Killeen Mall Begins New Era

KDH News employees discuss the Killeen Mall’s efforts to revitalize itself through the addition of three major stores, including HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and Five Below. They also talk about the potential impact on the community and whether these changes will be enough to bring shoppers back to the Killeen Mall.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:12

Hi, welcome to the Inside Kaleen Podcast from KDH News. My name is Hamida Botchwight, one of the hosts of Inside Kaleen, a podcast about news, events, and politics in the Kleen Fort Hood area. And today we're talking about the state of the Kaleen Mall and its attempt to revitalize itself. And joining me today is two KDH reporters, Jada Holcomb. Hi. And Dale Lynche.

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Hello.

SPEAKER_04 0:33

The Kaleen Mall has been opened since 1981, so way before our time. And it used to be a go-to spot for shopping and just hanging out with friends. But over the years, like most malls, it has become a bit of a ghost town, but not entirely their fault. But they may be changing that by opening three new stores. And this sparks the question: is this the way to bring people back? Today's sponsor is Guiding Light Concepts. Empowerment is at the heart of Women's History Month, and it's at the core of our sponsor, Guiding Light Concepts. Just as we celebrate the women who uplift our community, Guiding Light Concepts empowers to clean children diagnosed with autism. Their expert team champions children with autism by providing highly individualized ABA therapy, behavior reduction, and IEP support. To help your child build independence and thrive, visit GuidingLightConcepts.com or call 254-432-704 today. We'd also like to thank WDF Express. Relax, let us do your laundry. At WDF Express, we understand that life is busy, but your laundry doesn't have to be. We offer free pickup and delivery as well as drop-off service. Conveniently located only one mile from the Clear Creek gate in Winfield Plaza. Quick, easy, stress-free. Fast, affordable, and reliable here at WDF Express. So HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Five Below are three new stores. Jada and I went out and took some photos while they were under construction, and she wrote an article. But Dalen's been covering a lot of the new stuff about them all. So can you tell us a little bit about some of the coverage?

SPEAKER_00 2:08

Yes, so Five Below has been is still in the works right now. And then we have TJ Maxx opening up Sunday, and they're gonna be giving out a$10,000 grant to the food care center in downtown Kaleen. And then we already see with HomeGoods being open already, there's a lot of people going in. So it's looking like a good trend right now, and I see it being something for the summer.

SPEAKER_04 2:29

Yeah, I also heard that Home Goods is also doing a$10,000 grant for the community.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

And so my my information, I can't remember the organization they gave that grant to, but I know that's a big per that's a part of their mission to get back to the community, and Kaleen's is now they're gonna be offering because I know we had a fine below in Harker Heights for some time. So now adding that to Kaleen, I know that's gonna be less commute now. People who live in Kaleen don't have to drive so far. They have the mall now for that.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

What's like the connection between you know the donations and home goods? Is did they tell you there was a connection between the two or they just wanted to give back to the community?

SPEAKER_00 3:08

I believe it's just to give back. Okay. It was just their efforts to give back to community and be really involved. No, they're gonna be there for a long time for a long time now.

SPEAKER_04 3:16

Yeah. So the$10,000 donation for home goods, it's to the Fort Hood community habit for Humanity Incorporated, supporting efforts to promote home ownership and stability for local families. That's the one for home goods, and then the TJ Maxx is the clean food care center.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

I'm sure that definitely put a um good taste in the community's mouth for sure. That's like a really good first impression, I think, is not just opening the store, but also giving back to the community before your official opening date.

SPEAKER_04 3:46

Yeah, I think it's really good press too because I don't think people really care that much, but I guess hearing that, it's like, oh, they're doing good for the community. So maybe it's like worth trying.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

I've never been to a home goods.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Do you guys know like me either the type of I have I've yet to step into a home goods especially on my to-do list to go see what home goods is about.

SPEAKER_04 4:09

I know they sell like furniture and I like home decor and stuff. Okay, cool. And then do you guys know what a TJ Maxx is?

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Yes, I've heard of it, just like Home Goods, surprisingly. I've never, if I have been in one, I wasn't really thinking about it in the moment. So at least I kind of have an idea of what TJ Maxx sells, even though I don't normally shop there. But I know a lot of, even if you're not older, a lot of people are like extremely excited about those two openings the most. I've actually seen more ex more people excited about those two than five below, surprisingly.

SPEAKER_04 4:46

That's surprising because my personal favorite is five below.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

Same.

