Its good bet their trying and may be close to securing a deal with someone(maybe not Nordstrom).

If Nordstrom was to locate in OKC it would be at Penn Square. It would however be a huge deal for Quail Springs though and would likely bring more upscale retailers to the mall. My bet is either Belk or H&M to replace Sears. I read an article that says there are already plans in place for what is going to happen with that location after Sears departs. Quail Springs is still a solid mall, but they must play their cards right to remain that way. Right now, there are way too many cheapo local stores in the mall dragging the entire thing down.

It will not be Nordstrom.

I'd be willing to bet that Von Maur takes Sears' place at Quail Springs. They've been quoted as saying that they want to enter the market here sometime in 2013. If you look at their locations throughout the U.S., they locate in malls similar to Quail Springs (not the high-end malls).

There was a recent article in the Houston Chronicle that mentioned the possibility of a Nordstrom store opening in The Woodlands. What is the source of the rumors of a store at Tulsa's Woodland Hills Mall?

What rumor re: Woodland Hills Mall? this is the first I've seen of such rumor.

Regarding The Woodlands, that is more than a possibility. Nordstrom and General Growth announced last week that Nordstrom will replace Sears in The Woodlands Mall.

My friend worked at the Quail Springs store. They told me that the employees can go in and see how much their store and just about every other Sears store does in sales everyday. The top 2 Sears stores in Oklahoma that make the most money are the Quail Springs store and the Woodland Hills one in Tulsa. Since the Quail Springs area is still growing, they sold the building because of what the property is worth. GGP listed the building for what Quail Springs store made on Black Friday last year.

My friend worked at the Quail Springs store. They told me that the employees can go in and see how much their store and just about every other Sears store does in sales everyday. The top 2 Sears stores in Oklahoma that make the most money are the Quail Springs store and the Woodland Hills one in Tulsa. Since the Quail Springs area is still growing, they sold the building because of what the property is worth. GGP listed the building for what Quail Springs store made on Black Friday last year.

If the Quail Springs store is one of the top two Sears locations in the state why is it closing and not somewhere like SW 44th and Western?

If the Quail Springs store is one of the top two Sears locations in the state why is it closing and not somewhere like SW 44th and Western?

The Quail Springs store is very valuable real estate. Sears, who owns most of its stores, is staying in business by selling their better real estate holdings such Quail Springs.

If the Quail Springs store is one of the top two Sears locations in the state why is it closing and not somewhere like SW 44th and Western?

It seems like the 3 mile income demographics of SW 44 and Western are more conducive to a Sears than the 3 mile income of Quail Springs Mall. Like it or not, Sears faces some serious brand legitimacy at this point.

Has anyone heard when the date this store is closing? Just wondering when I can shop for tools during a "Store Closing Sale" :)

If sears didn't have Craftsman brand still, i think they would have gone under quite some time ago... I know people that drive all the way from far northwest oklahoma just to go to a sears to get their craftsman tools.

If sears didn't have Craftsman brand still, i think they would have gone under quite some time ago... I know people that drive all the way from far northwest oklahoma just to go to a sears to get their craftsman tools.

Seriously? Do they not realize that Craftsman has taken on the general name of Crapsman in some circles? Sears sold out the name years ago, and the quality that used to go with that name was sold out years before that. You can get tools with the "Craftsman" name plastered on them at Ace Hardware now.

I think the store-brand tools over at AutoZone are better than most of their Craftsman counterparts. Took a barely used Crafstman ratchet that had stripped out to get my "lifetime warranty replacement," and I was shocked to see that they had, indeed, figured out a way to make the same thing even cheaper. Plastic release button. Plastic direction switch. Gag. Felt like it would break in my hand.

I couldn't even begin to think how long they'd last in the hands of someone who actually depended on them.

Sears/Craftsman rant mode off.

i didn't say that i liked craftsman tools... i'm just saying that i know people who drive a long ways just to get that craftsman name... my father being one of them.

I read recently that the most value within the Sears Holding Corporation is the insured brands of Craftsman, Kenmore and Die Hard, $1.8 billion.

