I'm a Targeted Individual

Now it's time for my final post of pre-college photos, and we're back in full swing back to school shopping. You all know I love Kmart, and at this point in time I still had three left near me. Sadly I had to face the facts and accept that frankly they sucked as a store, hence why instead I stopped at two different Targets and America's largest mall (in terms of gross leasable area [for you Mall of America simps]) to do my shopping instead.

Target, Glen Mills, PA

This was a kinda rushed trip, I got here about 20 minutes before the store closed for the night and had to scramble to find the stuff I needed. It was the only Target in the area that still had dorm-sized appliances in stock. This store opened its doors in 2008 with their P04 decor. The clothing department was redone in 2017, followed by the rest of the store in 2019.

I thought Target usually just pulled down all the hanging signs when they did the clothing remodels, so it was a little surprising seeing this here.

Furniture also had a little work done around the same time as clothing.

As had the food department. At this point, I don't get why they didn't just redo the entire store in 2017. Like half the walls were already gray. :P

I never understood why CVS's boat signs were made to match the old décor when so many of the Target's they're in got remodeled not long after the sale.

This is the first time I noticed the hanging black signs here. They look like they're designed to match CVS's décor instead of Target's.

Pleasant surprise here- even though Pizza Hut has all but pulled out of the Philly area at this point AND this store underwent a major remodel, the express stand here remains in operation.

Target, Malvern, PA

Target opened this store in 2011 alongside Wegmans for the first phase of the Uptown Worthington development. It was remodeled in 2018, well before the rest of the center was actually finished. Actually, it's still not finished- phase 4 should be starting construction soon, followed by 5 hopefully next year.

Building codes made them use more of a traditional look. That means they couldn't use their new red box façade when they remodeled, but that didn't stop them from putting up the white bullseye on the cream-colored brick. It really blends in now.

The store has the neonless but still red P09 interior, which somehow I didn't realize existed before this trip. It looks like the only change between this and the previous décor was swapping out the semicircles with hanging box lights.

Aside from the box lights, the interior's the same as the older version of P09.

I have mixed feelings about these basket displays. They look cool but block half the aisle.

Not sure if I just missed it in my picture or if the grocery section just didn't have any signage with words on it. I feel like there's supposed to be something along that back wall.

The grocery section also had some recessed spotlights over it, which I haven't seen in any other stores so far.

CVS, which was open today because this was one of the relatively few times I ran errands at a reasonable hour.

Like Glen Mills, this store's Pizza Hut also somehow survived. Gonna be totally honest, I have not once seen a customer at one of these so I don't know what is keeping it in business.

Unpopular opinion here- Starbucks is my favorite Target amenity. I probably get something from there 3/4 of the times I go there. Sometimes it's even the reason I go there.

Frazer Diner, Frazer, PA

I drive by this place frequently and have even eaten here a few times. I knew it was an old diner but never realized how historic it is, at least in the diner fandom. Apparently it even has its own Wikipedia page. It was located down the road in Paoli when it first opened in 1935, but moved here in 1957. For a brief time in the 80's, it became a Vietnamese restaurant to serve Frazer's high Asian population, but was back to being the Frazer Diner by the end of the decade. It's currently the only unaltered mid-30's style diner left from the O'Mahony company.

Speedi King Laundry, Frazer, PA

This laundromat had been running here basically unaltered since the 50's. Lidl bought the property (mainly for the large field behind it) in 2016 but didn't have immediate plans to open. The laundromat closed in 2019, making me think they're finally getting ready to start construction.

Firestone, Philadelphia (University City)

Firestone opened this location in 1952, and closed in 2017 after Drexel University bought the property. The long-term plan is to knock it down for a new Life Sciences building, but for now the parking lot is being used for food trucks, the garage for storage, and the showroom to promote the Neon Museum of Philadelphia. The lone half-block of Lancaster Avenue, the diagonal street going along the showroom side, was pulled out and replaced with a walkway in 2018. It was stranded there when the portions of Lancaster between 32nd and 34th Streets was removed in the 70's, so I'm amazed it held on as long as it did.

Hampton Inn, Lionville, PA

Looks like the remodel's finished! The new exterior's a huge improvement, I absolutely hated the old metal roof.

King of Prussia Mall

Like many of my previous trips to KOP, I went through and photographed almost exclusively the vacant spaces. I mean really they're the only thing that's changed between my last full tour and now. Usually they've got a high turnover rate, but this one appears to still be vacant. It's been long enough since I got these photos that I wouldn't rule out that something else came and went. The vacancy to the right is now home to B8ta.

This strip of stores here is also uncharacteristically quiet. The first space is still empty, as is the Lululemon (more on that next photo), but the True Religion (which I think went out of business as a whole last year) is now home to Lucky Brand Jeans.

Lululemon didn't close, they just moved into a much larger space across the hallway. Take a minute to appreciate the design of the rotunda here, the 2018 remodel wiped over all this with a flat layer of white and gray.

Zara was getting ready to open here. It's in an inline space but big enough it should count as a junior anchor. They take up three storefronts on both of the levels it occupies.

JCPenney's still vacant. The lower level is temporarily being used for construction offices as the mall remodels, while the upper level is on short-term lease to "A Happy Place," which is basically a bunch of sets for people to take photos in front of. I didn't think it would be a huge hit at about $30 per visit, but from what I'm seeing on social media I'd guess probably a quarter of the girls my age in the region have already been through here.

The concourse in front of Penney's, which is the oldest surviving part of the mall. It hasn't been remodeled yet, I'm assuming they're waiting until they have a redevelopment plan for the Penney's. SEPTA is now officially committed to extending the Norristown High Speed Line to Valley Forge (and now allegedly considering taking it even further to Phoenixville), which will include adding a train station to the mall. I have a feeling that will be part of what goes on the JCP site.

The Bath & Body Works here had just completed a major renovation. Previously it had the 2000's horizontal wood panel siding.

Another look at the now-former Lululemon. It was only here for a couple years before moving, but they couldn't turn up the opportunity to double their footprint here.

The vacant space on the circle here is now a Kate Spade. The one to the left is Alex & Ani and to the right will soon become Moose Knuckles. Yeah I have absolutely no clue what they sell but they have my attention.

Overall I like the mall's post-remodel flooring better (although I absolutely hate what they did to the walls and ceilings), but I did think this design was cool. I'm glad I got a decent picture of it before they began work.

I believe this was formerly New York & Company. It's now home to Boss.

...and this concludes my Summer 2017 coverage. The next post you'll be seeing will be my first photos as a college student. That would probably be a little more exciting if I weren't uploading these photos nearly three years late, but here's a song that would fit the mood if I was posting in real time.