WSJ article on Elmira

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

http://www.cetusnews.com/business/Retail-Stores-Made-Elmira--N-Y---an-Unlikely-Success%E2%80%94Now-They%E2%80%99re-Gone.B1QSSLBtjW.html

[boyst]

reminds me of greensboro a lot.

 

and there is only one Mayberry, and that ain't mayberry

[Marv's Neighbor]

Great old pics but you could say that about most "downtown" areas in the US. Of course, Buffalo comes to mind too. It's evolution from; neighborhoods to downtown to the plazas to the malls to the internet etc.

 

Elmira maybe held on a lot longer than most cities. My parents bought in S Buffalo in 1950. My mother didn't drive at that time, and she could walk 3 blocks to Seneca St, and get most anything she needed.

[flaz]

Mike in HH sent me a picture, a while back, that perfectly represents the area. It's of an older car in a store parking lot with no doors and no front bumper, but it did have a tag!

[Mike in Horseheads]

That article is a bit misleading as the Mall is in Big Flats and Horseheads. Elmira as a city died many years ago and it was BECAUSE of the mall grabbing up Pennys, Sears and others. Also the 1972 flood destroyed much of the business district.

...A few years ago hope abounded because Chemung County is sitting on a abundance of natural gas. Unfortunately the governor catered to his liberal NYC base and banned fracking and that was that.

...Its really a shame I grew up in Elmira and it did have a touch of Mayberry. Now it's a drug infested, crime ridden schit whole.

Mike in HH sent me a picture, a while back, that perfectly represents the area. It's of an older car in a store parking lot with no doors and no front bumper, but it did have a tag!

LOL... i forgot about that. To make matters worse in was in St Joes Hospital parking lot.

[CowgirlsFan]

Truly sad.

 

Similar situation there in Arlington Texas with Six Flags Mall. It was just recently demolished.

 

Another in Dallas named Valley View Mall is all but empty.

[Gugny]

Our mall (Aviation Mall) is pretty dead. We have Target, Dick's, JCP and Sears as the anchor stores.

 

They did upgrade the cinema (Regal) with the reclining seats and even added some Tesla charging stations (which I've seen used once). The food court, which used to have 8-10 offerings, now has a Chinese restaurant - and that's it. It does, however, have a 99 Restaurant with an outside entrance (which is next to a Planet Fitness - also with an outside entrance).

 

Inside the mall, there's a lot of vacant spaces. Most people go to the stores with the outside entrance and don't venture inside.

 

On the other hand, less than 10 minutes away is the "Million Dollar Mile," which is on the Queensbury/Lake George border. It's a series of "outlets," which really aren't outlets, like they used to be.

 

But they are always mobbed during spring/summer; and still pretty healthy during fall/winter.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Great old pics but you could say that about most "downtown" areas in the US. Of course, Buffalo comes to mind too. It's evolution from; neighborhoods to downtown to the plazas to the malls to the internet etc.

 

Elmira maybe held on a lot longer than most cities. My parents bought in S Buffalo in 1950. My mother didn't drive at that time, and she could walk 3 blocks to Seneca St, and get most anything she needed.

 

They have some good points in that article on the Elmira mall.

 

I live in a "1st ring" suburb - a small town adjacent to St Louis city where the city expanded up to its borders, and additional suburbs further out.

 

There was a time in the '80s when our main street was a ghost town. Big box stores ruled. Now the big box stores are fighting Amazon tooth and nail, and our main street is lined with small boutique and "craft" businesses - a spice shop, a specialty olive oil/vinegar and liqueur shop, a custom leather shop, custom knife shop, bakery, coffee roaster, chocolatier, several off-beat and custom clothing shops, 2 comic book and game stores, even a shop called "strange donuts" All things it's harder to buy online. The city throws regular "block party" street festival events to help raise awareness of the businesses.

 

That is the pathway to retail brick-and-mortar success I think - things that people can't easily buy online or where there is value added from buying in person (taste 20 different olive oils. pick the feel and look of the leather for your purse), plus events to lure people in to participate and see the shops.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Hapless Bills Fan