Seriously? Do they not realize that Craftsman has taken on the general name of Crapsman in some circles? Sears sold out the name years ago, and the quality that used to go with that name was sold out years before that. You can get tools with the "Craftsman" name plastered on them at Ace Hardware now.

I think the store-brand tools over at AutoZone are better than most of their Craftsman counterparts. Took a barely used Crafstman ratchet that had stripped out to get my "lifetime warranty replacement," and I was shocked to see that they had, indeed, figured out a way to make the same thing even cheaper. Plastic release button. Plastic direction switch. Gag. Felt like it would break in my hand.

I couldn't even begin to think how long they'd last in the hands of someone who actually depended on them.

Sears/Craftsman rant mode off.

It takes a long time to kill previously established good reputation apparently.

It takes a long time to kill previously established good reputation apparently.

Agreed. Sony still had a reputation for quality well into the 2000s despite being well past their prime. It used to be Sony electronics were a notch above but they went to crap in the late '90s.

I read recently that the most value within the Sears Holding Corporation is the insured brands of Craftsman, Kenmore and Die Hard, $1.8 billion.

I stole this from Wikipedia. I investigated it after I heard Sears advertising Die Hard workboots on the radio.


DieHard is a premium brand of automotive battery marketed by Sears Holdings Corporation retailers, including Sears and Kmart. The brand is owned by KCD IP, LLC, a special purpose entity created by Sears Holdings for securitization purposes.
The brand dates to the 1960s. In its earliest years, the brand was guaranteed to last "forever", that is, as long as the original owner still owned the car in which it was originally installed, far more generous than traditional pro rata battery warranties. When drivers began to keep automobiles for longer periods than had been traditional previously (due to both their rising cost and hence longer financing contracts, and their improved durability), the cost of this policy became prohibitive and it was discontinued. However the brand line was kept and expanded; it now includes medium-priced, medium-duty batteries as well as the premium-priced, heavy duty line with which it was begun, and in recent years has been expanded to include other non-automotive batteries as well. It is used on batteries for motorcycles, boats, golf carts, garden tractors, and snowmobiles.
The batteries themselves are manufactured by Johnson Controls inc. which also manufacture Duralast, AC Delco, as well as 20 other brands.
The DieHard brand is also used on battery chargers, booster cables, power inverters, alkaline batteries, work boots, and more recently the batteries for Craftsman power tools.

Agreed. Sony still had a reputation for quality well into the 2000s despite being well past their prime. It used to be Sony electronics were a notch above but they went to crap in the late '90s.

Absolutely!!

When I was a kid, and my uncle bought a Sony color TV, I always thought, *wow*, he's got the money to afford a SONY TV, because it was the brand to have for quality in that time. Now, Sony's electronics division has apparently been hemorrhaging cash, their quality has fallen precipitously. Have heard numerous stories about chronic problems that started back with tier plasma televisions...

More broadly, also reading that virtually all the Japanese electronics manufacturers are struggling with lower-cost competitors, with brands like Sharp especially at risk for purchase/merger/disappearance, and the reason Pioneer completely departed the large-screen television market (projection or otherwise).

I stole this from Wikipedia. I investigated it after I heard Sears advertising Die Hard workboots on the radio.

I'm not sure why you quoted me in your post as it confirmed what I wrote.


The brand is owned by KCD IP, LLC, a special purpose entity created by Sears Holdings for securitization purposes.


KCD IP, LLC is the Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard Intellectual Property, LLC wholly owned by Sears Holdings Corporation.

Closing day must be nearing because I saw some "store closing" signs stacked against the wall over by the north side of the building near automotive.

I heard somewhere that it would close around Jan. 2013

January 28th to be exact. Confirmed by the manager of our tuxedo store right next door.

January 28th to be exact. Confirmed by the manager of our tuxedo store right next door.Nice. I hope they have a seriously good store closing sale out.

