Mall of America - Bloomington

[go4guy]

Why would a Walgreens at a tourist destination have a pharmacy? The amount of people that would actually use it to pick up prescriptions would not pay the cost of the pharmacists. Most people use it as a convenience store, not a pharmacy.

[John21]

It is a large employer and transit hub. I’m sure they did their due diligence and found it wasn’t worth it.

[fehler]

Tourists need medication, too.

[maxbaby]

Will they EVER put a skin on the current parking ramps. They look awe full.

[jw138]

Over the last couple of weeks they've been adding signals to the entrances of the parking ramps as well as each of the levels. I'm assuming they'll be used to indicate the number of available parking spots but have no idea how they're supposed to work yet.

[JJ3022]

Long time reader, new user: I heard from a friend who works at MOA that the waterpark is in the works for parking lot across Lindau Ln and next to Ikea.

[billhelm]

they've installed some kind of sensors in the ceilings of the parking garages which will probably detect openings. I've parked in other facilities with these and they're quite nice and efficient.

[Gman12]

Over the last couple of weeks they've been adding signals to the entrances of the parking ramps as well as each of the levels. I'm assuming they'll be used to indicate the number of available parking spots but have no idea how they're supposed to work yet.

I've been seeing the bay monitoring systems more and more in Europe and Vegas/LA, it's pretty slick following the signs and the green/red lights above the spots...and saves vehicle emissions as a bonus. Would be a nice upgrade for MOA.

https://www.swarco.com/northamerica/con ... ile/SWARCO

[BikesOnFilm]

Long time reader, new user: I heard from a friend who works at MOA that the waterpark is in the works for parking lot across Lindau Ln and next to Ikea.

I haven't heard anything to support this. Having said that, I was at the mall last week and there were a surprising number of vacant stores, plus the rumor is Sears is filing for bankruptcy as soon as tomorrow, so if I was MOA, I'd rather put lifestyle and entertainment on the lot they've already started to connect to and save the high end retail wing for the lot to the east.

But it may be too late for a change in plans like that. Who knows.

[go4guy]

I thought the water park was going in that lot to the east? Wasn't that announced earlier this year?

[Oreos&Milk]

The Walgreens at MOA will not have a pharmacy. Fhat the wuck?

Shoot.. Guess that means you'll have to bring your own antidepressants while black friday shopping..

Does seem like a big missed opportunity, but I wonder if it could be a permit/zoning issue instead of Walgreens actively not wanting to include that..

[ajohnson02011]

The hoarding is down for the new H&M store in the Central Parkway wing (across from Zara) which opens on Thursday at noon. Glad to see that wing is getting more life.

[twincitizen]

So strange that Sears isn't closing this location yet, since they do own the property. One would think MOA ownership (Triple Five Group) would be ready and willing to buy the space from Sears, as they did with the former Bloomingdales. Triple Five is obviously aware that Sears won't be operating that store forever...I'm sure they are taking that into account as they plan any future expansions. Older expansion plans that included adding another large anchor space (Bass Pro Shops was shown in past plans) are probably dead. If there's an anchor out there wanting to join MOA (whether it be Bass Pro Shops or Von Maur or whoever), you have to figure they would renovate the Sears space and not add a large anchor spot to the north.

[Multimodal]

Maybe it won’t be retail.

Malls are moving from retail to being wholly enclosed downtowns (not much different from Victor Gruen’s originally plan for Southdale, except without all the parking, and now including hotels & residential).

The problem for humans is that it is all private space and owned by 1 company, so you don’t get Jane Jacobs’ ideas of diversity in building age, ownership, uses, etc.

It’s all very regimented.

But the point is: don’t think of MoA or Southdale as a mall anymore. They are superblocks of self-contained downtowns.

[Multimodal]

MoA is different from other malls in that it is also (primarily??) a travel destination, so it is less likely to contain things like pharmacies, groceries, bakers, etc. that a downtown needs but passing visitors aren’t really looking for.

[Oreos&Milk]

So strange that Sears isn't closing this location yet, since they do own the property. One would think MOA ownership (Triple Five Group) would be ready and willing to buy the space from Sears, as they did with the former Bloomingdales. Triple Five is obviously aware that Sears won't be operating that store forever...I'm sure they are taking that into account as they plan any future expansions. Older expansion plans that included adding another large anchor space (Bass Pro Shops was shown in past plans) are probably dead. If there's an anchor out there wanting to join MOA (whether it be Bass Pro Shops or Von Maur or whoever), you have to figure they would renovate the Sears space and not add a large anchor spot to the north.

Not to get all conspiracy up in here but.. this is the same company that owns Midtown Kmart, and we all know about those issues of them preventing a redevelopment of the area.. Maybe they know the MOA would greatly like to redevelop the Sears site. I'm sure MOA staff were snooping around Sears, and possibly were in talks with them at some point IF they were considering such things. I mean with so many hotels popping up around the mall having better connected hotels built by the MOA means they are better able to preserve brand value. (encourage people to rent a MOA rent paying room instead of the non-MOA rent paying room.)

It's a great opportunity, extend the sunken Lindau Lane and continue a larger connected MOA pathway. Plus it would mean a greater value for the block north of American BLVD that the MOA has the option to develop. However as the clock is running out for that possible redevelopment the likelihood of a Sears site redevelopment seems more and more unlikely. The mall needs an expansion into the entertainment segment quickly, or it will continue to decline in popularity as existing footage value stays stagnant.

[Tcmetro]

I thought that Sears was looking for a buyer for the MOA property a few years ago.

[QuietBlue]

So strange that Sears isn't closing this location yet, since they do own the property.

I don't think it's that strange. They know the value of what they have there. Plus, the store might even be making them money. I think it will take a lot to get them to relinquish it.

[MNdible]

This old City Pages review of the MOA Sears is worth re-reading.

As opposed to the Lake Street KMart, which is plausibly still making money, this one is just waiting for a buyer.

[Anondson]

Plans for $230M water park expansion to the north.

https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/ ... ll-of.html