Malls all over seem to be in decline. One exception is The Woodlands Mall. It seems to be very busy and has a lot of very nice stores. Good restaurants near by. What is it that makes Post Oak Mall feel so dismal? Is it management or the market?

It's a mall

^Spot on.

Not all malls are like that. Why?

The Woodlands Mall is an exception because it is patronized by mostly rich people.

I think a combination of both. Woodlands mall is ok (I've been to better), but it's looking like that's where I'm going to have to head for clothes going forward (I shop at NY&Co). Also, keep in mind that corporate of many of the malls stores view BCS as the back end of beyond. The stores here are last in line to get improvements and changes. Even if the stores preform well occasionally, that doesn't matter, because there's great periods of time when they're empty.
While the transient student population in a boon for the rental companies, it's a detriment to mall retail. Corporate mismanagement (Sears and Penneys I'm looking at you) doesn't help matters.
There's also nothing to do at the mall other than shop. There's no wicked cool movie theater, no arcade, no super cool shops, no super interesting food places (food court and Casa Ole. Casa Ole is lame, we all know that), no cool kid specific shops or things to do.
This renovation did jack for it. It's like Joan Rivers with lip gloss and a mini skirt. Not fooln' anyone.
That's without even getting into it's poor design in the first place. A "V" shape? Really? Who does that? I can't casually stroll down a short corridor from JC to Dilliards? And Dilliards? Do you really need two anchors? Make one big one. Two, three stories.

Not only is it patronized by rich people, but it is overall a place to visit. By that I mean, they have CWM Pavillion, a couple dozen stand alone restaurants on the premises, the higher end (Italian looking) shopping behind the mall grounds, and now have the boat rides. But they also have the shops that not too many areas have, like Legoland, Apple (i know we just got one recently), Sony, just to name a few. So it is an AREA that many people say they want to go and make a day trip out of. Not just a PLACE to run up to and run in and grab a shirt, etc.

I always thought that POM should be leveled and built back to be like these outlet store places that are more an outdoor mall feel, where you can walk outside, store to store. Seems to me these are the way things are now.

Just the way we view it at least...

The outlet mall off 290 is only an hour away and while it is small it has a better selection of stores and prices than POM. I do the bulk of clothes shopping there with only an occasional stop at POM for a Bath and Body works sale or a good Macy's sale with coupons. Our mall has a poor selection of stores and several of the people who run the stalls in the middle of the mall walkways harrass you when you try to walk through.

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The Woodlands Mall is an exception because it is patronized by mostly rich people.

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Nope. It's just patronized by more people year round.
I realize I'm about to compare apples to oranges, but in San Diego there are two malls which are generally considered the less of the mall options in San Diego.

There's Parkway Plaza in El Cajon (El Cajon= Bryan, but with more Hispanics and white trash) and Grossmont Center in La Mesa (more old people, white/Hispanic middle class, and more college students shop there). Both have relativity high theft rates (not the highest in the county) and both are fairly busy most of the time.
Layout of Parkway Plaza- http://sandiego.citysearch.com/profile/map/408426/el_cajon_ca/parkway_plaza_shopping_center.html
Parkways websitehttp://www.westfield.com/parkway/centre-information
Grossmont center is fairly small, and it's built so that there's an outside. It's also still independently owned(most of the others in San Diego are Westfield or Simon malls)
Grossmont's website - http://www.grossmontcenter.com/

ETA: It might be good if Westfield were to buy POM because they might do what it takes to improve it. Not likely to happen though.

[This message has been edited by violiav (edited 2/2/2013 1:58p).]

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the higher end (Italian looking) shopping behind the mall grounds

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Que? Do you mean Market Street?

Yeah, The Woodlands mall isn't patronized by rich people. It's the sheer number of people that visit that keeps it knocking on all cylinders.

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the higher end (Italian looking) shopping behind the mall grounds
Que? Do you mean Market Street?

