New tenants enhance the ongoing ‘experiential’ strategy of Plymouth Meeting Mall

PLYMOUTH » It was clearly going to take more than upgraded lighting and a few new plants to convince people to ditch their online spending long enough to come back to the mall.

And if there’s one thing that owner-operator PREIT has proven in its robust transformation Plymouth Meeting Mall is that a successful reincarnation doesn’t happen overnight.

The dramatic reinvention of the 52-year-old mall that began a decade ago when a string of prominent free-standing restaurants led by California Pizza Kitchen took up residence on the property, and then forged ahead with the “differentiated retail offerings” of Dave & Buster’s in 2009, the arrival of natural foods purveyor Whole Foods Market in 2010 and Legoland Discovery Center in 2017 is still in progress.

Next up in PREIT’s grand strategy to uphold its stature as one of the country’s Top 10 Retail Destinations (Chain Store Age) while continuing to shift the priority from traditional retail to full-scale lifestyle attractions is parceling out the space left behind by onetime anchor store Macy’s (which many will remember was also once the home of Strawbridge & Clothier).

“Macy’s was 250,000 square feet on three levels, so when that spot became available we felt that it was a great opportunity to continue to offer shoppers something that is not found at every mall,” noted PREIT’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Communications Heather Crowell.

The new tenant mix, expected to debut next spring, includes Burlington, which will bring a fresh off-price offering to mall shoppers, delivering “current, high quality, designer merchandise at prices up to 65% off,” according to a press release.

“They rebranded themselves a few years ago to be more of an off-price retailer, similar to T.J. Maxx and focus a little less on outer wear,” Crowell explained. “People shop a little differently these days, and they like the experience of shopping for value. So it is a good addition to our mix.”

With a high-profile location already well established at King of Prussia Mall, the growing chain Dick’s Sporting Goods will take a chunk of the real estate for itself to provide and array of athletic apparel and equipment, as well as outdoor gear.

As the health and fitness genre continues to expand at malls, Edge Fitness will offer full-service fitness, ranging from group classes, indoor turf for training as well as tanning and massage beds.

In addition, Phenix Salon Suites will enable salon professionals to occupy their own suites within the salon, providing a personal experience for clients.

“What sets us apart from some of these other traditional malls is the mix of tenants, with all the entertainment options and dining and shopping … Dave & Buster’s, Legoland, Whole Foods. A lot of malls now are bringing in grocers, dining and entertainment and at Plymouth Meeting Mall we did this ten years ago. There was a lot of retail in the area then, with King of Prussia, Willow Grove Park. We thought it was important to differentiate the property and offer customers something a little different than they were finding at other malls. We’ve continued to evolve to be a little less apparel oriented. So these new tenants are the natural next step.”