tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post6039063758115587386..comments2024-03-26T21:06:08.519-07:00Comments on Sky City: Retail History: Farewell Parisian, Welcome Back BelkJ.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-91230184472808577222015-09-10T10:33:53.397-07:002015-09-10T10:33:53.397-07:00I actually opened and worked at the Memphis locati...I actually opened and worked at the Memphis location Parisians. I also helped open the Little Rock location in late September 2006. We closed our Memphis location just over a year and a half after we opened in October 2005. We were bought out by Belk in the summer of 2006. The Memphis location of Parisian was then bought from Belk by Macys, and is still currently a Macys. . dalriada ecossehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15877692614852659582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-39535966686398018872013-03-30T22:00:26.226-07:002013-03-30T22:00:26.226-07:00Actually PARISIAN was founded in Mobile Al. in the...Actually PARISIAN was founded in Mobile Al. in the late nineteenth century and moved to Birmingham about ten years later. At the end of its run it was located in Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. It had several stores in each state and was about to expand into Memphis and Arkansas with Dallas on the horizon. There are three stores remaining in the greater Detroit area and southeast Michigan. BON TON dept. Stores bought those and the right to only use the name on those locations with no future expansion. Having lost HUDSON'S to MACY'S, Detroiters embraced PARISIAN as their new hometown store. People in Ohio and Nashville, and Greenville S.C. still mourn the loss of PARISIAN. It was highly successful in most of its markets and did very well financially in Atlanta as well. It did pull out of a few north Florida locations near the last years. I have read here many things that are not accurate about the chain, such as it not having a large enough footprint to go national but as you can read here its footprint was larger than NORDSTROM when it start going national in the eighties. It was owned by two local families for most of its history and was sold simply because they were ready to retire and never intended to build a dynasty.It definitely met its target of being and upper middle to upscale store, it never presumed to be 'luxury' although one could drop some dough there because they had excellent selections in there best stores. It was briefly a sister store to BONWIT TELLER of New York, and SAKOWITZ of Houston. If its sales staff in Atlanta was not up to par it was no doubt due to the fact that is true across the board in Atlanta. There is great need to 'put on airs' there, your don't find that in most of the true luxury markets. I do hope that will change someday, although I most shop out west. I hope I have added a little enlightenment. Yes, I did love the store, but again, I love a lot of wonderful businesses in retail. Sad to see them go and glad to see them come. I am even warming a little bit to the BELK FLAGSHIPS. Just a little. lol<br /><br />Raj KapoorRaj Kapoorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11360023956192985148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-31474851001224183102012-03-10T12:58:28.544-08:002012-03-10T12:58:28.544-08:00Yes! North Point was a sad place, but now that Von...Yes! North Point was a sad place, but now that Von Maur is there it is going much better. Von Maur moved to the old Belk space. Parisian's old spot is not doing well. The White collum tops are turning yellow. Anyway Do you know by any way where the first Parisian was in Birmingham? (or anywhere) Parisian started in Birmingham and I don't know for sure where it was. I'm too young. (It started in 1860) Nobody from then is still around I bet.Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-2577027483241100912010-10-18T20:13:18.719-07:002010-10-18T20:13:18.719-07:00This is a bit late (or more than a "bit"...This is a bit late (or more than a "bit") but as I'm sure you probably know by now, Belk at Macon Mall did not move to the Parisian location, but kept their original location and shuttering Parisian.<br /><br />That probably ended up being a good thing. Now that the Dillard's/Parisian wing is about to be demolished, a Belk in the old Parisian would have to move back to their old location anyway.<br /><br />Some sort of big movie theatre was going to open up in the old Parisian at Macon Mall, but that fell through.George P. Burdellnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-48889780776765267522008-07-06T16:41:00.000-07:002008-07-06T16:41:00.000-07:00I thought Maryland was a Southern state with its c...I thought Maryland was a Southern state with its contributions to southern style cooking including Blue Crab, Maryland style chicken and crab cakes among others. It stayed in the Union, but like the other border states of Kentucky and Missouri, slavery was legal and still practiced and their was a strong sympathy for the Confederacy, Lincoln sent troops to Annapolis and Baltimore to quell any movement to secede. It's even possible to have grits for breakfast in Maryland.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-15908337490387970882008-06-27T15:49:00.000-07:002008-06-27T15:49:00.000-07:00that's a bit of a crock because if you look at...that's a bit of a crock because if you look at belk's site there are stores beyond va going oh i don't know UP NORTH like in maryland.carter.harukahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01577443262054877233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-28143864214110818682007-12-29T14:07:00.000-08:002007-12-29T14:07:00.000-08:00IMHO, Saks,Inc tried to make Parisian their answer...IMHO, Saks,Inc tried to make Parisian their answer to Macy*s, and Parisian lost some of the panache it had in the early days of its expansion into the neighboring states. When Parisian came to Atlanta, the promise was to provide Atlanta with a truly Southern department store experience, that had been lost with Federated's acuqisition of Rich's in the late 70's and the conversion of Davison's to Macy*s in the early-80's(Macy*s had owned the chain since the 1920's, but really only began "Macyizing" the chain in the 1970's. <br><br>With Macy*s, the Hearald Square store is the only flagship for the entire chain, with the downtown San Francisco chain serving as the second flagship. Macy*s is attempting to "market" the State Street Chicago ex-Marshall Fields as a flagship store, but has had little success-there are no flagship Rich's, Burdine's, Goldsmiths', Hecht's, Filene's, The Bon, etc. anymore. At least Belk is focusing on the South and is willing to operate flagship stores in Charlotte, Atlanta, and Birmingham, and some of their other large stores in other major Southern markets-Raleigh for instance, are well merchandised.<br><br>Belk has steered from the cookied cutter formula used by Dillard's and the Macy's and positions the stores according to market size and demographics-Macy*s is starting to shutter some of the May Store centers and smaller market stores as their "National Department Store" philosophy seems to only be for major population centers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-2207039051170873592007-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:002007-11-25T10:21:00.000-08:00Belk Gallant was not greatly unpopular in the Atla...Belk Gallant was not greatly unpopular in the Atlanta region, but Rich's and Davison's had the advantage of being ATLANTA department stores. Rich's and Davison's made the transition to suburban malls, which Belk Gallant didn't, which probably did in their Atlanta presence as much as being the 3rd rung department store player. The first discount stores arrived in the 1960's-Kmart, Zayre, Woolco, Grant's, and lastly Richway(which was more or less a modern version of what the Atlanta area Belk's had been) as the malls gained Rich's, Davison's, Sears and JCPenney. Belk kept its presence as close as Griffin, Newnan, Covington, Monroe, Winder, Gainesville, Cartersville, Carrollton, LaGrange, Rome, Cedartown, and Athens. It is these very stores that resulted in the current Atlanta mindset of Belk being a smalltown gramdma's store.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-14880983613167954042007-08-21T21:07:00.000-07:002007-08-21T21:07:00.000-07:00I'm not suprised that Parisian is leaving Ston...I'm not suprised that Parisian is leaving Stonecrest. I always wondered how they made a profit, the store was always empty. <br><br>When Stonecrest opened the mall had promise, but during the 4 years that I worked there, it has had some issues, some good and bad, but I still shop there.<br><br>But KOHL's! They might as well put a Burlington Coat Factory there.Eniquenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-29124892796215211622007-08-02T14:35:00.000-07:002007-08-02T14:35:00.000-07:00Hey, JT, what's up? Thought of your blog when...Hey, JT, what's up? Thought of your blog when another idea popped up in my mind.<br><br>I think that Kohl's has passed on Stonecrest too, which really doesn't disappoint me as much as Belk's decision. But like I suggested earlier, I think that the perfect thing for the Stonecrest Parisian space, and other malls plagued with an empty anchor, would be Steve and Barry's. Apparently, their stores have grown from having mostly college apparrel (I think they dropped the "University Wear" or whatever from the moniker). Supposedly they have great quality stuff at dirt cheap prices because everything's a private label (Think Trader Joes, but with clothes). Of course I'll have to check it out first. They've got one in Athens, so I'll check it out when school starts back.