Battlefield Mall secures upscale retailers

Aldo Shoes, which retails footwear ranging in price between $60 and $150, is completing finishing touches to its mall location and was scheduled to open March 16, according to mall Marketing Manager Christine Moses. The 1,920-square-foot store will occupy the former space of The Toy Co., which in February moved to the Brentwood Center.

Also this spring, Sephora Cosmetics will mark its entrance into Springfield with a 5,809-square-foot store in the mall. The upscale beauty products retailer is scheduled to open May 4, according to Sephora Director of Store Marketing Gianna Locasto, who said the company chose Springfield because of client requests. Sephora products start around $5 and can reach about $40, depending on the brand.

Aldo and Sephora are just a couple in a slew of higher-end shops to recently hit the Springfield retail scene. Late last fall, the mall welcomed Banana Republic, White House Black Market and J. Buck’s restaurant – all what Moses classifies as upscale. The switchover of the mall’s Famous Barr store into Macy’s in September also indicated the mall’s new direction.

“We’re trying to garner the business of these more upscale stores, and, likewise, our shoppers are wanting more upscale stores,” Moses said.

While the mall still plans to offer a wide variety of price points to fit Springfield’s diverse market, Moses said the mall is recognizing the area’s increasing purchasing power.

High-end surge

Ryan Mooney, manager of business development with the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, said the area lends itself to some high-end shopping activity. However, he attributes the surge in high-end retail to new developments attracting other retailers.

“I strongly doubt we get serious looks from highly sought-after retailers like The Cheesecake Factory and Crate and Barrel – they demand household incomes beyond what Springfield can support,” he said. “But as new developments continue to come together … you will be surprised and very pleased with what could be coming to Springfield.”

The area’s locally owned upscale retailers recognize that, too. Some say they’re excited to see stores such as Sephora and Banana Republic because of the status it gives Springfield.

“They are validating that we are now a metropolitan shopping area, and it makes us more competitive with Kansas City and St. Louis,” says Town & County manager Donna Charles. “We’re just now catching up.”

Charles added that the competition is an advantage – not a threat – to her store, owned by Springfield businessman Bob Lowe. Town & County’s price points range from $75 to $250 for jeans and pants and from $100 to $800 for suits and dresses.

“We would love to have more places like us, so (shoppers) wouldn’t go to the bigger cities,” she said. “When there’s just one store to shop, they think, ‘Maybe we’ll go to St. Louis, where they have five stores.’”

Succeeding as a high-end retailer comes with a unique challenge, however. Meghan Chambers, owner of downtown’s Staxx Apparel, says she’s looking forward to more upscale stores in Springfield, but warns that operating them comes with responsibility.

“It’s definitely on the retailer to educate customers on why the prices are the way that they are, and what they’re paying for in the product,” she said.

“Showing them the value of the purchase they’re making is important,” she added. Staxx prices range from $68 to $245 for jeans, $24 to $220 for tops and $54 to $250 for dresses.

In other mall news

Other changes are occurring at Battlefield Mall.

Two food court tenants chose not to renew their leases at the end of 2006: Cinnabon and Orange Julius. Moses said their departures are simply part of the mall’s ebb and flow.

Meanwhile, Yankee Candle is preparing to open near the food court later this month, Moses said.

Moses also is working to line up tenants for the three remaining spots in the mall’s lifestyle center, which has exterior entrances along a landscaped walkway. She would not comment on possible tenants – though she did dispel a rumor that Williams-Sonoma might be in line – and couldn’t say how soon they would be announced.[[In-content Ad]]