I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet and it could have been just THE thing to do on a chilly, gloomy Saturday, but based on my visit to Mayfair yesterday, the economy is going to recover just fine, thank you.

 

My daughter and I headed over to visit Tosa’s largest taxpayer in search of a black dress. We had all day and figured we’d have the place largely to ourselves. Um, no. The mall was packed. Honestly, you’d think it was mid-December a decade ago.

 

And it wasn’t just mall walkers and people trolling the halls. People had bags, lots of them. The longest lines were at the cash registers. Don’t these people realize they have no money? This is predicted to be the bleakest holiday shopping season in years. Didn’t they get the memo?! Haven’t they watched the news?!

 

Here’s my take on the situation: Milwaukeeans (and Tosans) are notorious bargain hunters. If there’s a hint of savings, they’ll be all over it in no time. I think our neighbors know a good deal when they smell one. They know that right now, everything is on sale and they’re not going to miss out on that.

 

So now my wish is that our local (and maybe even national) news organizations take note and start doing stories about surprisingly brisk holiday sales. Imagine that, good news in the middle of our national financial crisis! Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

What’s the secret to a successful mall? It’s simple – change or die.

 

When I first moved to Milwaukee, my husband and I lived just off of Brown Deer Road near Northridge Mall. Back then, 25 years ago, Northridge was THE mall. Everything in and around Northridge was thriving. We’d spend hours wandering the aisles of Northridge, window-shopping and just hanging out.

 

Because my first job was near Wauwatosa, we bought our first house in Milwaukee on the edge of Tosa. It was a tiny little starter home and on sunny days we’d take walks and gaze across Center Street and dream of the day we’d be able to afford a Tosa home. Eventually, our dream came true and we became true Tosans. And our new mall became Mayfair.

 

Back in the early ‘80s, Mayfair seemed like the quirkiest mall to me. There was an ice rink in the middle of it! How cool/weird is that?! It didn’t take long before I grew attached to Mayfair. We’d go to movies in the odd little theater in the East parking lot. We’d grab lunch at the cute little café in Marshall Field & Company.

 

I vividly remember a day in early 1986, standing and watching ice skaters while upstairs in the office building, my doctor was processing my first pregnancy test. That same year, they started making huge changes at Mayfair. They took out the ice rink and started building a second floor. I remember wandering the halls of Mayfair, in an around scaffolding, while I made my way to the Chocolate Factory for lunch. (Prior to the arrival of the food court.)

 

For many, many years, it seemed like Mayfair was on a steady diet of change. New retailers came and went. Our children have fond memories of the opening of The Disney Store on the first floor of Mayfair. They’d spend HOURS gazing at and sometimes climbing around the tower of stuffed animals in the back of the store. (That is when they weren’t begging for a new toy.) When we could lure the kids out of The Disney Store, my husband and I would drag them over to Scribner’s, where we’d buy books that came with ever-useful blue bookmarks.

 

To us, it almost seemed like Mayfair grew as our kids grew. When they were at just the right age to become regular movie-goers, the 18-screen theater opened. We were there on that opening weekend when they offered free movies (albeit older films) to show off the new screens. Back then, there was a dinner theater in the General Cinema Theater (now AMC) as well as birthday parties for kids.

 

Once the theater opened up, the mall began to group stores in the upper level based on demographics. On one end, they put Build-A-Bear and Gap Kids, on the other end, Spencer Gifts and American Eagle.

 

Soon there was a huge growth spurt that included Crate & Barrel, PF Changs, Maggiano’s and Cheesecake Factory. For several years, we came to expect something new every season.

 

Mayfair became THE mall in the Milwaukee area, while malls like Northridge, Southridge and Bayshore either folded or barely survived. Unfortunately, with success come challenges and Mayfair had its share of incidents and crime issues. But again, the mall responded in 2007 by instituting the Parental Guidance policy which seems to have been very successful.

 

With the exception of McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant and a few random retailers, Mayfair has been pretty quiet in the past year or so. Meanwhile, Bayshore and Brookfield Square have spent major dollars to attract shoppers to other sides of town.

 

Only time will tell if Mayfair and other malls will withstand the shaky economic times that have pinched everyone’s wallets. For 50 years, Mayfair has evolved and flourished. Now it’s up to us to decide if Wauwatosa’s largest taxpayer will be around for another 50 years. As Wauwatosa residents, we have a vested interest in Mayfair Mall.

