If you build it, they ...will not necessarily come. Well, not when you build it as an outdoor mall in the middle of a blustery field that is still quite a drive from the nearest town.... in NW Ohio with its cold, snowy winters. Being downwind from a notoriously rank sewage treatment plant is also a major downside, especially in the hot summer months. For these reasons, as well as very few of the stores being much different from those in the insanely popular Westfield Shopping Center (the place to see and be seen I guess), Fallen Timbers has not done very well financially and keeps going through owners and bankruptcy court.
However, since I hate crowds and love bargains, Fallen Timbers has become the main shopping center for my family, and for myself if I am in the area.
To help draw in customers, I assume, the shops at FT seem to always have better deals than their cousins in Westfield or elsewhere. They also are less picked-over, especially in winter when most people cannot abide the idea of walking through the wind tunnel from store to store. My main shop there is JC Penny's, though sometimes Dillards or Lane Bryant\Cacique have good deals.
However, the most common reason I go to FT is for the movie theater, which streams live Met opera on certain days, and to eat at Granite City. There is also a PF Changs and Red Robin, though I am not as fond of these. For tighter budgets, the Auntie Ann's\Hagen Daaz is very tasty with pretzel wrapped hotdogs, and there is also a Subway near the theater.
The location also offers some services beyond shopping, including salons and spas, and also a martial arts dojo (that looks very nice from the window).
Sadly, many of the shops are empty... contributing to a vicious cycle that fails to draw in more traffic. It is a shame, really. It is a lovely mall, with an absolutely stunning pond surrounded by roses come the season. There is also a large pit fire with chairs around it (and apparently wi-fi), and a large chess set you can play around with. In the wintery seasons, there is a faux-ice ice rink which looks fun, and "train rides" up and down the sidewalks for the kids. Summer time has farmer markets and big community events, typically geared towards kids. I think if I was or had a kid, I would be bringing them here quite frequently.
Parking is plentiful and though I am not fond of the parking on the streets, it is easier to see and get around than Levis Commons or Westfield. I suppose that will change if the place starts to get more popular and some of the sub divisions I think were planned are actually constructed. In the meantime, though, the only bad thing about going here is the distance - made longer by recent road construction, or the other road that goes down by Sidecut park where the deer and the fishermen roam...right in front of your car.
Anyways, I know my family in the area will continue to use Fallen Timbers as their main mall, and when I'm around, it's definitely my choice for shopping. read more