Sears has already started its closing out sale this weekend. They have signs in their store that says the store is closing and everything must go. All sales are final. Also, they are not participating in any circular specials during this time. So, they are in a hurry to get their store closed, and I would not be surprised if they were closed before Christmas at this rate. Although I am sure they will continue to increase their discounts to close as it gets closer to the January 28th deadline.

Sears has already started its closing out sale this weekend. They have signs in their store that says the store is closing and everything must go. All sales are final. Also, they are not participating in any circular specials during this time. So, they are in a hurry to get their store closed, and I would not be surprised if they were closed before Christmas at this rate. Although I am sure they will continue to increase their discounts to close as it gets closer to the January 28th deadline.

I wonder how many people will show up at Sears the day after Thanksgiving not knowing their going out of business?

Saw a "Store Closing" ad in Saturdays Oklahoman. The countdown has begun.

If this store was a top performer like we have been told...is there already plans set for this location since they are moving fast with the closing?

With Sears clearly going under and best buy struggling among others,
the entire nation needs to be very careful that it doesn't receive what it is
wishing for. For a decade now, we've shopped locally but oftentimes purchased
from online etailers to save sales tax and a few dollars on top of it.

Think about it. 2 years ago the primary places to go look for a good TV were
Ultimate, Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears. Sure, you could go to Wally World
and Target as well but you couldn't really see any big TV's there, or the top
of the market sets......for that you had to go elsewhere.....

Now 3 of the 4 are gone and the 4th is struggling. Are we really going to have
a market in the U.S. where appliance and electronics shopping entails a trip
to the internet or home depot or lowes who don't stock anything, or a limited
selection at Wal Mart?

The trend begins to really show it's colors when the retailers that benefitted
from the survival of the fittest are in fact fighting for their own survival months
later. Circuit City and Ultimate's demise didn't help Best Buy one bit!

Borders goes under, Barnes and Noble is struggling? Are we moving to a market
where both of these retailers leave a wake of empty buildings? And for what?
Books by Itunes ONLY? Are we going to be talking about giant book stores
the way we're nostagic about 8 tracks someday soon? The way we look back on
video stores?

The malls are slowly and in some regions quickly losing their anchors and replacing
them with questionable fits that struggle themselves from day one. Montgomery
Wards leaves Crossroads, Dave and Barrys moves in and now they are bankrupt too.

I sincerely hope a Saks or Nordstroms takes over at Quail. That mall is still incredibly
packed and popular and so is Penn Sq. but the years aren't going to be kind if
the trend continues. When the malls struggle with anchors, smaller retailers start
moving to life style centers quickly as well. A lot of it is just simple economics. It
takes a lot to heat and cool a MALL! But we must be aware that if we want
the restaurants, and theatres around a mall to succeed even marginally, we must
begin to support the anchor tenants with our business when possible.

We must support businesses that maintain displays for us to peruse if the price
is "close". We must discontinue the practice of shop on saturday, but on Sunday (ONLINE)
just to save sales tax.

The federal govt. also needs to step in and level the playing field with a simply administered
ONLINE only sales tax to be distributed to states and localities according to their apportioned
congressional districting and population density.

I did not used to feel this way, but today I would gladly pay a 9% surcharge to shop
online if I thought that on a national basis it would prevent our already generic retail corridors
from becoming shuttered ghost towns in 10 years or less. If we don't think that could happen,
I would just bring up: Ultimate, Sears, Bed Bath and Beyond, Circuit City, Montgomery Wards,
Blockbuster, Hollywood Video. This is just 3 years worth....and ONLY OKC...lots more before them and
there will be many after. What's next? Dicks knocks out Academy and Bass Pro with
a single punch only to be put to sleep itself because of some online sporting goods superpower
called AMAZON SPORTS and OUTDOORS?

The retail industry supports the service industries and both employ a lot of our citizens. There is a
very significant link in the survival of a restaurant such as BJ's at Quail and the demise of Sears.
Would Steak and Ale and Bennigans still be around if there were no internet? Hell if I know......
but we may be asking that question about many other businesses in the future if we don't
examine our buying habits and ask ourselves if there is a price to be paid in the future
for saving 6 bucks on a digital camera.....