 

So what do you think? Do you have any “Mayfair Memories” that you’d like to share? Do you like Mayfair or avoid it like the plague? What changes, if any, would you like to see at Mayfair?

For no good reason, other than thinking it’s St. Patrick’s Day and everybody is at Mo’s, the family and I dined at the new McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant which opened their Mayfair location on Monday.

 

Tucked in the less busy north parking lot near Macy’s, the new M&S is rather unassuming from the outside. Once inside, it feels completely different. Sort of a mix of cathedral-meets-the-Titanic-grand-stairway, with its domed center ceiling outfitted with stained glass and capped off with a nod to the Badger State.

 

The deal here is seafood, seafood and more seafood, all of it flown in from places far and wide. To me, the menu very much resembled that of Mitchell’s Fish Market, another chain that operates over at Brookfield Square. Both restaurants have menus printed daily and boast how incredibly fresh everything is and that they’ll cook it pretty much the way you want it.

 

Having now been to both of these restaurants, I’d say that M&S wins in the ambience department, with its multilevel dining room, making every table seem cozy and private. I think their food is better too.

 

The bar area here is very attractive and it was great to see that the TVs in the bar weren’t hovering over the dining area. (Seems like TVs have invaded every dining room in town lately.) Our waitress made a point of mentioning that they pride themselves on the fresh ingredients in their cocktails. Nothing pre-made. Since we had wine, I’ll have to take her word for it.

 

The Lump Crab Con Queso with Avacado Dip Appetizer had a light yet creamy texture that was delicious and was served with large tortilla chips. The Calamari had a nice, crispy breading and was served with three different dipping sauces. (Still doesn’t rival our favorite from Bartolotta’s, but I’d give it a close second.)

 

One tiny complaint was that the sourdough bread, which was good, would have been much better if served warm.

 

The Bleu Cheese Wedge Salad and the Caesar Salad were better than your average restaurant salads – not drenched in dressing like you find at so many places these days.

 

My husband had the Catfish which was served over a sweet potato hash with corned beef (no doubt in tribute to St. Pat’s day). He said his was quite good. I had the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, served with some excellent mashed potatoes. It was delicious, and I’m happy to say they didn’t skimp on capers, one of my favorite things. My daughter, not being a fish fan, had the Pot Roast, served with the mashed potatoes. It was very tender and came with a full-flavored gravy.

 

Just to give the entire menu a test run, we splurged on dessert. The Crème Brulee, which they claim to be their specialty, was airy and sweet, but unlike the cocktails, tasted somewhat pre-made and not recently “torched” on top. The chocolate cake was outstanding, but way too much for one person.

 

Another small gripe: The coffee was rather bland when compared with the food. Why do restaurants skimp on coffee quality when it’s often the last taste memory you have before leaving? Too bad, because the food was really, really good.

 

Overall, the service was terrific – very attentive without being intrusive. Since it was opening night, there were a few small glitches, but nothing that would prevent us from going back.

 

The prices? Well, it’s seafood, so you can’t expect a bargain. This is what they call a “white tablecloth” restaurant, so it’s definitely not cheap. But I think the quality of the food and service make it worthwhile.  

 

When comparing McCormick & Schmick’s and Mitchell’s, I’d say that we Tosans got the better of the two seafood chains in the area. Lucky us.

 

Gotta go now. I have some major treadmill work ahead of me after that dinner. That’s OK. It was worth it.

 

Friday, a friend and I spent the day shopping…at Brookfield Square. Yes, we cheated on Mayfair.

 

Anyway, I noticed a couple of things while conducting retail therapy. First of all, despite all of the renovations and new stores and restaurants, Brookfield Square still doesn’t compare to Mayfair. This is just my opinion, but I was less than impressed by the offerings at Brookfield Square. Lots of repeats and somewhat mediocre quality that add up to just a “wanna-be” mall. Any stores that Mayfair and Brookfield Square share are infinitely better at Mayfair. It seems like they’re targeting the bargain hunter, but for my money, Southridge would be a better value.

 

However, Brookfield Square beats Mayfair AND Southridge in one area – they plow better. If you’ve been to Mayfair recently, you’ll see that their method of snow removal is to compact the snow between the rows of parking spaces, creating narrow passageways that are nearly impossible to navigate. Frankly, it’s several accidents waiting to happen.

