It may be hard to imagine books being one of the main draws for an urban shopping center, but that seems to be the case at venerable Joseph Beth Booksellers, a store that helps pull in shoppers to the Mall at Lexington Green off Nicholasville Road. Joe Beth, or JB, as it's sometimes called, is part of a chain of five stores that originated in Lexington in 1986 and that also has stores in or around Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Charlotte. The Lexington store has moved or expanded six times, all within Lexington Green, growing from 6,500 to 40,000 square feet. It now occupies two floors with an escalator in the center of the complex, where originally a more traditional mall existed.
Best selling authors visit often to autograph their latest titles, and there is an impressive children's section with frequent storytelling. But Joseph Beth is about more than books. It is a cozy environment to buy side items, eat a meal in the cafÈ, buy music and attend special events or to flop down in an overstuffed chair to thumb through a magazine. That's the vision Neil Van Uum had when he opened the store 22 years ago. "Part of it is providing great customer service. The other part is providing a great area for people to come to and enjoy, not just to buy a book," general manager Gary Cremeans explained. Cremeans said the community sees Joe Beth as a local tradition. People bring their out-of-town guests there, he said, and the children of long-time customers are hired as booksellers. "We try to be really involved in the community and not be just another retail outlet," said Cremeans.
Joseph Beth also helps draw steady customers for other stores and restaurants in Lexington Green. Some folks make a night of it there - shopping, eating, and taking in a movie at Movies 8 or staying overnight at the Hilton Suites next door. You can also visit several other eateries, buy cookies for special occasions, test out a really good mattress, have a few laughs at Comedy Off Broadway, pick up outdoor clothes and shoes, order a pair of eyeglasses, book a vacation, buy a guitar and more.
Langley Properties develops, manages and leases space for Lexington Green, and agents say the economic slowdown has been tough for The Green and similar properties in the United States.
"I have never seen retail as challenging in the 30 years I've been in the industry," said Doris Benson, Langley's president. Benson said the typical national retailer that may have planned to open 40 new stores in coming years has cut back to 25 or 30. Negotiations and roll-out times are also being extended farther into the future. "I think local and regional retailers are expanding more than the nationals are, and I think this will go on well into 2009," Benson predicted.
Joseph Beth's sales haven't dropped off "too terribly much," said Cremeans. "It's hard to say how long it will last. As for our business, we're actually doing okay. Part of it is what we have built up. In a down economy, people are looking for something to do, and we're cheap entertainment."
Just inside the entrance to Lexington Green is Artique, an American handcrafts store and gallery that has expanded twice since it arrived in 1996. It is full of unusual crafts such as glass, wood, pottery, jewelry, metals and mixed media from artists all over the country. The store is weathering the retail economic storm.
"We have seen much of what everyone else has seen, but I don't think it has hit us quite as badly," said store owner Mike Stutland. "People still like what we're doing. Everyone still wants to buy gifts. Maybe they're not buying that $250 wedding gift. Maybe they're dropping down to a $100 gift."
While some other retailers may be wary about the upcoming holiday season, Stutland is hopeful. "I think Artique, with the type of marketing we're doing, is going to turn it around this Christmas. I think we're going to see a pretty healthy increase over last year, but I don't think that's going to be the case nationally."
Lexington Green has had several tenant changes recently. Wild Oats, a natural foods store, left after being acquired by Whole Foods Market, which moved into the same space. Disk Jockey, a CD store located at one cap end of the mall, did not renew its lease. Benson says Whole Foods wants to expand into that space but hasn't done it yet. Comp USA, a computer, laptop and software store at the opposite cap end, has vacated its location. Benson is after a replacement.
"I have made contact with a national tenant. The fit would be good with Joseph Beth and Whole Foods, but the company is not expanding right now," she explained. Benson wouldn't reveal what retail category her prospect is in, but said it is not already in the Lexington market. She said she doesn't want just any tenant, "but the right fit."