Sorry for the rambling, but just had to put it down while it was on my mind.......Good night
Sears.....Too bad you decided to stay locked in the 80s.......but it wasn't all your fault!

With Sears clearly going under and best buy struggling among others,
the entire nation needs to be very careful that it doesn't receive what it is
wishing for. For a decade now, we've shopped locally but oftentimes purchased
from online etailers to save sales tax and a few dollars on top of it.

Think about it. 2 years ago the primary places to go look for a good TV were
Ultimate, Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears. Sure, you could go to Wally World
and Target as well but you couldn't really see any big TV's there, or the top
of the market sets......for that you had to go elsewhere.....

Now 3 of the 4 are gone and the 4th is struggling. Are we really going to have
a market in the U.S. where appliance and electronics shopping entails a trip
to the internet or home depot or lowes who don't stock anything, or a limited
selection at Wal Mart?

The trend begins to really show it's colors when the retailers that benefitted
from the survival of the fittest are in fact fighting for their own survival months
later. Circuit City and Ultimate's demise didn't help Best Buy one bit!

Borders goes under, Barnes and Noble is struggling? Are we moving to a market
where both of these retailers leave a wake of empty buildings? And for what?
Books by Itunes ONLY? Are we going to be talking about giant book stores
the way we're nostagic about 8 tracks someday soon? The way we look back on
video stores?

The malls are slowly and in some regions quickly losing their anchors and replacing
them with questionable fits that struggle themselves from day one. Montgomery
Wards leaves Crossroads, Dave and Barrys moves in and now they are bankrupt too.

I sincerely hope a Saks or Nordstroms takes over at Quail. That mall is still incredibly
packed and popular and so is Penn Sq. but the years aren't going to be kind if
the trend continues. When the malls struggle with anchors, smaller retailers start
moving to life style centers quickly as well. A lot of it is just simple economics. It
takes a lot to heat and cool a MALL! But we must be aware that if we want
the restaurants, and theatres around a mall to succeed even marginally, we must
begin to support the anchor tenants with our business when possible.

We must support businesses that maintain displays for us to peruse if the price
is "close". We must discontinue the practice of shop on saturday, but on Sunday (ONLINE)
just to save sales tax.

The federal govt. also needs to step in and level the playing field with a simply administered
ONLINE only sales tax to be distributed to states and localities according to their apportioned
congressional districting and population density.

I did not used to feel this way, but today I would gladly pay a 9% surcharge to shop
online if I thought that on a national basis it would prevent our already generic retail corridors
from becoming shuttered ghost towns in 10 years or less. If we don't think that could happen,
I would just bring up: Ultimate, Sears, Bed Bath and Beyond, Circuit City, Montgomery Wards,
Blockbuster, Hollywood Video. This is just 3 years worth....and ONLY OKC...lots more before them and
there will be many after. What's next? Dicks knocks out Academy and Bass Pro with
a single punch only to be put to sleep itself because of some online sporting goods superpower
called AMAZON SPORTS and OUTDOORS?

The retail industry supports the service industries and both employ a lot of our citizens. There is a
very significant link in the survival of a restaurant such as BJ's at Quail and the demise of Sears.
Would Steak and Ale and Bennigans still be around if there were no internet? Hell if I know......
but we may be asking that question about many other businesses in the future if we don't
examine our buying habits and ask ourselves if there is a price to be paid in the future
for saving 6 bucks on a digital camera.....

Sorry for the rambling, but just had to put it down while it was on my mind.......Good night
Sears.....Too bad you decided to stay locked in the 80s.......but it wasn't all your fault!

I completely agree with this. I refuse to shop online unless I have no choice. Not only is it inconvenient having to wait a week to get stuff and then try to schedule a way to pick up a FedEx package, I would rather my money somewhat help the local economy rather than be sent to Seattle. Most people of my generation do not agree with me though. I am generally for lower taxes but I think we need to tax online retailers for the sake of saving brick and mortar options.

I am not sure Sears was hurt by online retailers though like Circuit City and Border's was. There problem was refusal to modernize while letting go of much of the quality they were once known for.