 

Brookfield Square completely removes the snow in the parking areas. I have no idea if they deposited it in a corner of a lot, but it was gone and much easier to park.

 

Now, I’m guessing that Mayfair Management will tell me that Mayfair is so popular that they need to make every single parking space available and can’t afford to dump the snow in a corner of the parking lot. Probably true.

 

Look, I have no idea what they should do with all of that snow. All I know is that parking was treacherous the other morning at Mayfair at 9:00 am, 10 days before Christmas. I can’t imagine how bad it will be these next two weekends.

 

Parkers, beware.

Imagine this: You’re knee-deep in shopping lists and you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out what to get your picky teenage daughter when suddenly, inspiration hits. You know exactly what to get her. Let’s say it’s a pair of stretch jeans The problem is where to find them.

 

So, you plan a trip to Mayfair and mentally make a list of all the stores that might carry stretch jeans. But you have a budget and it’s important that you get them in the perfect size. Next thing you do is get in your car, drive to the mall and prepare to spend hours wandering and shopping, right?

 

What if you didn’t have to do that? What if you could search for those jeans online and find out which stores in Mayfair actually carry them? What if you could find out who has them on sale and whether they have the size and color you need? You’re thinking I’ve had too much eggnog, right? Wrong!

 

Shoppers rejoice! Now, thanks to NearbyNow, you can do all of this and more. www.nearbynow.com is being touted as the Google of shopping for Mayfair Mall. (It also works for Brookfield Square and a few other malls around the state…and the country.)

 

Simply go to the website, choose the state and mall you want and then type in the item that you’re looking for. It’s that easy. It will even give you a picture of the item, tell you how to get to the mall AND show you where in the mall the store is located. (Especially helpful for those of us with middle-age brain who can’t even find our car keys.)

 

What if your inspiration hits while you’re already at Mayfair? No problem! Just pull out your cell phone, send a code (Mayfair's code is MF) via text message to NearbyNow, and NearbyNow will send you a mobile menu with results.

 

I don’t know about you, but in the midst of the holiday season, I’m usually short on time. I end up grouping my shopping trips to save time and get more done. Seems to me that NearbyNow has made it even easier so that I can get in and out of the mall in no time at all.

 

Now, if I could only get it to do all my other holiday chores….

 

OK, now I’m mad. Today I read in the newspaper that Running Rebels Community Organization, Urban Underground and Campaign Against Violence were out at Mayfair on Saturday protesting the new PGR (Parental Guidance Required) policy. They were apparently standing on Mayfair Road and Center Street with protest signs, chanting things like: "Out of sight, out of mind. Being young is not a crime."

That’s not what made me mad. I believe in the right to peacefully protest whatever you want. And based on the discussions that I’ve had with my 15-year old the last two days, she’d be right there with them chanting the loudest. She is definitely NOT a fan of the PGR policy and has repeatedly reminded me how incredibly “unfair” it is.

What made me really angry was the statement made by Bobby Drake, the spokesperson for Campaign Against Violence, one of the protesting groups. Here’s what he said: "If you kick 1,000 to 1,500 kids out of the mall and put them back in the inner city in the middle of the summer, you're putting all these young men and women who weren't getting into trouble back into the street," Drake said. "We fear that it's going to drive up a problem."

OK, so the mall should take the “problem” (Drake’s words, not mine) and let it roam freely?

Somebody tell me when it became Mayfair Mall’s job to take care of these kids and give them a place to hang out. Mayfair is a private property, right? Don’t they have the constitutional right to set their own policies as long as they don’t discriminate? My understanding is that the new policy targets underage kids. Drew’s Variety Store has a policy stating that no more than two students at a time can be in their store after school. Why aren’t Urban Underground, Running Rebels and Campaign Against Violence standing outside Drew’s and carrying picket signs?

I don’t deny groups and under-18ers the right to dislike the PGR policy. As I said, I have my own little protest going on in my house. But the point here is that the Mall is a private business whose business is to sell merchandise. The young kids (including my own) do not have the right to roam freely without their parents after 2pm on Fridays and Saturdays. That’s two days out of seven. The rest of the week is wide open. On Sunday through Thursday, kids can “hang out” to their heart’s content. Or, they can let their closed wallets do the talking and decide to take their business elsewhere.

