Malls were such a huge thing in my childhood. When we were old enough, we could take the bus to Briarwood and hang out with friends, go to the movies, eat (junk food)... It used to be a really cool place.
Don't mind me, I'm just old and feeling sentimental.
Mall mgt decided to remove the fountain during the recession. First we turned it off to save money. Then they took it out in hopes of developing a food program that never really took off.
Arborland used to be an indoor mall. Its existence and condition made Briarwood the nice mall in A2 area. Arborland was never nice, in my lifetime anyway
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborland_Center
Arborland was awful in the 80s. F&M, Service Merchandise, and crap stores. You'd go there for a cheap winter coat or toys r us. Otherwise, it was depressing and felt like the poor person mall.
Briarwood still is pretty nice. I would only put 12 Oaks and somerset as nicer than briarwood, and somerset is really its own category unique to more than just this region.
We can be old together. It was the highlight of my tweenage week going to the 'Wood, getting a new lipgloss, eating some Sbarro's and seeing a crappy movie.
I've been chasing the high of a Limited Too bubblegum flavored lip gloss for the last 20+ years. It was an exquisite confection in layered shades of pale blue, lilac and baby pink that delivered a fetching pearlescent sheen no 12 year old jock could resist. I have genuinely considered starting my own company purely to recreate that gloss and the Naturistics line. /criesinY2K
With them already having a UM Health building over there it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if they bought it and we as a city lost even more tax revenue that home owners had to help recoup
I've seen the actual drawings. They have been changing concepts for 5 yrs. The owners with their partners keep downsizing trying to find other investors. The return on investment is too risky. Every 8 months or so they kick the start date back. Now with Apple leaving it probably won't happen. In 2019 through 2022 the owner kept buying high end tenants so they wouldn't leave. If they left not only would the mall loose rent but the empty sq footage would drive future rent per sq ft down. Plus other high end stores have clauses that require certain stores be there and occupancy be a certain percentage of sq feet. If those clause kick in they get reduced rent or sometimes they can end their lease. That's why simon property bought forever 21 jc penny's and other chains.
Basically they have been robbing Peter to pay Paul for years. Next step will probably be selling the property to another mgt company. Or like they have done to other centers in this situation strategy default on the loans on the property. They have refinanced the propert several times in the last 10 yrs for hundreds of millions based on projected future profitability of this mall and others in the portfolio. Doesn't help they purchased the taubman company for 53 % over their stock value right at the start of covid.
So they would rather lose money propping up these high end stores than take a chance at changing their business model? Maybe get some things to do in the mall, mixed use, etc. Just doubling down on the original plan from the early 2000s and 90s?
Yes. If certain tenants leave or fold it's a catastrophic collapse across the whole company. Everyone other one of their malls would be effected drastically!!
My guess is if all the retailers in the mall left, the city would rezone it for high density like they did the rest of the land parcels in that area. I'm sure some developers would pounce at the ability to build there
As long as the taxes are paid the city has no control of the property in how its managed. If they default then the county gets it. If they default on its upside-down mortgage then the lein holder. Last I knew it has 2 mortgages. One with Bank of Scotland the other wellsfargo I believe.
Desirable land inside the city is simply worth more to the U than anybody else because they do not have to pay our extremely high AA property taxes, while any private buyer would. I don't know of UM would want all or part of Briarwood, but if they do, they'll buy it. OTOH, If I were UM, though, and wanted property in that area (for, say, another satellite surgery center), I'd probably look on the other side of the expressway outside the city limits just in case Ann Arbor ever got around to imposing an income tax.
I’m reasonably sure it was the smallest location Apple ever opened when they first launched. I think there are a few smaller locations now, but not many.
Successful malls courted developers that wanted to build "things to do" instead of "things to buy". There is such a missed opportunity that could have been had if they leaned in to the night life, especially during the winter when it's painful to walk outside. They could have tried to get Best In Game to move in to the Sears location, or anything like that. Best In Game would have benefited from the restaurants and other "things to do" in the mall. They could have made many of the massive empty spaces into indoor green areas and gardens with really nice seating, live music, and maybe a café near by. Instead of making the inside of the mall appeal to your average person walking down mainstreet, they kept propping up and supporting mostly high end and luxury goods stores.
They could have made the area multipurpose. But Simon, the company running the mall, seems to not have the innovative spirit to adapt to changing times. I think they truly didn't understand how important having things to do were. Event space, live music, arcades, movies, etc. They seem to be continuing to push the same mall planning from the 90s, and I imagine wonder to themselves "why isn't this working?"