Actually you are wrong. The store is closing around the 23rd if not before. My best friend works there. Perhaps you should confirm it with an actual employee of the store rather than the manager (who apparently doesnt know anything) of a store next door to Sears. My friend is actually showing me the paperwork that the employees were given about the store closing and you are wrong.

By the way, I do hear from a reputable source at Quail Springs Mall that the space that Sears currently occupies will be leased by Von Maur. Quail Springs Mall has already secured Von Maur as a tenant. This will be a good thing for the mall, by bringing in a quality merchant.

By the way, I do hear from a reputable source at Quail Springs Mall that the space that Sears currently occupies will be leased by Von Maur. Quail Springs Mall has already secured Von Maur as a tenant. This will be a good thing for the mall, by bringing in a quality merchant.

I've never been in a Von Maur but I've heard it's above Macy's/Dillard's but below Nordstrom/Saks. Is this true?

This may be just what QS has needed. Maybe following the entrance of Von Maur some of the low end mom and pop stores can be replaced by more quality tenants throughout the whole mall. There is no reason OKC cannot support two good malls.

I feel bad for Sears. They've tried and tried and things just aren't working out. There's no room for a large general retailer as a mall anchor anymore. They really had a little of everything where Penney's and others left that behind a long time ago.

Yes, Von Maur is meant to compete more with Nordrstroms or Bloomingdales, and be better than Macys or Dillards. They will definitely have to compete with Dillards at QS Mall.

Shouldn't be hard, the QS Dillard's is a dump.

Shouldn't be hard, the QS Dillard's is a dump.You know it's funny. I thought that too, but I went over there the other day and it seems like the quality of their merchandise is increasing. Maybe it is just me, but the other day when I was there, they had jackets upwards of $600(not even leather), $650 shoes, $450 jeans, and bedspreads around $500. Now maybe they have always had this and I just haven't noticed.

You know it's funny. I thought that too, but I went over there the other day and it seems like the quality of their merchandise is increasing. Maybe it is just me, but the other day when I was there, they had jackets upwards of $600(not even leather), $650 shoes, $450 jeans, and bedspreads around $500. Now maybe they have always had this and I just haven't noticed.

They need to remodel it to make it look more presentable. The QS Dillard's isn't even as nice as as Penney's and when you go inside its like stepping back into the 1980s. The Penn Square Dillard's is one of the nicest department stores in the metro.


I feel bad for Sears. They've tried and tried and things just aren't working out. There's no room for a large general retailer as a mall anchor anymore. They really had a little of everything where Penney's and others left that behind a long time ago.

Agreed. This is why QS needs to set the bar high going forward. They were the "middle class" mall for the longest time but middle class malls today aren't able to compete with the likes of Wal-Mart, Target, and the many other big box retailers. Malls pretty much have to go upscale or die.

QS Dillard's definitely needs a facelift. However, they really need more space too. They have so much stuff shoved in there, you can barely get between the racks, much less actually be able to look at the merchandise squeezed onto them. I live in Edmond, but I almost refuse to go to that Dillards. I always just go to Penn Square. So much nicer.

QS Dillard's definitely needs a facelift. However, they really need more space too. They have so much stuff shoved in there, you can barely get between the racks, much less actually be able to look at the merchandise squeezed onto them. I live in Edmond, but I almost refuse to go to that Dillards. I always just go to Penn Square. So much nicer.

Agreed. I would say with Von Maur coming in a facelift to Dillard's will be almost inevitable if they want to compete.

You know it's funny. I thought that too, but I went over there the other day and it seems like the quality of their merchandise is increasing. Maybe it is just me, but the other day when I was there, they had jackets upwards of $600(not even leather), $650 shoes, $450 jeans, and bedspreads around $500. Now maybe they have always had this and I just haven't noticed.

Just so I can verify, you actually inspected the material and found it to be of higher quality than previous occasions, correct? I'm just making sure because your post makes it sound like you think that just because something is expensive that it is high quality.

Just so I can verify, you actually inspected the material and found it to be of higher quality than previous occasions, correct? I'm just making sure because your post makes it sound like you think that just because something is expensive that it is high quality.No. It just seemed like they are carrying higher cost clothing than I previously though(and I could be wrong). I probably should've specified.

Just so I can verify, you actually inspected the material and found it to be of higher quality than previous occasions, correct? I'm just making sure because your post makes it sound like you think that just because something is expensive that it is high quality.BTW 9 times out of 10 you get what you pay for.

BTW 9 times out of 10 you get what you pay for.

I disagree. In the past several years, overall product quality (not just in Dillard's but everywhere) has diminished while prices have remained flat or even increased. Very rarely does one get what they pay for now.

BTW 9 times out of 10 you get what you pay for.

My experience with clothing is that your paying just for the name brand. Everything is made by the same group of kids in Indonesia or some other third world country, but now Im getting Off topic. Lol

I disagree. In the past several years, overall product quality (not just in Dillard's but everywhere) has diminished while prices have remained flat or even increased. Very rarely does one get what they pay for now.


My experience with clothing is that your paying just for the name brand. Everything is made by the same group of kids in Indonesia or some other third world country, but now Im getting Off topic. LolYeah you're probably right. That is getting to be an outdated "truth". lol

I wouldn't be surprised if Von Maur gave GGP a little "kickback" for that space. Business dealings can be more underhanded than you think!

I wouldn't be surprised if Von Maur gave GGP a little "kickback" for that space. Business dealings can be more underhanded than you think!

Huh? Not sure what payments you are talking about, but if VM gave a premium to get a space, that certainly isn't underhanded. Now, if VM is a public company and the owner of the space is someone in VM who influences the location and therefore diverts money from the shareholders, that is different. Not sure what you are saying though.

I wouldn't be surprised if Von Maur gave GGP a little "kickback" for that space. Business dealings can be more underhanded than you think!

Doesn't make sense. GGP actually owned the Sears store at Quail Springs, it was part of the Sears sale of some mall stores to General Growth. If there was a kickback paid to GGP for the space to screw Sears, GGP was letting themselves get kicked.

It is good to see upscale department stores take notice of OKC emerging and raising the bar! This is a great start but there is still work to be done. Von Maur should do well in QSM, and perhaps change the marketing mix of stores for the mall.

Von Maur is a perfect fit for QS, and definitely several steps up from Sears. But if you think this is really upscale, you'll be disappointed. I work near one and it's more of a dressed up Macy's then anything else. If you look at their list of locations, it's a lot of small towns in Iowa and the Midwest. It's not Nordstrom or Sak's. That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it but it's arrival doesn't mean OKC has arrived on the upscale scene.

For what it's worth, in the Neiman Marcus Wikipedia entry it says "The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas,[1] and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, Von Maur and Bloomingdale's."

Von Maur was also listed in the luxury category of a recent poll for Retailing Today.

To be honest, I had never heard of Von Mauer until that mass shooting in Omaha a few years back. But apparently somebody considers them on par with luxury retailers. They're often referred to as the "Nordstom of the Midwest".

Von Maur is a perfect fit for QS, and definitely several steps up from Sears. But if you think this is really upscale, you'll be disappointed. I work near one and it's more of a dressed up Macy's then anything else. If you look at their list of locations, it's a lot of small towns in Iowa and the Midwest. It's not Nordstrom or Sak's. That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it but it's arrival doesn't mean OKC has arrived on the upscale scene. True, however it is good for OKC since Saks, Nordstrom or Neiman's are not interested in opening there. Again, this is a "start" for OKC along with Nordstrom Rack as retail is starting to get better in OKC

Von Maur may not be Nordstrom or Saks, but its certainly better than anything currently in the market from what I hear. This is kind of like when Little Rock got Parisian before they got bought out by Belk, which was a huge blow for them since Parisian was the only upscale store in the market. OKC will now finally have an upscale department store even if its not as upscale as Nordstrom, Neiman's, etc.

