urbanMSP

I'm just going to throw this out there: I want a DSW downtown. Is that a pipe dream?

Please no. My wife has enough shoes already...

Big exterior signage for Saks Off Fifth being delivered.

Saks Off Fifth opens this Thursday according to Twitter

The Saks space is looking nice. Walked by the street level this morning, and they had the coverings off one window. Definitely looks ready for a Thursday opening.

It looks a lot like the Len across the corridor to me. I guess I expected a few more finishings, but hey, beats empty space.

Strib on Saks opening: http://www.startribune.com/saks-off-5th ... 376400451/

Rumors have circulated since last year that Nordstrom Rack, which has long been eyeing a downtown location, would create a two-level store at IDS, using the former Gap space on the first floor and the former TJ Maxx space, which hasn’t been used since 2004, in the lower level.

Deb Kolar, general manger of operations at IDS Center, said the building is “in the middle of negotiating with a great national retailer,” though she wouldn’t say identify it by name.

Let's hope a Nordstrom Rack is on the way! The Nic Side of Gaviidae would make a great 2 story retail space as well.

Wow, Saks looks so cheap. I was really hoping for better since their former space blew this out of the water. Concrete floors, temporary tables, rolling racks. No amount of fancy font on the signs can cover it up.

Concrete floors, temporary tables, rolling racks.

Sounds like a very permanent state of affairs

It looks like a mall retail space to me.

Wow, Saks looks so cheap. I was really hoping for better since their former space blew this out of the water. Concrete floors, temporary tables, rolling racks. No amount of fancy font on the signs can cover it up.

More or less agree, although we should probably keep in mind that the former space was first a legit Saks Fifth Avenue before converting to Saks Off Fifth thus likely benefited from having built as such.

There's an outlet in Egan, right? If anyone has been there, how does this compare?

It is a Saks Off Fifth outlet, not a Saks store...this is what they look like....

There's an outlet in Eagan, right? If anyone has been there, how does this compare?

I've been there many times. It features: concrete floors, temporary tables, rolling racks.
Not exactly sure why everyone is surprised?! This is Saks Off 5th! This is how they set up their stores.

Eagan:

City Center:

Ah good, I guess? I haven't been to Eagan so I wasn't sure if we were getting shortchanged or not.

Doesn't look bad. Doesn't look that good either.

City Center's entire Nicollet Mall retail bays are now filled. Can we be happy about that?

Yes! Let's hope it stays that way. And that Nordstrom Rack goes in IDS and something in Gaviidae on Nic, then we will be on our way.

I think there's rightly some pessimism about the mall, however. Yes, we've gained Sports Authority, kept Saks and upgraded the Walgreens. However, we've also lost Gap, Jos. A Bank, and two restaurants (Mesa and Vincent). So overall in the past 2 years we're -1 clothing retailer and down two restaurants. Getting a Nordstrom's would be huge to at least get us back to even on one important category, so I really hope that pans out.

For what it's worth, if you're riding down the escalator in IDS center you can occasionally see into the old GAP space over the window covers. I've definitely seen the lights on once recently and people milling around, so it's not completely dead.

Well, if we're counting, we also gained Ling & Louie's and there will soon be a Five Guys, which should be highly successful. So that's at least a restaurant and a half.