PB mall struggling as more shops close

Restaurant chain latest tenant to go

— The Pines Mall in Pine Bluff, owned by a Chicago-based company that filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, is struggling to keep tenants.

The latest to leave was Garfield's Restaurant and Pub, which closed Sept. 20, leaving the mall now with about 30 vacant stores. There are now about two dozen stores open, not including the food court.

Pines Mall Manager Kandy White said the economy hurt many of the stores that used to be in the mall.

"Unfortunately, we've been a victim of stores that have either downsized or filed for bankruptcy," White said. "It hurts the city, the state and the area because they are not relocating elsewhere. They are simply picking up and closing. No more jobs. No more tax revenue."

In May, Garfield's parent company, Eateries Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. And in April, General Growth Properties, owner of the Pines Mall and more than 200 malls nationwide, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

But that hasn't stopped General Growth from investing in the Pines Mall. White said more than $150,000 is being spent to replace a roof, paint and do some refinishing work, among other things.

James Davis, who owns Cookies and Sweets at the mall, said he believes the mall can make a comeback.

"It has potential," Davis said. "There's a lot of money flowing through this city, but if it's not going to Wal-Mart, it's going to Memphis, Little Rock and in some cases Monroe, La."

Davis and other tenants at the Pines Mall said that when the Wal-Mart store near the mall closed and another opened on Olive Street in 2004, foot traffic at the mall began to decline.

Jerre George, a regional planner with the Southeast Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, said population decline in Pine Bluff and southeast Arkansas makes it tough for businesses in the city, including the businesses at the mall.

"Pine Bluff isn't growing, and neither is much of southeast Arkansas where we draw from," George said. "So when Wal-Mart moved, and it split shopping locations, it splits your shoppers up, too."

Still, some stores at the mall are doing well, store managers said.

Cynthia Taylor, manager at Dillard's - one of three anchor stores at the mall along with Sears and J.C. Penney - said her store is "staying above company trend" for sales.

Taylor said most of the foot traffic into Dillard's comes from outside doors, not from the doors connected to the mall.

She also said the mall reduced its hours this summer from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday to 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. White said that decision was made at the corporate level after the company quizzed focus groups.

Rick Melder, manager of Romancing the Stone, also said his business is doing well at 16 percent to 20 percent over store goals.

Still, Melder said, most of his customer base comes from south of Pine Bluff.

"The biggest thing is people in Pine Bluff want to run to Little Rock on the weekends to shop, and they don't shop here that much," Melder said. "Most of our business comes from Monticello, Star City, Dumas and other places in southeast Arkansas.

"They'll come to Pine Bluff to shop, but if they go to Little Rock, that's an extra two hours round trip."

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7, 8 on 09/28/2009

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