Shopper’s Paradise : Each Center Tries to Carve Its Niche With Own Personality

Each of the South Bay’s malls has its own “retail personality” designed to appeal to a particular niche in the lucrative market:

Fox Hills Mall in Culver City draws shoppers from the South Bay as well as the Westside, according to Deborah Fulton-Hardy, marketing director. Anchored by the May Co., J. C. Penney and the Broadway, the 12-year-old mall has 150 specialty stores and appeals to the middle-income customer, she said. A $5.5-million remodeling to update the three-story center will begin in April, she said. With all the competition for shoppers’ dollars, Fulton-Hardy said, “Retailers have got to be on the ball or they’re not going to make it.”

Hawthorne Plaza, opened in 1977, draws shoppers from a large area north of the San Diego Freeway that has relatively few malls, according to marketing director Sharron King. Anchored by the Broadway, J. C. Penney and Montgomery Ward, Hawthorne Plaza has 130 stores. “We have a lot to offer middle- and lower-income families,” King said. Parking is in a structure behind the center that was built in cooperation with the City of Hawthorne. With the passage of Proposition 13, merchants have been required to share the city’s financing costs, and they say this has made it more difficult to operate profitably.

Manhattan Village Shopping Center is a wide open, generously landscaped complex with Bullock’s, Buffums, Ralphs and Osco as anchors. It also includes several popular restaurants, a movie theater complex, six banks and a medical building, so shoppers can accomplish many of their errands in one stop, according to marketing director Margo Heltzel. With its spread-out design, the 6-year-old mall appeals to shoppers who are tired of the standard three-story concrete mall, she said.

The Galleria at South Bay is the most glittery of the South Bay malls, with neon signs, vaulted skylights, glass balconies and brass appointments. Its chief attraction is the renowned retailer, Nordstrom. It also features the May Co. on the north half of the 50-acre site, redeveloped in a $70-million cooperative venture by the cities of Redondo Beach and Lawndale and a private developer. The south half of the project is less glamorous, with a bank, bowling alley, drugstore and discount linens outlet. The Galleria appeals to a fashion-conscious, affluent audience, according to Bill Recknor, general manager.

Del Amo Fashion Center, the 120-acre mega-center assembled over a 27-year period, includes seven department stores and 340 specialty stores appealing to a broad range of incomes. Anchors are Sears, J. C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, Ohrbach’s, Robinson’s, Bullock’s and I. Magnin. Del Amo hopes to woo Macy’s, too, according to James A. Jones, president of the Torrance Co., which owns Del Amo. To some shoppers, Del Amo is the mall that has everything, while to others it is overwhelming. A computerized directory has been installed, and new signs will be located on the perimeter of Del Amo to help shoppers find their way, Jones said.

The location of Carson Mall next to the San Diego Freeway and its ample supply of parking in open lots are major selling points for the mall, according to Cynthia Smith, marketing director. Sears, J. C. Penney and the Broadway are anchors, and there are 90 specialty stores. A remodeling is in the planning stages for the mall, built in 1973 with Aztec-style architecture. Carson appeals mainly to family shoppers seeking reasonable prices, Smith said.

The 26-year-old Peninsula Center is one of two shopping centers catering to the affluent Palos Verdes Peninsula. The center and its Peacock Alley boutique area are undergoing a $6-million renovation. Buffums, Safeway, Vons and Thrifty are anchor tenants. With its supermarket, drugstore and household services, the Peninsula Center does not necessarily compete directly with its next-door neighbor, the Courtyard Mall, said spokesman Richard G. Funke.

The 6-year-old Courtyard Mall, anchored by the May Co. and Bullocks Wilshire, caters to well-to-do Palos Verdes residents who “are conservative, well-educated and appreciate value,” said marketing director Mary Harris. “Pricey items that sell well on Rodeo Drive would not go here.” The mall includes a skating rink, movie theaters and several independent stores not found elsewhere. The attractive design features tile floors, skylights, fountains and trees.

Old Towne Mall is not classified as a regional shopping center, but with four major discount stores and a movie theater complex it has high visibility on Hawthorne Boulevard. It started in 1972 as an entertainment center with arts and crafts, games and rides, but has evolved into a more traditional mall with 59 specialty stores. Some say it has nostalgic charm, with an antique carrousel, park benches and cobblestone streets. Others find it lackluster. Old Towne attracts primarily blue-collar and middle-income shoppers, according to marketing director Doris Sorensen.

SOUTH BAY MALLS

The eight major shopping malls in South Bay, their 1986 taxable retail sales and the number of stores at each complex.

Fox Hills Mall

$131,069,000

124 stores

Hawthorne Plaza

$83,485,000

90 stores

Manhattan Village Shopping Center

$76,957,000

106 stores

The Galleria at South Bay

$161,458,000

163 stores

Del Amo Fashion Center

$378,542,000

291 stores

Carson Mall

$78,921,000

75 stores

Peninsula Center/Peacock Alley

$32,777,000

17 stores

The Courtyard Mall

$35,210,000

66 stores

Source: Los Angeles Times Marketing Research