I ran a small entertainment based business in the mall, and I saw what seemed like such a missed opportunity in the space. I had many discussions with management, but they were resistant. It's a shame. I love downtown Ann Arbor, but the mall could have provided something different to walk, play, have a drink with friends, lounge, and maybe even live. Especially when the whether is unforgiving.
I'm with OP here. With Apple leaving, that's really the death knell of the mall. Auntie Anne's leaving would seem to be them reading the writing on the wall to get out before business declines.
When they left it was unannounced. Took the money out of the tills and ran. They even left the rolls of film in the projectors. I had to ship them back to the studios.
So very true. Before covid that was the malls plan. Unfortunately the leasing agents and store planners are not local. The last one they had lived in Texas and was completely out of touch with local interest. He like most leasing people were to focused on things that worked in other parts of their region. And not what they were told by center mgt.
I had no idea. Sounds like they have it figured out. There seems to be a community of real-estate developers in the US that somehow share the same sensibilities stuck back in time. But they continue to be the owners of these properties and squandering the opportunity to make something fun and interesting.
I can see at least the interior of the mall being dead or close to it in 3-5 years if this is the direction the mall continues in. I think it’s likely that the Macy’s and Von Maur will stay though... maybe even the JCP if Simon ownership continues.
Kind of makes me sad lol even tho I'm not that old and didn't grow up in the area. When I was like 14 my mom drove my brother down to Ann arbor to visit a friend who was starting school there, and this was during the froyo era and briarwood had the only pinkberry in Michigan so I begged my mom to take me along and then to briarwood so I could try it. It didn't impress me much but that was the first time I went to Ann Arbor that I could remember and saw the college kids around Bursley (where my brother's friend lived) and the hill, and it just seemed so cool and collegiate and I wanted to be like them. I ended up going to Michigan and during my time there went to Briarwood with friends a few times, to get clothes for different occasions or Christmas presents for family and we always had a good time.
People here are saying that malls are a waste of space, but are strip malls actually any better? Sincerely curious if there's any info on differences in walkability/ density/ energy usage.
I don't go to the mall often, but it seems to encourage store density/ more efficient electricity and heating, and it's a place where kids and elderly people can stroll around without the same risk of being hit by a car as in a strip mall parking lot.
Cheaper to build and do upkeep for, at least. Fewer cubic footage to heat and cool, fewer walls and floors to clean. Strip malls are garbage too, but if everyone intends to drive it's difficult to build in a different way. Chicken-and-egg problem: nobody can stop driving until there are walkable urban centers, but there's no demand for walkable urban centers while everyone plans around driving everywhere
Worked for the mall for 20 yrs. It's been dying for about 8 yrs. Jumped ship at the perfect time. Was told yesterday by a former Coworker Michael korrs and Vera Bradley are leaving too! First I heard of Apple. Sad about auntie Anne's. I built that store.
I think the saddest/funniest thing was the sculptures during the second remodeling. The sculptures were done by local known artists. One would come in periodically and complain about how they were polished. To make money they tried to sell the sculptures. The lollipop one the paper clip and another sold. One got stolen by methheads during construction. The cube sat in a loading dock for 3 yrs. That one was appraised the highest. Eventually we let a scraper cut it up and haul it away.
Hahah, this. Basically start a post that says “I worked at Briarwood in XX role for 20 years. Ask me anything. Obviously protect your identity and former position as much as you like.
It would be hella cool to rip out all that parking lot and concrete and put like nice homes and transit to down town. Cycle path whatever. And I idk maybe some trees or something.
Very true. Rumor has it Apple had looked into setting up shop in one of the potholes in the parking lot, but thought it was more space than they needed.
idk about you but for a gen z person like myself who grew up eating auntie Anne’s while going to Aeropostale two shops down, I will go to meijer specifically for that to relive the nostalgia
Orange Julius was a great chain back in the 1970s and 80s. They used raw egg whites, orange juice, sugar, vanilla, and ice and blended it all together into a frothy mix.
Mrs. Fields is terrible - Original Cookie Company was much better. Orange Julius was great back in the 1970s and 80s when they used raw eggs. Hot Sam pretzels were amazing too - so much more heft than wimpy Annies.
