disney store closings

[mickey4ver]

PatMcDuck: good explanation

 

[katiemegcz]

I thought I was going crazy. I used to go into the Disney Store, and have to put things back trying to limit purchases. Last time I went in, all they had were cheap plastic toys, socks, costumes and DVDs, along with a few racks of close-out sweatshirts. What happened?? I talked to one of the CMs, and she could only shake her head. She said everyone who comes in had the same criticism.

I always purchased my collectables fromt he local store, which at one time, had a great collection. I like to look before I order. It is really sad.

You can get better quality (and better priced) Disney stuff from Walmart!

 

[madcoco]

About the only reason we go to our local stores anymore is to buy DisneyDollars and pick up the occasional Las Vegas store exclusive items. Stores at the Forum Shops use to have a good artwork/collectible room but the selection has grown stagnant over the years. Having visited a number of TDS during our travels, I always wondered why more stores didn't have their own exclusive merchandise. Las Vegas,San Francisco,Houston were among the few that did. The selection of merchandise is almost nil for adults now.I know we spend much less $$$ there now and based on the miniscule sampling of the populations comments here,no wonder there are problems. They have lost focus and direction in this part of the company. But to blame a TDS CM and for another to hope that they all lose their jobs

 

[mickey4ver]

Originally posted by madcoco
But to blame a TDS CM and for another to hope that they all lose their jobs

Thank you for sharing/validating my feelings on those comments...it most certainly not the employees of big business that are causing the problems within companies today.

 

[Captain_Nemo]

Just got pointed to this article in the Washington Post from another discussion.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32720-2003Feb19.html

Here are some highlights from the article, but I recommend following the link and reading the whole thing.

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For much of the 1990s, the Walt Disney Co. consumer products division was a runaway revenue engine. Operating income grew $100 million per year, topping out at $893 million in 1997, as Disney stores sold out of rack after rack of merchandise inspired by "The Lion King" and other animated hits…

Then the bottom fell out...

Part of the drop-off was attributable to the whims of fashion and was experienced by others in the field, such as Warner Bros…

Disney is trying to retrench as well. The company has cut costs by closing hundreds of Disney stores and has reduced its emphasis on merchandise tied to movies whose performance is unpredictable…

One element of the changing strategy was announced yesterday by Andy Mooney, president of the consumer products division. Beginning in May, Mooney told a conference of analysts, Disney will sell its own brand of electronics, including pastel-colored televisions, DVD and CD players, and clock radios…

Disney overexpanded during its salad days; it grew beyond top-line malls and opened stores in second- and third-tier malls, where profit margins were almost nonexistent. In 2000, Disney operated 515 U.S. stores. This year, that number will hit 375 on its way to a target of 300.
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[Planogirl]

Captain_Nemo, I'm glad that the article mentioned the Warner Brothers stores. I remember when virtually every decent mall had both a Disney Store and a Warner Brothers Store. Complete Disney fan that I was in those days, I also had a weakness for the WB character Sylvester so I visited the WB stores regularly. These stores had all of the merchandise everyone wants at the DS plus! They always had far more stock and it was quality merchandise too. And see what happened to these stores.

It does appear that, except for the die-hard Disney fan, that the public isn't interested in this type of merchandise any more. However, if they could only keep a little corner reserved for the adults...

 

[Nathan's Grandma]

We had one Disney store close in an upscale mall but the other two have remained opened.

I love the fact that Disney now has sales. I can remember when you had to pay full price for everything. I go in our store every single time I am in the mall.

I don't like that they quit making infant clothing because I purchased it for all my new baby gifts. I have to go to Sears or other stores to get baby items.

Kathy

 

[Robin G]

Originally posted by bandman322
I'm really mad about DS taking the place of a great Disney outlet that was here for years. We got great Disney merchandise, and at discounted prices. Then they decide to open a DS and by corporate rules they had to close the outlet down.

Corporate rules? We have a Disney Store and a Catalog Outlet that are only about 25 miles apart. These stores have both been around for several years. Both are open and operating today.

 

[Tinkerwife]

I'm sorry for those of you that are losing the stores near you, and please don't take this wrong, but I'm more sorry for the Cast Members who love their jobs and can't afford to make the commute to whatever store they could transfer to so they could stay with the company.
So, go to your stores that are closing, wish the Cast Members luck! [/B]

Thank you very much for that sentiment. As a former Cast Member of a store that closed on 1/25 - I really appreciate it. Our closing came as a shock to us - as the next closest store is 3 hours away. Our market was not oversaturated by any means, but they closed us anyway.

It was really nice the last couple weeks to hear from our guests about how much they were going to miss the store...I miss it too.

 

[MacGyverTDS]

Tinkerwife,

My comment was from the heart. I worked for TDS for 6 years I worked my way up from holiday help to management. And although I don't see the company the same way I did when I started it's still hard to see them closing stores. I know from a logical sense that they grew too fast and are doing what they can to not end up like Warner Bros. Closing the stores really is difficult on the CM's who put their heart and soul into their work. Luckily most of the CM's that worked for me were able to be placed in other stores, but some couldn't make the new commute and had to leave the company. I spent countless hours talking with the ones who had to make the decision to leave mostly reminding them that it was strictly a business move, not anything personal. But when it's happening to YOU, it's hard to separate the emotions.

