Staff writer
 |
| SHAWN GUST/Press The Silver Lake Mall will begin leasing to seasonal tenants beginning this week. |
Empty spaces filling at Silver Lake Mall
COEUR d'ALENE -- While one end of the Silver Lake Mall looks bleak with numerous empty storefronts, as the holidays approach at least some will be home to seasonal tenants.
"There are several holiday temps coming this week," said Daryl Rheingans, senior general manager of the mall.
Empty spaces at the west end of the mall near Sears include the former International Buffet plus a handful of other retail spots. There are also several other spaces throughout the mall currently vacant. Several will be taken by seasonal vendors, and perennial holiday kiosks such as Hickory Farms and Sees Candy will return, Rheingans said.
Among the signed tenants are Stocking Tree, which sells gifts and crafts, Northwest Made Sheepskin, Laser Engraved Gifts and Dog & Pup Studios with blown glass.
"There are others we are working on that are near finalization," Rheingans said. "The restaurant is in discussion."
New this year, taking the space opposite the former buffet, is Rockhound Landscape Supply. The Post Falls company will display its collection of fountains and other items, said owner Terry Steiner. In previous years, he had taken space at the Spokane Valley Mall.
"I said the heck with that," Steiner said. "We're staying home."
The valley mall, Spokane's NorthTown Mall and Silver Lake Mall are owned by General Growth Properties, which filed for bankruptcy in April. But, Steiner said, the Coeur d'Alene Sears store did more business during the 2008 holiday season than the valley store, and he is optimistic the location will work well.
"We know people here," he said.
Some shops have recently been added to the mall, or taken larger spaces. Near the food court at the south entrance is Strategy & Games, a gaming store that caters to young patrons and adults, Rheingans said.
Locally owned board shop Graffiti doubled its size in recent months, said store manager Josh Everard. Like many others in the mall, the store has seen ups and downs in traffic and sales this year.
"It's hit and miss," Everard said. "We do get steady traffic."
Kevin Barbieri, manager of Just Sports, agrees sales are off a little. But the store is stocking up on merchandise, and already meeting consumer expectations by putting many items on sale.
"There are lots of lookers," he said. "Hopefully they will turn into buyers."
Sales are slower than in previous years, Barbieri said.
"Hopefully closer to Thanksgiving it will pick up," he said.
Among the stores that have been in the mall since it opened in 1991 is Samuels Jewelry, one of three jewelry stores adjacent to each other in the center of the mall. The company just renewed its lease, and expects a good year.
"People always get married, have anniversaries and birthdays," said Debra Shoop, store manager. The average sale price there has gone up from last year, she said. "We have a positive outlook."
Lathia Barber, a stylist at Regis Hairstylists, said there are some fluctuations in business, but the mall is a good location.
"It was busier a couple of years ago," she said. "You can tell people are hurting. They don't want to spend more than they have to."
They are also a bit "edgy," Barber said, and talk about their concerns.
"We're like the shrinks," she said.
Silver Lake Mall was among the businesses that took a hit during the 2008 holiday season because of record snowfall, Rheingans said, but hopefully, that will not be repeated.
"We're cautiously optimistic about the holidays," he said.
The mall will offer several promotions this season, including photos with Santa beginning Nov. 14, and from 5 to 9 p.m. on Monday nights following Thanksgiving pet night will match Saint Nick with animals for photos.
And of course, on Black Friday, the morning after Thanksgiving, the General Growth malls will begin their MerryGiving Give-A-Ways, with gift bags and coupons. Information on that is available at http://www.merrygiving.com, and other promotions will be announced as the season progresses.
dj wrote on Nov 9, 2009 4:46 PM: