Update 9/29/2010
Our call for a press conference for he opening of the Kress Building and the Blue Bird clothing store came true. Today, Fresno’s mayor Ashley Swearengin, District 3 Councilwoman Cynthia Sterling, and Redevelopment Agency staff joined Kress Building owner Robert Gurfield to celebrate the building’s opening with a press conference. The RDA Facade Improvement program provided the maximum $25,000 assistance to the owner for this project.
You can read some more here.
Also, you may seen Mr. Gurfield at many of the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan charrette meetings this week. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that he is one of the few if not only out of town building owners that has been so actively involved in this planning process. For that we applaud him.
Orignial Post 9/7/2010
Last week the was much chatter in the Fresno Bee and on Facebook regarding the Fulton Mall. Discussions heated up about ripping out the mall for a road, what to save and how to revitalize it as the core of the city.
Though, silently with no coverage in the media and no press conference with city leaders, a new retail store opened on the Fulton Mall. I find this story interesting for 3 reasons. First, the Blue Bird retail store is the first to occupy the Kress Building after is was renovated revealing the buildings original facade. Second, its always excited to see new businesses opening in downtown. And third, much of the debate around the Fulton Mall starts with the assumption that it is economically dead and not attractive to businesses. Is the renovation of the Kress Building and new retail store an exception to that assumption? Or is that assumption fundamentally wrong, showing that there is some businesses desire to be on the mall and that there is a customer base?
-
-
I encourage you to check out Blue Bird. They have lots of women’s and children’s clothes as well as shoes and accessories for men and women. They are mid block between Fresno and Mariposa.
Design wise, I’m not too thrilled by the color scheme chosen for the Kress Building. Also, the storfront and signage could have used more design attention. Though the renovation and new tenant are an overall positive thing.
On June 30th the owner of the building, Robert Gurfield, gave me a tour of the building. He hope to get tenant on the other floors as well. There is a basement which he thinks would make and excellent bowling alley or night club. On the third floor and second floor mezzanine he wishes to get office or trade school tenants.
-
- Kress Bldg storefront
-
- color scheme
-
- Blue Bird interior
-
- Blue Bird shoes
-
- Blue Bird purses
-
- owner Robert Gurfield
-
- 3rd floor window
-
- Column capital detail
-
- Column capital detail
The lack of media coverage may have been because… who knew it was happening? Did the store owners advertise the opening in any way?
Is the “I” in bird missing or is it just a trick of the light?
Though bowling alleys are expensive to build and operate, I think having one on the Fulton Mall would be the coolest thing EVER!
Brian, I don’t know, but I knew it was going to happen from discussion with the building owner. I know he was also in communication with the City and the Bee.
Eric, yes the I is missing, it looks like it was installed once then moved. It may have gotten damaged when being moved. That is what I meant by the signage needing more attention.
Kiel, as the retail reporter at the Bee, I would love to get a store like this in the paper. We have a column called Word on the Street that’s perfect for this sort of thing. But this is the first I’ve heard of it. Can you send me the contact information, please?
Bethany, I emailed you. I was going to go back Wednesday to interview the head manager.
Hi, Kiel!
First I’ve heard of it, too! Thanks for letting me know…
I think the bowling alley would be great, especially since there really isn’t much family activities to do in downtown. A bowling alley would most likely bring more people down during the evening time as well to the mall.
That picture tells quite a story, doesn’t it?
First, How long do you figure that “Grand Opening” sign will be there? I wouldn’t bet on anything less than about 6 months in that pool.
Next, the “Available” sign above. I doubt very much anything will go in there anytime soon. The Fulton Mall is plagued with wasted second floor space. The only thing that made any impact in office space has been gov’t agencies, and that seems to be diminishing – even the court’s leaving soon.
Third, the “I” fell off. It’s been replaced by a slightly out-of-place looking “I”.
Last (for now), the pattern of cheap clothing stores oriented toward low-income shoppers on the Mall has been consistent. The Mall may be economically-viable for that type of business. Of course, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. However, I go by there at least twice a day, and I have yet to see more than a couple of people in there at a time, and mostly it’s empty.
Does anyone know if this is a chain or an original store? I looked it up weeks ago and couldn’t find anything on the internet.
Okay, for sure really last – I have seen too many businesses open and close on the Fulton Mall over the last 20 years. A business opening doesn’t excite me. Businesses remaining open, that’s exciting. The better story is what business has maintained a customer base and lasted a long time. Immediately J’s, Suzie’s, Casa Latina, Rose’s, and even Proctor’s and Luftenburg’s come to mind. There are others.