Walden Galleria

infobox shopping mall
shopping_mall_name = Walden Galleria


caption = Walden Galleria sign
location = Cheektowaga, New York, USA
opening_date = 1989
developer = The Pyramid Companies
manager =
owner =
number_of_stores = 250
number_of_anchors = 12
floor_area = convert|1600000|sqft|m2|sigfig=2 [cite web |url=http://www.icsc.org/apps/dmmdisp.php?dispid=NY8930 |title=Directory of Major Malls |accessdate=2008-05-20 |work=International Council of Shopping Centers]
floors = 2
website = [http://www.waldengalleria.com www.waldengalleria.com]
parking = |

Walden Galleria is an enclosed shopping mall located in the Buffalo, New York suburb of Cheektowaga. The largest mall in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area, it is also the busiest in the region, with more than 18 million shoppers annually. Walden Galleria comprises more than convert|1600000|sqft|m2|sigfig=2 of retail space, with 250 stores on two levels, including a food court and a movie theater; anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, DSW Shoe Warehouse, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Old Navy, Sears, and the first Steve & Barry's in the state of New York. [cite web |url=http://www.pyramidmg.com/portfolio/walden_galleria.asp |title=Walden Galleria |accessdate=2008-05-16 |work=Pyramid Management] The mall is owned and managed by The Pyramid Companies of Syracuse, New York, the same management firm that developed it.

Opened in 1989, Walden Galleria initially featured national chains JCPenney and Sears, along with regional chain Bonwit Teller, and local chains Sibley's, L. L. Berger, and The Sample as its major tenants. As these local chains fell to bankruptcy in the 1990s, several big box tenants would be added to the mall to fill the vacancies; anchors Lord & Taylor and Galyan's (now Dick's Sporting Goods) were later additions to the existing mall property, opening in 1992 and 2000, respectively. The most recent renovation to Walden Galleria comprised an extensive $60 million renovation between 2006 and 2008, which added several new tenants; a new movie theater was opened May 2008, and a Barnes & Noble bookstore will be added.cite web |url=http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2006/06/19/story1.html |title=Walden Galleria getting bigger |accessdate=2007-09-23 |last=Fink |first=James |date=2007-06-16 |work=Business First of Buffalo]

History

Walden Galleria was developed by The Pyramid Companies, a New York-based shopping property management firm. Built on a site near Exit 52 of the New York State Thruway, the mall was opened in 1989. At the time, the mall featured five anchor stores: Bonwit Teller, JCPenney, and Sears, as well as Buffalo-based chains Sibley's, L. L. Berger, and The Sample. [cite news |first=David |Last=Robinson |title=Galleria set for opening on Monday: Area awaits impact of new megamall |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB19505A3931402&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=The Buffalo News |date=1989-04-30 |accessdate=2007-10-01 ] An additional anchor space was originally built for B. Altman and Company, but it remained vacant, as the chain decided not to open a store at Walden Galleria due to credit restraints. [cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE2DC153CF935A1575AC0A96F948260 |title=COMPANY NEWS; Hooker Corp. Receivables |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1989-09-26 |work=The New York Times] At the time, the two-story mall also featured more than 150 stores, as well as a theater owned by Hoyts Cinemas.

In 1990, Sibley's was acquired and renamed by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Kaufmann's. That same year, local chain AM&A's (Adam, Meldrum & Anderson Company) moved from the nearby Thruway Mall into the space originally planned for B. Altman. [cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4298/is_199009/ai_n14968063 |title=AM&A sets new Buffalo, N.Y. unit. (brief article) |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1990-09 |work=Daily News Record] The owner of the Thruway Mall sued the AM&A's chain, claiming breach of contract; [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB195862035E565&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Thruway Mall sues AM&A's chain for moving to Galleria |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1990-06-12 |work=The Buffalo News] the chain would later be declared liable for damages to the Thruway Mall, which was subsequently torn down and rebuilt as a strip mall. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB195AFF21BBEB3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=AM&A's loses court ruling in mall dispute |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1990-10-11 |work=The Buffalo News] Finally, Hoyts sold the Walden Galleria theater complex to General Cinemas by the end of the year.cite web |url=http://cinematreasures.org/theater/16817/ |title=Cinema Treasures: Walden Galleria 12 |accessdate=2007-10-01 |work=Cinema Treasures.org]

