Store owners in University Mall admit they braced for impact when the new Provo Towne Centre opened. But so far, they haven't suffered much at the cash registers.
University Mall manager Rob Kallas said that while he doesn't have financial reports yet because the Provo mall just recently opened, his conversations with store owners indicate there has not been a marked difference in shopping patterns."The first day or two, I think it was a little slower for some," he said. "But I believe that's picked back up. We had a lot of retailing hit (in October), not just the new mall. But we haven't noticed an appreciable difference. I'm feeling encouraged, yes, especially as we continue to do what we're doing, and when Nordstrom opens, it'll be even better."
Kallas said he expects Nordstrom will open in the summer of 2000.
Theron Allred, owner of the two Hallmark stores in the Orem mall, said he ended October just $27 off from where he was last year, even though the month started "way off."
In fact, for the first three days after the Provo mall opened, Allred said his business was up 10 percent.
"I told them, go ahead and open any time. It's fine for me," he said.
He is grateful, however, that University Mall managers planned the construction schedule so there was no major disruption still going on at the same time the Provo mall opened its doors. There's also no other remodeling planned until the Christmas shopping season is over.
"That was good planning," he said.
The mall is undergoing a $54 million remodeling project that will refurbish the entire mall, expand the ZCMI anchor store, add 100,000 square feet of new retail space and bring Nordstrom in as the third anchor replacing J.C. Penney.
Allred said Angel's Hallmark, located near the ZCMI Court on the west end, has fared better than Amelia's Hallmark, which is located in the corridor between Mervyns and J.C. Penney. Business hasn't been as good there because of decreased traffic when Penneys moved out.
"I think when Penneys left, that store took a hit and hasn't recovered yet," Allred said. "I'm a little more concerned there.
"But I'm quite encouraged for what's happened so far and as the remodeling progresses, as the details go in, I think it's adding. I think people like it."
ZCMI manager Ron Farley agrees that business is not down since the Provo mall opened.
"There's been no appreciable difference," he said.
He says a loyal customer base has continued to shop the ZCMI store despite having to brave construction and remodeling work in a quarter of the building.
"We've got so much going on right now, it's just really tough to know what's happening," Farley said.
"Obviously, sales are a little bit tough with the increased competition. We have the Shops at Riverwoods that opened two months ago and Dillards that opened a month ago," Farley said. "But people are used to Penneys and to Sears, and they've had a month to get acquainted with Dillards."
Farley said he anticipated more of a difference in measurable sales once the entire mall opened, but that difference has not materialized at the registers.
"Based on what we have seen tracking these two openings and the mall opening, we really see no appreciable difference."
And the future looks bright for ZCMI, he said.
Construction inside the store will be halted Nov. 13 so workers can focus on completing the new 44,000-square-foot addition to the north and Christmas shoppers will not be disturbed.
The new View Cafe is expected to open Nov. 16, replacing the Tiffin Room.
The day after Christmas, the ZCMI addition is scheduled to open, and by spring, the entire store will be new, Farley said.
"It'll be a store Utah County can be proud of. The whole store will be brand spanking new," he said.