, paper or plastic. These steps haven't gotten underway without grumbling, with D.C. residents in particular grousing about their city's measure, one of the strictest and most comprehensive such rules in the country, applying to stores that sell food and/or alcohol. (So, yes, that'd be 5 cents for even a paper bag at the liquor store.)
Back in Charlotte, Earth Fare will be hosting a celebration in its stores to mark its transition, giving away more than 5,000 reusable tote bags. The Ballantyne store will hold an event from 4 to 7 p.m. today, with local vendors and children's activities
Though fairly unusual for a Carolinas company, there's plenty of precedent for Earth Fare's move: Retailing giants Whole Foods (which still, alas, does not have a Charlotte location) and Ikea don't provide plastic bags for their customers, either. Ikea goes a step further and requires customers to use a reusable bag, if they're using one at all - I definitely once left the University City store with an armful of goods, having forgotten my reusable tote. Trader Joe's also generally steers clear of plastic bags.
Some cities, meanwhile, have taken action themselves to reduce plastic bag use, with what they say are noticeable reductions in bag waste: In 2007, San Francisco instituted an outright ban on plastic grocery and pharmacy shopping bags, while Washington, D.C. this year began charging shoppers 5 cents per disposable shopping bag, paper or plastic. These steps haven't gotten underway without grumbling, with D.C. residents in particular grousing about their city's measure, one of the strictest and most comprehensive such rules in the country, applying to stores that sell food and/or alcohol. (So, yes, that'd be 5 cents for even a paper bag at the liquor store.)
Back in Charlotte, Earth Fare will be hosting a celebration in its stores to mark its transition, giving away more than 5,000 reusable tote bags. The Ballantyne store will hold an event from 4 to 7 p.m. today, with local vendors and children's activities
Stationery maven heads to town
Pens, cards, notecards, paper: If it's stationery, chances are I have a major weakness for it (if not necessarily the budget to constantly indulge that). So it's with that in mind I note that Chris Plantan, the founder of design-savvy, upscale office supply maker Russell + Hazel, will visit Charlotte Wednesday and Thursday for a trunk show at Paper Twist, across the street from SouthPark mall in Specialty Shops on the Park (also home of Williams-Sonoma or, as a former colleague affectionately referred to it, "The Temple of Sonoma").
Based in Minneapolis, Russell + Hazel promotes itself with the slogan "add life to your work," and its line includes colorful, sturdy binders, folders, papers and organization tools. Plantan is the creative mind behind the brand, says Paper Twist's Sasha Harbrecht, and the trunk show will include new colors and products. The store, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be offering specials and treats in conjunction with the event.
Based in Minneapolis, Russell + Hazel promotes itself with the slogan "add life to your work," and its line includes colorful, sturdy binders, folders, papers and organization tools. Plantan is the creative mind behind the brand, says Paper Twist's Sasha Harbrecht, and the trunk show will include new colors and products. The store, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be offering specials and treats in conjunction with the event.
Sparser times at shopping center central
My esteemed colleague Kerry Singe and I ventured forth yesterday to the International Council of Shopping Centers' annual Carolinas IdeaExchange, a daylong get-together for retailers, developers and others in the shopping center business to network and learn. I visited the event for the first time two years ago, and upon arrival was handed a hefty spiral-bound book listing attendees and sessions such as "It Will Be Fine in '09, But What Is My Fate For '08?" This year's conference directory, by contrast, was a much smaller, stapled packet, with fewer sponsors listed - so, in other words, it was yet more evidence of the recession's toll on the retail industry.
Two years ago, a sea of exhibition booths took up an entire, expansive room at the Charlotte Convention Center. Not in 2010: Attendees we spoke to said they saw about half as many exhibitors as in the boom days, and fewer people in attendance, too. A number of the new shopping centers that display boards and brochures promoted two years ago still didn't appear to have progressed very far, if at all, and more signs than before touted opportunities to fill empty big boxes. Still, the room was thick with professionally dressed men and women shaking hands, chatting and exchanging business cards. As we circulated up and down the aisles, we overheard snippets of conversation about weathering the downturn, both rueful and optimistic. DJ Wight, president of Retail Lease Trac, a database company that helps landlords find retailers looking to expand, noted that while attendance might be lower this year, he had actually been doing more deals than in 2009 and 2008; he had the impression that those left in the business are more serious and less likely to be simply dabbling or speculating than those who dove in during the boom.
