The Louisiana Boardwalk and Pierre-Bossier Mall are battening down the hatches to prepare for another busy holiday shopping season.

Ray Tromba, general manager of the Louisiana Boardwalk, noted the holiday season is a critical part of the year, but they are fortunate that big weekends crowds keep business up all year long. Tromba said that on a sunny Saturday, 35,000 people can walk through the open air shopping center.

"We're pretty stout all year long, our challenge is to improve our weekday patronage. As long as the weather is good, business is good," said Tromba.

The christmas/day after Thanksgiving shopping season makes up the largest portion of sales.

"It's what makes retail. It is more so in the mall business that the holiday season brings a big impact for our retailers, particularly for business that rely heavily on gift items, like a Bath and Body Works," said Steven Niles, manager of Pierre-Bossier Mall.

For shoppers who are coming to the mall for their yearly pilgrimage during this shopping season will find the vast majority of store fronts are filled, a new Shoe Department Encore store and Raising Cane's and Mandarin Express in the food court.

"I think you can come in and see there's a whole lot going on," said Niles.

To help attract business, Pierre-Bossier is offering several promotions — Mall shoppers can earn a $10 gift card, while supplies last, by spending $100 or more. Holiday shoppers will receive free “Holiday Mistle-Totes” full of retailer goodies, while supplies last.

While offers like these will play a part in how many people are out during the shopping season and how much they spend, the Boardwalk and mall have managed to avoid national trends.

Tromba pointed out the recession has played a part in a couple of business going bankrupt,  but not because their stores at the Boardwalk were doing poorly.

"For example, we had a KB Toys store that went bankrupt and it was the number one KB Toys store in the country. And you had S & K Menswear that closed 220 stores and kept nothing west of the Mississippi," he said.

Otherwise, things are looking up. Courtyard by Marriott hotel will open the first week in January. Glow Putts will take over the KB Toys Store location in January and Fat Daddy's sports bar will also open in early January. New restaurants Stoney's Smoke Shack opened this year and Pietro's Italian Kitchen opened Monday.

Tromba says there are more people who enjoy coming down for the eateries more than anything else.

"That's part of what we set out to do, to make sure there are enough different attractions so people can come out and enjoy something different every time."

"The important thing is, if it were just about putting people in spaces, we could do that yesterday. It's about finding the right mix, it's about making sure you don't proliferate one sector of the business at the expense of the other," said Tromba.

And a lot of people are taking notice. The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourism Bureau say the Boardwalk attracts more people than any other location in the region. Tromba said that an estimated 7 million people will visit annually.

"We try to do what we do right. We take the time to make sure it works for everybody. We want to maintain a certain decorum that allows for everybody to feel safe and secure," he said.

"The best compliment we can get is when people say, 'We had a good time, it's a safe environment.' When you can say that with as many as millions of people who come through here a year, that means something," Tromba added.

Niles said that without a recession, the mall's growth would have been exponentially greater. He believes that business integration and slow down on film production has hurt the area, but the Haynesville Shale helped keep the area insulated.

"I don't think (the recession) can help, but how much greater would we be without a national recession? We probably felt it the same way the rest of the community has," said Niles.

Patronage and sales have remained the same compared to numbers over the past few years and may be more improved this year.

"There seems to be a more upbeat spirit coming into the holiday season than what we've seen in the past. It's a good feeling right now," said Niles.

New business have been added to the mall, mainly from small business owners.

"It has been more of an entrepreneurial spirit here in the last two years as opposed to companies who are national in scope. So whatever slow down has happened on the national level has been supplemented by having more local folks wanting to expand and do business as a retail shop," said Niles.

Be first to comment this article

Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved