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Survey suggests Downtown draws
Monday, February 14, 2000 By Kim Germovsek, Post-Gazette Deputy Graphics Editor
What do readers want? Nordstrom, thank you very much. And you might as well throw in a Crate & Barrel.
We recently asked readers to send in five favorite shopping places that would entice them to spend time and their hard-earned cash Downtown. The responses came fast and furious -- some of them exceedingly furious, denouncing Mayor Murphy's dream of turning Fifth and Forbes avenues into a shopper's paradise at the expense of architectural treasures.
But for the most part, we discovered that Pittsburghers of all ages and income levels just like to shop. And while a good many don't mind jetting off to New York, San Francisco or Chicago to find their favorite stores, most of us would be happy to find our dream shops at Market Place at Fifth and Forbes -- as long as there's inexpensive parking nearby.
DEPARTMENT STORES
Nordstrom was by far the most popular choice, capturing more than 75 percent of the 233 responses we received. The Seattle-based department store is famous for its customer service, not to mention its world-renowned shoe department. Lord & Taylor already committed to coming to Pittsburgh, and the quirky, pricey Neiman-Marcus chain rounded out the top department store picks.
But we can't forget the fabulous B's: Barney's, Bendel's, Bergdoff's and Bloomies all received numerous write-ins, Bloomingdale's being a particular favorite. Other department store votes were cast for Marshall Field's of Chicago, the British superchain Marks & Spencer (which currently has no U.S. outpost), an expanded Saks Fifth Avenue and longtime favorite Macy's.
HOME FURNISHINGS
If you build it, they will come, promise our readers. They're talking about Crate & Barrel, the Chicago-based superstore of home furnishings. C & B offers anything from plush velvet sofas to cheerful plastic tumblers, and Pittsburghers are hungry for them. Capturing nearly 50 percent of the vote, the chain currently doesn't have a store between Chicago and New York. Smith & Hawken, purveyors of chi-chi garden tools, clothing and furniture would also be welcome.
A few of our more traveled readers also cried out for the New York City-based ABC Carpet and Home, an overstuffed emporium of furniture, fabrics and expensive knickknacks.
Many readers pointed out that if there was a Crate & Barrel Downtown, they'd also like to see Pottery Barn (which has stores in the North Hills and Shadyside), Restoration Hardware (South Hills Galleria), Weisshouse Design Store (Shadyside) and Bed, Bath & Beyond (stores in the North and South Hills) move into the Fifth and Forbes corridor as well. The Container Store, which sells, well, containers, and Hold Everything, another container-ish chain owned by the Pottery Barn folks, received a fair number of votes, too.
CLOTHING BOUTIQUES
Apparently the omnipresent catalog is not enough, because people want their J. Crew, too. The all-American clothiers were well-represented in the PG's poll. The kids also love Urban Outfitters, a trendy purveyor of 20-something chic found in many large cities.
Readers also asked for a Banana Republic "flagship" store, which usually houses a much larger inventory than the stores found in malls, as well as the chain's own line of home furnishings. And if readers are going Downtown anyway, they are just going to have to have a Gap and an Abercrombie & Fitch.
Some readers crave designer bridge lines, such as DKNY, Anna Sui and Betsey Johnson; and some not-so-bridge-line boutiques such as Prada, Gucci and Ralph Lauren.
EVERYTHING ELSE
Mega-record stores, such as Tower Records or Virgin Megastore, proved popular among our readers, as did legendary toy store FAO Schwartz.
Audrey Hepburn isn't the only one who likes Tiffany's, and there are a large number of largely female readers who really, really need a top-of-the-line shoe store such as Kenneth Cole or an offshoot of Squirrel Hill's famed Littles Shoes.
Niketown, which is exactly what it sounds like it would be, has our male readers equally excited when it comes to footwear.
RESTAURANTS
Bring on the Cheesecake Factory, the overwhelming favorite of our write-in readers. Johnny Rockets was well-represented, as was California Pizza Kitchen and Rainforest Cafe.
I scream, you scream, all of Pittsburgh screams for a Downtown ice cream shop. We also scream for Downtown locations of Eat N' Park, a Krispy Kreme Donuts and an International House of Pancakes.
Our more genteel readers would like to see a tea house of some sort, and another sort of reader, a large contingent in fact, want a Penn Brewery or any brewery at all Downtown. Wine bars also received a fair share of votes.
Interestingly, quite a large number of readers said that while they publicly endorse a Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood, they personally wouldn't be caught dead in such places. Hey, we just report the facts.
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