Retail Watchers

...HOWEVER, one mall that I think they have gotten traction on getting people to use "Westfield" is Westfield Culver City. Only because they changed the name of the mall completely from "Fox Hills." So newcomers to the area really do call it "Westfield Culver City." Bu...

Agree with the comments above about trying to force a parent brand on a chain of malls being an exercise in futility. Especially when they plaster the name on a higher-end property like UTC -- adding that Australian outback "Westfield" brings the UTC brand DOWN, not up. I guarantee you ZER...

Interesting write-up on the new logo from a design blog's perspective here: https://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/new_logo_for_lord_taylor_1.php The blog linked above echoes your sentiments about the new identity feeling cheap: "The new logo now makes Lord + Taylor (with a plus s...

The Starbucks inside my local Vons (Southern Calif.) was recently remodeled to a bigger kiosk. The biggest upgrade coming from the new kiosk: an oven, so they can sell the whole line of Starbucks hot foods. It took one month for them to do what seems like a simple job. The cashiers say they lost man...

I don't find the "tidy up" announcements creepy per se. Maybe I'm desensitized from hearing similar announcements at every 24 Hour Fitness I've been to. If anything, I find them pointless. What I DO find offputting are employees loudly barking to eachother over the PA. Not talking, barking...

This commercial is also in rotation on the in-house TV channel run by 24 Hour Fitness that airs on screens in all of its gyms around the country. Noticed it last night while I was at my local 24. Good targeting IMO.

I pass directly by the Manhattan Beach Gelson's and the new Hermosa Beach Lazy Acres on my drive home from work. Lazy Acres looks MUCH busier on any given weeknight than Gelson's. Just an observation.

Target has apparently opened another small format store in Portland, at a former bowling alley along Powell Blvd: https://katu.com/news/local/target-spares-bowling-alley-charm-with-store-in-se-portlands-old-amf-bowling-center I will check this out next time I am in the area. It looks interesting to...

One thing interesting to note here, the closing of the Commack, NY store will mark the end of the Target Greatland brand as we know it. This store was the last one remaining with this signage after other locations remodeled this moniker away in the past decade. Anyhow, best of luck to these communi...

Carlsbad was indeed downsized. I think Manhattan Beach will do very well. It is surrounded on all sides by pure, high-income residential. Many, many people will be in walking distance of that store. As in, blocks away with no need to cross major streets. The store itself also looks great from the ex...