AliShopsBlog.com - The Twin Cities Shopping Blog

Rosedale catches up

Rosedale Center has long been a more pleasant, updated place to shop than, say, Southdale. And it's finally getting the stores and amenities that will keep shoppers on the east side of town (watch out, Mall of America!). The mall announced Tuesday that J. Crew, Sephora, White House/Black Market and C.J. Banks will open at Rosedale this spring, along with Rocco Altobelli Salon & Day Spa and Flame, a new restaurant from Hemisphere Restaurant Partners. And of course, Lucy is already there - MOA doesn't have that one!

Macy's: Can it get any worse?

Clearly, Twin Cities shoppers have strong opinions about Macy's. So now that you've had a few days to process the news that Macy's North - the division based here in Minneapolis - is being eliminated, what do you think? Can shopping at the department store get any worse? Hard to see how this move is going to help with the kinds of gripes we frequently chat about here - lack of adequate (and informed) staffing, lack of interesting merchandise and so on. So what do you think? The message local execs had been pushing in the face of constant complaints was that they were like us - they lived here, they remembered the glory days of Dayton's and they were trying to give us what we wanted - despite the corporate culture. With that no longer possible, will you continue to shop there? If not, where will you go instead? I really do want to know - your thoughts could be part of a column I'm working on for the Pioneer Press.

New at MOA

It's been a while since Mall of America had an exciting announcement that didn't involve SpongeBob. (The Nickelodeon Universe theme park is supposed to open March 15, by the way.) But finally, MOA is rolling out the welcome mat for a whole new crop of stores, including two new concepts from Abercrombie & Fitch: Gilly Hicks Sydney, "an upscale but moderately priced" underwear brand launching world-wide this year and Ruehl, targeting the post-Abercrombie generation of 22 to 35-year-olds with urban business casual apparel.  After Gap's "grown-up" Forth & Towne brand tanked before making it to Minneapolis, I'm glad we're going to get a shot at shopping Ruehl. Other newcomers in the next few months will include Gymboree's fancier line, Janie and Jack as well as company stores from Levis and Lacoste. Just when shopping starts to seem staid, MOA does come through, reminding us of its power to draw big brands. I just hope someone in this price-sensitive town is actually buying those lovely things at the new Burberry store.

Local outlet shopping

As alluded to in a previous post, I got a peek at the Uber Outlet at 60th and Lyndale in Minneapolis, which is scheduled to open next week. It's big. There will be fitting rooms and a play area for kids, but the decor will be simple to keep to the focus on deals - maternity and baby clothes as well as other categories, like accessories. I'll have an article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press next week about the growing number of local retailers that favor outlets over in-store sales, and more specifics on the Uber Outlet will be posted at AliShops.com. But let me leave you with one more pertinent detail: while the Uber Outlet will sell clearance goods from Expecting Uber Baby and Uber Baby at the Galleria, much of the merchandise will be brought in especially for the outlet. On the one hand, it's another much-needed destination for better quality clothes at affordable prices. On the other, it could be a bit disappointing to those hoping to find deals on merchandise they specifically saw at the Galleria. What do you think?

Store openings

Last week, I promised the scoop on Baby Grand's new store on Mainstreet in Hopkins and I have not forgotten...it's just taking a bit longer to open than owners had hoped. The new target is this weekend. But call first. Meanwhile, swimwear shop Nani Nalu is frantically preparing for its move from Ridgedale Center to 50th and France on Feb. 1. The new shop promises an expanded selection and a few surprises - check back next week for that story. Then on Feb. 5, the folks behind Expecting Uber Baby will open their Uber Outlet (I'm getting a sneak peek this week, so I'll let you know what to...expect.) And in March, Uber Baby will open at the Galleria with a new focus on children's shoes. Then in April, Hot Mama heads west for its latest addition: a Wayzata store.

And we haven't even hit spring! Lots more shopping news to come - and this is the place to find it first. Wondering about a specific store opening or what will become of a vacant store front in the Twin Cities? Let me know and I'll try to get you the details.