SPEAKER_04 4:50

And yeah, every time I hear people like talking about it, they're like, Oh, I'm excited for home goods and TJ Maxx. Like, I'm so excited we're finally getting one. But I'm like, where's the hype for like five below? You know, which one are you like?

SPEAKER_00 5:03

So definitely a five below guy. Since I've grown up out here and living in Harker Heights, I was always at five and below. But I know TJ Maxx, I would go there too as well for clothes.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

Because you know, with Ross being there in that same plaza, yeah. If you're a guy, you at a certain age just can't shop at Ross no more. But TJ Maxx being a retail store, you'll be able to find clothes for being a 14, 15 form for that. Whereas Ross, the cut line was at 12.

SPEAKER_04 5:32

You know, I've heard that TJ Maxx is just another version of Ross. So probably that's how I think it's a lot of it depends on how you look at it.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

That's how I picture, but I've never been in one, so I can't speak on what it is. But yeah, I definitely did want to bring up uh some of those points later as well, like how good it is for them all.

SPEAKER_04 5:55

So and which one is open right now?

SPEAKER_00 5:58

Home Goods and TJ Maxx. Well, TJ Maxx is opening Sunday, but Home Goods is open right now. And then Five Below, they're still they're still in the works of getting everything done and set.

SPEAKER_04 6:09

Their sign isn't even up yet.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

Not yet.

SPEAKER_04 6:11

Yeah, it's just like a Oh really? Yeah, it's just like a blue little over it.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

But I know looking at the size of Final Low, it's definitely gonna be bigger than the one I've seen in Heights. And you know, Final Low, they have everything you could imagine.

SPEAKER_04 6:23

Yeah. Definitely. So like when was the last time you guys like really were like just regularly at the mall? Because like right now it's real I feel like it's really dead and people don't really go. Like when I drive by, the parking lot's always empty. And when I do go inside, I don't really see anybody.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

I know for me, I used to work at the mall, but I believe it was 2024 when I worked there. I forgot if it was the end or middle, but of course, on holidays it would be busy. Yeah. On special occasions, if there were certain deals, but yeah, for the most part, at least at the store I worked at. Also, our location was like right at the very corner of the mall at the time, uh, next to JC Penny's. So anyone who walked by our store, they were just going to JCPenney's and then they would stop and see our store and be like, oh, let me just go in to to check it out. But for sure, there was a lot of days where the mall was pretty much dead on my end, because people, if they did go to the mall, it would be towards the food court area. Yeah. And then maybe HM, and then a couple people going to, and that's also by the food court area is the earthbound. Yeah. Then you go to Hot Topic a little bit around the corner. So people would only go to the mall for specific stores. They wouldn't go to every single, you know, just walk around to try new things.

SPEAKER_04 7:53

Yeah. Like for me, the last time I was like regularly going was like in 2020 when I was in middle school.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Oh, right.

SPEAKER_04 7:59

Because like me and my friends, we couldn't go out much, but the only time we could, our parents would only allow us to go to the mall, so that was like the only place we could go to.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

But how about you?

SPEAKER_00 8:09

It was back in January when I was looking for gifts from my mom.

SPEAKER_01 8:12

Like this January?

SPEAKER_00 8:14

This January. But that's because with me, when it comes to the mall, a little bit like how you said, Jada, I already know what I want, I already have the stores that I want to go to pre-planned in my mind. I just go in there, get what I need, then I get out.

SPEAKER_04 8:26

Yeah. But like, why do you think it's so empty? Like me personally, I think online shopping has a lot to do with it.

SPEAKER_01 8:34

I agree. I also think just personally, from what I've heard from customers throughout the years or throughout the, I believe it was at least a year I was working there, they would say that the reason they wouldn't go to Kleene Mall specifically was because there was no new stores. They already knew what was there. They were convinced that, you know, nothing was going to be added, no new stores, no new gift shops. So they're like, oh, you know, other places in Austin or wherever, they they have the same stores as well. So why go to a clean mall when you could just go to somewhere that's bigger, which is why I think like it's really good that they're opening these three stores up because I think personally it can start like a chain effect and people can in general start going back to the mall.

SPEAKER_04 9:23

Yeah, I think this will start like a chain reaction.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:26

What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 9:27

I know for me personally, a little bit how you said, Jada, I've seen those same stores for a very long time. I've been living out here for over 10 years, so I've I was very accustomed to what stores were in the mall. But now with there being new stores, I'm not gonna say I'm gonna be at the mall more often, but I can see more people go in there because there's three new stores that has a need. I know this was way back when when there was still a Sears, a lot of people would go to Sears for a while, and then when Sears closed and started to solve I could not tell you that day it's been a while.

