wyliepoon
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http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1071311
Overhaul the mall
As a consumer, your duty to keep the economy afloat can be a hellish task-- but it doesn't have to be that way
Ben Kaplan, National Post Published: Saturday, December 13, 2008
Can we improve the mall? Our experts think so.
A man holding packages slumps outside Pottery Barn at the Eaton Centre; looking downtrodden and defeated, he is the living embodiment of the leadership of Stephane Dion. Why is this man so anguished? Because nowhere is the chaos of the holidays more evident than at a mall -- with its crying babies, fighting teens, long lines at chain stores for overpriced products that will have you reaching for your warranty before your eggnog gets warm.
However, facing global economic meltdown and price slashing from the big-box boys, the shopping centre -- that enclosed labyrinth of bad food, horrible fashion and rushed decisions -- could be on the precipice of change. With no retailer immune from bankruptcy, no employee safe from the unemployment line, we wonder: How could the mall be reimagined? We asked the city's brightest lights to build us their dream retail space: If Parliament can be prorogued, certainly two hours of holiday parking could be free.
1. THE MALL SHOULD ACT AS A COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE.
Christina Zeidler, president of the Gladstone Hotel
"The mall doesn't have to be Disneyland. They could incorporate the neighbourhood. Corporate interests drone out entrepreneurs. But a mall could create a micro-economy: The only way small businesses have power is by joining together. A mall could pool talent, create an icon of the local -- all the stores, restaurants and cafes could be linked.
Imagine the mall as a nexus for local businesses! Small business can't exist in a mall because of the rent. You can have a storefront in Parkdale the size of a postage stamp because the landlord keeps rent down. A mall that incorporates the local might have to lower some rents, but they'd have something original.
I'm anti-chain. There's strength in one of a kind. And times change. Today, there's a new consciousness. Wisdom of the small market is returning. Like-minded small groups present a different approach to the economy. My sister's building at 401 Richmond is a perfect example. It's an old warehouse she's running for artists, musicians, fashion designers and publishers -- the ground floor is retail space for small businesses. It's not run like a mall, where signage and storefronts are at the behest of corporations. At 401 Richmond, the individual has a chance to be heard. You're not in a homogeneous space. It defies the mall, like Wychwood Barns." - The Gladstone Hotel is at 1214 Queen St. W., gladstonehotel.com.401 Richmond is located on the northeast corner of Richmond and Queen streets.
2. A MALL IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO SHOULDN'T COMPETE WITH THE SUBURBS.
Sergio Meza, professor of marketing at Rotman School of Management
"In difficult times, stores like Wal-Mart benefit. People want more for their money. But the mall experience is different. It's the combination of shopping and an evening out. You have a coffee, purchase something, it's about leisure time -- malls can't engage in a price war. Big stores in the suburbs, where the real estate is less expensive, will always win.
But with the price of gas and time becoming more valuable, being able to do all your shopping in one place offers singular efficiency: Malls need to play to their unique strength. They're packaging entertainment. Well, those packages could extend: Buy a $30 Christmas tree at Sears and get a coupon for another shop, or a free Tim Hortons. Discounts across multiple outlets would work. Also, special events drive consumers. It's not about fighting competition, but joining them. Malls should be more interactive, more web-friendly. Don't fight cybershopping, offer free WiFi -- people still want to come in and touch their purchases, especially where they get everything at once and see friends.
Wal-Mart is less expensive, but you won't go there for coffee. Cost-cutting would be suicide. If a shopping mall were to scrimp on entertainment or creature comforts -- heating or the condition of the washroom -- they'd be dead. Instead, they should get music performed by young Canadian groups. Have them perform free! It's not reducing costs but facilitating customers --play up convenience, service and the environment."
3. WE HAVE TO MAKE THE MALLS MORE STYLISH.
Coco Rocha, the face of Yves Saint Laurent
"If they can make airports cool, why can't they do something with the mall? Make it hip! I'm not a designer, but I'm doing my apartment and it's all vintage inside, the outside area is Moroccan. There's got to be more stylish ideas than that Chinese food place that gives you rice or noodles with two kinds of meat. Spend some money in order to profit and attract celebrities. It wouldn't be that hard to [include] a couple of cool bars. Christmas music is fine, but imagine how fun the mall would be if you could dance! (Though I don't know how good the new Beyonce would be at 11 a. m.) Listen, I come from a normal family -- things don't have to be expensive, I'm all about Urban Outfitters, Urban Behaviour and H&M, but I hate how things in the mall are presented. Top designers have people paid to work on the windows, dress the mannequins, choose which clothes should be out. In the mall, whoever is working that day puts out dresses. At Macy's and Bloomingdale's, people wait in line to take photographs of the windows. You'd never consider that at a mall. Fashion is about image, a mall is about selling stuff. But they are cold-looking. They need more design. And more looseness. Random TVs. Video games. Let people do stuff without paying for everything. Imagine how cool that would be?"
