Foothills Fashion Fail?
By Millie Eberl
11/01/2013 Renovations The Foothills Fashion Mall located in Fort Collins, Colo. has been in need of a complete makeover for some time now. It went from a great place to shop, eat, and hang out to a ghost town. The only people you see these days are juveniles with nothing better to do and destination shoppers, people who go in for a particular store knowing what item they need in advanced. At this point, the only option left is redevelopment, and that is exactly what is being done. Although a few stores will remain open during construction, the final product is set to be complete by holiday season 2014. Most can agree this redevelopment needed to be done. The problem is communication. The mall gets multiple calls throughout the day from people wondering if a particular store is open, when they plan on closing permanently, and where the stores that have closed relocated too. There needs to be more publicity on the matter because people believe the stores are closed, and as a result, sales are dropping rapidly. Victoria's Secret Victoria’s Secret Store Manager, Jennifer Rohn, has recently received news of an obstacle in the project. “The mall just changed their design for the floor plan, all projects are on standstill until they can get these new plans approved,” said Rohn. Although this means the project may take even longer now, it means good things for her store. Victoria’s Secret is getting a complete remodel that will not get in the way of current business. They are planning on building the new store while the old store stays open for business, once complete, the store will be closed for three days to move the merchandise to the new location inside of the mall. Estimated Outcome It may take some patience, but if all goes well, the final outcome looks like it will be worth the wait. According to shopfoothills, the goal of the project is to attract economic investment, create jobs, add more retailers, and add amenities to improve the community. “It is one of the largest planned retail developments in the country and a rare opportunity to restore Foothills as the cultural and economic magnet it once was.” We can only hope this is the case and that the floor plans are approved quickly. Until then the mall will continue to lose business to The Promenade Shops at Centerra, receive endless calls from confused customers, and layoff more employees. |
Brooke Jessen - Buckle Employee
Employees had a lot to talk about when expressing their frustrations and how they have had to adapt during the redevelopment process.
Before and (Expected) After PhotosKatie Raynes - Victoria's Secret Employee
Lack of communication has become a frustration for most mall employees who are experiencing cuts in hours and sales.
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