Von Maur is a perfect fit for QS, and definitely several steps up from Sears. But if you think this is really upscale, you'll be disappointed. I work near one and it's more of a dressed up Macy's then anything else. If you look at their list of locations, it's a lot of small towns in Iowa and the Midwest. It's not Nordstrom or Sak's. That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it but it's arrival doesn't mean OKC has arrived on the upscale scene. Well, personally I have never stepped foot in a Von Maur, so I have nothing to really compare it with. According to Wikipedia, it's description of the department store chain is an "upscale" speciality department store that competes with Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Lord and Taylor. It has a live pianist performing during regular store hours and it offers free gift wrapping, free shipping. These are just some of the features offered in their signature flagship stores. They have recently expanded into Atlanta and Louisville so they are also expanding in the South hardly small towns.

I feel bad for Sears. They've tried and tried and things just aren't working out. There's no room for a large general retailer as a mall anchor anymore. They really had a little of everything where Penney's and others left that behind a long time ago.

No disrespect, but Sears hasn't "tried" in thirty years. And that's precisely their problem. Now they're simply an appendage of K-Mart.

Walk into one of their stores today and its like walking into a time machine back to about 1982. They even smell the same.

Sears either refused to or had no clue how to adapt to an evolving market. Ironically, they were in a good position to make that transition as a catalog retailer, but failed to understand how to leverage that position going forward. I think a properly managed Sears could have transitioned themselves into an early generation Amazon, but they were too tepid in their move to a non-brick-and-mortar market. They opted rather to stand on the value of their brand names and stale stores, so when the quality behind those names eroded and better alternatives at better prices emerged from other vendors, Sears was left with precious little to distinguish itself other than its name.

While I realize relatively speaking their store at 44th and Western is successful, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see an announcement from them that they're shuttering it in particular (or the balance of what's left in general). They've already sold/licensed the Craftsman name to Ace, and seems to me when you start selling off assets, the candle's wick is just about gone.

Von Maur may not be Nordstrom or Saks, but its certainly better than anything currently in the market from what I hear. This is kind of like when Little Rock got Parisian before they got bought out by Belk, which was a huge blow for them since Parisian was the only upscale store in the market. OKC will now finally have an upscale department store even if its not as upscale as Nordstrom, Neiman's, etc.

By the looks of their inventory of apparel it's not even as upscale as Macys or Dillards, at least for the men's dept. The only designer brands that stand out are Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. I appreciate the piano and interior design but how this is considered on par with Nordstrom baffles me. OKC is not gaining anything more upscale the Macy's or Dillards.

Von Maur is a perfect fit for QS, and definitely several steps up from Sears. But if you think this is really upscale, you'll be disappointed. I work near one and it's more of a dressed up Macy's then anything else. If you look at their list of locations, it's a lot of small towns in Iowa and the Midwest. It's not Nordstrom or Sak's. That doesn't mean I'm not happy about it but it's arrival doesn't mean OKC has arrived on the upscale scene.

Pretty accurate statement.

I have never understood why Tulsa and Birmingham can support a Saks but OKC supposedly cannot, other than lazy market researchers who simply rely on Wikipedia for their market data and don't take into account the sprawl of OKC.

By the looks of their inventory of apparel it's not even as upscale as Macys or Dillards, at least for the men's dept. The only designer brands that stand out are Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. I appreciate the piano and interior design but how this is considered on par with Nordstrom baffles me. OKC is not gaining anything more upscale the Macy's or Dillards.

Von Maur is a slightly upscale chain. Most department stores carry a great deal of the same stuff. They definitely are a step up from JCP and that ilk, but don't particularly distinguish themselves with high end house brands, etc. They are a nice anchor and do well in cities like ours...pretty fashion safe or conservative. They display well and their stores are usually stylish, but not "forward" stylish. They should spend a decent amount on remodeling and raise the image of QSM a bit. They usually go into the better malls/areas in small to midsize cities. If they are taking the entire Sears area it will be a bigger flagship store for them.

This is a nice addition, a nice upgrade, but doesn't signal OKC "arriving".

Home (http://www.villaggioqatar.com/)

This is upscale. The Pagani parked outside when I was last there was pretty cool too. :D