Good luck, and remember the magic

Judy

 

[gary403]

Here is a link to an interesting article on a LaughingPlace.com.
http://laughingplace.com/News-ID506950.asp

 

[dzneelvr]

thanks Gary403
Very Interesting Article.

Guess I'll have to get used to the fact that adults are not a focus market for the Disney Store. My DH, teenage DS and DD, and I will have to hold our buying for park visits.

 

[madcoco]

Peter Whitford, President, Disney Stores Worldwide then gave a virtual tour of the new Disney Store look. The store has been redesigned to focus on the store’s key audience; girls from 3 to 8 and boys from 3 to 6. Plush will continue to be prominent.

Thanks for the link. I guess those few sentences sum it up best.

 

[two-foxes]

We just found out tonite that our store is closing as well. The manager told me he just found out this past Sunday, and they are due to close 03/10!! Not cool...he is out putting out job applications now, and the job market in our area is BAD! My DH and I are quite disappointed, as the closest store is now 45 minutes away (oddly enough there is another store 20 minutes from that one, and another 30 minutes from that one....) Although we don't have kids yet, I can't wait to introduce our our "twinkle in our eye" kids to Disney,when we have them and now an easy way to do it is not so close now!! I LOVED OUR DISNEY STORE

 

[ohanafamily]

So much to say...

To all of you CM's, my sincerest wishes for you and your continued jobs. It is not your fault what Peter Whitford is doing to the stores. I am convinced that someone very high up is trying to make the stores fail. I feel that they would much rather sell through the catalog/online with the lower overhead.

In the DS I have frequented most... you know, the one where we knew everyone in the store...oh, I forgot they all left in the last 4 months and we don't know anybody there anymore... is in a high end mall and had a great collectable business. They removed the artwork. I tried to write letters, and so did several other high-spending guests. We did not get a reply. They were one of the stores that the decision was supposed to be made in 1/03 about the gallery items going. I was informed in 9/02 that the RM was told not to forward our letters to corporate as the decision had been made. No responses were to be sent. If you are trying to destroy a customer base, that is a great thing to do.

The new manager seems nice, but we haven't had a reason to go into the store to get to know her. There just isn't anything left in the store for us. I used to go into the store when I was having a bad day, and I never got out for less than a couple of hundred dollars. I went in two weeks before TP was released for a Birthday gift for a nephew who was turning 7 and loves pirates. There was nothing in the store he would have wanted; he is not into Buz. I was so upset I left the store empty handed.

My view is that even if TDS is not doing as well as they would like, it is still an advertizement for the parks and should carry a wide variety of merchandise for all ages to tease us into wanting to go to the parks.

I know that business was way down last x-mas in our store. The merchandise just doesn't fit the market. I was told OTR that CMs were encouraged to tell guests that sales were up even though that was stretching the truth a little. I think Upper Management is making sweeping changes to all stores without understanding the markets. In some stores the changes will really increase business. In my market...well lets just say I think the employees saw the writing on the wall. Again, this is a great way to make guests care less about stores closing.

Buzz Light Year...How much more are they going to invest in a several year old-market saturated character. They should be concentrating on new releases and keeping the merchandise fresh (IMHO)

Next, to anyone wishing any ill to CMs, Please take this personally...are you crazy? they are not responsible for corporate policy, They are afraid for their jobs and livelyhood. While it is true that recently I have met many disgruntled CMs, and several who I have felt do not represent the Disney spirit, They have a much higher turnover and lower training standards than they used to. Most of the long-term CMs care more than you can imagine. The disgruntled CMs are a symptom of many of the companies problems, including poor treatment from management. I can pass on lots of stories, mostly from the parks, that I have heard by simply asking why the CM was so upset. This is not the point, the point is that Disney is not training its CMs as well as it used to, and they are not being treated as well by the company as is apropriate.

I could rant on about this subject for several more pages, but I will stop now and go to bed. I think I will dream of TDS back to the wonderful happy place it used to be.

 

[hopemax]

For those keeping track at home, here is a list of stores closing March 10th

Fort Collins, CO
Almonte Springs, FL
Monroe, LA
Natick, MA (collectibles location, although this one may open in 6 months redesigned as a regular disney store)

and Bellingham, WA, which is my Mom's store. She's trying to transfer to one of the Seattle area stores, but the closest is an hour drive, so who knows.

 

[KerryCM]

Contrary to what hopemax has stated about Natick (MA). Yes, the free standing store is closing, but a new one is opening in the Natick Mall. They are on the remodel list NOT the closing list.

 

[Luv2Roam]

How many stores are open once these close? Anyone know?
I have read 510 were open at one time with 300 being the goal now.
So I am wondering how many will be open after these closings/reopenings?

 

[Luv2Roam]

Just as a slightly off topic posting on another board -- read this:
http://pub114.ezboard.com/fdizpinsboardsfrm15.showMessage?topicID=1326.topic
Talk about 100% customer satisfaction and a CLASS act! This is a perfect example of a Disney competitor out Disney-ing Disney.

 

[DisneyFan09]

Ohanafamily - as a Disney Store CM I appreciate your defense!! I love my job and try to always go the extra mile to ensure that our guests have a wonderful experience while they are in our store!! I also encourage you to stop in and look at the new line of "Adventurer" toys and clothing for boys!! There is Aladin, Tarzan, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Hercules "action figures" and really nice clothing!! I too think that the stores are a little oversaturated with Buzz Lightyear so I was thrilled to see this new line for boys!