L. L. Berger declared bankruptcy in 1991, closing all of its stores. [cite web |url=http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=%22l.+l.+berger&btnG=Google+Search |title=Berger files Chap. 11 (brief article) |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1991-01 |work=Daily News Record] Later that same year, three more anchor stores are added to the mall: Lechmere, Loehmann's, and Lord & Taylor. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB195BCBB8A54F2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Lord & Taylor, Filene's Basement set for Galleria construction to start soon for the two stores as well as additional parking |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1990-12-01 |work=The Buffalo News] The Sample closed in 1991, and was soon replaced with Linens & Wares, a household goods-based retailer; [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB195DE83DAE891&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Linens & Wares taking Sample Galleria space |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1991-03-27 |work=The Buffalo News] also, by the end of the year, Filene's Basement would open in the former L. L. Berger space. Both Filene's Basement and Loehmann's would close within three years, however. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF979D608835E6&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Filene's Basement closing Galleria store |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1994-01-21 |work=The Buffalo News] [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF981AA337B45C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Loehmann's exits Buffalo market for the second time |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1994-10-04 |work=The Buffalo News]

Mid-late 1990s

In 1995, York, Pennsylvania-based department store chain The Bon-Ton acquired the AM&A's chain, converting all outlets to The Bon-Ton. Later that year, 17-year-old Cynthia Wiggins of Buffalo was killed by a dump truck while trying to get to her first day of work in the mall's food court from a NFTA Metro bus stop on Walden Avenue. The incident sparked allegations from Buffalo's African-American community that Pyramid did not want people from Buffalo's predominantly minority east side to have easy access to the mall. In settling a wrongful death lawsuit against Walden Galleria and NFTA Metro, and to prevent a boycott of the mall, the bus stop was soon moved to a point inside the mall. [cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E1DD1731F93AA25751C1A960958260 |title=The Cynthia Wiggins case |accessdate=2008-05-17] [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_1_97/ai_58170457|title=Buffalo, NY, Family Settles For $2.55 Mil. In Suit Charging Woman's Death Was Due To Racism At Mall (Jet)|accessdate=2008-05-17] [cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_n14_v90/ai_18610940|title=Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. takes case of black teen killed by dump truck on her way to mall|accessdate=2008-05-18]

Bonwit Teller closed off its upper level in 1996, as part of the chain's restructuring, with Old Navy soon opening in the store's former upper level. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF99630ADF7268&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Bonwit Teller downsizing Walden Galleria store |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1996-07-20 |work=The Buffalo News] By the end of the year, Bonwit Teller had closed the rest of its store as well; Bed Bath & Beyond later opened its first Buffalo-area store in the former lower level. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9A20E80AE586&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Bed Bath & Beyond opens first area store in Galleria |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1997-05-01 |work=The Buffalo News] [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9991A4AD5487&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Bonwit Teller store closing |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1996-10-18 |work=The Buffalo News] Also in 1996, sporting apparel retailer Finish Line opened what was then one of its largest stores, in the space vacated by Filene's Basement two years previous. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF994F40E8D270&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Galleria adding big Finish Line apparel store |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1996-06-11 |work=The Buffalo News]

