Ryan

I'm planning a trip to Dallas for the day after Thanksgiving in order to get some real time info on the start of the Christmas shopping season. (I'm a research analyst who follows retailers.)

I'm planning on hitting the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, the Galleria (I know where it is even if I don't remember the name of the highway it is near!) and 1 other Mall.

Can anyone suggest a good 3rd option for a middle level or high end mall in the Dallas-Metroplex?

Thanks ahead of time for your advice. (BTW, in case you're curious, I'm picking Dallas because when it comes to retail, Dallas is thought to be good microcosm of the rest of the country. That's why almost every supermarket chain of their and most new retail concepts hit that market first. So keep spending and helping America!)

BeachBoi

When I visit, I hit VistaRidge Mall,Lewisville...right on the I35...my friends that I visit there laugh and tell me NOT to go on the weekend cuz all the "country folk" come in then!!

TxTravelPro

Very interesting.
I have lived here my entire life and that explains a lot! We had the first Super Wal-Mart about 14 years ago... it was called HyperMart!
A block from the Galleria is an active mall called Valley View. It has all the standard mall stores. Some of the chains stores are the largest in the area. It is extremely busy with a predominatly minority market.
Collin Creek, NE of the Galleria, is a standard suburb mall in a crossroads area. One side of the highway is upwardly mobile and the other side is mostly minority and lower income.
Northpark is Dallas' 2nd oldest mall and attracts a true microcosm. Less tourists than the Galleria and easily accessible to all socio economic groups in the immediate areas. It is my favorite mall because the upscale stores are not nearly at snobby as those in Frisco.
Can you be a little more specific?
There are so many malls. You specified upscale and you have 2 of them on your list. I would recommend one of the above but would be happy to answer any additional questions you may have to help you make your decision.
travelpro-at-webjetters-dot-com

ChristieP

Definitely North Park! It is on 75 at Northwest Highway. It is one of the oldest malls in Dallas, but it definitely attracts an upscale clientele of "old money", as opposed to the "new money" at Stonebriar and the tourists at the Galleria.

Ryan

Thanks for your input. In terms of being more specific, I should just say that I'm looking for the busiest mall in the area that can give me the most opportunity to see what is going on in the real world. (Essentially the mall everyone wants to avoid the day after Thanksgiving, but the one everyone goes to anyway.) I'll likely have a few options though as I'll be flying into and out of DFW the same day so I might factor in distance from the airport.

For those who are curious, yes my wife does go on shopping sprees and then try and convince me she is "helping" me with research. Although, my accountant has yet to figure out a legal way that I can charge her purchases off as a legitimate business expenses.

Thanks again and I really appreciate it.

Connie

I'd definitely say Collin Creek Mall in Plano -- heavy mall traffic and it's very close to Frisco.

TxTravelPro

Well, this is what you have so far...
DFW to Galleria (straight shot east of DFW on 635/LBJ Freeway @ the Tollway)
Galleria to Stonebriar - Frisco (Straight North on the Tollway)
You could then take the Tollway South to NW Highway EAST and head to Northpark.
Jump on 75 North (at NorthPark) take 635 West and boom, you are back at DFW.
Easy.
If you need a more diverse experience I would head to Valley View.

BeachBoi

TTP....Isnt there a mall there in FarNorthDallas,very upscale but is a "mausoleum"?Like just west of the Tollway?I think we went right after it opened and I have heard from my friends there that is a wasteland?

TxTravelPro

You must be talking about The Shops at Willow Bend. <Yawn>
Like you, we went when it first opened.
Nothing new, somewhat pretentious.
We never cared to return.
Is that the one?

BeachBoi

Yes!! Thank You, I knew it had the same sort of name as that Polo Club out there.Yes all I remember is that it was very deserted.The only place to eat was California Pizza Kitchen.....not where an Angelino wants to eat in Texas!!! And they didnt even have their liquor license yet and it was hot under the August sun....Thanks Again......S

ChristieP

I actually worked Christmas 2002 at The Shops at Willow Bend. Unless things have changed, it's not a very busy mall and is about 30% vacant. They do have other restaurants now (including Todai, a wonderful Japanese seafood buffet) and The Mercury, which is a trendy place with a nice bar.

OliveOyl

Another vote for Northpark! The Galleria is the mall I'd most want to avoid the day after Thanksgiving though. It can be next to impossible (literally) just finding a place to park.

TxTravelPro

Last year I bypassed all the parking mess by taking Spring Valley off the tollway, turning right on Noelle (sp) right on Alpha and right into the parking lots across the street from the Galleria. I always find a spot in that lot, almost on the corner of the tollway and Alpha. In and out really quick, too.

Branv

I'd definitely say North Park. Unbelievably packed around that time, even more so, in my opinion, then Collin Creek or Valley View would get. This may be an illusion, of course, b/c it is one story so the crowds are more grouped together. However, it seems to do quite a brisk business, and it is definitely more high end then Collin Creek.

trubble

It's a little out of the way but you might want to try Grapevine Mills - it's a new upscale outlet mall designed/built by the . grapevinemills.com

Maple

Grapevine Mills would be the closest to the airport - just a couple of miles north. It isn't high level, but certainly meets the requirement of "crowded" and "close"!

Ryan

Thanks for all your replies. Unfortunately, Dallas will have to wait for now as the flights are full and the airfares are just astronomical. Maybe Vegas....