Dillards

Predicting the demise of Sears & Kmart since 2017!
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SamSpade
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Dillards

Post by SamSpade »

From the Nordstrom thread, seems like some folks might want to chat about Dillard's.

I'll start things off — Mall of the Bluffs, adjacent to the Omaha, Neb. Market. Dillard's switched the property to a clearance center and it is scheduled to close August 1, 2019
https://www.omaha.com/money/dillard-s-c ... d8476.html
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Re: Dillards

Post by rwsandiego »

Sounds like the mall has been dying around the store.
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Re: Dillards

Post by pseudo3d »

Historically, Dillard's has stuck around in dying malls. If Dillard's was the only anchor, it would stick around despite the mall's clear failure (see: Harding Mall) but if it wasn't, it was usually the second to go (based on observations, the dead mall pattern in the late 2000s was JCPenney first, then Dillard's, then Macy's, then Sears).
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Re: Dillards

Post by arizonaguy »

pseudo3d wrote: July 22nd, 2019, 8:50 pm Historically, Dillard's has stuck around in dying malls. If Dillard's was the only anchor, it would stick around despite the mall's clear failure (see: Harding Mall) but if it wasn't, it was usually the second to go (based on observations, the dead mall pattern in the late 2000s was JCPenney first, then Dillard's, then Macy's, then Sears).
Dillard's seems to stick around dead malls in Arizona longer than most other department stores. Off the top of my head Dillard's has only closed 2 stores in Arizona over the past 20 years or so (El Con Mall in Tucson and Christown Spectrum Mall in Phoenix). Both of these malls were older "inner ring" malls dating back to the early 1960s. Interestingly JCPenney currently operates stores at both malls (although it closed it's Christown Spectrum store in 1997 and then re-opened it's store there in a different location within the mall in 2006).

The Dillard's Clearance Center is the only remaining anchor at Fiesta Mall in Mesa and is the only remaining "traditional" anchor at Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix. In addition Dillard's still operates a full line store at Desert Sky Mall (which was the 1st of the 1970s - 1980s era malls in Phoenix to "die" although it has been semi "reborn" into a Hispanic focused mall).
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Re: Dillards

Post by rwsandiego »

arizonaguy wrote: July 22nd, 2019, 9:28 pm
pseudo3d wrote: July 22nd, 2019, 8:50 pm Historically, Dillard's has stuck around in dying malls. If Dillard's was the only anchor, it would stick around despite the mall's clear failure (see: Harding Mall) but if it wasn't, it was usually the second to go (based on observations, the dead mall pattern in the late 2000s was JCPenney first, then Dillard's, then Macy's, then Sears).
Dillard's seems to stick around dead malls in Arizona longer than most other department stores. Off the top of my head Dillard's has only closed 2 stores in Arizona over the past 20 years or so (El Con Mall in Tucson and Christown Spectrum Mall in Phoenix). Both of these malls were older "inner ring" malls dating back to the early 1960s. Interestingly JCPenney currently operates stores at both malls (although it closed it's Christown Spectrum store in 1997 and then re-opened it's store there in a different location within the mall in 2006).

The Dillard's Clearance Center is the only remaining anchor at Fiesta Mall in Mesa and is the only remaining "traditional" anchor at Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix. In addition Dillard's still operates a full line store at Desert Sky Mall (which was the 1st of the 1970s - 1980s era malls in Phoenix to "die" although it has been semi "reborn" into a Hispanic focused mall).
I wonder whether they own the real estate.

I like Dillard's, mainly because they sell tall sizes in the store. Scottsdale Fashion Square has an excellent big/tall section. Surprisingly, the Yuma Palms and Imperial Valley Mall stores do, as well. When I asked the sales associate at IV why he told me that they don't get many tall customers, so they tend to have a decent selection. When I was driving from San Diego to Phoenix IVM would be a bathroom break and Yuma Palms was a stretch and nap break.

Other than that, their stores remind me of a cross between an un-remodeled downmarket Marshall Fields and a Carson, Pirie, Scott from back in the day.
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Re: Dillards

Post by storewanderer »

I have found Dillard's to offer excellent quality collared button down dress shirts in their house brand. Quality is beyond words better than Macy's where the stuff wears out after a year or two at best. I have some Dillard's shirts from 5+ years ago that still look as good as new; I have a couple that still look pretty good from 8 years ago, though recently one of those started to fray at the neck (I remember that batch distinctly since they were only 2.99 each in Bartlesville, OK one Friday morning when I stumbled across the parking lot to the store before driving back down to TUL and got them right as the clerk was moving them off a 65% off rack onto a 2.99 rack). Some polo shirts I've gotten in that same house brand probably aren't much better than what Wal Mart sells, but since I purchase during those 65% off regular price plus extra 40-50% off sales the cost is around a Wal Mart level anyway.

Haven't noticed anything particularly special about their more causal clothing (t-shirts, etc.) and their warm coat selection for men has been terrible the past few years here in Reno. Not sure if they can't get us what we need here because the store is grouped in a region with Las Vegas and Phoenix or what.

I've also had good luck with some towels purchased there also in their brand (Southern Home or something).
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Re: Dillards

Post by rwsandiego »

storewanderer wrote: July 27th, 2019, 9:59 pm I have found Dillard's to offer excellent quality collared button down dress shirts in their house brand. Quality is beyond words better than Macy's where the stuff wears out after a year or two at best. ...
Their house brand appears to be made by whoever made Nordstrom's brand. Like you, I buy them when they have the amazing discounts. Their tall-sized dress shirts fit a little better than Nordstrom's. The wrinkle free shirts come out of the dryer looking like they came back from the dry cleaners.

I also found Dillard's house brand sportcoats (Murano, maybe) and slacks (Murano and some other brand that escapes me) to be of very good quality. The black blazer I bought for under $75 fits me perfectly and the matching slacks not only fit great but came out of the wash looking like they had been pressed. Colleagues routinely compliment me on the fit of their products. Truly excellent product.
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