Battlefield Mall gears up for holiday shopping season

“It’s a mallwide event, but it’s really a celebration of our renovation and the addition of lifestyle Phase II,” said Christine Moses, the mall’s marketing manager.

Battlefield Mall added the lifestyle concept in 2003 and 2004 with tenants Chico’s, Ann Taylor Loft, Coldwater Creek, Jos. A. Bank and Z Boutique. With the lifestyle concept, retail tenants have outdoor entrances and custom facades.

The lifestyle concept “has been embraced by the community. We’ve had a very positive feedback from it,” Moses said. “The success of Phase I got us the approval for Phase II.”

Typically, she said, lifestyle centers draw more upscale tenants.

The grand reopening – which included special events and hours – “is the biggest event to hit Battlefield Mall in 14 years,” Moses said, noting that previous grand reopenings were held for an addition in 1982 and renovations in 1992.

And though the reopening wrapped up with the Nov. 19 Simon Evening of Giving, a fund-raiser for area charities, the mall will open at 5 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving, with early-bird specials until 9 a.m. that day. Also that day, there will be a prize-an-hour promotion for Simon gift cards, and a $500,000 sweepstakes for the cards, which are good for one year and can be used anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

Traffic is likely to be brisk for local retailers. The National Retail Federation’s 2006 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, released Oct. 17, found average consumer plans to spend $791.10 for Christmas this year, up from $738.11 in 2005.

Moses said mall data shows customers coming in from a radius of 90-plus miles, including West Plains, northern Arkansas and Rolla.

“It’s kind of a pivotal point at some of those places, if they want to drive to Springfield or they want to drive to St. Louis or Kansas City or Tulsa,” she said.

In addition to the lifestyle Phase II, this Christmas is the first that Macy’s will be open in Springfield, following Famous Barr’s September transition into a Macy’s store.

Federated Department Stores Inc. – the parent company of Macy’s – reported third-quarter net losses of $3 million, though sales were up about 6 percent for the quarter. The losses are largely attributed to the costs associated with the conversion of 400 May Department Stores Co. stores to Macy’s.

Local Macy’s General Manager Jo Sharp – who was at Famous before the switch – said she’s already seen an uptick in shopper volume.

“People are coming in and really looking for some key items for the holiday season, and consistently, our traffic has been increasing, which is fantastic,” she said.

Among those key items are what Sharp called “affordable luxury” items – cashmere sweaters, fleece, activewear and home items.

Also popular, Sharp said, are Frango mints, which Marshall Fields – which is now Macy’s – was known for among consumers.

She noted that customers have been receptive following the switch to the Macy’s banner.

“Customers are excited about having a Macy’s in our town,” she said. “Macy’s … is really involved in giving to the communities.”

For the holiday shopping season, Macy’s nationwide Thanks For Sharing promotion provides shoppers with a 10 percent discount on all purchases through Dec. 30 when they donate $25 to the American Heart Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she added.

Battlefield Mall’s Moses said that in addition to changes to the mix of retailers, shoppers will also see new floors and ceilings and the addition of family restrooms, which are the result of the mall’s market research.

“We want our shoppers to feel comfortable when they’re shopping with us,” she said.

Though the mall is generally open 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the hours will be extended for Christmas.

Information about special promotions and mall hours is posted online at www.battlefieldmall.com.