Tuscaloosa Shopping… Or Lack There Of

Students at the University of Alabama are all about fashion. The minute evening hits, all students put away their Nike athletic shorts, over sized T-shirts and get ready to flaunt their newest outfits. However, most of these great outfits are not typically purchased anywhere around campus. Tuscaloosa is not exactly the New York City of the south. Therefore, most students have to travel a good distance for a large variety of popular stores. The only major place to shop around campus, besides over priced boutique’s, is the University Mall. Which is located just off McFarland Boulevard and less than ten minutes from campus. Unfortunately, due to the limited shopping, out of date renovations, and lack of popular attractions; the 45-minute drive to Birmingham, AL may be a better bet, if students are looking for a more fulfilled shopping trip.

The University Mall is a very small mall with a limited number of stores. Fortunately, the mall offers major department stores; such as Sears, JC Penny, and Belk. These stores carry your everyday fashion necessities and certainly outfits for every occasion, which is certainly helpful. However, it does not carry as many popular brand-names stores preferred by most college students. There are small popular stores within the mall including Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, GAP, Gymboree, and Hibbett Sports. The stores are typically small in size and offer smaller selections then those of the malls in Birmingham, AL.

The University Mall’s appearance and general structure does not do much justice to its appeal to students. The mall was built in 1980 and rarely renovated sense then. The building is worn down and typically very empty. It is possible that if the building was renovated, added in more popular stores, and restaurants; it would be able to attract more costumers and eventually build itself up into a larger, more popular mall. Because it is the largest mall in western Alabama, there is no major competition. Especially near a college town were transportation is limited to the general area for many students and would definitely benefit from a good renovation and update.

Most malls benefit by what is located within. Malls succeed by having popular attractions. Most malls in other cities try to find something that attracts its intended costumers in order to get them to stay and look around. Nice and typically rare, restaurants are a fantastic way to draw in costumers. Applebee’s is great, but can be found anywhere. Chain restaurants like PF Chang’s, Cheesecake Factory, and other rare up scale chain restaurants would attract a whole new crowd than a typical Applebee’s. This attraction would bring more costumers to stay and look around the area after their meals, eventually building up the malls popularity, which could encourage the mall to build up with more up to date attractions.

The mall offers what is necessary to the community, but it could certainly use an upgrade to keep up with the near by Birmingham shopping that most students prefer over anywhere in Tuscaloosa.