A mock-up of the renovations coming to Lloyd Center Mall in Portland hangs in a hallway on the first floor.
Julie Sabatier / OPB
When Portland's Lloyd Center mall opened in August 1960, it was a big deal. An estimated 5,000 people attended the opening ceremony of what was called the largest shopping center in the world, at the time. (There is some debate about that, though.)
Fast forward 55 years, and the place is currently in the midst of a $50 million remodel. The Lloyd Center's new general manager Bob Dye told the Portland Tribune the results will be both new and retro. Dye has been in retail property management for decades and left his stamp on hundreds of properties around the country, as well as his native Hawaii.
In July, he started his new position and he says the DNA of the mall is "crazy cool." He faces the challenge of keeping the mall relevant in the face of competition from standalone boutiques and online retailers.
GUESTS:
- Bob Dye: General manager of the Lloyd Center
- Carl Abbott: Professor emeritus of urban studies and planning at Portland State University