<br><br>But that would be a great solution for so many malls with empty anchors. For example, they can also open one in the old Parisian at North Point (since Belk is using the former Lord & Taylor space) and the empty old Davison's/Macy's stores at Gwinnett, Town Center, and Southlake. The only catch is that these stores usually are only one floor, so the other will be left for something else to come in (I would suggest Filene's Basement, Stein Mart, or Macy's Furniture...as would be the case if a S&B would open @ Town Center.)Tresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-61236890770944868452007-07-23T12:01:00.000-07:002007-07-23T12:01:00.000-07:00I have bery good memories of Belk stores from my c...I have bery good memories of Belk stores from my childhood and teen years. Many small towns used to have a Belk store in their downtown and I remember getting some very fun clothes from them (my first pairs of nylon boxers from the Cedartown, GA one at age 14, 3 swimming trunks and shorts from the Toccoa one in summer 1984).<br><br>Belk has certainly done a lot of closing and moving and reopening. I was in the Tupelo, MS "Mall at Barnes Crossing" one the night it decided to go out of business and bought a number of things 40 percent off.<br><br>Most Belk stores had a name after the Belk, like Belk-Rhodes (Rome, Cedartown), Belk-Hudson (Gadsden, AL).<br><br>In Huntsville, AL, where I currently live, Belk moved into the old McRaes (originally Pizitz), but after the Parisian deal, they've been remodeling the Parisian and are moving into it, which will leave the McRaes store vacant, which may start a decline of Madison Square Mall.<br><br>I'd imagine this to be a problem in any mall already having a Belk and Parisian.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-7932843179289565242007-07-02T23:51:00.000-07:002007-07-02T23:51:00.000-07:00That is absolutely amazing! At that rate, Bon-Ton...That is absolutely amazing! At that rate, Bon-Ton should bring Parisian back to Birmingham in the stores Belk doesn't want LOL.J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-22542235452434824832007-07-02T10:31:00.000-07:002007-07-02T10:31:00.000-07:00Not only is BonTon keeping the Parisian name on a ...Not only is BonTon keeping the Parisian name on a few of the stores that it purchased, they also bought the rights to the private labels that Parisian carried in the south such as Parisian Signature and Prestwick & Moore.Brianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17214103295194754748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-64407624404794354822007-07-01T04:37:00.000-07:002007-07-01T04:37:00.000-07:00The most interesting part is, Bon-Ton bought some ...The most interesting part is, Bon-Ton bought some of the Parisian stores... and is KEEPING the Parisian name in Michigan (we've got 2 of them, plus a 3rd under construction).Bobbynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-19482103069921095572007-06-17T17:35:00.000-07:002007-06-17T17:35:00.000-07:00"I am sorry Belk is a Khol's store with a..."I am sorry Belk is a Khol's store with a Estee Lauder & Lancome counter."<br><br>Perfectly said. I am confused as to what General Growth Properties is trying to do with North Point Mall. They're obviously tyring to jazz it up by bringing in nicer retailers (J Crew, Apple, etc), but a Belk? I am sure it was some contractual obligation.<br><br>North Point is stragling along, but hopefully with future renovations (http://www.schroederslater.com/northpoint-mall.html) on the roll it might come out of the pit, especially with heat from The Forum Prospect Park (http://www.thomasent.com/properties/ga7-1.asp_) opening up the road.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-67338783805095036342007-06-14T22:00:00.000-07:002007-06-14T22:00:00.000-07:00ROFLMAO...well said!!! "Yew talkin' bout...ROFLMAO...well said!!! "Yew talkin' bout dem shirts wit the gatah on 'em...I don't think we got none of dem"J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-91360044681794738302007-06-11T00:47:00.000-07:002007-06-11T00:47:00.000-07:00Yeah, I know...Kohl's. I would take Belk over...Yeah, I know...Kohl's. I would take Belk over Kohl's any day. Kohl's stuff is mostly off-brand while a Belk would've offered a wider array of designer clothing.