| Retail holding pattern
Houses are springing up at The Palisades, but the community's retail portion is on hold until enough people move there to support it, developers said. The 1,600-acre community, being built off N.C. 49 in southwest Mecklenburg County near the Buster Boyd Bridge, will eventually feature a 15-acre commercial center and a smaller "retail village" tucked among the homes. About 250 families have moved to The Palisades since it opened in summer 2005, but its commercial developers say they're waiting for more residents to make sure the new businesses have a market. "The classic real estate (idea) is that retail follows housing," said Jim Medall, president of Rhein Medall Communities, which is developing the residential portion and village center. "There are not enough rooftops to support a viable space." Rhein Medall has started building the 10,000-square-foot village center along Grand Palisades Parkway.
Hong Kong: Treasure Island
The photos hanging on the wall at Shanghai Tang show familiar faces: Michael Douglas, Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Kate Moss, Jodie Foster. Each is wearing a Chinese jacket or cheongsam -- dress -- from the Hong Kong store. Similar dresses and jackets, many priced at well over $1,000, line the racks. The store is full of browsers and buyers. Welcome to Hong Kong, where the A-list does its luxury shopping.
Ranking alongside New York, London and Tokyo as one of the world's economic giants, Hong Kong pushes the envelope on design, architecture and obsessive consumerism. It's a traveler's Xanadu, an exotic port of call with superb hotels, exceptional restaurants and flashy nightlife.
And, of course, world-class shopping: If you can't find what you want, you probably can have it made in 24 hours.
Invest in community by shopping locally
That's the term economists give to the slow drip of money from Payson to Phoenix. Money that could be spent here, too often flows downhill to the Valley. It's a problem that most rural communities face -- especially with the advent of Internet shopping. The needs that were once supplied by the local general store can now be filled for less at the outlet mall, an hour away. But every time you buy into another town's economy by buying into the idea that you can't get it here, you are the source of a "leak." In front of the Rim Country Regional Chamber of Commerce, there's a sign that reads, "Be loyal, buy local. Shop Rim Country." It's the last thing most of us see before we leave town with our shopping lists, but how often has that sign stopped you from driving another 75 miles? We would guess, never.
While malls struggle to find their identity, Huntington Mall still ...
BARBOURSVILLE -- Visit the Huntington Mall on any given weekend, and it's pretty clear that it's a popular entertainment hub for Tri-State residents. You'll see teens shuffling along -- no specific shopping on their agenda, but definitely a chance for hanging out with friends. You'll see women in duos and groups hunting down the perfect shoes or checking out the spring lines. You'll see families. Couples. Grandparents pushing their grandchildren in strollers. .
New TO cinema will offer full bar
The upscale nosh is among the high-end amenities Mann Theatres will offer when its 14-screen movie theater complex opens in fall 2008 at The Oaks shopping center in Thousand Oaks. Adult patrons willing to pay more will have access to a private entrance leading to a lounge with a full bar, food, and a balcony with leather seats and plenty of space where viewers can see four of the 14 screens. Attendants also will be on hand. The new complex, to be built as part of The Oaks' expansion and renovation, will be a first for both Ventura County and Mann Theatres the first time the county will have a theater with a full bar, and Mann's first luxury theater. Prices have not been set. .
In wake of kidnapping, Waterfront mall security questioned
"In the old days, 30 years ago, the security was a guard and he was kind of a necessity that nobody really wanted," said Jonathan Lusher, a former Baltimore detective who serves as principal consultant to the security firm IPC International. "Mostly, his job was to lock the place at night and unlock it in the morning." In 2007, guarding shopping centers means high-tech cameras, metal detectors, armed police and roving patrol cars. Job responsibilities range from theft prevention and customer service to first aid and terrorism preparedness. The April 7 abduction of a Fox Chapel woman and her 16-month-old daughter outside a Giant Eagle at The Waterworks, a million-square-foot shopping center near Aspinwall, has some people wondering whether that level of security is enough. .
Upper Merion Township Selects ORTEC for Workforce Scheduling
ATLANTA, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- ORTEC announced today that the Upper Merion Township has chosen ORTEC's HARMONY Workforce Management Solution for their entire township. Utilizing HARMONY's modular architecture, ORTEC worked with the Upper Merion Township to provide the perfect solution that includes workforce scheduling, optimization, invoicing, time clocks and time & attendance. Upper Merion Township is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, about 15 miles from center city Philadelphia. Over the last five decades, Upper Merion has developed into one of the most important "activity centers" of the region. The township has approximately 27,000 residents, hosts over 50,000 jobs, and offers over 9.5 million square feet of office space. Also located in Upper Merion are Valley Forge National Historic Park and the King of Prussia Mall, the nation's largest shopping mall (ranked by square footage of retail space).
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