This shopping mall used to be one of my favorite places to visit with my girlfriends, my daughters, and sometimes with my husband as a special date shopping spree. It is one of the very few places in the St. Louis area where you can shop for luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and others.
The mall itself is beautiful and upscale, and in the past, what truly made the experience special was the atmosphere and customer service. Even when we were only window shopping, staff members would warmly welcome us with smiles, kindly show us new products, offer fragrance samples, and sometimes even ask if we wanted water or drinks while browsing. It always felt luxurious, comfortable, and welcoming.
Unfortunately, ever since after COVID, the overall atmosphere and customer service throughout the mall seem to have changed significantly. I was especially disappointed with the customer service at Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Tiffany & Co., but I will leave the details of those experiences in separate reviews for each store individually.
What surprised me the most during my recent visit was the new paid “priority parking” area. Every time I visit this mall, there seem to be fewer customers than before, yet now the first two rows of the underground parking garage have been converted into paid priority parking spaces. Ironically, not a single car was parked there when we visited.
It also seems that Saks Fifth Avenue is closing or has already closed, and even the Mexican restaurant that used to remain in the mall is now gone as well. The mall honestly feels emptier and less lively every year.
The only places that still feel the same as before are Neiman Marcus and the restaurant inside it, Mariposa. The customer service there remains consistently warm and professional. Whether speaking with store employees, restaurant hosts, or waitresses, everyone is friendly and welcoming, and the food is still excellent. Those two places are the only parts of the mall that still truly feel luxurious and worth visiting.
Luxury shopping is not only about expensive products. It is also about how customers are treated. Sadly, the warm and welcoming atmosphere this mall once had seems to be disappearing.