May 2003 Cover Story Features

Cover Story

The Name Game
In the last year, more than 50 outlet centers changed hands, and not surprisingly, many of those projects got new names along with new owners. VRN explores the case studies of five developers who have recently played the name game and probes the strategic and creative processes behind the changeovers.

Features

Dye-ing to Grow
Haircolorxpress, which plans to operate 10,000 worldwide stores by 2010, sees outlet centers as a potential source of growth.

Chelsea Japan's New Entry
North of Tokyo, Chelsea Japan Co. opens its third upscale outlet center in Japan to mobs of shoppers and widespread media coverage.

Retreating into Reality
A new book says that rather than being a feel-good exercise, a company retreat can help set corporate goals, realign services and brainstorm potential new products to meet current market conditions.

Luxury's Allure
Despite headlines about a troubled economy and likely recession, luxury goods still are selling, a trend that is a boon to upscale outlet centers and their tenants. Two respected retail marketing consultants say luxury's allure is largely thanks to the nation's huge numbers of baby boomers.

Security Blanket
As a result of the war in Iraq, more and more outlet centers are adopting ICSC guidelines aimed at reducing the threat of terrorism in their projects.

'Irrelevant' project revived
Clearwater (Fla.) Mall, outgunned by the competition, is being morphed into a power center that will bring new tenants to the market.

Festival Bay at International Drive opens
Belz Enterprises' architecturally dazzling retail/entertainment venue opens in Orlando, sporting an array of Sunbelt-oriented anchors and specialty stores.