by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
And now for something completely different.
That’s what store managers at the Landing are hoping for if Sleiman Enterprises takes over management of the property from the Rouse Company.
The assignment of the lease was on the agenda for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission meeting this morning.
“I want to see something new and exciting, something special, different,” said Sonjii Peters, manager of the Body Shop, a clothing store that caters to young women. “This is not Regency [Square] or Avenues Mall. This is a place for people who don’t want to be bothered with malls.”
The Landing, which opened in 1987, contains 125,000 square feet of retail space on two levels. It has room for more than 40 stores and additional space for restaurants.
At the same time it is being promoted as a natural focal point for the 2005 Super Bowl, merchants said, too many locked storefronts are giving visitors a bad impression. And pedestrian traffic has been light for too long.
“When [Sleiman] goes to bring in new tenants, he needs to bring in something we don’t already have,” said John Robinson, manager of the Edgewater Treasures gift shop. “We’re kind of like a specialty mall. Competing against each other really doesn’t work.”
Blame abounds for the uninspired business being done in Landing stores. They generally come down to variety, advertising and parking — or the insufficiency of all three.
Customers often go to the Landing with a specific store or purchase in mind, merchants said. Even if they are attracted to displays in another store, they have to pass it by to feed the meter.
“They may think they have enough time to try something on, but then they find they have a parking ticket for $5,” said Sunny Oh No, owner of Cinderella, a shoe store, and the adjoining La beaute, a women’s clothing shop.
“I’ve called customers when I’ve gotten some things in,” she said, “and they said they didn’t want to come because parking is so bad.”
Kirk Wendland, executive director of the JEDC, has downplayed the parking problem, particularly at night and on weekends, when foot traffic is so light.
Robinson suggested that the importance of parking may be a chicken-or-the-egg proposition.
“Extra parking would help,” he said, “but that’s primarily if [Sleiman] is successful getting more people down here. I should say, when he is successful getting more people down here.
“When you have more events, or you have Florida-Georgia, parking does get to be a problem. That may be more of a problem if [Sleiman] does get larger events here to perform.”
Valerie Swain, assistant manager of French Novelty, agreed.
“Oh, yes, it’s a problem,” she said. “We have advertisements on TV and everything, but a lot of people say they don’t come down because of the parking.”
More advertising, or better marketing, would help clear up some confusion about what’s available at the Landing, Peters said.
“We definitely should advertise more,” she said. “The word is not out there about what we have.
“A lot of people think the Landing is primarily a place to eat or occasionally hear a band.”
As people come into the mall, they also could do without the banter and challenges from street people, many of whom aren’t deterred by the No Panhandling signs, said Kristie Rauch, manager of Destination Jacksonville.
“They’re constantly coming into the store, asking for money, carrying on with customers,” she said. “I had a homeless guy yell at me because I wouldn’t give him any money.”
Peters and others recommended clothing stores for men and children and a place where children can play while the grown-ups are shopping.
Swain pointed out that, although there is a nail salon in the mall, there’s no beauty parlor.
“We have customers come in — they’re staying at the Adam’s Mark — they want their hair done,” she said. “They can get their nails done but not their hair.”
“People go to conventions and bring their children, too, and there’s not very much for them here,” said Peters. “We do have a band every now and then, but we need more entertainment, all varieties of music.
“There are a lot of people who come by when the Jaguars play, and it would be great if we had entertainment and food available for them.”
Robinson said the new management “definitely” needs something, or several somethings, to set the mall apart from other shopping areas.
He noted that at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, which the Rouse Co. operates, there is a place where the staff treats audiences to song-and-dance routines while they make fudge.
“We need something that will make the Landing unique,” said Robinson. “We need stores that you can’t find in the Avenues Mall or at Regency, something that makes us special.”
Peters said the Landing already is special, but the word is only getting out to the public slowly.
“This is a great place,” she said. “I love it here. We’re like a family, and we want everybody to come visit.”