Liberties Walk

[Jackson1005]

Hey Tower,

Liberties Walk is one uninspiring strip of mostly vacant (and vacating) retail spaces. The Piazza is a little better, but not much. Why can't you attract interesting retailers or retain the ones that do develop a following?

One Bored Neighbor

[Chris]

Hey Tower,

Liberties Walk is one uninspiring strip of mostly vacant (and vacating) retail spaces. The Piazza is a little better, but not much. Why can't you attract interesting retailers or retain the ones that do develop a following?

One Bored Neighbor

I'm sure they're crafting a reply right now to your brilliant post. I'm assuming you're taking a lunch break from developing successful retail real estate to post this query?

[Fygar]

Needs more umbrellas.

[Jackson1005]

Chris: Not sure what you are talking about. I don't develop retail real estate.

[MaebeNoLibs]

I agree, the west side of it could benefit from more retail tenants.

[Marco]

Not sure this is going to light anyones fire but I heard a new pizza shop may be coming to the walk. It will be the fourth installment of this fastly growing local franchise.

[TheSomers]

I think it is easy to forget some of the great stores and restaurants at Liberties Walk. And of course how several of them matured to the point that they needed a larger, different spot (Trophy Bikes, Chez Bow Wow, Delicious Boutique and One Shot Coffee). Liberties Walk opened up when there was not much commerical activity that side of Northern Liberties. And has held up well during an economic recession and a tough go for any small biz owner trying to make a go of it. Hopefully, the City of Philadelphia at some point will have a tax reform of the BPT and NPT which Mayor Nutter promised before he was elected the first time.

Today, I will be going to DNA for a haircut and picking up drycleaning (both at the Walk) and will be going to Bar Ferdinand and Sonata in the next week or two (both at the Walk).

[boldikus]

Everyone is well aware the rents are outrageous and the construction was/is shit. Liberties Walk, in contrary to my long-time hopes, is essentially a failure. Almost any time of day - and I walk through it regularly - it's mostly desolate save for Camino/Ferdinand. In fact I prefer to use it because of the lack of foot traffic. The other businesses that seem to do well (Full Plate, DNA, etc) give a tiny glimmer of promise but are in reality the few crutches holding up a sea of blandness. So many of the other businesses always appear empty or just closed at that particular time. (And is that call center in there now?) Anyways, let's not try to act like the businesses that left (Trophy, B. Betty, One Shot, etc) didn't do so because it sucked.

[Aimee]

better change those plans...Sonata is closed:(

http://philadelphia.foobooz.com/2012/08 ... as-closed/

It's pretty sad walking through LW now, there was a consignment shop that lasted about 6 months, a skater/clothing shop that is now empty and a few others that I feel like I saw 2x and were gone the third time I walked through. someone needs to figure out LW and the piazza b/c its like a ghosttown around there on weekdays and nothing seems to work.

[mythaeus]

better change those plans...Sonata is closed:(

http://philadelphia.foobooz.com/2012/08 ... as-closed/

It's pretty sad walking through LW now, there was a consignment shop that lasted about 6 months, a skater/clothing shop that is now empty and a few others that I feel like I saw 2x and were gone the third time I walked through. someone needs to figure out LW and the piazza b/c its like a ghosttown around there on weekdays and nothing seems to work.

That's really sad news! We love Sonata and called Mark recently to do our birthday party there. We told Mark we expect to have 30 people and Mark said they have another party there on the same day, which is tomorrow, so they can't do it. I can't believe they are closed now.

I don't think Tower is doing enough/anything to promote LW at all. We hear/see Piazza a lot, but mostly about events there, nothing to promote businesses. We hear nothing about LW. It seems that businesses pretty much have to fend for themselves, in term of advertisement and promostion, in an area where foot traffic is generally dismal.

Al

[Jackson1005]

Tower may want to consider lowering rents, for starters. A rent due complaint from the city taped on the door of the former Tea Lightenment alleged that the owners agreed to pay $1,684 a month in rent. That is simply too much coin for an area that has sporadic foot traffic (especially with a handful of vacant stores as neighbors).

[bernie]

how much tea did they think they were going to sell to cover that rent???

yikes

[seanmhair]

And of course how several of them matured to the point that they needed a larger, different spot (Trophy Bikes, Chez Bow Wow, Delicious Boutique and One Shot Coffee).

Did Psydd actually tell you that he moved because he "matured" out of the space? Did he tell you that it had nothing at all to do with paying too much rent for too little return? Or is that just the way you would like to have it represented?

[KathyV]

The shift that took place in the retailers at the Piazza, from it's opening to present, is not only visible but shocking. When the Piazza opened and LW was “settling” the folks in charge of retail occupancy at Tower were very creative. They had to be. The spaces were too small for established retailers (with inventory) to function. They had wooed some of our most talented, well known, Philadelphia “jewels” that consisted of design/boutique professionals to open up shop in those first years. Even though foot traffic was minimal it wasn't unusual to see the occasional rock star shopping at Very Bad Horse or see nationally and internationally known interior designers, product designers and artists collaborating with the unusual boutiques and galleries that carried custom product. I felt this to be very promising and was excited to see it morph into something unusual that could have really worked and become an asset to the neighborhood. I was even thinking about a retail space that I didn't need. I was impressed.

Granted, the “grand opening deals” on rent at that time were amazing. Unfortunately the recession / depression hit, and hit hard, not to mention the rents more than doubled. The first few holiday seasons were miserable. It was a nightmare for those shop owners at the Piazza/LW. I respectfully disagree with the post that claimed the Piazza/LW weathered the recession. The shops that moved out did not “mature” (they were already mature) but were forced to look to more vibrant and financially attractive areas with-in the immediate neighborhood to continue to stay in business. The Piazza eventually lost the “jewels” that en mass could have maintained a very unusual shopping district that would have flourished with continued deals and PR help from the landlord during these very lean years. They lost their vision. I hope they treat the existing non-food establishments carefully or they will end up a food court with vacant store fronts. As a long term resident and business owner in this part of town I am very concerned with the direction the Piazza/LW has taken. You are blind if you don't see it. They need to bring back what they had if they can.

[Positively4thStreet]

When you have a guy whose only expertise is opening strip malls, is it surprising that Liberties Walk and the Piazza are turning out to look like a strip mall?