Report from the Real World: Potomac Mills

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

Potomac Mills is a gigangious outlet mall that vies with Arlington Cemetery as the biggest tourist attraction in Virginia. 100s and 100s of stores.

In better days 100 tour buses a day would arrive from West Virginia, Pennsylvania and the Carolinas for a day of mad-cap shopping.

Every store in Potomac Mills is supposed to be an outlet store of some sort. The stores have all always claimed to be having a liquidation sale of some sort because that's the come-on.

I went there recently and all the stores were advertising their going out of business sales.

The difference, which I'm sure you see coming a mile away, is that they are actually going out of business! (Kind of a 'boy who cried wolf' situation.)

You can walk a literal mile through a landscape of failing stores... quite an eye-opener.

(Latest in my series of "self-appointed DU economic Cassandra" posts)

[YOY]

1. As long as the Ikea stays open I'm happy.

It's the only reason I ever go down there...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. Ikea is so desperate they're running a promotion where you actually get all the parts!

[YOY]

3. Now that's funny.

We got a bedframe on sale there (in their half off section) and had to come back for the slats and crossbeam...they didn't tell us. Why the hell didn't they just tell us?

Ikea will be fine. They have so many stores open worldwide that I would hardly consider them in the run for stores that are going under. They've got so many space saving items that have a decent price tag that I highly suspect Americans will take on their European trend.

[supernova]

4. Ikea is opening a Charlotte store next month

I can't wait to go explore. :-)

[YOY]

5. Word of advice (if you have access to a pick up truck or van)

Go to the "as is" section. It's mostly returns and a new store might not have a full section of course, but they have some sweet bargains.

[lynne]

6. It's because everyone is at the Red Lobster across the street -

- last Friday when it was only 7 degrees there was a 1 hr. 10 minute wait in that place. What crazy people go out to eat in 7 degree weather? Other than me, that is!?

[GentryDixon]

7. I shopped that Mall many times while visiting the area.

Sorry to hear.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

8. I apologize for the impression in the OP that Potomac Mills is going away

Just that a surprising lot of stores there are closing. (I worded it poorly)

[Behind the Aegis]

9. I worked there before the mall opened.

My last job was with Ikea, an AWESOME store!