Tempe Marketplace a Destination all on its own
August 14, 2008 – 1:22 am
Arizona Resorts/ Arizona Travel Deals / Arizona Golf / Spas in AZ
Tempe Marketplace a ‘destination’
Mall has ‘created new place of community’
“Destination” is the magic word for mall builders, and the creators of Tempe Marketplace and Gilbert’s San Tan Village, both of which debuted within the past year, seem to have worked the magic and made their outdoor malls destinations for thousands.
Mesa Riverview has been slower to develop but its theater district will soon come to life with the same mix that is making the others two of the hottest new gathering places in the Southeast Valley.
Tempe economic development manager Sheri Wakefield-Saenz says it hasn’t taken even a year to make one thing clear: “That mall has created a new place of community and entertainment in a very warm, inviting and entertaining space.
“They know the taste of their demographic shopper and did a lot of homework to make sure they have the mix correct. It’s mainly Generation Y, but Xers like myself and baby boomers like it, too. Their shopping, restaurants, music – the way you can enjoy strolling around – put it right up there with the best destinations in the Valley.”
San Tan Village has used a similar mix to draw crowds since it opened in October.
Summer Katzenbach directs marketing for Tempe Marketplace, and says, “We consider ourselves a destination because you can come here and happily spend an entire day, an entire evening and never run out of things to do.
“I love walking around the mall and seeing people lounging on the couches, students studying for finals, people sitting around in groups talking or walking in and out of stores, people enjoying the entertainment we have . . . people just coming here and spending hours and having a really fun time.”
It’s not hard to see why turning a mall into a “destination,” as opposed to a place where you make a quick shopping trip, is so important to mall makers. When the American town center, where people could while away the day strolling to shops and restaurants, gave way to shopping malls, it became clear that the more one could make a mall like the old town center, the more successful it would be.
The point became to create a place where a clever blend of shops, restaurants, theaters, entertainments and activities give people a sense of community and make them want to stay.
Creating “community” became something of a science. It’s one that David Larcher, executive vice president of Vestar Development, the Phoenix-based company that built the mall, evidently knows well.
“Tempe Marketplace’s success isn’t just good luck. It’s the result of the vision David Larcher began to develop 10 years ago,” Katzenbach said. “He wanted to create a mix of clothing stores, restaurants, theaters, a bookstore and entertainments – a mix that would make us a gathering place.
We hear people say, ‘it’s the perfect place for us to meet with friends and family,’ and that is exactly what we want to hear.”
At Tempe Marketplace that “mix” means about 60, “power-center/big box stores” like Target, Old Navy, Best Buy and Cost Plus World Market on the south side of the mall, and on the north side a densely packed “District” of boutiques like Urban Angels, Hottie World and Divaz, as well as specialty stores, restaurants, a Barnes & Noble bookstore and a Harkins movie theater complex.
“There’s something to meet almost every shopping need and it adds up to what we call a “lifestyle center,” Katzenbach said.
Friends Jennifer Walsh, 31, of Gilbert, and Katie Murray, 32, of Ahwatukee were sitting together in Tempe Marketplace recently, chatting and watching their children play in the Splash Pad, a water feature designed for toddler play.
“Our kids love the splash area, and while they play Katie and I can talk,” Walsh said, as the children jumped about in the water.
Murray said the convenient location of the mall – at the intersection of the 101 and 202 freeways – makes access easy for her.
“Also, the big stores on the one side have everything you can imagine, and the little boutiques have a lot of really cute stuff. And the restaurants are excellent.”
Lots of other folks seem to agree.
Katzenbach said a recent count showed about 500,000 vehicles coming to the mall monthly, with an average of 2 1/2 people per car: which means about 1.25 million people are showing up each month.
Westcor, which owns San Tan Village and many of the other big malls in the Valley, does not release monthly customer traffic figures. But information gathered in recent years suggests Tempe Marketplace has quickly entered the top tier of Valley malls.
Katzenbach says that one ingredient at Tempe Marketplace that seems to be emerging as one of the most important parts of the “destination” recipe is the amount of entertainment offered.
“We showcase all sorts of entertainment from Thursday through Saturday on the District Stage,” she said. “And we have acoustic music Friday through Sunday at the Barnes & Noble fountain area. Also, we have a major concert once a month, large-scale events, community events . . . the list goes on and on.
“But what it adds up to is a lot of entertainment that young people love. We know it brings a lot of people here, some from a long ways away.”
That would include people like Anna Lampe, 20, who lives in north Phoenix. Lampe says she’s willing to make a long drive to Tempe Marketplace, “because this mall is exactly what I want.”
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