I agree that Milwaukee has a growing problem with violence in the city and my hope is that these groups make some headway in addressing these issues. But if their intention is to turn Mayfair into a Boys and Girls Club, an afterschool program or a solution to those problems, I think they've gone to the wrong place.

Well, they did it. Mayfair Mall management got tough. Today they released their PGR (Parental Guidance Required) Policy, and I have to say, it’s gonna bum out a bunch of teens, including the 15-year old that lives in my house. Gone are the days when we can get our teens out of our hair by dumping them off at the mall.

Basically, the policy states that after 2 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21 years old. And each adult can only escort up to four under-18ers. However, mothers who are not yet 21 will be allowed in the mall with young children. (That part still confuses me, but I’m going to assume the mall knows what it’s doing.)

As I mentioned, this will certainly affect my family – specifically my daughter. She and her friends did enjoy hanging out at the mall, especially on Fridays off of school or weekends. She’ll no longer have the luxury of cruising through Forever 21 or American Eagle without me hanging next to her. It’s that last part that is the most torturous in her mind. What could be worse than not be able to go to the mall with your friends? Having to go to the mall with your mother – ugh!

We’ll no longer have the option of dropping my daughter and her friends at the mall on a Friday or Saturday afternoon for something to do. Still, that’s just an issue of convenience, not hardship.

But that’s too bad. It’s the way it is. The few, who were starting to cause lots of trouble, have ruined it for the many. From the looks of the early comments in the Tosa Town Square or on the Journal/Sentinel website (other than the few close-minded and racist comments), people seem supportive. I encourage everyone to take a wait-and-see attitude and give it time to work.

This afternoon, I took my life in my hands and went to a movie…at Mayfair Mall…alone. I am writing to tell you that all went well and I am safe and snug back in my own home. Not once during this outing did I feel frightened, threatened or nervous about being at Mayfair by myself. Perhaps ignorance is bliss, but really, I was just fine.

I can’t help but note the irony in the fact that the movie that I saw today was The Queen, starring Helen Mirren. In the film, Queen Elizabeth seems bewildered by the swirl of attention in the days after the tragic death of Princess Diana. Maybe it’s just me, but I could see a parallel between the people in Britain pointing their anger over Diana’s untimely death at the queen and Wauwatosa residents wanting to blame Mayor Estness for the recent problems at Mayfair Mall. In both cases, citizens want to hear from their leader, even if it is just a statement acknowledging their concern.

For her part, Mayor Estness has said that the proposed policy change over at Mayfair was “another tool” for addressing behavioral problems and that she’ll have to see what the policy looks like when it is unveiled. I guess we’ll all have to adapt that wait and see attitude.

In the meantime, I would think that the most effective course of action would be to address our comments, concerns, anger, frustration and fear toward Mayfair Mall Management rather than the mayor. Some have chosen to use the Tosa Town Square here on www.wauwatosaNOW.com as the place to talk about this. There are some spirited discussions happening in the “Sound Off” forum.

But is Mayfair really listening? I, for one have e-mailed the mall twice through their website and have not heard back from them. They claim that the new policies have nothing to do with the recent events at the mall. If that’s true, and the new policy is a result of other incidents, then the question is: What took so long?

I suggest that if you’re concerned about Mayfair that you send a message, literally, to Stephen Smith, the mall’s general manager. His e-mail address is: stephen.smith@ggp.com. Maybe that will get his attention.
Oh, and by the way, the movie was great.

If you read the paper, you might think that Christmas is only about shopping. Today, the day after Christmas, the Journal Sentinel has a lengthy article about Redemption Day. In England, it’s Boxing Day, but here in the states, it’s the day we all go back to the malls and redeem the many gift cards that we’ve received.

I, personally, will not be heading over to Mayfair, unless it’s to view one of the many movies that I’d like to see. Although I did dole out my fair share of gift cards, I did not receive any and so I’m left to spend money the old-fashioned way – with cash or credit. Frankly, I think I’ll wait a day or two.

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a day on the other side of town shopping at the newly renovated Bayshore Mall, I mean “Bayshore Town Center”. A friend and I have made an annual tradition of taking a day in December and doing nothing but shopping and having lunch. Ironically, we’re both usually finished with our gift-buying for the season, which makes the day all the more enjoyable. For the previous two years, we had gone to Mayfair, but this year, we thought we’d check out the area’s newish mall.

