Visalia Shopping Center Seeks Megaplex

Visalia shopping center owner DBO Development is in advanced discussions with three movie theatre chains to open a multi-screen theatre just east of Mooney at Cameron on the south end of town to anchor the next phase of their Packwood Creek Shopping Center. “We expect to have a commitment from one of the chains by February” says Patrick Orosco of DBO.

Orosco has been marketing the next phase of Packwood Creek – Visalia’s largest retail complex – called The Grove at Packwood Creek, a 25 acre,278,300 sf center on both sides of Cameron Ave with the help of Fresno-based Commercial Retail Associates. On the south side of Cameron, Orosco hope to land big box national tenants facing Costco and on the north side they hope to bring in a large cinema complex. Orosco confirms they are talking to Regal Cinemas who already operates both movie theaters in Visalia.

Orosco says while discussions with movie theater operators are well along none of the other potential retailers or eateries listed in the marketing materials are signed up yet and some are already likely to locate elsewhere if they come to town.

That includes Pollo Loco who recently filed a plan to locate on south Mooney next to BevMo. “This is like a wish list of prospects who might be interested incoming to town.” They include the fast food hamburger chain Five Guys,an East Coast favorite who is expanding in California.

The marketing materials,done in August for the ICSC trade show, also include Burlington Coat Factory who is now expected to locate next to the new Walmart (the former Costco) on South Mooney,not a part of the Packwood Creek center.

Orosco says the key anchor for The Grove will be the megaplex – well suited for the site offering acreage for the hundreds of cars need to park at one time. He maintains that Visalia is losing out to the Tulare’s Galaxy Theatre next to the outlet mall in Tulare because it is far newer than the Sequoia Mall 12plex, a 40,000 sf divided theater inside the mall with no visibility,no other nearby nightspot ( Borders closed in 2011) and very small theater sizes.

Built in 1973 the 353,000 sf Sequoia Mall is anchored by only Sears and Hobby Lobby along with the Regal move complex. The place has seen little new investment in years. A 2012 retail consultant report to the city describes the mall in these unflattering terms.

“While well located at the highest traffic volume intersection in the market and near other strong retailers, the oldest development, the significantly vacant and underutilized Sequoia Mall, is functionally and competitively obsolete. A Hobby Lobby replaced the former Mervyns’ store in 2011. The former Borders store, which offers visibility to Mooney Boulevard, remains vacant as does the former Ross Dress for Less store and other facilities that do not have street frontage.”

Reviews of the movie theater in the back area of the mall posted on a social media website earlier this year describe the experience of going there in vivid terms.

“HORRIBLE! My god the seats were torture. Felt like were in a Middle ages torture chamber, it was all we could do to sit through the movie. In fact since there were only 11 people in the whole theater (now we know why) I got up and stood at the back for about 20 minutes to get some relief from the agony of the chairs. We will NOT be going back to this theater, in the future we will either go to out of town or not see the movie if it means going here. And they have lousy candy selections too!”

Even the candy can’t catch a break.

“I think people agree the Sequoia Mall movie theaters are not a competitive model” sums up Patrick Orosco, the main reason why he  is confident a competitor –  a new state of the art megaplex on the southside of  town is likely to gain traction.

Other than the Sequoia Mall – Downtown Visalia has a 10plex also operated by Regal that works extremely well in the Downtown with its big variety of restaurants within walking distance encouraging residents to make a night of it and boosting overall traffic.

Orosco says helping to move The Grove project forward is both the improving economy and renewed demand for retail space in Visalia as well as the fact this 25 acre center is already zoned properly within the city.

But Orosco has seen some tough marketing years for this property  during the four years of the recession not only due to the economic climate but because this land has no Mooney frontage. The big draw is Costco east of the big Mooney strip behind Lowes that attracts hoards of shoppers each day.The new theater would be located right across the street from Costco. As a destination retail use itself – like Costco – the new theater is likely to draw more eateries nearby as well as help sustain the half dozen major restaurants like Mimi’s Cafe and Olive Garden in the Packwood center now. For the Oroscos it would bolster the overall rent values at their center.

Would the new megaplex hurt Downtown? Orosco thinks no but others might disagree.