This 2 story mall located in Kenner Louisiana opened in 1984 with DH Holmes, Godcheaux, and Mervyns as anchors. An addition brought Macy’s to the mall 6 months after opening up. This mall is the largest in the New Orleans area and boasted 180 stores pre-Katrina. Godcheaux closed in 1985 with the chain and the DH Holmes became Dillard’s when the chain was taken over. Dillard’s opened up a Men’s store in the former Godcheaux location in the 1990’s. This mall had always been at near 100% occupancy and was not affected much by the recession that hit the New Orleans area in 1986. In 2005 after Katrina hit Mervyn’s started its preplanned closing out sale and closed in early 2006. With the population loss that the New Orleans area has sustained since the hurricane there will not as many people spending money. Insurance and government money has been driving the economy in New Orleans since the hurricane. The prospects of attracting any new anchors to the New Orleans market is grim with several companies taking a wait and see approach until they reopen. Target has been the only company to express interest in the Mervyn's site. The mall has nearly all of its storefronts on the inside filled and doing extremely well. Macy's just reopened and completely remodeled their store. Macy's was considering exiting the New Orleans market, but fixed this store up and opened a new store at Lakeside to replace the closed New Orleans Center location. Currently New Orleans is one of the only growth cities in the United States with the entire metro area benefitting from the continued job growth. Most of the job growth though is from businesses that were closed after Katrina that are reopening or new stores built where other stores were torn down.
Sweet! That Macy's there is absolutely 100% identical to the Macy's (now Men's/Furniture) at Town Center Mall in Kennesaw, GA. The one in Kennesaw opened in early 1986.
ReplyDeleteI have not been to this mall since the Macy's reopened, so the Macy's facade might have been stripped down. Here in Houston the Macy's by us was stripped down to the shell and rebuilt because of Hurricane Ike damage.
ReplyDeleteI was just in that mall yesterday and it's looking pretty awful. Sanrio closed, and there are many, many vacant spots. What used to be Express is some indoor play place. It used to be so nice but it's quickly going the way of The Plaza in New Orleans East.
ReplyDeleteKenner has been going downhill for years. I lived in the Susan Park neighborhood in 1997- 1998 and hated it. My apartment was robbed and my truck was damaged by an arson fire that spread from the next door neighbors house. There were two murders in one month close to my house there. When I lived by the lake off of Williams blvd. there was a shooting in my apartment complex. Metairie, Jefferson, and River Ridge seem to be the only places that do not have severe crime problems on the East bank. I still love my hometown, but there is too much crime.
ReplyDeleteTarget is due to open at the Esplanade Mall within the next couple of months. It now appears mostly built. The movie theater, a 14-screen stadium, is due to start construction in the coming months and open around March or April of 2012. The other anchor store is waiting for Target to open and the movie theater to begin construction, then planning to begin construction itself. After the Esplanade Mall's downfall, it appears it may actually once again take over as one of the best malls in the area.
ReplyDeleteThere are 17 vacancies in the mall currently. Does anyone know what stores closed?
ReplyDeleteI was there in January and I will have an updated post soon. I was surprised to see Dillards closed the mens store and turned the former womens store into a clearance store. The clearance store Dillards also closed off the second floor which means only the Macys anchor has a second floor entrance. Most of the vacancies are towards the Dillards clearance store or on the second floor.
ReplyDeleteThe mall isn't doing well at all. Its really heartbreaking. Old Navy will close at the end of January 2018. Hot Topic is also closing in January 2018. And the frame store that has been there for 30 plus years is also closing. Macys closed earlier this year along with Rue 21.
ReplyDeleteAlso, not sure what year some of these were in but... Gap, Gymboree (2017) Wet Seal, Amys Candles, 5.7.9, Smoothie King, Chik Fal A, Ladys Footlocker, Kids Footlocker, Footlocker, Rackroom Shoes all gone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Cherese. I spent a lot of time there in the 90's when I lived off of Williams. I hope the mall survives but it sounds like the Macy's closing has caused a lot of retailers to pull out. I have a few items from the frame shop, Macy's, and Target that I bought over the last few years when I took my blog photos. At least they can make some money by filming movies and TV shows there.
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