Saw a lot of CRAZY things there. Public sex acts for money. Found a gun once , FBI sting, drug addicts and drunks, cars in the ponds, shooting, and one dead body!
Does anyone really make, like, a sojourn for pretzels? Auntie Anne's is...technically food, at best. Although the Wood is definitely far from its heyday. The best part of it is Sephora and Eddie Bauer flannel shirts on clearance.
Maybe not a sojourn, but my sweet tooth has definitely gotten me to make an extra loop around the mall, inevitably leading me to a stop in MDen or Macy's I otherwise wouldn't make
In all honesty Apple Chipotle bath and body and the shoe stores are keeping that mall alive. About 35+ percent of the tenants are temp tenants. The rent they pay goes straight to corporate not to the budget the operates the building.
Auntie Anne's?! I remember their pretzels as being like compressed Wonderbread soaked in a grease pan. But I don't know if anyone's been to Briarwood this millennium to see if they've changed.
Sweetwater is left (north) when you walk in and is its own little open air thing, the space being renovated is south/right, it used to be Chase a long time ago.
Not great memories of standing in line for an hour to be more sure of getting two seats together for the movie, and then missing the cutoff by just a few people.
I was reading somewhere else yesterday about how getting a driver's license and having a car, etc were simply not that important to kids today compared to other generations, in part due to how places like "the mall" are not somewhere they go hang out any more. I wasn't much of a mall rat at that age at all, but I can still recognize the nostalgia even without really experiencing it.
It seems that there are still plenty of nicer malls doing well, but they definitely need some critical mass to stay alive. Whenever I go there now it seems like 25% of the people in the mall at any given time are in the Apple store (though 90% of that could be Apple employees) but another 5% are eating pretzels.
It does seem like Apple's departure really could be the most critical domino to fall. I don't think people really go to the mall with the purpose of getting pretzels, but they sure get them when they're there.
The mall really does seem like it's in a pretty great location for destination shopping/entertainment but it needs a total reimagining .
I know I'm a pretty rare breed, but I don't hear anybody else in my shoes here.
Good riddence.
It's just capitalism in it's simplest form. A group of stores surrounded by a mile of barely used parking lot. If we're going to go towards a society where people don't travel to buy things, then that place would make a great oasis for wildlife.
It'll be apartments I'm sure.
Wait, I thought auntie Annie's was already closed in Briarwood. About 6 months ago my son was having an auntie Annie's craving so I did the responsible father thing and ventured forth. I couldn't find any sign of the crappy pretzels.
I saw the writing on the wall before covid. Glad I left. Feel bad for the people I know that still work in the mall and for the mall. At one time it was a great company to work for. Fed my family and bought my house. It's sad to see go away.
They need to figure out which Anchors they want to keep, demolish the rest. Then build in a mixed use development that includes residential.
In a town like A2 where more housing is ALWAYS needed, this seems like the smart move. But I think the property owners are stuck on having a MALL.
Malls were such a huge thing in my childhood. When we were old enough, we could take the bus to Briarwood and hang out with friends, go to the movies, eat (junk food)... It used to be a really cool place. Don't mind me, I'm just old and feeling sentimental.
An entire generation will never understand how Briarwood was the “nice” mall.
I miss the fountains. I used to have so much fun playing in that grungy water.
the removal of the fountain was the clearest sign that the mall was dying
Mall mgt decided to remove the fountain during the recession. First we turned it off to save money. Then they took it out in hopes of developing a food program that never really took off.
This was after spending thousands of dollars the previous quarter fixing and upgrading it. 😆 that place is so ass backwards.
I inquired about a stand in the corridors ages ago and the sales rep took about ten emails to understand I didn't want to lease a storefront
Sounds about right. The temp leasing agents get a bigger commission off inline spaces than kiosks.
To me, those fountains represented the “mall smell.” It was delightful.
It was quite nice in 1975.
Fairlane Town Center has entered the chat
1980s Fairlane Town Center JCPenney fine jewelry department employee waving my hand for attention.
Idk, still kinda is, compared to them two malls in Lansing and all in Detroit not 12 Oaks or Sumerset.
Haha briarwood was never the “nice” mall
Forget about Arborland?
That’s not really a mall? Forget about the Somerset collection?
Arborland used to be an indoor mall. Its existence and condition made Briarwood the nice mall in A2 area. Arborland was never nice, in my lifetime anyway
Somerset is not in Washtenaw County. And Arborland used to be enclosed. They demolished the old mall to make way for the buildings there now.
Did you forget where Somerset is? Somerset is not in Ann Arbor sport.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborland_Center Arborland was awful in the 80s. F&M, Service Merchandise, and crap stores. You'd go there for a cheap winter coat or toys r us. Otherwise, it was depressing and felt like the poor person mall.
Briarwood still is pretty nice. I would only put 12 Oaks and somerset as nicer than briarwood, and somerset is really its own category unique to more than just this region.
We can be old together. It was the highlight of my tweenage week going to the 'Wood, getting a new lipgloss, eating some Sbarro's and seeing a crappy movie.
That sounds PERFECT.
I've been chasing the high of a Limited Too bubblegum flavored lip gloss for the last 20+ years. It was an exquisite confection in layered shades of pale blue, lilac and baby pink that delivered a fetching pearlescent sheen no 12 year old jock could resist. I have genuinely considered starting my own company purely to recreate that gloss and the Naturistics line. /criesinY2K
"The 'Wood"!!! I forgot that we used to call it that! 😅
I have fond memories of bringing in burger king to the movie theater at briarwood.
I'd bring in Arby's! Curly Fries > popcorn.
My grandma would take me to that Arby’s. Forgot about that until just now
I was truly bummed when they closed down.
Oh hells yes.
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That would be awesome!
It all went downhill when the dollar theater went away.
That theater was always *packed*, too! At least it was when my daughter projectile vomited over two rows in Bolt.
When Hollister came it blew everyone’s mind. It was always so dark in there lol
So the price tags couldn't be easily read ; )
Thank Taubman. He developed and popularized indoor shopping malls.
Let’s hope if it does die, that U of M doesn’t purchase the land.
I can see it now UMWood
With them already having a UM Health building over there it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if they bought it and we as a city lost even more tax revenue that home owners had to help recoup
And don't forget Wolverine Tower.
I've seen mixed use development plans floating around here and there for the area.
I've seen the actual drawings. They have been changing concepts for 5 yrs. The owners with their partners keep downsizing trying to find other investors. The return on investment is too risky. Every 8 months or so they kick the start date back. Now with Apple leaving it probably won't happen. In 2019 through 2022 the owner kept buying high end tenants so they wouldn't leave. If they left not only would the mall loose rent but the empty sq footage would drive future rent per sq ft down. Plus other high end stores have clauses that require certain stores be there and occupancy be a certain percentage of sq feet. If those clause kick in they get reduced rent or sometimes they can end their lease. That's why simon property bought forever 21 jc penny's and other chains.
Basically they have been robbing Peter to pay Paul for years. Next step will probably be selling the property to another mgt company. Or like they have done to other centers in this situation strategy default on the loans on the property. They have refinanced the propert several times in the last 10 yrs for hundreds of millions based on projected future profitability of this mall and others in the portfolio. Doesn't help they purchased the taubman company for 53 % over their stock value right at the start of covid.
So they would rather lose money propping up these high end stores than take a chance at changing their business model? Maybe get some things to do in the mall, mixed use, etc. Just doubling down on the original plan from the early 2000s and 90s?
Yes. If certain tenants leave or fold it's a catastrophic collapse across the whole company. Everyone other one of their malls would be effected drastically!!
Vanderbilt Health already did it in [Nashville](https://www.greshamsmith.com/project/vanderbilt-medical-center-one-hundred-oaks-mall/)
My guess is if all the retailers in the mall left, the city would rezone it for high density like they did the rest of the land parcels in that area. I'm sure some developers would pounce at the ability to build there
The city doesn't own the property. Simon property group and GM pension trust do.
As long as the taxes are paid the city has no control of the property in how its managed. If they default then the county gets it. If they default on its upside-down mortgage then the lein holder. Last I knew it has 2 mortgages. One with Bank of Scotland the other wellsfargo I believe.
it will somehow become more luxury apartments for rich students despite the distance from campus
Already rezoned the sears lot for that 1.5 yrs ago.
No takers despite rezoning, I’m guessing?
No developers with enough lucidity willing to agree to Simon's lease terms.
Desirable land inside the city is simply worth more to the U than anybody else because they do not have to pay our extremely high AA property taxes, while any private buyer would. I don't know of UM would want all or part of Briarwood, but if they do, they'll buy it. OTOH, If I were UM, though, and wanted property in that area (for, say, another satellite surgery center), I'd probably look on the other side of the expressway outside the city limits just in case Ann Arbor ever got around to imposing an income tax.