Another trend: Discount retailers and fast food chains have proven relatively resilient in the recession, and they abounded in the exposition booths, looking for new opportunities. Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Burger King, McDonald's, Subway, Sonic and Cato were represented, among others.
Speaking of shopping centers: If you have one you're wondering about, in terms of vacancies, redevelopment or other issues, let us know and we'll do our best to check in on it.
Two years ago, a sea of exhibition booths took up an entire, expansive room at the Charlotte Convention Center. Not in 2010: Attendees we spoke to said they saw about half as many exhibitors as in the boom days, and fewer people in attendance, too. A number of the new shopping centers that display boards and brochures promoted two years ago still didn't appear to have progressed very far, if at all, and more signs than before touted opportunities to fill empty big boxes. Still, the room was thick with professionally dressed men and women shaking hands, chatting and exchanging business cards. As we circulated up and down the aisles, we overheard snippets of conversation about weathering the downturn, both rueful and optimistic. DJ Wight, president of Retail Lease Trac, a database company that helps landlords find retailers looking to expand, noted that while attendance might be lower this year, he had actually been doing more deals than in 2009 and 2008; he had the impression that those left in the business are more serious and less likely to be simply dabbling or speculating than those who dove in during the boom.
Another trend: Discount retailers and fast food chains have proven relatively resilient in the recession, and they abounded in the exposition booths, looking for new opportunities. Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Burger King, McDonald's, Subway, Sonic and Cato were represented, among others.
Speaking of shopping centers: If you have one you're wondering about, in terms of vacancies, redevelopment or other issues, let us know and we'll do our best to check in on it.
Moving box rental service hits Charlotte
People preparing for a move rent moving trucks, moving carts, moving mats - so why not boxes? John Miller, who lives in Charlotte's Cotswold neighborhood, is aiming to make that a reality, with a new business called (surprisingly enough) Rent Your Boxes.
Miller previously worked in NASCAR-related marketing, but began looking for different opportunities as the economy froze. He considered businesses that could tie in with his wife's work as a real estate agent, and while browsing different franchises found the box rental concept, which originated in Australia. It struck him as a good idea, he said, because "getting boxes is one of the worst parts of moving." With box rental, he said, customers order and reserve their boxes online or through a toll-free number, and the rental company then delivers the boxes - as well as related moving supplies available for sale, such as tape and bubble wrap - to customers' homes. People can then keep the boxes for up to 90 days, and break them back down and call for pickup when they're finished.
Rent Your Boxes is in about eight U.S. cities so far, with plans to expand, Miller said. He's operating in Charlotte now, but hopes to grow to Raleigh and other parts of the state in the future. For the business model to work, he noted, the company likes to rent boxes two to three times before disposing of them, which is better for the environment and saves money. Franchisees go through training on how to evaluate the boxes to ensure they're in good condition, with water and dampness the biggest enemies. For the most part, Miller said, customers will receive a mix of new and used boxes; for an additional charge, they can buy their rental boxes and keep them for good. That happens with about 50 percent of the boxes, Miller said. Otherwise, the boxes will be recycled. Miller said that fire restoration companies also like to use those that have reached the end of their rental life.
The rented boxes come in small ($1.10), large ($2.30) and wardrobe ($7) sizes. By contrast, comparable U-Haul boxes sell for $1.70, $2.35 and $7.95 to $11.95, depending on size, according to the company's Web site. Miller says he hopes people will find the service worthwhile, and a stress relief at a busy time. "I'm a firm believer that whereas the 20th century was defined by whoever could manufacture things better, the 21st century is going to be defined by who can do things in a smarter way," he said. "I think this falls into that category."
Miller previously worked in NASCAR-related marketing, but began looking for different opportunities as the economy froze. He considered businesses that could tie in with his wife's work as a real estate agent, and while browsing different franchises found the box rental concept, which originated in Australia. It struck him as a good idea, he said, because "getting boxes is one of the worst parts of moving." With box rental, he said, customers order and reserve their boxes online or through a toll-free number, and the rental company then delivers the boxes - as well as related moving supplies available for sale, such as tape and bubble wrap - to customers' homes. People can then keep the boxes for up to 90 days, and break them back down and call for pickup when they're finished.
