The Shops at Willow Bend

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = The Shops at Willow Bend


caption =
location =Plano, TX in Collin County, Texas, USA
opening_date = 2001
developer= Taubman Centers
manager=
owner =
number_of_stores = 125
number_of_anchors = 4
floor_area = 1,391,000 sq ft [http://www.taubman.com/leasing/22.html Taubman Centers: Willow Bend] Leasing Information. Retrieved Feb 15, 2007.] (129,228 m²)
floors = 2
website = http://www.shopwillowbend.com/

The Shops at Willow Bend is an upscale shopping mall located in Plano, Texas, with over 125 stores and 4 main anchors. The mall is located at the intersection of West Park Blvd (FM 544) and the Dallas North Tollway in West Plano.

History

The mall opened in 2001 with four anchor stores and about 75% occupancy. The mall was developed and is managed by Taubman Centers, which has been highly selective in accepting tenants. Despite being designed as a regional shopping center with over convert|1500000|sqft|m2 of space, the center's management has tried to limit the mall's focus to predominantly upscale fashion. The majority of the stores in the mall cater to women, although some stores have broader appeal, such as the department stores, the restaurants, and the state's first and largest Apple Store. The four original anchors were Dillard's, Foley's (now Macy's), Lord & Taylor, and Neiman Marcus. The Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus stores were replacement stores for those at the now-demolished Prestonwood Town Center in north Dallas. In 2004, a fifth anchor was added, Saks Fifth Avenue. In 2005, the total number of anchor stores dropped to four, as the May Company closed Lord & Taylor, along with all of the chain's other Texas stores.

Despite an initial focus on upscale fashion retailers, the mall's management has recently added more "non-traditional" tenants such as doctors' offices and a sales office for a nearby luxury car dealership.

Problems in the beginning

The mall has faced several operating challenges from the beginning:
* The mall opened shortly before September 11, 2001, when retail sales nationwide entered a slump.
* The mall had only upscale and luxury stores that appeal mostly to affluent clientele.
* Stonebriar Centre opened a year earlier than The Shops at Willow Bend in Frisco, only a few miles away. Stonebriar is considerably larger than Willow Bend and has more amenities plus a wider selection of shops and restaurants that appeal to all classes.
* There were no entertainment venues, such as a movie theater or skating rink, unlike the nearby Stonebriar Centre.

Anchors

* Dillard's "(249,200 sq ft., opened 2001)"
* Macy's "(200,000 sq ft., opened 2001 as Foley's, became Macy's 2006)
* Neiman Marcus "(153,300 sq ft., opened 2001)"
* Saks Fifth Avenue "(122,900 sq ft., opened 2004)"

Former Anchors

* Lord & Taylor "(140,000 sq ft., opened 2001, closed 2004. Still vacant.)"

See also

*List of shopping malls in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

References

External links

* [http://www.shopwillowbend.com/ The Shops at Willow Bend home page]