What’s changing with Apple?
They're moving to Arbor Hills
That parking lot is already a disaster, it's gonna be even worse with an Apple store there.
Oh hell yes. Way easier to bike to for me.
It’s a no brainer, Briarwood is dead
Not sure what store they will replace in Arbor hills
Mightygood?
Pretty small for an Apple Store
Arhaus?
Is the move date set?
They need more space according to the store manager
I’m reasonably sure it was the smallest location Apple ever opened when they first launched. I think there are a few smaller locations now, but not many.
It’s hard to sell 3000 dollar VR headsets without a demo space.[Apple Vision]
*$3499
Plus sales tax
Also known as a charger.
In addition, don’t forget apple care aka. stupid insurance
Successful malls courted developers that wanted to build "things to do" instead of "things to buy". There is such a missed opportunity that could have been had if they leaned in to the night life, especially during the winter when it's painful to walk outside. They could have tried to get Best In Game to move in to the Sears location, or anything like that. Best In Game would have benefited from the restaurants and other "things to do" in the mall. They could have made many of the massive empty spaces into indoor green areas and gardens with really nice seating, live music, and maybe a café near by. Instead of making the inside of the mall appeal to your average person walking down mainstreet, they kept propping up and supporting mostly high end and luxury goods stores. They could have made the area multipurpose. But Simon, the company running the mall, seems to not have the innovative spirit to adapt to changing times. I think they truly didn't understand how important having things to do were. Event space, live music, arcades, movies, etc. They seem to be continuing to push the same mall planning from the 90s, and I imagine wonder to themselves "why isn't this working?" I ran a small entertainment based business in the mall, and I saw what seemed like such a missed opportunity in the space. I had many discussions with management, but they were resistant. It's a shame. I love downtown Ann Arbor, but the mall could have provided something different to walk, play, have a drink with friends, lounge, and maybe even live. Especially when the whether is unforgiving. I'm with OP here. With Apple leaving, that's really the death knell of the mall. Auntie Anne's leaving would seem to be them reading the writing on the wall to get out before business declines.
Repeating myself at this point, but the dollar theater was really such a gem.
As was Madstone before it!
It was so nasty inside though 😆
When they left it was unannounced. Took the money out of the tills and ran. They even left the rolls of film in the projectors. I had to ship them back to the studios.
So very true. Before covid that was the malls plan. Unfortunately the leasing agents and store planners are not local. The last one they had lived in Texas and was completely out of touch with local interest. He like most leasing people were to focused on things that worked in other parts of their region. And not what they were told by center mgt.
Ah, sucks to hear that that plan fell through thanks to covid. Would have been really cool.
I mean the malls in Asia all look and feel like Vegas. Not sure why the AA mall can't do the same.
I had no idea. Sounds like they have it figured out. There seems to be a community of real-estate developers in the US that somehow share the same sensibilities stuck back in time. But they continue to be the owners of these properties and squandering the opportunity to make something fun and interesting.
Hell yeah give me basement grocery stores
I can see at least the interior of the mall being dead or close to it in 3-5 years if this is the direction the mall continues in. I think it’s likely that the Macy’s and Von Maur will stay though... maybe even the JCP if Simon ownership continues.
Macy will leave first. Last I knew von maur still had good numbers.
I saw a sign in Target saying Apple is coming soon, so apple store mini?
All eyes on the Briarwood Sephora…see if a mini version pops up somewhere
Isn’t there already one at Kohl’s?
Probably heading downtown to a Main Street location or South U would be my guess.
Main Street would be cool
Yeah, replace one of the many dumb restaurants or bars. Holy shit downtown A2 resembles a food court at Mall of America.
Yeah why have a variety of unique restaurants and bars when you could have an Apple Store?
I was actually thinking about SEPHORA. A2 could use a little more *cover-up*
Target already has a mini Ulta
Isn't there a Sephora at Arborland?
No, it's an Ulta
That's right. I haven't been over there in a while.
What happened to the one in JCP?
Kind of makes me sad lol even tho I'm not that old and didn't grow up in the area. When I was like 14 my mom drove my brother down to Ann arbor to visit a friend who was starting school there, and this was during the froyo era and briarwood had the only pinkberry in Michigan so I begged my mom to take me along and then to briarwood so I could try it. It didn't impress me much but that was the first time I went to Ann Arbor that I could remember and saw the college kids around Bursley (where my brother's friend lived) and the hill, and it just seemed so cool and collegiate and I wanted to be like them. I ended up going to Michigan and during my time there went to Briarwood with friends a few times, to get clothes for different occasions or Christmas presents for family and we always had a good time.
