New owners are taking the shopping experience to an entertainment art form to the delight of the community.
“Most of all, more shoppers and area leaders are realizing that Savannah Mall is here as a fabulous neighbor,” said Senea Crystal, marketing manager at Savannah Mall.
“The millions of dollars spent on re-beautification represent Savannah Mall’s commitment to the community. The top-down remodeling is upping attractiveness, plus adding plenty of comfortable niches and playful enticements for community-friendly appeal.”
The Mall, with its 100-plus merchants, is benchmarking contemporary showplaces for modern-day shopping and enjoyment.
• The spectacular and highly anticipated newly remodeled Champs and Victoria Secret stores are now open.
• The new Star Watch Studio is now open.
• The clock tower in center court is coming down (without disruption to shoppers) to super-size the area for bigger mall-hosted events.
• New signage and customer service aids assist for ease in getting around the mall.
• A fun, new art gallery will soon add playful offerings to the former Abercrombie space near the Soft Play Area.
“Shoppers in southeast Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry are surprised and delighted with all that is energized and new at Savannah Mall,” Crystal said. “I’ve gotten calls and emails from passerby travelers saying ‘thank you’ for the American Flag display. One was from an Army wife, whose husband is in Iraq.”
Crystal said attendance to the Missing Child DNA event was so popular that the Mall and the event sponsors are working to schedule a re-run date.
“The Orchid Show was a blooming haven with phenomenal attendance,” she said.
The marketing campaign to “Discover More,” spearheaded by Clark Creative Design headquartered in Savannah, is drawing in new shoppers and more community interest.
“More people are discovering the 24-hour fitness center, the soft playtime area for pre-school-aged youngsters, and southeast Georgia’s only indoor carousel in the food court,” Crystal said. “More people are discovering wonderful discount shopping, such as at Burlington Coat Factory, Target and Steve &. Barry’s.
“We want Savannah Mall to seem more like an entertainment destination than simply a place for shopping,” Crystal said.
Other offerings
Clicking into the trend of shoptainment (where entertainment is found in shopping environments) even more community-centric entertainment is in the planning. Event updates are posted daily to the Mall’s Web site – www.savannahmall.com.
• Throughout the summer, the Star Watch Studio will host a series of Idol-type contests and a series of fun sing-a-longs, either in store or in center court.
• June 21, there is free Puppet People entertainment.
• Wi-Fi, large televisions and a grand size living room will soon be ready for use.
• Aug. 30, Savannah Mall is co-sponsor with Skirt magazine for “Out with the Old/In with the New Fashion Show,” a high-energy, non-profit event with benefits to a Savannah charity.
Military discounts
The mall was voted Best Place for Military Discounts by Connect Savannah’s Best of 2008, with many Savannah Mall stores honoring military discounts.
• Military families are encouraged to stop at customer service — or call the mall at (912) 927-7467 — to obtain a list of specific discounts and participating stores.
• Late plates are available in food court and at Savannah Mall restaurants, including Ruby Tuesday, until mall closing time. Mall hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m.
Community events
In addition to family shopping, the mall’s July “Stuff the Bus” campaign invites shoppers to help fill a school bus with student basics and supplies.
“By making an extra purchase or two — perhaps a small portion of a government rebate check — shoppers can share in a caring way with less advantaged children,” Crystal said.
Crystal encourages community groups and businesses to propose events to be hosted at Savannah Mall. A form is located on the Mall’s Web site — SavannahMall.com — to make a request (http://www.savannahmall.com/go/eventproposal.cfm) or call customer service at (912) 927-7467 for additional assistance.