<br><br>Can you believe that someone had the gall to refer to Stonecrest as "afrocentric"? And I don't think they meant that as a good thing. It's that kind of thinking that probably kept Belk out and now we have to settle for a Kohl's. I mean with all I've said about SC, it isn't that bad: American Eagle, Gap, Express, Victoria's Secret, Borders, Aeropostale, PacSun, Hot Topic, and Brookstone, among others all have a presence at Stonecrest. Even the Macy's there just started carrying Lacoste clothes, which is a good sign. (I used to only see Lacoste at the Lenox store) Who knows, maybe SC will get all those higher end stores that I mentioned above one day after all.Tresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-30974402947166764492007-06-10T22:05:00.000-07:002007-06-10T22:05:00.000-07:00Kohl's...oh I'm so excited I just am besid...Kohl's...oh I'm so excited I just am beside myself! We need more Kohl's!!! (end sarcasm) Honestly, it's hard to feel much civic pride in a city with so little unique about it. Boscov's maybe someday...sigh.J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-76735548818994530262007-06-09T17:27:00.000-07:002007-06-09T17:27:00.000-07:00So....you know I've done the Stonecrest/Northl...So....you know I've done the Stonecrest/Northlake update and according to an AJC article, they should be making the Parisians at both malls a Kohl's. Hmmm. I really was expecting something a little better, but with all the consolidations, I guess there isn't much choice. I guess a Kohl's will be better than a Burlington Coat Factory. I was actually thinking that a Steve & Barry's would be cool since they don't have that in Atlanta yet.Tresnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-69873246486394211832007-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:002007-06-04T11:11:00.000-07:00Parisian's first store outside of Alabama (or ...Parisian's first store outside of Alabama (or at least the first store in Georgia) was in Peachtree Mall in Columbus. As I recall, It was built around 1985 - back when Montgomery Ward and Gayfers were the only two other anchors at Peachtree. It wasn't a terribly large store - 85,000 sq. feet, I believe.<br><br>For whatever reason, Belk decided to close the Peachtree Mall location of Parisian, making Columbus the largest market in Georgia - and possibly one of the largest markets in the Southeast - without a Belk presence. I found that to be a surprising decision. <br><br>As far as I know, Columbus has never had a Belk location. I believe the nearest Belk is in LaGrange.Swiftynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-78102423922014670682007-06-03T01:54:00.000-07:002007-06-03T01:54:00.000-07:00Indeed about Ivey's. I was also very impresse...Indeed about Ivey's. I was also very impressed with the stores history...I suspect Belk's expansion with those co-named stores is what made Ivey's finally give up. Ivey's did the same weird thing that Belk did: branch out to Florida. Both of them anchored Winter Park Mall in Central FL (the other Belk Lindsey). <br><br>What impresses is me about Belk is that Belk did something no other private, family-owned department store knew how to do...expand all over a large part of the country without going bankrupt. They did that with the partnerships with local merchants. It makes me wish that the new Belk stores were Belk Gallants...largely to give the stores a bit of a local feel since we have no others now in Atlanta.<br><br>It does at least make me feel good that Federated has lost a tremendous amount of same-store sales due to the brash elimination of local nameplates...especially in Chicago. Maybe Belk will be good enough here to give these Macy's here a run for THEIR money...I hope. Macy's themselves are largely harbingers of junk with very shoddy customer service. Style & Co., anyone?J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-19832058621830612222007-06-02T07:24:00.000-07:002007-06-02T07:24:00.000-07:00Comment about Belk. I grew up in NC where Belk is...Comment about Belk. I grew up in NC where Belk is king. They always tailor their stores to the market, so I suspect that Belk at Phipps will be like the Charlotte SouthPark store or the store at Crabtree in Raleigh. These stores can compete with the best of the best. They're much higher-end than Kohl's will ever be. Having said that, the NC chain that I still miss and wish still existed was Ivey's. The Ivey family did very much what the Rich family did, and sold the stores. They ended up being gobbled up by Dillard's. But, when Ivey's was still run by the family, it gave Belk a real run for their money by giving excellent, personalized service.