TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

American Eagle Top Choice Of Mall Shoppers

ADVERTISEMENT

By Bill Rogers | Highlands Today

Published: December 2, 2007

SEBRING – Lakeshore Mall shoppers want to see more national retailers come to Sebring, and their top choice is American Eagle Outfitters, according to an informal survey.

The survey was conducted earlier this year and several hundred responses were received, said Jenny Cheek, the mall's general manager.

American Eagle, which sells casual clothes, targets 15 to 25-year-olds, according to the company's Web site. It offers jeans and graphic T-shirts as well as accessories, outerwear, footwear, basics and swimwear.

American Eagle currently operates 852 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 74 stores in Canada.

Hollister was the second choice and Victoria's Secret was third in the survey.

Cheek said she thought it was interesting that both American Eagle and Victoria's Secret were requested by all age groups.

Cheek said the mall is trying to target the younger market.

"That's our challenge," Cheek said. "We have to convince these people our area is growing and we're not all 55-plus."

CBL, which owns the mall, has a new corporate leasing representative for Lakeshore.

Cheek said it is difficult to predict what national retailers will do, but she noted if they are in an expansion mode, they will goahead and open more stores. It usually takes several months to negotiate a deal, she said

In addition to wanting more national stores, shoppers indicated on the survey they would like to have a sit-down restaurant at the mall.

"They miss Luby's," Cheek said, referring to the cafeteria that went out of business a couple of years ago.

Cheek noted there is interest in the vacant space and from people who "really want" to put a restaurant where Luby's was. She declined to name them because no lease has been signed.

Lakeshore has added a restaurant in the Food Court. Oishii Express Japanese Grill opened there recently.

"You order, they cook it right there," Cheek said. "They make their own sauces."

In other activity at the mall, Kidz Zone has moved into the space Bookland had occupied. The store sells clothes for younger children, shoes and toys.

"It is something we didn't have – devoted to children," Cheek said.

Also, a stroller service is now available near Kmart. There are 12 strollers – some with baby seats for infants –– that are like race cars.

Cheek said in the past shoppers got the strollers from the mall office and only had access to them during office hours.

"This is one service I wanted to start," she said.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT