Shopping In El Dorado

[Just Wondering]

Not being a native to this area could someone please explain why there is not decent shopping in town. The J C Penney store is a joke, Sears is what it is and there is a basically empty mall with hardly anything in it. Yes, it is an easy drive to Monroe or Shreveport but should not the "Golden Triangle" have more to offer. Just a question.

[Well]

Not enough population within an 'X'-mile radius for store 'ABC' to open up a location here.

At one time, we had JC Penney's, MM Cohn's, Stage, Beall Ladymons, Van "something or other"... all decent clothing stores. Also had a kmart. Also had a blockbuster.

You mention the mall. We used to have Radio Shack in there. We used to have a Hallmark store in there. We used to have TWO jewelry stores in there (one Zales, one Murphy). We used to have a shoe store or two in there. I think GNC was actually in there at one point as well. I believe JSport was in there at one time. Used to be a video rental store there. Funny how a lot of those stores are doing just fine in El Do, but they couldn't make a go of it in the "mall".

[Yep]

It should... However, the current mall is in horrible condition (every time it rains it leaks pretty bad), so who would want to set up shop in that place?

I think a new mall is needed, but probably won't happen anytime soon (within the next 20 years).

[EldoMasterBlaste r]

The mall was doomed from day one. A friend of mine who specializes in appraisals of malls and other retail centers did an appraisal of it before I knew him. When we first met and he found out I was from El Dorado he laughed and said it was the worse designed place he had ever seen. The two biggest problems were...

1. They had a discount store as one of the anchors.(Woolco at the time followed by WalMart)

2. Way too many entrances.(Those really hurt the smaller stores.)

[El Do Boy]

Well maybe...but that mall was the center of my universe when I was a kid in the 70's and early 80's. It does seem odd now that I think about it to have been anchored by Wolco and Kroger. I don't think I have ever seen a grocery store in a mall other than Meller Park. I spent hours in that Radio Shack and Music Mart.

But think about what we had outside of the mall, The El Dorado House, Samples, West's and on and on...sad really.

[Just Wondering]

Well wrote:

Not enough population within an 'X'-mile radius for store 'ABC' to open up a location here.
At one time, we had JC Penney's, MM Cohn's, Stage, Beall Ladymons, Van "something or other"... all decent clothing stores. Also had a kmart. Also had a blockbuster.
You mention the mall. We used to have Radio Shack in there. We used to have a Hallmark store in there. We used to have TWO jewelry stores in there (one Zales, one Murphy). We used to have a shoe store or two in there. I think GNC was actually in there at one point as well. I believe JSport was in there at one time. Used to be a video rental store there. Funny how a lot of those stores are doing just fine in El Do, but they couldn't make a go of it in the "mall".

I have heard, rumor or not, that Richard Mason et al has a lot to do with the demise of and/or stopping the mall to be brought up to par. Just a little research revealed that he owns most of the downtown area? There should be enough population within El Dorado, Camden and Magnolia plus the smaller communities to justify, not a large JC Penney nor Sears but at least smaller full service versions of same. I do not live within the city limits but, after attending a few of the local council meetings, it was very easy to see that local government, in the form of the mayor who simply does things without proper approval from the taxpayers, basically runs a one man show. Does this also have something to do with local shopping? Just Wondering

[Well]

I don't know about that. I've visited the stores on the square often enough to know that they are over-priced. The folks that would be shopping at your out-of-town locations are either shopping for a different price-point than what the downtown stores offer, or they are shopping for a different product/selection altogether. I would think more national chains in town would bring in more shoppers. More shoppers coming to town would probably translate to more traffic downtown.

If he really wanted to drive customers into the downtown area, he'd pursue the national chains that have the retail muscle to obtain great inventory selections at a lower cost than our locally owned shops can. Case in point: try pricing soccer shoes at Sports Alley downtown, then go to Hibbetts and price a comparable product. Unreal what the price difference is.

[Just an opinion]

Just Wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
I have heard, rumor or not, that Richard Mason et al has a lot to do with the demise of and/or stopping the mall to be brought up to par. Just a little research revealed that he owns most of the downtown area? There should be enough population within El Dorado, Camden and Magnolia plus the smaller communities to justify, not a large JC Penney nor Sears but at least smaller full service versions of same. I do not live within the city limits but, after attending a few of the local council meetings, it was very easy to see that local government, in the form of the mayor who simply does things without proper approval from the taxpayers, basically runs a one man show. Does this also have something to do with local shopping? Just Wondering

The demise if the Mellor Park Mall has nothing to do with the Mason's and everything to do with its owner who is a Doctor from Ill. or somewhere. He buys property and then does not maintain it. The rent at the Mall is outrageous and then he tacks on Maintenance fees. He does not do anykind of upkeep on the property as well Glad to see some work was done on the parking lot. I remember Christmas time years ago and the hall of the Mall was filled with people. No vacancies as far as empty stores. Good memories.

[The Original CATMANDO]

Just an opinion wrote:

<quoted text> The demise if the Mellor Park Mall has nothing to do with the Mason's and everything to do with its owner who is a Doctor from Ill. or somewhere. He buys property and then does not maintain it. The rent at the Mall is outrageous and then he tacks on Maintenance fees. He does not do anykind of upkeep on the property as well Glad to see some work was done on the parking lot. I remember Christmas time years ago and the hall of the Mall was filled with people. No vacancies as far as empty stores. Good memories.

When Wal Mart left that was the end of the mall.

[EldoMasterBlaste r]

El Do Boy wrote:

But think about what we had outside of the mall, The El Dorado House, Samples, West's and on and on...sad really.

There wa never a point where there was both a Samples and the mall. Samples sold out to MM Cohns and MM Cohns moved from Downtown to the Mall when the mall opened. THe El Dorado House also moved to the Mall.

[Concerned citizen]

The owner of the mall does not keep it up and the rent is ridiculous!!!The cosmetology school moved because the ceiling was falling in and leaking everywhere and the owner would not fix anything. I believe it is a tax write off for him!

[Buck]

Just an opinion wrote:

<quoted text> The demise if the Mellor Park Mall has nothing to do with the Mason's and everything to do with its owner who is a Doctor from Ill. or somewhere. He buys property and then does not maintain it. The rent at the Mall is outrageous and then he tacks on Maintenance fees. He does not do any kind of upkeep on the property as well Glad to see some work was done on the parking lot. I remember Christmas time years ago and the hall of the Mall was filled with people. No vacancies as far as empty stores. Good memories.

Yep, you've got it right. This doctor uses the mall for a tax write off and he could care less if it is profitable to him or the businesses that he leases to.

Remember when there used to be those giant craft shows in the mall? How about when Santa would come and have pictures made with the kids. Remember the large cafeterias that were there and the wonderful stores that were there? So sad that those are just memories now.

[Concerned citizen]

I can remember all of that and it's so sad that it is so dead there now...I miss the days of all the stores there where we could at least shop a little at home.

[Teacher]

What year did the mall open? I moved to El Dorado in 1972 and I don't think it was there yet but I'm not sure. And who owned it over the years and why would the last owner sell it to an out of state person?

[EldoMasterBlaste r]

Mid 70's.

[Carlos Hathcock]

I shop in ElDo, but not down town. Two reasons. 1 Prices too high. 2. Down town is owened by the Masons. Mostly I end up doing my buying via internet, or go Shreveport.

[Citizen]

Carlos Hathcock wrote:

I shop in ElDo, but not down town. Two reasons. 1 Prices too high. 2. Down town is owened by the Masons. Mostly I end up doing my buying via internet, or go Shreveport.

FYI- The following properties are not owned, operated or controlled by Mason- Larry's Rexall,Roberson Piano,All About Flowers,Resale shop, Bancorp South,Murphy Jeweler,Elm Street Bakery,Rascals,Sports Alley, Golf Shop, Hill's Pool Hall,Fayray's,Tuxedo Shop,La Bella, First Financial, Union Bldg.,Regions, MacFarlane Oil, Janis Decor, Creative Means ETC.

[HawgFan]

Carlos Hathcock wrote:

I shop in ElDo, but not down town. Two reasons. 1 Prices too high. 2. Down town is owened by the Masons. Mostly I end up doing my buying via internet, or go Shreveport.

The property may be owned by the Masons (without whom we would have no downtown), but the retail stores themselves are certainly not!! Also, I can promise you that by the time you pay shipping & handling on your purchases, you could have bought the same or comparable item right here in town for a similar price!!

It's people like you with a WalMart mentality (who btw does not always have the lowest price) that make it hard for small retail shops to survive in this town! Back up your claim and give me specifics - not a generic "the prices are too high."

[Non Hawg Fan]

HawgFan wrote:

<quoted text>
The property may be owned by the Masons (without whom we would have no downtown), but the retail stores themselves are certainly not!! Also, I can promise you that by the time you pay shipping & handling on your purchases, you could have bought the same or comparable item right here in town for a similar price!!
It's people like you with a WalMart mentality (who btw does not always have the lowest price) that make it hard for small retail shops to survive in this town! Back up your claim and give me specifics - not a generic "the prices are too high."

Sounds like you might be a store owner. Unless your old money, everything is doomed on the square.

[Everything]

"Unless your old money, everything is doomed on the square."

but.. what.. about the... corner ca....
oh nevermind