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Expansion basics: Mall officials confident in Roseville market

What recession?

Hundreds turned out Thursday morning for the 10 a.m. mega-opening of the Galleria at Roseville’s expansion project – all 48 stores and restaurants worth.

Some packed the mall’s promenade area hours before the gates swung open – as early as 4 a.m., officials said – in hopes of snagging a valuable raffle ticket from mall operator Westfield. Others came just to get a taste of what the hype was all about.

“I’m just curious. I’m coming in to be surprised,” said Edna Rose of Lincoln.

“We’re excited about the new stores we’re getting,” said Keri Dalebout, who was out with other local moms milling around the open-air promenade. “The kids’ stores especially – they’re all really good.”

There was no shortage of pomp and circumstance for the event – to be expected, perhaps, considering the project’s $240 million price tag. Soon-to-be shoppers were treated to the stylings of the Roseville High School band and the Sacramento Children’s Chorus, before Westfield brass and then Mayor Jim Gray gave remarks.

The uncertain financial climate didn’t go unnoticed.

“Westfield put Roseville on the map in the region as the place to shop,” Gray told the crowd, assembled in what just days ago was a hard hat-only construction site. “Thank you for your confidence in our market and in our buying power.”

Others weren’t so sure.

“It’s kind of crazy, but it’s already planned so I guess they know what they’re doing,” said Sharon Aguilera, who was also on hand early. “I think some of the stores are a little high end, so they might struggle a bit.”

Before long, roof-mounted confetti cannons exploded, a ribbon was cut and shoppers made their way through the doors of what is now the largest shopping center in the Sacramento region.

They were greeted by everything from upscale handbag retailer Louis Vuitton and trendy Swedish clothier H&M, to a shop called Popcornopolis that sells the snack in sour cream and onion flavor and even a Cinnabon.

A Tiffany – perhaps the most buzzed-about retailer – is still to come. A construction wrapper in the famous jeweler’s trademark hue says it’s to open in fall 2009.

“I think it will be good because it’s kind of an escape,” said Debbie Jacobson of Roseville, who was out with daughter Emily, they said, to check out the “hype.”

Did it live up?

“It does,” Debbie said. “We just came from Las Vegas, and it’s kind of that feel – that high-quality feel.”

Thursday’s opening represents only about half of the new arrivals headed for the Galleria. Phase 2 will fill in the old food court – which moved into a dining terrace in the new wing, said John Widdup, Westfield’s chief operating officer.

And spaces left empty by existing stores moving into the new wing are also slated to be filled. New stores will begin opening early next year, officials said, with the entire project to be finished by next November.

In all, the project adds 400,000 square feet, bringing the center to 1.5 million square feet, mall officials said.

Getting it all done on time required an army of 3,000 workers. The expansion brings to about 5,600 the number of retail jobs at the center.

Construction crews and store staffers worked through the night to meet the opening-date deadline. Wednesday evening, workers were hurriedly moving wheelbarrows full of flora around the place, and painters were furiously applying coats to walls.

But if you lease it, will they shop?

The answer to that question, shoppers said, depends.

“With the economy, we’re on a budget” said Rosa Wells. “So we’ll probably look around, then wait until the day after Thanksgiving to shop.”