My first impression of Bayshore is one of, well, confusion. It’s set up like a sort of mini town. The buildings are designed to appear quaint, small faux-streets wind between the shops (aw, heck, they’re chain stores, not shops) and short-term meter parking is available. However, the entire mall is surrounded by giant parking ramps, much like a modern-day fortress of commerce. Put on some comfy walking shoes because once you park, you’re going to walk…pretty far. Sure, there’s a sort of town square nestled centrally among the stores, but in the middle of winter, that seems like more of an annoyance to be walked through than a peaceful place to rest. Although the original Bayshore Mall is still there, it has that ghost-town like feeling since the most popular stores are located in the outdoorsy area. The fresh air did feel pretty good after hauling heavy packages through the stores, but I wouldn’t call a shopping trip to Bayshore relaxing. Basically, the only way to go from store to store is to walk outside, again and again. We also didn’t see any mall maitre d’s handing out treats, which Mayfair has thoughtfully added to the shopping experience.

In short, if you’re shopping, you can find pretty much everything at Mayfair that Bayshore has to offer. There are a couple of different dining options (California Pizza Kitchen, Cameron’s Steakhouse or Devon’s), but if shopping is your primary mission, I recommend that you stay in Tosa where you can shop, take in a movie and be back home in minutes.

I have to admit that my first reaction to the news that there was a "melee" at Mayfair Mall (after pausing in appreciation for the alliteration) was to ban my daughter from weekend movies. It must be bad, right, if it involved 250 people, pepper spray and stun guns? And I won't deny that it scares me, because as you know, I love my Mayfair Mall but the idea of staying away is just not an option for me. But what's the solution? Banning teens from Mayfair? Um, I don't think so.

Tosa city officials are already doing damage control, calling it a "one-time incident." We know that's not really true. Problems have occurred in the past, both large and small. Mayfair is probably the most popular mall in Milwaukee County, at least until Bayshore is up and running. And to quote my favorite movie, "If you build it, they will come." They being teens and it being a mall. Mayfair simply would not continue to thrive without the teens and their discretionary income.

So then what's the answer? How do we prevent our local theater and shopping center from being turned into a black hole of adolescent delinquency? Should the theater stagger movie showings when there are multiple films aimed at the teen demographic? Should there be a no-tolerance policy on loitering in the mall? Should mall security be stepped up to include constant police presence? I honestly don't have an answer, but let's start talking about it. What are your ideas? Let's begin a discussion before we have another incident and things get out of hand.

I know one thing-our neighborhoods have done a great job of taking back their streets. There's evidence that block watches and involved neighbors are effective barriers to crime. So perhaps we should consider Mayfair a neighborhood and make the tenants (the stores) part of the solution. I realize that they don't sleep there at night, but isn't their livelihood dependent upon whether the mall, the entire mall, is successful and safe? What do the mall, the stores, and the theater, think and what are they willing to do to make sure this doesn't happen again?

If you have thoughts on this topic, e-mail me at westsidestoriestosa@yahoo.com . I'd be happy to pass your comments on to city, police and mall officials.

I realize that I should be thankful that I don’t yet qualify for Medicare, but when I opened my Sunday paper this morning, I couldn't help but feel a little envious of those that do. You see, Humana is putting on an event to promote their Humana 2007 Medicare Advantage Health Plan. They’re gathering Medicare recipients at local movie theaters, giving them a “preview” of their new plan and then (here’s the part that makes me jealous) they’re treating them to a free showing of Casablanca on the big screen. One of the theatres is the AMC Mayfair 18 right here in Tosa. Dang!

I know this is practically cinema heresy, but I’ve never seen Casablanca, on a big or little screen. I understand that it is a landmark film that spoke to an entire generation of moviegoers. I also realize that I’m not in that generation, which may be why I’ve never seen this film. And so, on 10/25 and then again on 11/1, they’re showing Casablanca on a big screen, practically in my backyard…and I can’t go. Double dang!

Actually, I can go, if I find a friend or a family member on Medicare and I’m willing to sit through Humana’s preview. The truth be told, I’m not. But, I’m telling you that if you’re on Medicare and you love movies, here’s your chance to enjoy what I’m told is a wonderful film. Hmm…I wonder if there’s free popcorn too?