4. THE FOOD COURT HAS TO GO.
Jennifer Agg, co-owner of The Black Hoof
"Here's the first thing: Buy. Fresh. Food. And I mean every day. I understand food costs, but be conscientious. Use everything. Right now, our chef is making stock from a pig's head. Honestly, I'm not sure what I'd do with a food court other than blow it up. Last time I ate there was at a Dairy Queen in Morningside when I was 14 years old. Why aren't there good options? Because the corporate world is so conservative; all they care about is the bottom line. But inexpensive fast food can be popular. The Sandwich Box on Queen and John pushes out delicious sandwiches for $7. A squirt of lemon, fresh ground pepper, ever-so-slightly toasted Portuguese bread. Restaurants need an owner that cares. When some restaurants do a frozen strawberry margarita, they get the sh--tiest, cheapest slush mix they can find, it costs 20 cents to make, tastes terrible and nobody cares. Everything about it is wrong. Our restaurant does house-made meats that wouldn't appeal to a large market, but things we do could translate -- like customer service. A food court needs to feed people quickly, but it's possible to do quality at high volume. It's hard. But there are places, such as Fresh Juice for Life, that would immediately improve a mall's food. I'm yet to even see a mall burger done well. Mall restaurants have no imagination. To run a restaurant, you have to impose your taste with no inhibitions. Less greed equals better food. Even at the mall."
-The Black Hoof is at 928 Dundas St. W., 416-551-8854.
5. DON'T FORGET THE HUMAN TOUCH.
Jack Diamond of Diamond + Schmitt Architects
"The street is a public space -- that's what's missing at a mall. To make a mall appealing, it has to become part of a new town centre. A mall could become the Main Street it once was. I'm talking about a space with offices, parks, residences and shops. The mall as a town centre -- not apart from its surrounding community, its centre. Start with natural light. I'd love to see a mall with a retractable roof. One of the tricks in a mall is you don't want to be reminded of the outside, they want to pump in Christmas music until you don't know whether it's night or day. In the casino, they don't want you to know if it's night or day. I won't say malls are equivalent, but they aren't far off. Why can't we have shrubs and lawns and foster community at a mall, as well as getting your shopping done?
The most important thing is to introduce non-commercial functions: schools, clinics, libraries, community centres --a new kind of town!Diversified. It's like when one kind of a crop gets a disease, it's highly vulnerable. It's the mixed forest that survives. The one-company town, say, the automobile industry, when that becomes obsolete, the town dies. If you really want to change the mall, look at diversity for the long-term. The future belongs to the intermixing of finance, invention, creativity and commerce -- reforming our single land-use districts to create mixed ones with sufficient density to support mass transit. That would a revolutionary way of developing the shopping mall. Something more satisfying than a series of stores."
Overhaul the mall
As a consumer, your duty to keep the economy afloat can be a hellish task-- but it doesn't have to be that way
Ben Kaplan, National Post Published: Saturday, December 13, 2008
Can we improve the mall? Our experts think so.
A man holding packages slumps outside Pottery Barn at the Eaton Centre; looking downtrodden and defeated, he is the living embodiment of the leadership of Stephane Dion. Why is this man so anguished? Because nowhere is the chaos of the holidays more evident than at a mall -- with its crying babies, fighting teens, long lines at chain stores for overpriced products that will have you reaching for your warranty before your eggnog gets warm.
However, facing global economic meltdown and price slashing from the big-box boys, the shopping centre -- that enclosed labyrinth of bad food, horrible fashion and rushed decisions -- could be on the precipice of change. With no retailer immune from bankruptcy, no employee safe from the unemployment line, we wonder: How could the mall be reimagined? We asked the city's brightest lights to build us their dream retail space: If Parliament can be prorogued, certainly two hours of holiday parking could be free.
1. THE MALL SHOULD ACT AS A COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE.
Christina Zeidler, president of the Gladstone Hotel
"The mall doesn't have to be Disneyland. They could incorporate the neighbourhood. Corporate interests drone out entrepreneurs. But a mall could create a micro-economy: The only way small businesses have power is by joining together. A mall could pool talent, create an icon of the local -- all the stores, restaurants and cafes could be linked.
Imagine the mall as a nexus for local businesses! Small business can't exist in a mall because of the rent. You can have a storefront in Parkdale the size of a postage stamp because the landlord keeps rent down. A mall that incorporates the local might have to lower some rents, but they'd have something original.
I'm anti-chain. There's strength in one of a kind. And times change. Today, there's a new consciousness. Wisdom of the small market is returning. Like-minded small groups present a different approach to the economy. My sister's building at 401 Richmond is a perfect example. It's an old warehouse she's running for artists, musicians, fashion designers and publishers -- the ground floor is retail space for small businesses. It's not run like a mall, where signage and storefronts are at the behest of corporations. At 401 Richmond, the individual has a chance to be heard. You're not in a homogeneous space. It defies the mall, like Wychwood Barns." - The Gladstone Hotel is at 1214 Queen St. W., gladstonehotel.com.401 Richmond is located on the northeast corner of Richmond and Queen streets.