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Not sure what the area is called to be honest. It has the high end righ stores all throughout. Last time we were there we saw a Lamborghini and a Ferrari and several other high end cars. Just saying we didn't see any of these types of cars around the mall itself (the mall meaning the main structure by I-45 with Sears, etc.)

And yes, I agree that it is totally the amount of people that visit the area year round and not necessarily rich people. I just included rich with my response in reference to the section located behind the Woodlands Mall.

Management all the way. The rents are insanely high.

"Back in the day"' that place had a dance club and a sit-down place that had pretty good fajitas.

Rockies and Casa Ole are still there.

Everything retail related has become a show room for stuff you will eventually buy for cheaper online. Sales are down everywhere. Couple that with a crappy mall to start with..

I miss Wicks N Sticks. I know that they could be high but they did get different things in.

Back in the day Post Oak Mall had a movie theater and a cafeteria, and the food court was full of businesses and had a great video arcade.

Now, even though the recent remodel did make it look better, there's just not as much there to attract people. We probably go there twice a year.

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Rockies and Casa Ole are still there.

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Rockies brings in some classy type people.

Chelsea Street Pub

The only reason I go to the mall is to eat at Flip @ Peel.

robert

I have heard good things about Willowbrook Mall too. Some people from B/CS only shop there.

I shop there daily..

Some of us just do not like malls in general. I go to one maybe once or twice a year, if that is the only place that has what I'm looking for. I think it's the cavernous feel along with echo-ey acoustics. I'd rather go in and out of stores in a shopping center, even in less than ideal weather. Just a preference, I guess.

Post oak mall is still open? I thought they closed to allow for parking for BJ's, Chueys and Gameday shuttles. Oh and the occasional carnival.

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I have heard good things about Willowbrook Mall too.

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Just don't venture into that hood after dark.

Good things are happening out at the mall! It has its good and bad just like anyplace but overall it's a nice mall. Besides with things like the new Flip and Peel, Flip Flop Shops, and Francesca's it couldn't be doing that badly, right?

Something there is that doesn't love a mall.

Sorry, devoted fans of Robert Frost. It was so tempting I just had to do it.

Post Oak Mall was dying when I quit working at Champs in 2006. The only busy times were holidays and back to school.

To me all they have done is put lipstick on a pig. The mall is dark and just not much fun to be in anymore. All the "vendors" in the middle of the aisles trying to get you to let them "help" you are annoying.

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All the "vendors" in the middle of the aisles trying to get you to let them "help" you are annoying.

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Couldn't agree more. The hairstylists with the curling irons are horrible.

Wife & I WERE IN POM Sat. For 1st time in years. Could not believe the type of people there. Gang banger tatoos on lots of people.

Please describe a "gangbanger" tattoo for us.

This seems like a really knowledgeable forum on the types of tattoos and rituals that "gangbangers" perform.

Ive lived where "gangbangers" actually "bang" Greenspoint/Gunspoint)and this town is pretty tame, I assure you.

Now, Valentine's Day probably has made the local baby daddy(all races) crowd excited.. and brought them to the mall.... I think the romantic era has begun amongst the interestingly employeed of our nation, btw..
...the romance trifecta began this weekend(as pointed out) with his/hers neck tattoos and Cz earrings.. will carry through with the yearly Red Lobster gorging on Thursday.. and ultimately will end in a Twitter argument of epic proportion with possible multiple baby mamas stepping up to voice their displeasure in said favoritism of the lucky lady.

This warms my heart and the local economy, so lets all smile and relax for a moment and reflect on positive thoughts..

"gangbanger" tattoos?

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I think the romantic era has begun amongst the interestingly employeed of our nation, btw..

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"interestingly employed?"

Where do you suppose the IGD do their shopping? Would you rather them go to Tine and purchase a gold played Gat for their special someone?

Interestingly employed: unemployed except in matters of illegality, schemes, fraudulence, and theft of both tax dollars and actual physical items.