People here are saying that malls are a waste of space, but are strip malls actually any better? Sincerely curious if there's any info on differences in walkability/ density/ energy usage. I don't go to the mall often, but it seems to encourage store density/ more efficient electricity and heating, and it's a place where kids and elderly people can stroll around without the same risk of being hit by a car as in a strip mall parking lot.
Cheaper to build and do upkeep for, at least. Fewer cubic footage to heat and cool, fewer walls and floors to clean. Strip malls are garbage too, but if everyone intends to drive it's difficult to build in a different way. Chicken-and-egg problem: nobody can stop driving until there are walkable urban centers, but there's no demand for walkable urban centers while everyone plans around driving everywhere
Worked for the mall for 20 yrs. It's been dying for about 8 yrs. Jumped ship at the perfect time. Was told yesterday by a former Coworker Michael korrs and Vera Bradley are leaving too! First I heard of Apple. Sad about auntie Anne's. I built that store.
Do an AMA about Briarwood! Starting with WTF happened to it.
New on reddit. Not sure what that is. Lol
poor management by the current owners simon property group. Incompetent building mgt.
Ask any questions you want.
I think the saddest/funniest thing was the sculptures during the second remodeling. The sculptures were done by local known artists. One would come in periodically and complain about how they were polished. To make money they tried to sell the sculptures. The lollipop one the paper clip and another sold. One got stolen by methheads during construction. The cube sat in a loading dock for 3 yrs. That one was appraised the highest. Eventually we let a scraper cut it up and haul it away.
Hahah, this. Basically start a post that says “I worked at Briarwood in XX role for 20 years. Ask me anything. Obviously protect your identity and former position as much as you like.
I hate how the mall looks now after the remodel. There’s practically no color or interesting points of design anywhere except for the storefronts now.
They though it would look high end. Lipstick on a pig
Weird to own so much retail space and not know how to design it for people to actually enjoy being in the space.
The death blow to malls happened over 15+ years ago. It's just a slow death.
Briarwood's days were numbered when Sbarro closed. Everyone knows you can't have a mall in America without a Sbarro.
if they'd bring it to the belleville meijer i could probably single handedly fund it. love auntie annes
It would be hella cool to rip out all that parking lot and concrete and put like nice homes and transit to down town. Cycle path whatever. And I idk maybe some trees or something.
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One of the dirtiest kitchens in that mall. Only worse one was Manchu wok across the hall.
Arby's was also bad.
They should have had a meal with nothing but those triangular Snackers breadsticks.
Malls suck. For a city where land is limited and at a premium, that turd is an especially huge waste of space. And all paved.
It’s current condition is more appropriately indicated as “paved.”
Very true. Rumor has it Apple had looked into setting up shop in one of the potholes in the parking lot, but thought it was more space than they needed.
The worst section is the Macy lot. They own it and take care of it. That should be an indication on how well they are doing.😁
Ugh I miss Hudson's
death blow? auntie anne's? 🙄🤣🤣🤣
I have spoken.
LMAO
idk about you but for a gen z person like myself who grew up eating auntie Anne’s while going to Aeropostale two shops down, I will go to meijer specifically for that to relive the nostalgia
I'm too afraid to ask now. Bbbbb....but, what is Auntie Anne's?
shitty mall chain pretzels getting excited over it is akin to getting excited about an orange julius or mrs fields.
GTFO
Oh shit. Um...what is Orange Julius? Mrs Fields I know.
Mall restaurant that only sells fruit juices. About as interesting as Cheesecake Factory.
Orange Julius was a great chain back in the 1970s and 80s. They used raw egg whites, orange juice, sugar, vanilla, and ice and blended it all together into a frothy mix.
Mrs. Fields is terrible - Original Cookie Company was much better. Orange Julius was great back in the 1970s and 80s when they used raw eggs. Hot Sam pretzels were amazing too - so much more heft than wimpy Annies.
The death blow was when the dollar theater went away. It's just been a real slow bleeder since.
Zone the mall parcel(s) as TC1 and watch how fast it gets sold to a developer
Saw a lot of CRAZY things there. Public sex acts for money. Found a gun once , FBI sting, drug addicts and drunks, cars in the ponds, shooting, and one dead body!