SPEAKER_01 10:05

I think it was before I started working there, so probably three years ago, maybe. Oh, I would think. I think. I don't want to say officially I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

It was probably definitely it was probably pre or post-COVID. When are the two?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

Had to be around that time frame.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Yeah, it's I don't know. The mall, I think it's nice that they added the three new additions, especially the five below, because even like the kid play area, which I'm not saying five below is you know for kids just to go in there and play around, but yeah, at least, you know, I also noticed as well that the kid area was pretty full even on dead days. So some parents would just go to the mall just so their kids could play in that little section. So I think that is good. They're bringing something for more younger audiences in my age as well, as well as like for older audiences, which is you know, TJ Maxx and Home Goods. Yeah, it's like really interesting though.

SPEAKER_04 11:09

Yeah, I think the new stores will spark people's like curiosity, and they'll probably just come just because they're curious. But I feel like after a couple of years, the spark will die down and then the mall will be like back where it was at. Yeah. What do you all know that?

SPEAKER_01 11:25

What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_00 11:26

Do you think I think it I I see it happening? Oh because it happened. I know before Five and Below, Home Goods, and TJ Maxx, there's already been stores that were new there before. There's one store you can have a photo on your phone and it can print it out for you. Then they have uh college stores where a collegiate store you can buy, Alabama, OU, Texas Longhorns. You they have that store, and it's cool at first, it'll be a long line of people. And it's the same thing with clothing stores too, as well. They open up, people want to look around and see it. But after a couple of weeks, you get accustomed to that store being there. And then there are some people like me, you just get accustomed to knowing what's in the store, and if you know what you want, you already have it pre-planned in your mind. You get in there, get what you need, get out.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

Yeah. Yeah, especially all the stores are like right towards like there's an actual door to each one, so you don't even have to walk through them all to get to the store anymore for a few of them. Maybe I'm biased, but also I remember I was a kid, but my older cousin cousins who remember it more when Temple Mall, they obviously uh when it was like really busy, but they had a whole movie theater in there and it used to be like lots of people in there. I don't know if I can see a movie theater in Kaleem Mall, but I think if they destroy half of it and rebuild bigger, we could fit a movie theater in there. I think that's like a way where I can kind of see regulars coming in to at least watch a movie.

SPEAKER_04 13:01

I think personally, I think that would actually be really cool because I really love the movies, and yeah, that would be just putting that out idea out there.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

It's probably not realistic, but I do see like a couple things that could happen to where regulars will come in, but that's very expensive. So true.

SPEAKER_04 13:19

Yeah, also another people don't go to the mall often is because a lot of stores are always closing, like businesses are just constantly closing. Yeah. They just can't seem to stay open, and mainly because people aren't staying. So it's like, how do you fix that? I know you know a lot about business. Like, what's your opinion on that?

SPEAKER_00 13:37

I mean some things you just can't help. Sometimes businesses will go bankrupt and they have to shut down a lot of stores, and some stores, like Clean, will end up be being the fall for that. You know, for example, Red Lobster. We almost lost a Red Lobster.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

Really?

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Mm-hmm. Wow. Bear Lobster went up bankrupt, but in the nick of time, end up staying. So it's I want to just say the cycle of business. Sometimes business will go bankrupt and then it'll just be that empty void for a while.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

Yeah. I think for me, like I'm a very, I'm trying to say it in a more professional way, but like I kind of feel the energy out in places I go to. And sometimes with the Kaleen Mall, I do find myself not really getting depressed, but it's the actual building itself because it's so old and it's an older building. You walk into certain stores and you hear like creaks and noises, or they'll have like a older carpet. I'm not just here to beat down on Kalleen Mall, love it. But I think as well, why some people don't go in is because when you look around, you see an older building. You know, the store I worked with worked at was in the corner, and that that main spot wasn't used for a long time. So we would have issues like leakage problems sometimes. We would have to put the clothes in a different area because there would be a leak. You know, we would have to put a bucket out in the middle of the floor, water dripping, you know, no one kind of wants to shop when you're not taking care of little bits and areas of them all. I think maybe in the future, because it's a very expensive process as well, putting down new carpets, repainting walls, just focusing on the actual building itself, and it'll be a good atmosphere for people to want to come in and shop.

