Apparently, roving bands of Black guys aren't good for business if the closing of Bannister Mall is any indication
Maybe some of you from South KC can enlighten me but I remember Bannister Mall doing great business until it became stricken with the perception of being Kansas City's new Black Mall . . . And that's when everybody gave up on it.
Here's one of the things I've learned from my short and unsuccessful career in the field of communications: Perception = Reality.
A recent headline from KMBZ concluded the final fate of the place:
Bannister Mall Is Closing In Just Over A Month
Local blog Down the Byline posted his take on it from the perspective of a soccer fan who could be looking toward the chance of the place becoming the site of a future soccer stadium for the Wizards.
But I remember that for a short, brief moment . . . It was one of the most integrated areas of commerce in Kansas City . . . Until violence and rumors of violence along with the perceptions of so many people both justified and otherwise ruined the place.
BUT THEN AGAIN, maybe this topic isn't related to race at all (REALLY) and nothing more than proof that proponents of "The New Urbanism" are correct in their designs of shopping districts that replicate the feel of a downtown environment in a suburban setting . . . Yet somehow, all of the successful ventures in that arena (ahem, Zona Rosa) have taken place in white suburbs far away from minority communities.
But I don't claim to know it all . . . For one thing, I don't know how the P&L District is going to avoid the fate of Bannister Mall given that it faces the same perceived problem (i.e. proximity to the Black community) which so many people cite as a leading to contributor to the ultimate demise of the place.
I grew up in this area, and Bannister was the place to be about 1985. But a few scandals, such as the 'security guards' being paid to look the other way when cars were being broke into or stolen, and people being robbed nightly, kinda kills the festive shopping mood. Race had nothing to do with that, personal safety did. Otherwise the place was great, it was close by and people came from all over town. Great place to meet up (no homo).
ReplyDeleteBut to a point your are right, perception does dictate reality, but in this case it was reality that dictated perception.
It's pretty damn sad over there now. My question is--how the hell is Benjamin Ranch still in business?
ReplyDeleteThere have been SO many huge businesses that failed there: Just for Feet, Best Buy, Toy's R US, Circuit City, Walmart, the friggin' MALL...but horse stables manage to turn a profit.Bannister Mall has turned into the new Landing Mall, except bigger.
The P&L District is destined to fail so long as they don't figure out a way to discourage Mexicans and Blacks from staying nearby. Asking White people to drive downtown AND look at minorities is unreasonable.
www.effbombs.com
I grew up in South Kc and shopped at bannister mall weekly. But then all the sudden all these weird rumors about gangs and dudes hiding under cars waiting to slash you legs started popping up and people just quit going.
ReplyDeleteThen the stores all moved and got replaced by "church clothes".
Sad this place was a big part of my childhood.
Ironically enough the only time I ever had my car broken into at a mall was at you guessed it...independence center.
This mall has been dead for 8 years.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance. It WAS full of gangsters be it black, white or mixed...it's all the same. Thuggery or the perception of thuggery drove away the business and shoppers. Violent crime DID happen almost monthly. I lived in Grandview for nearly 6 years and went to this mall weekly until I felt my life threatened by the "roving black men".... I don't want to bring my family to a mall where if you bump someone your life is in jeopardy.
It's ok the "roving blacks" are migrating to Oak Park Mall. Hide your daughters and white daughters with junk in the trunks.
Why IS it black, mixed, communities RUIN places like this mall.
BTW-- the Ranch place is still their because companies rent it for their company picnics.
- Wook
I live in Wisconsin and the same thing happend to a nice mall here, started to be frequented by ghetto blacks and lots of fights started breaking out (you couldn't watch a movie in the theater.) And it promptly went under.
ReplyDelete