I'm a self-diagnosed
shopaholic, and have been thrilled at the prospect of this new mall since its
inception. Given my enthusiasm, I dragged my whole family—meaning my two and
four year old boys and my husband—to the Macy's preview and got some great
deals on clothes for my boys. We fought the crowds, but eventually ended up
forfeiting four of the eight coupons we'd purchased. No amount of savings is
worth torturing my family for more than an hour.
The mall fully opened
five days later. The day after the grand opening, I had the day off work, so I
went on my own to scope out the storied grandeur and splendor of the mall at
University Town Center. I searched for several minutes, hunting up and down
along rows of cars, and finally found a parking spot. There was a surprising
amount of shoppers there for an early Friday afternoon—but this is Sarasota,
and demographics show that a significant portion of residents are retired. Fully
prepared to spend a sizeable amount of money, I walked into the mall, again
through Macy’s. The crowds were nearly as thick as they’d been on that preview
day, but less feverish. I bypassed all of the sale signs, and headed directly
to the exit into the mall.
The clean lines of
the contemporary architecture and chic design overwhelmed me. An aesthetic
wonderland of design – the interior design as elite as the shops that reside
within the mall at UTC. I plodded from the north end of the mall to the south end
admiring the contemporary design features –the sparkling, terrazzo-like white
flooring, the floating stairways, glass elevators, and glass-walled railings
along the second floor. Design success. However, though I’d anticipated
spending whatever felt justified, and though I’d browsed stores like White
House Black Market, Lily Pulitzer, and Saks, I did not find anything that
warranted purchase. In fact, I felt like the rube that Hannibal Lector
references in the Silence of the Lambs
with my good bag and cheap shoes – I regularly carry my $1200 Gucci bag, but
wear $20 shoes, and felt that the folks at Saks noticed and whispered to each
other about that.
I
walked the length of this crowded, but beautiful mall with no impulse to spend.
At the south end, I decided to climb the stairs and walk back along the second
floor. Maybe there was an irresistible retail experience up there. I found a
floating staircase and began my ascent –my first trip up a floating staircase
with glass paneled safety rails. These steps are NOT for folks with the
slightest bit of acrophobia. If you’re ever so slightly afraid of heights, DO
NOT climb steps like these – at UTC or anywhere. The feeling, at least as I
experienced it, was as if I were constantly about to fall. The 15-second climb
up those stairs seemed nearly interminable. The glass side rails insinuate an
ability to topple to the hard floor below. The open risers contribute to a
feeling that collapse is imminent. Again, I’m sure these feelings are isolated
to those with a fear of heights, but that seems like a rather large group to
isolate. Funny thing is that I’d been trying to talk my husband into remodeling
our stairway into something along these lines. I no longer want to do that.
Coupling
with the terrifying climb up the stairs, walking along the second floor with
the clear glass railing serving as the only barrier to the open first story
below, was equally frightening. I found myself hugging the left wall store
facades as I walked along. Definitely not an acrophobic-friendly design,
despite the tremendous chicness.
I
walked the length of the mall on each level, then walked it again on the first
level (safely on the ground). There are no toy stores. No children’s stores at
all. Sure Macy’s, Saks, et al have children’s departments, but no child
specific stores have residence. I’m generally able to resist full-price fashion
for myself and my husband, but rarely can I resist toys, books, learning tools
that my boys may like. This is a mistake that the planners at the mall at UTC
made. With nothing for munchkins, they’re losing a key demographic. Yes, they
have a Frozen-themed wonderland for the holiday season, but a parent bringing
their child to the mall for that purpose will have no likely choice but to
leave empty-handed after that experience – unless they enjoy torturing their
child(ren) with shopping for themselves with children in tow. It’s my opinion
that without a draw for parents of young kids, this mall is missing out on a
large portion of potential sales.
I
did spend a few dollars while I was there, but it was to treat myself to a
mocha light frapuccino at the Starbucks within Macy’s—lovingly always labeled
MiLF—an acronym I rather enjoy. And there are two forthcoming stores that will
bring me back to the mall in the future: H&M, a store I’ve only shopped in
NYC in the past, and the Tesla store. I’m confident in saying that had both of
these stores been open on that day I ventured inside, I may have spent in the
realm of $80,000 – including credit applied for my new car. Thank goodness
neither store was operational yet!