Lucky us

Lucky magazine finally figured out what we've known all along: the Twin Cities boasts an impressive bevy of independent boutiques. In the February issue, on newsstands Wednesday, Lucky features Minneapolis and St. Paul among "the best new cities to shop." They singled out 15 independent stores: some obvious, like Ivy, Stephanie's, Bluebird Boutique and the Walker Shop; and a few intended to prove they really did their homework, like Salon Rouge for beauty products and Swank Interiors for vintage furnishings. (Get the full list in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.) There are some glaring omissions: StyledLife, Cherie, Corazon - but, then, there would be no way to adequately capture the entire scene on one page...that's what AliShops.com is for.
Actually, Lucky indirectly contributed to the launch of AliShops.com. I used to provide local shopping news for the magazine's website, until they decided a few years ago to cut Minneapolis. That's right - they kept Denver, and axed the Twin Cities. I told them that was crazy - this is a creative, cosmopolitan city, filled with interesting, innovative retail concepts and fashionable residents. Seems they're finally catching on. Better late than never.

Good tailor

A good tailor is hard to find - and for some, hard to admit you need since adding $20 in alterations to any garment is no one's idea of a good time. But any fashion expert will tell you to factor the price of tailoring in to every purchase. A good fit makes all the difference.
This is the month to test that strategy at Glamour Tailors (3515 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-825-2085). While I can't speak from personal experience, many very particular fashionistas and boutique owners recommend the place. They do everything from original hems on denim to custom designing to men's tailoring. And this month, when you pay full price for one alteration, the second (of lesser value) is half-price.

Macy's responds!

Your numerous comments about Macy's on this very blog have been read by higher-ups at Macy's. I had a very frank conversation with the pr director, who was aware that I typically wrap up the year with a column on retail resolutions - things I think retailers need to do better in the coming year to keep our business. This year, Macy's wanted to be more proactive and agreed to share its own goals for '08. Read all about it in my Savvy Shopper column the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Sunday, Dec. 30. And on Saturday, Dec. 29, tune in to "Shop Girls" on FM107.1. Macy's pr director Natalie Bushaw will join us at 10:30 a.m. to talk about our complaints and what the department store is doing to address them. Feel free to chime in - our number is 651-641-1071. Or as always, comment here - it makes a difference!

Also, a couple of blog readers have commented on the little stickers Macy's now puts on items at point of purchase. Those stickers do indeed replace the need for a gift receipt. Bring back an item with a sticker on it, and the salesperson will have all the info needed to make a return (same way they do it at Nordstrom). It's a good idea, but as usual, there's a disconnect. Macy's sales associates are not necessarily explaining the stickers or the fact that you don't need a gift receipt if the item has one. Sigh.

On the shopping beat

People (well, people who like to shop) tend to think I have a dream job. Even those who don't like to shop are usually intrigued by visions of me running through malls all day grabbing whatever I want. Yes, I am one of the few who can say to her boss "I'll be at the mall" and have that not be a bad thing. And I do spend more time than most at stores, but never as much as I spend at a desk. People are considerably less likely to want to steal my gig when they find out that I can't accept free stuff. I get better swag than anyone at the paper and regularly have stores offering me gift cards and discounts, but I have to turn it all down to avoid conflicts that would make it seem there's some personal agenda behind what I write.
Still, as I drove around town last week with a trunk full of expensive presents borrowed from local shops, I was struck by the oddness of what I do. I literally walk into stores, say, "this is cool!" and they let me take it, often without even leaving a business card. It's an odd power. I do it to show gifts, trends, hot items on TV or in the paper. And heck, it's a lot more fun than pushing paper. But what it really amounts to: a whole lot of schlepping.

Bags, boxes and more Macy's gripes

It's been six months since Macy's virtually eliminated paper shopping bags - you know, the ones sturdy enough to hold several purchases and tall enough to contain a gift box. That's right, welcome to the holidays at Macy's, where you have to carry your box separately because it doesn't fit into the flimsy plastic bag - that is, if you can get a gift box. Half the time, they don't seem to have boxes behind the register (did the holiday just sneak up on them?) and I've yet to encounter a sales associate who offered to locate one for me. I went out of my way to the customer service desk to get a box - only to discover when I got home that they had given me one too small.

And why do Macy's employees seem surprised that shoppers want gift receipts? Most associates don't seem ask, and when you tell them you need one, they get all hot and bothered and have to void the transaction and start over. 1. Why not set up the registers to automatically spit out a gift receipt, like they do at Target, or at least make it possible to add one at the end of the transaction. 2. If that really is not possible, why not train associates to ask before ringing if the customer wants a gift receipt.

After all, we're trying to follow the rules.

Service gripes

Which is worse: no sales associate behind the register, or an associate who stands there, doing nothing, even when the customer asks for help? Not once, but twice in the past week I have directly asked about sizes I couldn't find on the rack, only to receive a shrug from the staff. The first time, it happened at J.Crew. I was filing through stacks of shirts, unable to turn up a large. I told the employee who was folding at the table next to me and she said "Yeah, those are popular." Not "I'm sorry, we're all out of that size" or "Here, let me check for you." Eventually, I found one on my own. And when they asked at the register if anyone had been helping me, I promptly replied "No."