2. A MALL IN DOWNTOWN TORONTO SHOULDN'T COMPETE WITH THE SUBURBS.
Sergio Meza, professor of marketing at Rotman School of Management
"In difficult times, stores like Wal-Mart benefit. People want more for their money. But the mall experience is different. It's the combination of shopping and an evening out. You have a coffee, purchase something, it's about leisure time -- malls can't engage in a price war. Big stores in the suburbs, where the real estate is less expensive, will always win.
But with the price of gas and time becoming more valuable, being able to do all your shopping in one place offers singular efficiency: Malls need to play to their unique strength. They're packaging entertainment. Well, those packages could extend: Buy a $30 Christmas tree at Sears and get a coupon for another shop, or a free Tim Hortons. Discounts across multiple outlets would work. Also, special events drive consumers. It's not about fighting competition, but joining them. Malls should be more interactive, more web-friendly. Don't fight cybershopping, offer free WiFi -- people still want to come in and touch their purchases, especially where they get everything at once and see friends.
Wal-Mart is less expensive, but you won't go there for coffee. Cost-cutting would be suicide. If a shopping mall were to scrimp on entertainment or creature comforts -- heating or the condition of the washroom -- they'd be dead. Instead, they should get music performed by young Canadian groups. Have them perform free! It's not reducing costs but facilitating customers --play up convenience, service and the environment."
3. WE HAVE TO MAKE THE MALLS MORE STYLISH.
Coco Rocha, the face of Yves Saint Laurent
"If they can make airports cool, why can't they do something with the mall? Make it hip! I'm not a designer, but I'm doing my apartment and it's all vintage inside, the outside area is Moroccan. There's got to be more stylish ideas than that Chinese food place that gives you rice or noodles with two kinds of meat. Spend some money in order to profit and attract celebrities. It wouldn't be that hard to [include] a couple of cool bars. Christmas music is fine, but imagine how fun the mall would be if you could dance! (Though I don't know how good the new Beyonce would be at 11 a. m.) Listen, I come from a normal family -- things don't have to be expensive, I'm all about Urban Outfitters, Urban Behaviour and H&M, but I hate how things in the mall are presented. Top designers have people paid to work on the windows, dress the mannequins, choose which clothes should be out. In the mall, whoever is working that day puts out dresses. At Macy's and Bloomingdale's, people wait in line to take photographs of the windows. You'd never consider that at a mall. Fashion is about image, a mall is about selling stuff. But they are cold-looking. They need more design. And more looseness. Random TVs. Video games. Let people do stuff without paying for everything. Imagine how cool that would be?"
4. THE FOOD COURT HAS TO GO.
Jennifer Agg, co-owner of The Black Hoof
"Here's the first thing: Buy. Fresh. Food. And I mean every day. I understand food costs, but be conscientious. Use everything. Right now, our chef is making stock from a pig's head. Honestly, I'm not sure what I'd do with a food court other than blow it up. Last time I ate there was at a Dairy Queen in Morningside when I was 14 years old. Why aren't there good options? Because the corporate world is so conservative; all they care about is the bottom line. But inexpensive fast food can be popular. The Sandwich Box on Queen and John pushes out delicious sandwiches for $7. A squirt of lemon, fresh ground pepper, ever-so-slightly toasted Portuguese bread. Restaurants need an owner that cares. When some restaurants do a frozen strawberry margarita, they get the sh--tiest, cheapest slush mix they can find, it costs 20 cents to make, tastes terrible and nobody cares. Everything about it is wrong. Our restaurant does house-made meats that wouldn't appeal to a large market, but things we do could translate -- like customer service. A food court needs to feed people quickly, but it's possible to do quality at high volume. It's hard. But there are places, such as Fresh Juice for Life, that would immediately improve a mall's food. I'm yet to even see a mall burger done well. Mall restaurants have no imagination. To run a restaurant, you have to impose your taste with no inhibitions. Less greed equals better food. Even at the mall."
-The Black Hoof is at 928 Dundas St. W., 416-551-8854.
5. DON'T FORGET THE HUMAN TOUCH.
Jack Diamond of Diamond + Schmitt Architects
"The street is a public space -- that's what's missing at a mall. To make a mall appealing, it has to become part of a new town centre. A mall could become the Main Street it once was. I'm talking about a space with offices, parks, residences and shops. The mall as a town centre -- not apart from its surrounding community, its centre. Start with natural light. I'd love to see a mall with a retractable roof. One of the tricks in a mall is you don't want to be reminded of the outside, they want to pump in Christmas music until you don't know whether it's night or day. In the casino, they don't want you to know if it's night or day. I won't say malls are equivalent, but they aren't far off. Why can't we have shrubs and lawns and foster community at a mall, as well as getting your shopping done?
The most important thing is to introduce non-commercial functions: schools, clinics, libraries, community centres --a new kind of town!Diversified. It's like when one kind of a crop gets a disease, it's highly vulnerable. It's the mixed forest that survives. The one-company town, say, the automobile industry, when that becomes obsolete, the town dies. If you really want to change the mall, look at diversity for the long-term. The future belongs to the intermixing of finance, invention, creativity and commerce -- reforming our single land-use districts to create mixed ones with sufficient density to support mass transit. That would a revolutionary way of developing the shopping mall. Something more satisfying than a series of stores."
