Wal-Mart wants to build a store in at Westfield Town Center between Sears and the new Patios according to a public hearing document distributed to neighbors.
The store isn't your traditional 100,000 sq. ft.+ Wal-Mart supercenter though; it's called a Wal-Mart Market and according to Wikipedia is designed to be "the opposite of vastly larger superstores. These smaller stores are meant to woo shoppers with easier parking, less crowded aisles and quicker checkout. Walmart Market stores offer a variety of products including a full line of groceries."
The Notice of Public Hearing document says that Wal-Mart wants to build the market inside an existing 30,399 sq. ft. vacant space that was built during the recent Patios expansion. The space is on the east side of the Patios expansion adjacent to Sears (see the picture).
But the project would also require reconfiguring Mall Entrance Drive and parking areas: "The proposal includes a re-design of the vehicular entry along the Mall entry at Valencia Blvd, a redesign of the parking lot south of the Patios, a redesign of the parking lot South of sears, new shopping cart return areas....and architectural changes to the building facade."
A public hearing will be held before the Planning Commission on October 16 at 6pm.
The reader who pointed this out to me didn't especially like the idea of a Wal-Mart store at the mall:
Wal-Mart Market coming to Westfield Town Center
The store isn't your traditional 100,000 sq. ft.+ Wal-Mart supercenter though; it's called a Wal-Mart Market and according to Wikipedia is designed to be "the opposite of vastly larger superstores. These smaller stores are meant to woo shoppers with easier parking, less crowded aisles and quicker checkout. Walmart Market stores offer a variety of products including a full line of groceries."
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| The Wal-Mart proposal would build a 30,000+ sq. ft. Market inside the circled space above |
But the project would also require reconfiguring Mall Entrance Drive and parking areas: "The proposal includes a re-design of the vehicular entry along the Mall entry at Valencia Blvd, a redesign of the parking lot south of the Patios, a redesign of the parking lot South of sears, new shopping cart return areas....and architectural changes to the building facade."
A public hearing will be held before the Planning Commission on October 16 at 6pm.
The reader who pointed this out to me didn't especially like the idea of a Wal-Mart store at the mall:
I was notified today that they are planning on putting a Walmart, that sells groceries, in the Westfield Mall in Valencia. I'm not sure if you're aware of it and I have attached one of the documents regarding this propsal. We already have a Target, Pavillions, Whole Foods and Sprouts within a mile radius. The last thing we need is another grocery store. Also, they are planning on putting the Walmart directly next to the patios.
The parking at the patios is already a nightmare and every Walmart I've ever been to has it's own parking problems. Combine those two and it will be just ridiculous. Also, when I go to the patios, I go for an experience. I really enjoy the upscale feel and little "boutique" kind of stores. It's really the Santa Clarita Valley's only high end, classy "Rodeo Drive" feel. It's great having a drink on the patios or having dinner at one of the nicer restaurants. And then kind of strolling through and looking at the patio stores.
I love Walmart and shop there all the time. I just don't think that a Walmart, especially one with groceries, is the right fit for the Valencia Westfield Mall.
I suspect my reader won't be the only one who doesn't like the proposal. Wal-Mart has a certain, how you say, downmarket appeal that is perhaps at odds with the rest of the Patios. I mean, have you ever seen an Apple Store and a Wal-Mart inside the same shopping center? Or a Macy's and a Wal-Mart? How about a Williams-Sonoma within throwing distance of a Wal-Mart?
Target is one thing; everyone seems to love Target. But the Wal-Mart name, even if it's attached to a simple smaller grocery store, just has this certain je nais se quo about it that I think will get people upset.
I'm not sure I even like the idea; with Markets, Wal-Mart obviously wants to compete with the mid-sized national retailers (like Whole Foods) we've grown to love in the SCV since those retailers killed off all the mom 'n pops. But it's a free market, and Wal-Mart wants to compete in that space.
No telling if this will rise to the level of SCV retail controversy that Vallarta's proposal to move into Old Orchard in 2006 did. That proposal went nuclear, with angry residents urging the city to somehow cancel the deal between consenting landlord and tenant and install a Trader Joe's instead.
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