Supermall attracts locals, tourists to Northwestern value mall - Supermall of the Great Northwest, Auburn, Washington

Discount Store News, Feb 20, 1995 by Tim Healea

AUBURN, WASH. - Construction of the Supermall of the Great Northwest, a value concept mall halfway between the population centers of Seattle and Tacoma, won't finish until August, but already 90% of the 140 stores in the mall are leased.

As with other value malls, the Supermall features a number of discounters, manufacturer outlets and retailer clearinghouses, including big-name anchors such as The Incredible Universe, Oshman's SuperSports USA, Marshalls, Nordstrom Rack, Burlington Coat Factory and Bed Bath & Beyond. Located 20 miles south of Seattle and 15 miles north of Tacoma, the mall should draw customers living along the Interstate 5 corridor from Vancouver, B.C., to Portland, Ore., and the millions of tourists who visit the area each year.

The Incredible Universe, Fort Worth, Texas-based Tandy Corp.'s electronics and appliance gigastore, finished construction before the rest of the mall and opened Nov. 11, 1994, just in time for the Christmas rush. Even with only one tenant, albeit the largest one, traffic at the site has been high. The retailer estimates that more than 100,000 people went through the store during the opening weekend, and sales for the three days totaled $3 million. Over the holidays, 25,000 people visited the store on weekend days and 10,000 people visited on weekdays, complex producer Terry Perone said.

Three nearby major highways make access to the mall very easy, and road improvements, including a new highway flyover direct to the mall, should be completed by summertime. Mall developer Hapsmith Development Corp., Beverly Hills, Calif., anticipates that the high volume of traffic and the debut of the value mall in the region will draw more than 13 million customers in the first year.

The Supermall site was chosen because it is somewhat distant from the region's traditional malls, but still offers easy access to the 2.5 million people who live within 30 minutes of it. Sheila Lynch, leasing representative with the mall's agent Lord Associates, said the strategic placing of the mall depended on keeping the suppliers' outlets a significant distance from the manufacturers' accounts with other retailers located in more traditional concepts.

The mall's concourse features a racetrack design based on the Great Mall of the Bay Area, Milpitas, Calif., developed by McLean, Va.-based Petrie Dierman Kughn that opened last September (see DSN, Nov. 7, 1994, page 4). The one-level layout allows the stores along the interior ring access to a sizable common service court. Hardwood floors minimize fatigue to shoppers' feet and skylights throughout the mall maximize natural light. A video system will direct shoppers to retailers and events.

Since the value mall concept debuted in 1985 with Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Va., it has become a retailing staple. Others are being developed in Olathe, Kan.; Brandon, Fla.; Tempe, Ariz.; and Ontario, Calif.

The Northwest Supermall is doing its best to become a tourist attraction. Four themed entrances illustrate the region's characteristics. The maritime entrace reflects the area's shipping history; the aviation court highlights the importance of Boeing to the local economy; the "great outdoors" court features a model of Mount Ranier; and the rail entrance includes a replica of a historic train station.