The Gallery to Become 'Fashion Destination,' Public Skeptical

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PREIT, the real estate investment trust (aka decision-making big wigs) behind the The Gallery at Market East has nixed the idea of bringing traditional department stores to the limping Market Street shopping center. Instead of a single anchor, the empty space soon to be left behind by Kmart will house several smaller stores in an attempt to resurrect the mall as a "fashion destination," reports the Inquirer. This means that the likelihood of a Bloomingdale's or Target is slim (sorry), but retailers like Forever21 and H&M remain a possibility.

Commenters below the Inquirer post haven't wasted any time deriding PREIT's attempt to bring a high-end retailer to The Gallery, dismissing the shopping center as "lawless subterranean jungle" infected with crime and deserving of a bulldozer. "This is not a destination and it never will be," says one commenter. "You go in, you go out." PREIT will make the overhaul of The Gallery a priority this year, with plans to seek public financing.
· Gallery owner likely looking at 'fast fashion,' food [Inquirer]
· Racked Poll: What Should Take Kmart's Spot at The Gallery? [Racked Philly]