Andrea F.
Yelp
I had higher hopes for this based on all of the marketing I had seen for it leading up to the opening, however, it just seems to be any old mall.
I remember it when it was the Gallery, so to me this new revival is essentially just the Gallery, but with a glossy white veneer. I don't particularly remember which stores were in the Gallery (I think a lot of them weren't name brands), so perhaps the additions of big staples like Nike, Samsonite, Levis, etc., will help to ensure its survival, unlike its predecessor. I DO love that a lot of them are outlets so I don't have to drive all the way out to Limerick or Gloucester for the deals. The layout is also very clean and bright, which helps a bit.
But on the other hand, it still boasts teeny bopper stores that I thought went out of business years ago, like Zumiez, Journeys, Gamestop, Hollister, Spencer's Gifts, etc., which I don't feel has a huge market, especially with so many competing online retailers (I could be wrong, though!). I WILL say that it still is a work in progress and I did see a lot of signs for stores that are going to be opening soon, so that's a plus, but walking through here made me feel like I was walking through my hometown mall at the age of 14. I dunno, maybe that's the point, to invoke a sense of late 90s/early 2000s nostalgia.
I visited on a Thursday afternoon middle of the day around 2:00 p.m. and it was like a ghost town which makes me a bit skeptical. Hopefully on nights and weekends it picks up but from my first impression it seemed to be another mall that may be doomed for failure. I hope I'm wrong.
Before strolling through the shops I first stopped at the food court that's connected to the Market East station, which is convenient, albeit feeling a bit like Suburban Station with the whole "I'm eating underground" thing. It's definitely well kept and it offers a lot of seating, plus there's tons of food options and even a bakery. I stopped at Freshii for a quick lunch and they actually gave me $3 off for having a septa key card!
With all that said, I think the addition of attractions like Wonderscapes, Candytopia, and the City Winery (which I'm eager to try) will definitely help to drum up business and bring in crowds of all ages.
I'm not knocking it entirely and would like to come back on a weekend to get a feel for it then.