FullSailDan Jun 25, 2018

hrmmm.... nothing about Disney Springs says outlets to me at all. In fact, I'd wager it definitely speaks to a more premium market. The stores there aren't Cartier or haute couture for sure, but it's not your run of the mill mall. Most of the restaurants are on the high end too. There's a smaller mix of affordable stuff like Uniqlo. But these days even it's very much after the kind of buyer that would view them as casual comfort wear, not daily presentable. I also don't think the price of merchandise is all that inflated at the Springs either. I bought two pairs of jeans from the Levis store and it was about on par with the local mall here in Orlando. Maybe a few bucks more, but well worth the extra cost for not having to deal with the mess and crowd at the other malls. I've made a few other purchases there, the art of shaving carries my shave oil and moisturizer. Same cost as online or other stores. We can argue the slim margins of retail, but.... it's pretty clear. The middle to lower-middle class isn't able to afford/support retail experiences like they used to. Stores are being squeezed and closing left and right. The only ones surviving are the ones serving a more high end client. Constant sales to get market share mean devaluation of the brand and lead to closures, meanwhile I'll gladly buy my Allen Edmond's at full price.