SPEAKER_04 15:28

Yeah, I totally agree. Also, I think they're competing with other outlets in the area. Like Market Heights, I think that's one of their biggest competitors. Like I know when me and my friends want to go somewhere, yeah. We're like, what about the mall? And then we're like, wait a minute, no, market heights.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

There's a target, it it market heights, and there's this, there's a movie theater, there's all types of stuff. When's the last time you went to market heights?

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Yesterday. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 15:55

Yeah. Yeah. Your last time you went to the mall was what January?

SPEAKER_00 15:58

And well, seriously, being in the mall, yeah, it was January. Because I still go to the mall. If I'm picking up clothes or shoes, I'm always gonna go to the mall for that. But if I'm gonna spend spending at least 30 minutes in the mall, it's not likely. I'm spending at least 15 minutes, whereas market heights, since it I'm right across from it, living in heights again. Yeah, I can be there for quite some time. Cause but then again, the varieties are different. Over at Market Heights, you have the movie theater, you have Target, you have Dollar Store, then you have Crumble, Razoo's, Barnes and Noble. Chatters, Barnes and Nobles. Barnes and Nobles is a big one. That's where a lot of people go to study.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Yeah. I want to go right now, actually.

SPEAKER_00 16:38

But it's a it's a difference to it. But then I also feel that's one thing about the clean mod thing because we've all been accustomed to it. We all know which store is for us.

SPEAKER_01 16:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

Definitely.

SPEAKER_04 16:50

Now that I think about it, the last time I don't remember the last time I've been to the Kleene Mall just to go. The last time I went is for the Daily Herald, like.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Oh, like right, to get coverage. Yeah. I don't know. I really want to see the Colleen Mall prosper and and do really great. I want to see new stores, a new environment, improvements with the inside, but I definitely do because I have a son as well. So I want to take him somewhere that's really close, and where he can just, you know, he can experience them all for himself without us having to drive to Austin and places, you know, Round Rock. Yeah, I think that kids and older people should be able to meet up again at the clean mall. And I don't know, my parents are in their mid-50s, and when they were in their late 20s, 30s, the mall was like booming. So 20 years ago, even 15 years ago, it was like pretty popular.

SPEAKER_04 17:52

Ooh, you know another reason that m the mall has kind of getting less been getting less traction? Some of like the big incidents.

SPEAKER_01 18:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:02

You know the um I think it was in 2021, the finish line shooting.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

Oh, the there was a finish line shooting?

SPEAKER_04 18:11

Yeah, you know the shoe store.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

I didn't know there was a shooting in the finish line.

SPEAKER_04 18:16

So in 2021, this was during COVID, so people were mar wearing their masks and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_04 18:22

This guy walked into the mall. He walked into finish line. It was a shoe store. Right. And he walked up to this guy, shot him, and then walked right back out.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

I do, wow, and I worked right in front of finish line. Not not in 2021 when it happened. I think that's why I was kind of out of the loop. Yeah. Maybe I have, but it's so bad. There's news coming in every day. I sometimes forget about even stuff like that. Obviously, you know what happened, you know, the tragic incident around Christmas time. I was actually there that day, earlier that day for Christmas shopping when it happened.

SPEAKER_04 18:58

Um the the JCPenney in June 23.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

Went right to the kids area.

SPEAKER_04 19:03

Let me tell you about that day. So me and Eric, Eric is one of our reporters, he's the cove editor. So we were at the Civic and Conference Center doing a story, and then we were on our way back to the office, and on our way back, we saw like a bunch of police cars, and we were like, what is happening? So we decided to follow them, and then we got we f we ended up where they were, and they were at the mall, and yeah, we saw this like huge hole in JC Penny. Yeah. And we were so confused. We were asking everybody what had happened, and this is why witnesses can be really unreliable. So they were telling us that there were a bunch of shooters shooting up the place. Oh, wow. Yeah. So, like we assumed that there were shooters shooting at each other, shooting at people.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 19:53

But then we eventually found out it was a truck that drove into JCPenney's and officers were shooting. Yeah, we're shooting at the car to get him to stop.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

And yeah, do you remember were like what were you doing around this Christmas? Because it happened during like Christmas season. Like it was packed. This was 2023.

SPEAKER_00 20:13

2023. I was either I think that's when me and my family did our family vacation.

SPEAKER_04 20:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 20:19

They were on vacation around that time. So I didn't missed it.