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-82835963663943390632007-06-01T20:27:00.000-07:002007-06-01T20:27:00.000-07:00I'm a former employee of Proffitt's, a for...I'm a former employee of Proffitt's, a former store in the chain of mid market stores of Saks Inc. Proffitts too was sold to Belk. I had 1st hand knowledge of the volume, & P&L of all the Atlanta Parisian stores....They were not that impressive. <br><br>As of no surprise, the Phipps & Town Center locations were approximently $35 mil & $20 mil stores. NorthPoint could not do the volume because of the square footage limitations. Arbor Place & Gwinnett Place each volume is about the same around $10 mil. Which leaves the 2 locations that will not be converted to the Belk nameplate. <br><br>Stonecrest, as nice as the store is, barely does $6 mil a year. Thus the limited selections of say Stonecrest Parisian vs NorthPoint Parisian even though the Stonecrest store was larger.<br>The Northlake store's volume is slightly lower than Stonecrest.<br><br>Had Saks Inc held onto Parisian, I am sure they too might have closed these locations because of P&L performance. <br><br>As for Belk....I am sorry Belk is a Khol's store with a Estee Lauder & Lancome counter. There is nothing special about their stores, their presentations, selection or promotions.<br><br>They have been successful by running stores in 2nd tier/rural markets. Yes, its about making money and Belk has been successful with this plan. But, if anyone has seen Belk at the Mall of Georgia vs Macys at Mall of Georgia Gee Wiz!!<br><br>This is what Atlanta can expect out of Belk. <br><br>Phipps Plaza with a Belk store! I cant wait to see the end results. Atleast the physical part of the store will be nice. Belk did not build it! But, they will drag in the Alfred Dunner, Koret and all the moderate priced mercandise that IS Belk into all of these converted Parisian locations. <br><br>Belk's purchase of Saks Incorporated southern stores could be a big downer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-77303300086771650482007-06-01T07:24:00.000-07:002007-06-01T07:24:00.000-07:00Hey, J.T. Again, sorry about all the posts but al...Hey, J.T. Again, sorry about all the posts but all this is interesting to me. Well, all told, I guess I'll have to enjoy Belk elsewhere in Atlanta. Maybe the large Phipps store since I do most of my shopping up that way anyway.<br><br>We must have mental telepathy or something because Boscov's is exactly what I have in mind for the Parisian space. I've never set foot in one before, but I've heard so much about it. And I couldn't think of anything else to (realistically) open up there. And I'm hoping that they don't make it a B.C.F. either. The last thing that mall needs is several steps down in terms of anchor line up.<br><br>My other idea was to split the two floors into two big boxes, like make the upper floor an H&M (another thing that Atlanta lacks...I guess if it took IKEA a while to catch on then we may have to wait a little while longer on an H&M) and the bottom floor a Macy's Furniture Store or a Kohl's or something. Anothere idea is to make the whole thing a Dick's Sporting Goods.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2047095566316955789.post-35135934848344619222007-05-31T22:54:00.000-07:002007-05-31T22:54:00.000-07:00tres, the very possibly likelihood for Stonecrest ...tres, the very possibly likelihood for Stonecrest is a chain out of the northeast that has been growing rapidly and energizing weaker and lower-end malls called Boscov's. Boscov's right now is no further south than Danville, VA, but it is a chain that prides itself on being a traditional department store with full departments. If they opened one of those here, I'd be pretty excited about seeing it. <br><br>Other than that, I wouldn't be sure and God forbid it is a Burlington Coat Factory or Bealls from Florida. The South's retail landscape has been pretty much diced up and I sincerely doubt that our favorite upscale stores would want to locate there. There's already a Nordstrom at Perimeter in the same county and Neiman Marcus hasn't even located out of Atlanta yet. <br><br>And yes I agree...I'm very disappointed on how Stonecrest has been snubbed for higher end stores. Though I am not from the area, I have visited the mall and noticed this very much. I do, however, note that the income levels in the Redan area do not average out high enough to woo many retailers, and that Lithonia itself is at poverty line according to the data I used a couple years ago. I was doing a GIS project on the demise of Columbia Mall and had to use income data for the areas around the different malls in order to analyze which factors most affected it. <br><br>However, considering nearby Rockdale County and the large market it has the potential to serve, I do think in this case it still IS racism. Retailers have a perception that middle-class blacks are not going to spend money on name brand designer clothes and higher end restaurants. I think a walk through Perimeter Mall proves what a fallacy that line of thinking is.J.T.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04208881715255029485noreply@blogger.com