The Times Standard reports that the cinema in the Bayshore Mall will be closing as Coming Attractions Theaters will be giving up its lease. Coming Attractions already has a virtual monopoly in the county, including the Minor in Arcata, and I can’t stand the amount of commercials they play before the movies – actual annoying product commercials, not just trailers.
Apparently it wasn’t making good business because the films were all “second run.”
So here’s a thought. Maybe instead of paying to tear apart the film infrastructure in the space and trying to rent out yet another space, maybe the mall would consider lowering its rent for awhile to allow someone or some group to go in and operate an independent theater which plays either old films or independents, maybe showcasing local talent. I know that a mall is an unusual venue for such a venture, but the Mall is in trouble and should start trying to think out of the Big Box. If they dedicate one room to old Disney or other kid films, creepy or otherwise, it would still serve the baby-sitting function parents look for and maybe some of those films would be “new” to their kids.
Anybody with a little money to risk interested?
Addendum: Hank has some more information about the closing. Apparently they already have a new tenant. You can find excerpts from an interview with the Coming Attractions CEO, including promises regarding independent films at the Minor and financial explanations for the addition of commercials as well as the usual “world is changing” mantras.
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December 30, 2009 at 10:47 am
Anonymous
Lowered rent at the mall? LOL, good one! The mall is its own worst enemy.
If vacancies rise, I predict Bayshore will go the way of Eureka Mall, converted into several big boxes accessed individually from outside, each with its own cheesy facade.
December 30, 2009 at 11:59 am
Fred Mangels
I’m not sure how much rent is an issue with this closing, although I’m sure it has some weight. I was told, years ago by a guy whose wife started a business in a mall down south, to never consider opening up a business in a mall. He said the rent was so high it was hard to even stay open, much less make enough money to live on.
December 30, 2009 at 12:07 pm
moviedad
They ran that theater into the ground. Lousy service, clicky high schoolers running the place who were the rudest kids.
I think they should keep it together, so that when they finally wise up and take my suggestion of turning the whole complex into residential complex, there will still be a movie house. I’m sure we could use modern technology to solve the sewage issues. Think of it. It could be pretty cool. A completely enclosed neighborhood with some stores and a Theater. A little landscaping. Why not?
Ok, I know there are a million reasons why not. But I think it’s a great idea for making use of the skeletons of failed retail outlets.
Now the other big-box eyesores probably have no other use besides mass-population holding pens. Notice how the Target store already has Gun-Turret towers?
But seriously folks……
December 30, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Chris Rall
I think you are on to something there, moviedad. I don’t think turning the whole complex to residential is feasible, but adding residential as a component of the mall could help the remaining retailers by building in some nearby potential customers and employees. With existing bay access, future trail development in the area, and lots of stores within an easy dry walk even when its raining, this would be an appealing place to live for some folks.
Malls all over the country are moving towards mixed use, including many malls owned by the same company that owns Bayshore.
December 30, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Eric Kirk
How about high tech industry offices? Oracle showed some interest in Samoa a few years ago. That really seems like the only hope for local economic salvation unless we want the whole coast to end up a retirement community.
December 30, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Sun Valley Floral Farms mole
Anonymous is correct here completely. I knew a few people who had shops here in this mall. From what I have heard, General Growth Properties is a cut-throat evil corporation that doesn’t give a rat’s ass about their clients. He’s right too. Unless any of you have been out of this county at all at any point in your life, which doesn’t seem to be many people, you would know that its a very popular trend for malls to turn into strip malls that you can drive up to like Eureka Mall. Myself, I have been to 5 countries and 30 states
December 30, 2009 at 4:31 pm
moviedad
Or a hospital complex. If we let our imaginations run wild we can come up with all kinds of cool uses.
December 30, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Anonymous
The gentrification issue has been solved. Most of the people snatching up homes aren’t elderly or even moving here to accept a new job. Ninety-nine plants per house. Thanks Paul!
December 30, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Anonymous
We can sit and think up all sorts of cool uses, but the most lucrative use — retail — will always win in the end, most likely a cookie cutter duplication of big box strip malls found everywhere these days.
The Hail Mary pass would be to have the city buy the mall, but we all know the end result would be more big boxes.
On the plus side, Bayshore is about as good a location for a mall as is possible in Eureka, directly off a major street, tons of parking and virtually no residential neighbors getting pissed off. The Eureka Mall is a different matter though. If WinCo was replaced with a retail big box, the neighborhood would go down the tubes even faster.
December 30, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Eric Kirk
If retail is so lucrative, then why are there so many vacancies in the mall?
December 30, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Eric Kirk
The 99 plants applies to starts, because it’s what you can fit into a 10×10 space. 99 adult plants cannot fit into that space. But I suspect you knew that, since it’s been discussed over and over for 6 years now.
December 30, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Fred Mangels
Because there’s not enough industry to support it.
December 30, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Eric Kirk
Well, yeah. So then why is development policy so geared towards bringing in more retail? People will not come from San Francisco to spend money in a Home Depot. They may spend money in a locally owned specialty shop. Hence, we don’t need more malls. We don’t need more retail.
Hence, some unique use of Mall space was suggested. Hence, my comment re thinking outside of the Big Box.
But nobody listens to me around here. It’s like I’m invisible.
Wah.
December 30, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Ben
There is a rather spectacular new mall in Glendale (SoCal) which includes housing. I think it’s quite expensive as that is what most developers want. We used to talk about finding a motel with a restaurant to convert into retirement housing. Didn’t happen but maybe someday… the problem with the Bayshore Mall is that it is too damn big.
December 30, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Eric Kirk
I just can’t imagine anybody but a teenager wanting to live in or next to a mall!
Trivia – Orange County was the first to put stoplights at Mall parking lot entrances.
December 31, 2009 at 7:27 am
unanonymous
baby-sitting? nice .
December 31, 2009 at 8:53 am
moviedad
What about that group of dangerous looking old folk’s who practically live in the mall between the hours or 7am and 10am. You don’t want to get in their way, you’ll get trampled. Power walkers are dangerous! And then some of them take over the tables in the food court for their nefarious card games. Ok, their not playing for money, but still.
Seriously though. I’ve been thinking more about a “Health Complex” it would sure be an improvement over the anti-health environment that exists at St. Joe’s. I know they mean well. But to me, being trapped in a room with no natural/organic substance nearby, no radio (I’m dead without KMUD) just an obsolete cathode ray tv pumping in Bill O’Rielly and other Culture of Death broadcasting.
My last visit turned into a three day ordeal after I was overdosed with Nitro.
I think a hospital located in the mall would be cool. You could get out and walk around, go down to the ‘solar room’, you could have a park area. You could have all the different labs and specialists located there, golf carts could take you down to the optometrist, dentist, whatever. Maybe make part of it a convalescent unit.
I think brick and stone stores are going the way of the dinosaurs. Why should a corporation spend all that money on employees and property, when all they really need is a website and a warehouse. This is going to fit nicely for the traitor corps that moved the manufacturing to China. Those billionaire-elite-class executives ‘love themselves some Chinese dictatorship.’
I wonder though, who is going to be able to buy any of their useless crap, when the majority of people have no jobs. Will the buying power of the executive class be enough?