Out with the old and in with the new, the historic Sears Roebuck & CO. is now the redeveloped Ponce City Market. This massive building is open to the public with a wide variety of stores ranging from furnishing, clothing, food and more.
The new stores opening this fall are a combination of mainstream retailer, mom and pop restaurants which will be located in the food hall and furniture stores, according to the Ponce City Market website.
Michael Stars is a retail shop that recently moved from Phipps Plaza to the Ponce City Market. As a clothing store company originally based in Los Angeles, Michael Stars has an urban vibe with modern yet chic clothing for both men and women.
Chanel Taylor is a Sales Lead at Michael Stars, and she projects a good year for the store once the construction is complete.
“We changed locations and came here July 17, and it’s been a great change so far,” said Taylor, “we [have] a lot of walk-ins and a lot of people [who] [care] about Ponce City Market. That’s [what] [keeps] us excited about the coming months.”
The construction is hindering the flow of business, but Taylor says the store is getting a lot of new shoppers who are curious about the Ponce City Market.
“I just hope that we get a really good following as far as the market. A lot of people are curious about Ponce City Market,” said Taylor.
On Sept. 10, they will be having a grand opening party, and they are excited to get business going.
“They took into consideration everything that is already here and enhanced it,” Taylor said. “Now that I’m [apart] of the redevelopment process, I work here, and I see what’s going on and the different events [so] I want to be in this area.”
Shopping, Food and Entertainment
The Ponce City Market is a retail hub with restaurants, entertainment and much more. At first glance, the main plaza is spacious with plenty of places to sit in the shade.
The food hall is a fusion of traditional and ethnic comfort food such as H&F Burgers, TON TON, which is a Japanese spin on ramen. Other restaurants include Dancing Goats Coffee Bar, HoneySuckle Gelato, Farm to Ladle and more.
When it comes to clothing, you can find something to fit any style or trend. From the urban décor of Michael Stars, to a more classic accessories found in Goorin Bros. Hat Shop. High-quality suites such as Q Clother, and outdoor gear from Mountain High Outfitters.
Going Green
It’s only natural to be curious about what’s to come for the Ponce City Market. For the shoppers and food lovers, it’s everything you want or need in one convenient location.
The reconstruction of PCM was done by Jamestown Development. The marketplace is made of recycled material, original steel framework and windows, energy saving led lights and more. With less energy, gas and materials, the new market should save about 1,000,000 gallons of water a year. The new structure is designed to make the PCM a eco-friendly market, according to the PCM website.
Location
What makes the Ponce City Market stand out is the location. Visitors can drive, bike, or take public transportation.
Visitors that need parking have the option of downloading the Parkmobile app on their mobile phone. Once the app is downloaded, the vehicle is registered, and users can select their desired parking time and pay before arrival. There are also bike racks located around the entrances of the market.
Since the market is currently under construction, there is not much to do, but there are a few retail store that are open such Anthropologie, which features jazzy home decor, clothing and accessories. To The Frye Company, which sells Leather boots, Karoo specializes in prescription eyewear, and six other retail stores that sells accessories, clothing and more.
It’s still unclear as to the exact date that the PCM will finish with construction. During the fall of 2015 the food hall and certain retail shops should be open to the public on Sept. 1.
There will be a free concert on Oct.10, from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Performances will be at 8 p.m. with appearances from Grammy award winning folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins, David Ryan Harris and surprise talent.