It happened again in the men's department at Macy's where I was initially delighted to find an employee behind the register, only to discover he had no interest in coming out to help me find a jacket for my dad. They "probably" didn't have it, he told me. I moved on.

I realize it's not terribly original to complain about bad service at this time of year, but honestly, retailers should know what's happening on the front lines.

Ridgedale vs. Southdale

If you find yourself reluctant to leave Ridgedale Center, it's probably the new carpet making the surroundings feel more cozy. The remodeling of Ridgedale is now complete, and while I didn't find the changes that overwhelming, regulars tell me they love the updated look. There's a new family-friendly first floor bathroom near JC Penney and a second fountain in center court. But many of the improvements are subtle: new lighting, darker wood. All together, it adds up to a fresh, more contemporary feel. When I visited last week, the expansive center court was bustling. (Mom alert: I prefer the play area here, where there's space between climbing objects, to the one at Eden Prairie Center, where one big climbing structure leads to more collisions).
The Ridgedale updates got me wondering, once again, if Southdale Center is ever going to get started on improvements of it own. Make that, a total overhaul. Simon Properties, the new owner, has taken over - note the new purple Southdale signs and Simon gift cards. But a spokesperson for the center tells me there's no word yet on renovation plans. Seriously? They haven't had enough time to figure something out? I know several tenants are waiting to see what Simon does with the aged place before deciding whether or not to renew leases. Better get going, Simon, before all the good ones are gone.

Shopping cart blues

With baby No. 2 on the way, an email this week from Tracy of Edina hit close to home. She’s a would-be SuperTarget shopper who can’t believe the retailer hasn’t figured out that more kid-friendly carts are needed at the store. “I want to do my grocery shopping there, but cannot if I can’t place both my 3 year old and 1 year old in a shopping cart. Target has the traditional carts, which are fine for my 1 year old, but have no place for a preschooler. They have the long carts with the two-seater caddy attached to the back, but there is no place for the 1 year old.” She goes on to point out that most established grocery stores have carts with a backward facing baby seat as well as an attached car for the bigger kid. If Target wants to seriously compete in the grocery game, these are the details that matter.

Trouble at Excelsior & Grand?

I'm a big fan of the Excelsior & Grand development in St. Louis Park. Too often, when a "downtown" pops up in the middle of a suburb, it looks like a phony facade in the middle of a huge parking lot. But Excelsior & Grand really seems to fit in. The development looks urban, but has fountains and greenery that make it an attractive gathering spot. The stores (including Q., Shorty's Loft, Max's, Shu and Lulu & Luigi) are locally owned and unique, there's a variety of tenants from dog boutique to nail salon, the restaurants are varied, there's a great park just down the hill and plenty of paths, and who could forget: Trader Joe's.

Nevertheless, I just got word that Che Bella, one of the original Excelsior & Grand retailers, has decided to move to Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Great news for Grand (read more about that in the St. Paul Pioneer Press in the coming weeks - the new shop opens early September). But I've heard some rumblings that others at Excelsior & Grand are having a bit of trouble. One of the culprits: parking. Indeed, it's tough to get one of the few spaces right next to the stores, but there is ample ramp parking nearby. I guess having to walk a bit to the shops is a little too urban for some. What do you think? Do you shop at Excelsior & Grand? If not, why not? Is it the stores, is it the parking, is it something else? Hate to see a promising new district with vacancy signs.

"Black Friday" lacks a festive ring

Confession: I kind of like the hustle and bustle at the mall the day after Thanksgiving. I do not like driving round and round the parking lot for 30 minutes, but I just won't let it get me down. I enjoy seeing what's in store, people watching and soaking up the festive energy. Just me, and 137 million like-minded shoppers.

But I'm not a Black Friday shopper in the true sense of the word. I don't get up in the middle of the night to shop (unless my editor makes me) and I don't camp outside stores. For me, it just doesn't seem worth the hassle. True bargain hunters say the deals are there -- if you're prepared (and interested primarily in electronics and toys).

Do your homework: Know regular prices on items you're interested in buying, so you can be sure to spot a true bargain. Bring a buddy to stand in the ridiculously long lines while you grab the goods. And keep your eye on the sales. This is not the day to buy merchandise at full price -- it's bound to get marked down within a week or two. Ah, the joys of the season!