Rent Your Boxes is in about eight U.S. cities so far, with plans to expand, Miller said. He's operating in Charlotte now, but hopes to grow to Raleigh and other parts of the state in the future. For the business model to work, he noted, the company likes to rent boxes two to three times before disposing of them, which is better for the environment and saves money. Franchisees go through training on how to evaluate the boxes to ensure they're in good condition, with water and dampness the biggest enemies. For the most part, Miller said, customers will receive a mix of new and used boxes; for an additional charge, they can buy their rental boxes and keep them for good. That happens with about 50 percent of the boxes, Miller said. Otherwise, the boxes will be recycled. Miller said that fire restoration companies also like to use those that have reached the end of their rental life.
The rented boxes come in small ($1.10), large ($2.30) and wardrobe ($7) sizes. By contrast, comparable U-Haul boxes sell for $1.70, $2.35 and $7.95 to $11.95, depending on size, according to the company's Web site. Miller says he hopes people will find the service worthwhile, and a stress relief at a busy time. "I'm a firm believer that whereas the 20th century was defined by whoever could manufacture things better, the 21st century is going to be defined by who can do things in a smarter way," he said. "I think this falls into that category."
Muzak to your ears
My story in today's paper (and, of course, online) about Fort Mill-based Muzak's move to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy was more about dollars and cents than pop and rock. But the weight of the company's "elevator music" past is such that it seems just about every time we or any other media outlet write about Muzak, we're duty-bound to mention that the company-circa-now is not, we repeat, not, Your Father's Elevator Music Provider anymore. Since the 1980s, Muzak has strived to reinvent itself as a modern, knowing source of custom playlists for business environments, particularly retail, featuring songs performed by their original artists (as opposed to, say, a smooth jazz combo, or, well, you get the picture). The hope, of course, is to provide the soundtrack to your shopping (and, merchants hope, spending). For an excellent picture of this (and suggested soundtracks for several Charlotte neighborhoods), check out my erstwhile colleague Jeff Elder's fine 2007 feature story on the company's reinvention, and the work of its "audio architects."
That said: It was still rather awesome to find, after a bit of online hunting yesterday afternoon, that not only is the much-maligned Elevator Music of old still available, amid Muzak's 90-odd other programs, but that you can also listen to a sample of it online, in case you wish to evoke memories of, I don't know, instrumental pop-rock covers drifting over the dentist's waiting room. Yes, that's right, sax solo fanatics/sadists/ironic fans of aural Velveeta: The program is called "Environmental" - why, I cannot say, as to me the word suggests more "nature soundscapes featuring waves hitting the shore" than "easy listening instrumentals" - and apparently, it's quite popular in Japan. You can find the info and clip here: Just scroll down a bit to "Environmental" and hit "sample." Yes, that's right. Think Hall & Oates couldn't get any smoother? Well, you thought wrong.
Though I wouldn't want to listen to it for an extended period of time, there was nonetheless something weirdly nostalgic about the sample - a reminder of a not-so-distant era when mainstream shopping environments perhaps weren't as aspiring-hip, and a trip to the produce section didn't mean hearing a micro-programmed tracklist featuring Aimee Mann and the Foo Fighters playing faintly overhead.
That said: It was still rather awesome to find, after a bit of online hunting yesterday afternoon, that not only is the much-maligned Elevator Music of old still available, amid Muzak's 90-odd other programs, but that you can also listen to a sample of it online, in case you wish to evoke memories of, I don't know, instrumental pop-rock covers drifting over the dentist's waiting room. Yes, that's right, sax solo fanatics/sadists/ironic fans of aural Velveeta: The program is called "Environmental" - why, I cannot say, as to me the word suggests more "nature soundscapes featuring waves hitting the shore" than "easy listening instrumentals" - and apparently, it's quite popular in Japan. You can find the info and clip here: Just scroll down a bit to "Environmental" and hit "sample." Yes, that's right. Think Hall & Oates couldn't get any smoother? Well, you thought wrong.
Though I wouldn't want to listen to it for an extended period of time, there was nonetheless something weirdly nostalgic about the sample - a reminder of a not-so-distant era when mainstream shopping environments perhaps weren't as aspiring-hip, and a trip to the produce section didn't mean hearing a micro-programmed tracklist featuring Aimee Mann and the Foo Fighters playing faintly overhead.
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