Today’s Santa Clarita Tourism email includes an update on the slow-moving expansion of the Patios development adjacent the Town Center:
Shops at the Patios include a lush outdoor oasis integrating fashionable new boutiques and restaurants in an intimate upscale setting. This new style of sophistication includes the opening of 40 new open-air shops providing a selection of women’s and men’s apparel, fashion accessories, home furnishings, gourmet cookware, and more. Among the outstanding brands already available soon to come to the Shops at the Patios are BCBGMAXAZRIA, Bobby Chan, Chico’s, J. David’s Custom Clothiers, Michael Kors, Sephora, Soma, Swarovski, True Religion, White House | Black Market, and Williams-Sonoma.
There’s a list of the “40 new open-air shops” at the Westfield site, with one minor detail – many of the shops aren’t new at all. They’ve been relocated from elsewhere in the mall in a sort of retailer musical chairs.
It’s great to see Westfield and LNR invest in the area and complete the development, but I’m convinced our economy has caused many households fundamentally reset expectations about what is important. I believe as a society we are transitioning from investing in things to investing in experiences. Hell, we packed Bridgeport Marketplace with 8,000 people just a few weeks ago mainly on that premise.
I’ve been reading and dabbling with a growing movement known as the “100 things challenge“, a lifestyle of reducing the number of material possessions down to what we really need and use. 100tc has caught on like wildfire and was the focus of a recent piece on CBS. Who knows, it may become très chic to embrace 100tc right here in our suburban paradise?
For my part, I am opting out of all gift exchanges this holiday season and encouraging our families to select a charity to which we will consolidate our funds and donate. So unless there’s an retail store like that at The Patios, I don’t think we’ll be there to celebrate the expansion. Outside of a trip to Wokcano, that is.
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Experiences over things. So important.
I’ll take a 60 inch flat screen and a Diet Coke!
So glad you closed that last thread so we could talk about … nothing.
The thread got way out of hand and ceased to be productive.
You’re welcome to go back to commenting on the Signal, joe9grande.
Says you?
I think a couple of the stores will be welcome and very popular additions for our community. Being a mom and all
we’re VERY excited for Crazy8 and Childrens Place. It’s shocking we’ve gone so long w/out them (esp Childrens Place, which I believe at one time was slated for Golden Valley back when it had an ‘outdoor mall’ lineup). If I had younger kids I’d be jazzed for Carters and I’m sure yuppy moms will be in heaven at Janie and Jack (Gymborees ‘posh’ line). Sephora I’m betting will be very popular as well. I do wonder about some of the other stores, though, like that ghost town BCBG, but maybe their profit margin is so high they don’t need much traffic?????
How bout this weather?!
Thanks for the tip on the barbershop
No problem, just make sure you get Joshua or Jose’s wife since they are the best there.
Q: “mike” and “Mike” are different entities, correct?
What if they are the same entity but different personas?
Almost always, no. But in the past, there have been Mikes that thought it sufficient to distinguish themselves by using the uppercase. These days, it’s me either way.
People trump either things or experiences. It would be wonderful to see folks excited about giving rather than buying and doing.
Isn’t giving an experience?
I suppose it is…but when I hear “experience,” I think more of doing things for the thrill of of the act, like visiting a new city, sky diving, or trying out a new cuisine. Must be just my semantics, because, in my mind, “experience” is a self-serving act, while giving is a sacrificial act.
Donating time/money, as was suggested as Christmas gifts, is a fantastic idea. I’ve got Heifer catalogue set aside for just that purpose. And Whole Foods has a decent selection of (predominately) feminine gifts, in which the purchase price goes back to the crafter and/or a social cause. And TenThousandVillages.com has some nice things, too.
We’re getting philosophical, but I’m of the school that there is no pure altruism.
We give for many reasons, chief among them is we like how it makes us feel. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t cheapen the act; rather, it prods us to repeat it.
That’s an experience by itself.
Of course, tis more honorable to donate than just about anything else. That said, I can see folks consuming less and spending more time with their loved ones, outdoors, etc. rather than buying STUFF in all its forms.
I fully concur — altruism can only occur in a perfect world.
I see we agree on more than just a _Bait and Switch_ —
I tried Wokano last night and I give it two thumbs up. I just hope it survives in a town with too many sushi places and too many kids.
If you’re looking for a Xmas charity, may I suggest KIVA? http://www.kiva.org
Someone gave this to me last year and it is pretty cool to make a difference in such an intimate way.
Great info, thanks! Definitely have to give Wokcano a try.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Kiva isn’t quite what it seems. I, too, was a long time benefactor of Kiva but have since consolidated giving to Heifer International, who has a proven, sustainable approach.
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