SPEAKER_04 20:23

That's good though. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 20:26

Because you you you like to shop during Christmas, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Yes. We do with my family, we do our shopping early.

unknown 20:32

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 20:32

And I think that's one thing too about the mall. I think that's why it's always gonna be profitable. Because they're always packed around holidays. True. And then also back to school as well.

unknown 20:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

They're always gonna be profitable around that time. And then even weekends, Sundays, and Saturdays, Fridays and Saturdays, that's when kids will be out of school. Everyone's gonna be at the mall. Yeah. But sometimes there won't always be a big problem. This is me outside looking in because sometimes when you have a lot more kids than adults, that's also more window shoppers and buyers.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:03

That's the outside looking in maybe different now.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

That's like a business uh perspective for sure.

SPEAKER_00 21:08

Absolutely. But then I feel weekdays, the question can be how can we bring more adults in?

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Right throughout the day.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:19

That is a good question. Yeah. How would y'all would y'all do it?

SPEAKER_01 21:24

I don't because it's I want to say because people are working, it's unlikely, but even when you go to market heights and it's the middle of Monday, Tuesday, there's P there's adults there. So I think people will really make time, even if they're they have a work schedule, maybe on their lunch break, they will make time for sure to go during the weekdays if they feel like it's worth it. I think I might have to think about that one as well. Like what could bring more adults in during the day?

SPEAKER_04 21:55

Yeah, I think it's all about catering to the people in the area.

unknown 21:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

I think as well the layout of them all, the main stores that people usually shop at, you can walk straight in from outside. So you don't even have to go through them all to get to JCPenney's Dillard's. I mean, now, you know, home goods, five below. It's like all the main stores people usually find themselves shopping in. They can just go through the front entrance, shop, and then leave back out. They don't have to go around anymore. And that's a good question, though, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

I feel for me, we out Pamal has to cater more to what adults need. Because I know a lot of clothing stores, and it's nothing against them. A lot of their clothes can be too flashy. But adults throughout the week were working.

unknown 22:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

Which is why places like chance, for example, they will always be in business because they have shoes for any working environment. They have shoes for when it's the weekend, you're about to go out, or shoes when you're about to go to, let's say, the warehouse and work. Or in my case, I bought new balances so I could walk around and go get stories without my feet hurting.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:06

Options for everything. And even when there was an event I had to go to and I had to dress up, I was able to go to JC Penney. I think it was JC Penney, and I was able to pick up a blazer. And it was an in-and-out situation.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Yeah, definitely. I feel like as well, like like you said, the clothing options are because I know when people think about the clean mall, they think about, oh, it's just gonna be besides, you know, JC Penney's, because there is a middle ground. People either think of the clean mall as, oh, that's where, you know, older people go to, you know, JC Penney's dealers, or they think on the completely young side, like HM, Hot Topic, Spencers, you know, things like that. And I think there there does or yeah, there needs to be middle ground where people can think of the clean mall as, oh, you can get everything here, not just flashy clothes and kids stuff or younger people, you know, younger generation items versus like older people who, you know, need to buy church clothes or and I like JCPenney, so not just saying they sell clothes only for older people, but a lot of people my age do think that way. That JCPenney only sells clothing for older people. If you need to get a, you know, a sweater vest or dress shoes.

SPEAKER_04 24:25

Yeah. Also, I think their prices they need to like cater their pricing to the area. Like I love Dillard's, but a lot of people don't shop at Dillard's because they can be expensive. So things like that they need to consider.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

I'll be honest, I do shop at Dillard's. Yes, it's a little bit on the pricier side, but for the product and what you're getting, yeah, it's very much worth the investment.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:48

So I'm I'm a bad Dillard's on that. Dillard's has great product. I love the product at Dillard's.

SPEAKER_04 24:56

That's the first store I go to when I go to the mall. And actually, the reason I go into the mall most of the time is to buy Sabrina Carpenter products.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

At Dillard's?

SPEAKER_04 25:07

I think not at Dillard's.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Oh, like is it perfume and stuff you're buying? Yeah. Oh, okay. Got you. All right.

