A change of strategy at The Legends shopping center, planned to be a Mecca for bargain hunters, requires careful consideration to avoid the pitfalls of other such shopping areas.
   Over the past few years, the ideas of outlet centers excite the public, but the reality points to a quick influx of shoppers and money, and then a mass exodus away and empty buildings and blight that need a new concept to resurrect once busy but empty storefronts.
   Consider the outlet malls at Odessa, Mo. For the first few months, I-70 allowed a steady stream of traffic and shoppers; now, however, the stores remain closed and the area deserted.  Also, consider the two outlet centers in nearby Lawrence. First the site along the riverbanks drew large crowds and parking lots filled consistently. That being the case, another outlet center opened just off the I-70 and East Lawrence exit to take advantage of interstate shoppers even before they could drive across the river to the river-overlook mall. Now, both areas are empty and a mere specter of their past.
   About 20 years ago, Boaz, Ala., was not more than a wide spot in the road when outlet malls changed the outlook of the area and several very large outlet malls opened and drew crowds. Slowly, the traffic and shoppers declined and it’s now nothing like its heyday. So, another outlet area succumbed to lack of sales and declining shoppers.
   For another example, just look at the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe. There is nothing “Great” about it now. All the name-brand stores no longer exist. Gone, among others, are Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Samsonite, Black and Decker, Casual Male, Gap, Dillard’s and American Eagle. The mall featured four quarter-mile long areas so even walkers could walk a full mile inside to circumnavigate it. Now, only few stores remain and none with upscale names or attractions.
   And one problem the Great Mall encountered involved the “outlet” idea. The mall claimed to be an Outlet Mall, yet much merchandise had lower prices at Walmart or Kmart than at the factory store. Only Dillard’s featured the “discount outlet” venue. While at Indian Springs, the store drew large crowds—and plenty of Johnson County license plates. When at Olathe and next to the Dillard’s warehouse, the store closed within two years or so. What people wanted was a “discount outlet,” not just mainstream store outlets. 
   To its credit, Legends opened with a mixture of regular and outlet stores. Just look when walking through the Legends and see Gap Outlet, Gymboree Outlet, Levi's Outlet, Stride-Rite Outlet, VF Outlet, TJ Maxx, Banana Republic Factory Outlet, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Lane Bryant Outlet, and more. This again simulates the Great Mall situation. Factory stores are not necessarily discount outlets and their products can many times be found cheaper in discount stores.
   The path to success at an outlet mall is treacherous. Once it begins to fail, like dominoes, all associated with it fail and Kansas City, Kansas, could find a myriad of empty storefronts, lost jobs, deteriorating buildings, and an area ruined for future growth. According to a news release from the Legends, RED Development intends to offer a “new” concept to outlet malls. Maybe a proven concept offers better longevity. New ideas fail many times until a proven plan finally develops.