CrossIron Mills makes big, boisterous debut

CALGARY – There is a caveman in a block of fake ice at the new Balzac megamall. He’s clutching an earthenware coffee mug and carrying a shopping bag filled with twigs.

At a mall with several Alberta themes–the caveman is in the "Fossil Neighbourhood"–the connection of this whimsical display to Alberta’s past was obvious, given the Boxing Day-like crowds that flooded the new CrossIron Mills shopping centre at its opening day Wednesday. Albertans are genetically programmed to shop. Even in a recession, we are the top spenders in the nation.

Danielle Wankel, an 18-year-old from Airdrie, arrived at 4:30 a. m. to be first in line outside the Winners store, wrapped in a wool blanket to protect herself from the morning chill. Her goal? To be one of chosen few eligible for up to $100 in gift certificates, given to the first 120 people in the door.

"I heard there were a couple of people who tried to sleep here overnight, but they got kicked out at 2:30 a. m.," she said. Signs warned of no parking lot access until 5 a. m. Wankel arrived a half-hour ahead of time to get prime parking lot access.

"I like Chinook (mall), but it’s all the way in Calgary, so this is more convenient. There’s nothing in Airdrie that’s anything like here, except for the Starbucks," Wankel said.

Recession-weary bargain hunters mostly found modest opening-day discounts, although some stores were offering 50 per cent off some items. Many shoppers, though, appeared to be tire-kickers. They had much to gawk at.

CrossIron Mills has the spectacle of Bass Pro Shops, an outdoor-themed store that opened months ago, an enormous Home-Sense-Winners, and several shops like XXI Forever and Tommy Bahama that are unique to Alberta. The themed areas have some nice touches–there are western sculptures and leather chairs in the "Ranch Neighbourhood," a dinosaur theme in the "Fossil Neighbourhood," and an oil pumpjack in the "Resources Neighbourhood."

The mall’s debut was crowded and boisterous, with crowds in a holiday-like mood. But, after walking the 2.7 kilometres of hallway, you are left with the impression that this is just a big generic mall, similar to so many others in Anywhere, North America, despite the decorative attempts to localize it. Unlike West Edmonton Mall, there is no water park, no roller-coaster, no performing dolphins.

Still, for sheer sprawling size, it is impressive, even though it is similar in terms of retail space to Chinook Centre.

"Wow. You can go crazy in here. I’ve never seen anything like it," said Heidi Camacho, who made the 40-minute drive from Cochrane with her two children Angellana, 7, and Austin, 6.

Among those on hand for opening day was Cindy Turnquist, marketing director for downtown Calgary’s Eaton Centre/TD Square. Her thoughts on the competition?

"It’s nice," Turnquist said. "But I don’t think it’s going to kill downtown."

She’s got that right. Turnquist clocked CrossIron Mills as a 60-kilometre round trip from Stephen Avenue, which remains a unique experience that can’t be duplicated by an enclosed mall on the city’s northern outskirts with faux dinosaur bones hanging from the ceiling.

"I think realistically people are going to go out and have a look at it. It’s the nature of the beast. Will it have long-term effects? I don’t think so," Turnquist said.

At the mall’s Happy Trails Food Court, a large, bright space with skylights, first-day visitors were crammed like sardines in lineups for usual mall food fare–KFC, Burger King, Subway, New York Fries, Arby’s, Taco Bell, five Asian outlets and one Greek for a total of 18 fast-service establishments.

In nearby Airdrie, the monster mall is being greeted with a mixture of retail nervousness and consumer glee.

"People are taking a wait-and-see attitude," said Shawn Howard, Airdrie’s deputy mayor. "Certainly some (retailers) are nervous. I heard similar comments when the Wal-Mart opened up. I haven’t seen that it’s had an impact on those small specialty-type businesses." In fact, said Howard, "Our business licence applications continue to grow."

Several mall outlets have yet to open, including Indigo Books, a movie theatre and Brooks Brothers, none of which will deter people from making the trek to Balzac. Mall visits are driven by three factors, according to experts –proximity to work, proximity to home, and the draw of "destination" shops like Bass Pro Shops. Alberta’s newest mall will be the retail destination of choice for the estimated 250,000 people in north Calgary communities and surrounding areas who live nearby, and the tens of thousands more who will be drawn by curiosity.

CrossIron Mills is destined to be a success. This is, after all, Alberta, North America’s retail paradise.

rremington@theherald.canwest.com