Montgomery Ward, which acquired the Lechmere chain in 1994, closed the last of the Lechmere stores nationwide in 1998, as part of a corporate restructuring; [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9A4EFB546BD2&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Parent company plans to close Lechmere stores |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1997-08-01 |work=The Buffalo News] half of the former Lechmere was then converted to a home store for JCPenney, [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9B2FEB622372&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Six new stores have leased space in Walden Galleria |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1998-10-13 |work=The Buffalo News] while the other half sat vacant until DSW Shoe Warehouse replaced it in 1999. [cite web |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-6676388.html |title=Off-Price Shoe Retailer Plans Cheektowaga, N.Y., Store. |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=1999-10-12 |work=Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News] Linens 'n Wares, which closed at some point in the late 1990s, was converted to a home store for Kaufmann's in 1999 as well. [cite web |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9C4C8C2973C0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Furniture added at Kaufmann's location |accessdate=2007-09-23 |date=1999-11-03 |work=The Buffalo News] One year later, a Galyan's Trading Company store was added onto the mall as well; this store was converted to the Dick's Sporting Goods name in 2004 with the acquisition of Galyan's.

2000s

Starting in 2000, the first of several renovation plans was announced for the mall. The initial plan called for the addition of a new, three-story wing with an eighteen-screen movie theater complex, as well as several upscale tenants. Under this proposal, the existing Sears store would have been converted to mall space, and a new Sears store built immediately behind it. [cite web |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-6451055.html |title=Buffalo, N.Y., Shopping Mall to Add Wing with Stores, Eateries, Parking Deck. |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=2000-12-04 |work=The Buffalo News] These expansion plans, however, never came to fruition.

By 2002, General Cinemas had sold the mall's theater complex to AMC Theatres. One year later, Pyramid made an attempt to evict the theater for a Best Buy store; however, the eviction failed, and the theaters remained in operation, [cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-122335580.html |title=Best Buy Decides against Opening Store in Buffalo, N.Y., Mall. |accessdate=2007-09-23 |last=Haarlander |first=Lisa |date=2003-05-08 |work=The Buffalo News] although Best Buy would open a store at the mall next to Sears in 2006. [cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-142494251.html |title= Best Buy plans to build store at Walden Galleria near Sears |accessdate=2007-09-23 |last=Lindstedtn |first= Sharon |date=2006-02-23 |work=The Buffalo News] AMC closed the mall's theaters in 2004, and only four days after their closing, the theater complex was acquired and reopened by Regal Cinemas.

The JCPenney Home Store, which was closed in 2002, was replaced one year later by the first Steve & Barry's store in the state of New York. [cite web |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-8892402.html |title=Collegiate Apparel Store Opens in Buffalo, N.Y., Galleria. |accessdate=2007-09-23 |date=2003-07-23 |work=The Buffalo News] Kaufmann's was one of several former May Co. brands to be acquired and re-named by Macy's in 2005; while the main Kaufmann's store was converted to Macy's, the Home Store was shuttered. Also in 2005, The Bon-Ton closed. [cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2005/11/14/daily26.html |title=Bon-Ton closing Walden Galleria store |accessdate=2007-10-01 |date=2005-11-16 |work=Business First of Buffalo] Finally, Bed Bath & Beyond moved outside the mall in 2007.

2006-present: Expansion

With the closure of The Bon-Ton in 2005, plans were once again announced to expand the Walden Galleria. Under these new plans, The Bon-Ton's former store was demolished for a new concourse composed of more than convert|250000|sqft|m2 of new retail space. The mall's existing theater complex, which was located next to The Bon-Ton, was also demolished for a future Barnes & Noble bookstore, and a newer, larger theater complex, which opened at the end of May 2008.cite web |url=http://www.cheektowagatimes.com/news/2006/0414/Front_Page/001.html |title= Expansion plans filed by Galleria |accessdate=2007-10-01 |work=Cheektowaga Times] Several new restaurants, including The Cheescake Factory and The Melting Pot, were also added, as was Ruehl No.925, a concept clothing store owned by Abercrombie & Fitch. [cite web |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/05/12/daily12.html |title=Three new retailers come to Galleria |accessdate=2008-05-14 |last=Fink |first=James |date=2008-05-13 |work=Bizjournals.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.waldengalleria.com Walden Galleria homepage]
* [http://www.pyramidmg.com/portfolio/walden_galleria.asp Pyramid Companies page]