If you’ve driven through the north end of the Mayfair Mall parking lot and passed by Marshall Field’s, you can see that big changes are coming. Although it still says Marshall Field’s on the outside of the building, that sign is now a temporary one draped over what will, no doubt, be the Macy’s logo. For this former Chicagoan, seeing the Field’s logo flapping in the wind is a sad sight.

As you probably read in the Journal Sentinel on Sunday, this is the last month of Marshall Field’s existence in Wisconsin...or anywhere else, for that matter. Although Field’s was purchased last year and has been run since then by Macy’s, the name has hung around...until now. In September, we will officially have a Macy’s here in Wauwatosa. I guess I should be excited, but I’m just really melancholy.

Having grown up in Chicago and the northern suburbs, Marshall Field’s was such a big part of my childhood. I’m one of those girls that remembers riding with my mom to downtown Chicago on the train to eat a Christmastime lunch in the State Street Field’s Walnut Room. Frango is as much of a part of my vocabulary as cheese is here in Wisconsin. (Did you know that they used to have Frango Ice Cream Pies and they were amazing?!) I know that it’s not going to change my day to day existence, but I just wish that Fields could always be around.

Back in November, I was in New York City. Knowing that Field’s had recently been purchased by Macy’s, we decided to visit the Herald Square Macy’s and go shopping. They offered us a special discount if we opened a Macy’s charge that day. Since I figured I could make use of the new credit card, I decided that it was worthwhile. However, when my Macy’s card arrived in the mail, I was irritated to find that it was a Macy’s Visa Card! Maybe I’m crazy, but I like to think that Field’s wouldn’t have pulled such a bait and switch on me.

As of right now, Frango Mints are available through Macy’s. Let’s hope that they don’t mess around with those too!

I’m not afraid to admit that I love to shop. If there’s a new store in Tosa, you’ll see me there within the first month. I love new retail and all of the freshness and hope and enthusiasm that comes with it. Which is why I also have to confess to my relationship with Mayfair Mall. Since I live within a mile or two of our mall, I’m there a lot. Sometimes once a day. Sometimes, even more. I have teenagers, so on some days, you’ll find several members of our family roaming the tiled floors, catching a movie, dining or perhaps just browsing.

I understand that some people are not as fond of Mayfair and the giant behemoth into which it has grown, and that’s OK. They loathe the holiday crowds and the traffic congestion they cause and the potential problems that arise from a place being so darn popular. Me? I love it all and I fondly watch as it evolves. As an example, I planned an entire day around the opening of Crate & Barrel. Sad, isn’t it?

You see, Mayfair and I go way back. Not as far back as many native Tosans, but I remember it when it was actually quaint. In fact, one of my fondest memories was watching the ice skaters on my lunch hour while my OB/GYN office upstairs processed my first pregnancy test. (Yes, it used to take longer than 5 minutes.) Back then, I hoped that I’d one day be able to bring my kids to Mayfair to skate, but it was not to be. Mayfair had big plans, and they didn’t involve ice.

I remember parking way in the back of the mall and going to the movies, back when the Mayfair Theatre had a whopping TWO screens in a separate building. It was a sad day when they tore that down. I watched as Mayfair transformed from a tiny, quirky mostly one-story mall into a real shopping destination with, gasp!, a food court and a mega-plex movie theater!

I watched as they added a second floor and soon stores that I only knew through catalogs or heard about from friends became Mayfair anchors – Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Brighton Collectibles, Build-A-Bear, The Apple Store, American Eagle, Sephora. It felt like our small town was sort of growing up and getting a slice of the American dream. Sure, there were growing pains along the way, but from my perspective, Mayfair has done a pretty good job of working with the public and addressing concerns as they arise. We often forget that, at least for now, Mayfair is the best shopping mall in all of Wisconsin.

Mayfair’s not perfect. I hate the new straight-on parking in the back of Marshall Field’s - it’s hard to get in and out of. Navigating your car from Barnes & Noble to the Cheesecake Factory is like driving an obstacle course. Spencer Gifts and its semi-porn merchandise could go away anytime soon, in my opinion. And there’s no Old Navy. I hate that I have to drive to Brookfield for something that we should have here!

Still, despite its few negatives, I’m sticking with Mayfair. Yes, on some days it will drive me crazy and I may go visit Brookfield Square, but I’ll always come back to Mayfair. Now, if we could only get that ice rink back.....