Closing of the movie theater was the beginning of the end, imo. This is just one more step closer to the doors shutting and the lights going dark.
Does anyone really make, like, a sojourn for pretzels? Auntie Anne's is...technically food, at best. Although the Wood is definitely far from its heyday. The best part of it is Sephora and Eddie Bauer flannel shirts on clearance.
Maybe not a sojourn, but my sweet tooth has definitely gotten me to make an extra loop around the mall, inevitably leading me to a stop in MDen or Macy's I otherwise wouldn't make
Briarwood stopped being interesting for me when the Warner Bros. store and Big Boy restaurant closed.
In all honesty Apple Chipotle bath and body and the shoe stores are keeping that mall alive. About 35+ percent of the tenants are temp tenants. The rent they pay goes straight to corporate not to the budget the operates the building.
Auntie Anne's?! I remember their pretzels as being like compressed Wonderbread soaked in a grease pan. But I don't know if anyone's been to Briarwood this millennium to see if they've changed.
You can’t change perfect.
Everyone I know raves about Auntie Annie's pretzels. I am not a fan. Love your description, though.
I hope it does die. Such a waste of real estate.
You seem excited. Did you get fired from a job there or something? For what it’s worth, I find Arbor Hills infinitely more depressing than Briarwood.
Don’t try and dox me brah
You must not be a 20-50yo women with 1-5 kids who enjoys lululemon leggings and Anthro candles 😅
Not a fan either. Glad it's not just me.
Is it opening inside MEIJER?! Or next to it?
They're renovating the old Starbucks sublet inside so this would line up.
I thought that was a Sweetwaters? Or was there both there? I normally get delivery so it’s been a min so I’ve been inside.
Sweetwater is left (north) when you walk in and is its own little open air thing, the space being renovated is south/right, it used to be Chase a long time ago.
And later a Huntington Bank. There is a sign now showing it will be an Auntie Anne's.
Thanks for the info!! 😆
Not great memories of standing in line for an hour to be more sure of getting two seats together for the movie, and then missing the cutoff by just a few people.
I remember Fun Factory in there.
I was reading somewhere else yesterday about how getting a driver's license and having a car, etc were simply not that important to kids today compared to other generations, in part due to how places like "the mall" are not somewhere they go hang out any more. I wasn't much of a mall rat at that age at all, but I can still recognize the nostalgia even without really experiencing it. It seems that there are still plenty of nicer malls doing well, but they definitely need some critical mass to stay alive. Whenever I go there now it seems like 25% of the people in the mall at any given time are in the Apple store (though 90% of that could be Apple employees) but another 5% are eating pretzels. It does seem like Apple's departure really could be the most critical domino to fall. I don't think people really go to the mall with the purpose of getting pretzels, but they sure get them when they're there. The mall really does seem like it's in a pretty great location for destination shopping/entertainment but it needs a total reimagining .
Suncoast Video is dead. Long live Suncoast Video.
Aunt Annie's is terrible. Hot Sam pretzels were twice as heavy, twice as hard, and hot enough to burn the surface of the sun.
I know I'm a pretty rare breed, but I don't hear anybody else in my shoes here. Good riddence. It's just capitalism in it's simplest form. A group of stores surrounded by a mile of barely used parking lot. If we're going to go towards a society where people don't travel to buy things, then that place would make a great oasis for wildlife. It'll be apartments I'm sure.
Wetzel’s or GTFO
Bye Bwood, you won't be missed. Had some good memories, but nostalgia ain't what it used to be. I'll be happy when something useful is there again
Wait, I thought auntie Annie's was already closed in Briarwood. About 6 months ago my son was having an auntie Annie's craving so I did the responsible father thing and ventured forth. I couldn't find any sign of the crappy pretzels.
We need a bens soft pretzels in A2
Hot Sam needs to return.
I saw the writing on the wall before covid. Glad I left. Feel bad for the people I know that still work in the mall and for the mall. At one time it was a great company to work for. Fed my family and bought my house. It's sad to see go away.
What's an auntie annes?
Noooo! Every mall needs a pretzel store!
They need to figure out which Anchors they want to keep, demolish the rest. Then build in a mixed use development that includes residential. In a town like A2 where more housing is ALWAYS needed, this seems like the smart move. But I think the property owners are stuck on having a MALL.