SPEAKER_04 25:12

I think you know I'm like the biggest Sabrina Carpenter fan.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Yeah, I think like as well, at least the the store, and I love the store I work at, and I'm not gonna say any names because yeah, but I loved the store that I worked at because of the people. But definitely some of the prices are kind of out there.

unknown 25:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:31

And uh because I I understand for bigger businesses like corporations, because Dillards you can find in any city. It's a huge corporation, but little businesses that people, you know, there's only a few locations throughout the state, it's not like a chain. I get they have to make their prices a little higher because there's less, you know, stores to work with. But at the same time, you also have to make sure that the quality of the item is good. And I'm not talking about specifically the place I worked at, but just in general. Like what Dalen said, they customers need to feel like it's an investment.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

I think one store that does that well, cultural vibes. Yes, I got the cultural vibes a lot. I buy every gift everyone's ever gotten from me, they have something from cultural vibes in there. Because they have the clothes, they have the body oils, then they also have the portraits as well, they have all these things. Plus, you have flags as well that you can buy of your culture.

SPEAKER_04 26:30

That's where I got my um Ghana flag from. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

So I got yeah, I got my Cameroon flag, then I got an Oklahoma one, Alabama one from my mother. I think I'm about to invest into another one. Well, I can't say it live yet, but I got my friend a flag.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Not gonna say who, but yes, uh everybody gets something from cultural vibes because it's something for everybody.

SPEAKER_01 26:55

Yeah, and that like I said as well, the environment. As soon as you walk into cultural vibes, it feels like you entered into a different space. Yeah, you forget you're in the mall. It's like it smells good, the atmosphere is good, everything looks good. I'm wearing their sandals right now, which I've worn to death.

SPEAKER_00 27:12

Because everything's worth that investment when you buy something from there.

SPEAKER_01 27:15

Yeah, definitely. And you know, I definitely think as well, like I said, it's more of an environment-based thing, but there's so many good places, like cultural vibes. I think that it's inside the mall, but it doesn't get a lot of coverage and people don't even know it exists. So that's why it's kind of like a short-lived thing for them, and they have to soon close down. So I kind of want to encourage people to go to the mall at least once or twice just to to to check to see what new stores they have, and maybe you could find stuff you never knew was there before.

SPEAKER_04 27:54

Yeah. Oh, one of the new newer editions that I really love, I it's a claw store.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Oh, right. Yeah, I covered that. Yeah, it was there.

SPEAKER_04 28:04

And we we actually both covered it together.

SPEAKER_01 28:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 28:07

And then I went back like a few months after, and it was really it was just really nice. And I loved all of the prizes that I won. And the owners are so nice.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

Yeah, that's a really good store. And I think more businesses will start opening in the Kalean Mall, especially after these three. More places will start opening up. So I kind of just think the community needs to forget about whatever they think about the mall as of now and maybe give it another chance to see if they like the new improvements.

SPEAKER_04 28:39

Yeah, I think they shouldn't. Yeah, I think they should.

SPEAKER_01 28:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 28:43

Also, what do you think the what do you think the mall is doing to benefit the community? Because I know a lot of people, whatever they think, oh, new stores, they go, how many jobs is this creating?

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Yeah, to me that seems more like a business thing. So I'm gonna have Daylin.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

It opens up options as as a customer and as someone who wants to work. I know my sister, for example, she works at the mall right now. She's been there, I want to say two years now. I might be wrong. She's been working at the mall. That opened up a job for her, and then me as a customer, again, going back to I already know where I'm gonna be at, I have those options. Whereas not saying I wouldn't do it, but I don't have to drive to Round Rock, Austin, Dallas, go through all these big old stores just to find one store. Whereas Colleen, yes, is smaller, but I already know where everything is at.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Yeah, I think for me too, because especially in the past, I was like extremely introverted. I like for the introverts out there, like, or for people who don't like crowded places, or let's say you don't have any fancy clothes, because when I go to Austin, whether I realize it or not, I try to dress up, I put on my contacts, I make sure my hair looks decent. But when I go to the Kleene Mall, I like how I can just kind of wear whatever, just be chill, don't have to worry about too many people around me looking at me, and I can just shop and maybe see a few other people in the store is not crowded. Because I think that stops me a lot with malls as well. Is oh, if I want to go to the mall, I have to get dressed up or look like really presentable. Yeah. Because there's gonna be a lot of people there. But the last few times I did go to the clean mall, I wasn't anxious. I had didn't worry about anyone looking at me because it it was mellow, it was quiet. So definitely, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 30:44

Yeah, that's also one of my fears with malls. Like I I don't like being looked at. I'm also an introvert. I can't do big crowds.

SPEAKER_01 30:52

Yeah, so I would suggest probably going to the clean mall for those that don't like big crowds and stuff.

SPEAKER_04 30:59

Are you an introvert?

SPEAKER_01 31:01

Very really good.

SPEAKER_04 31:04

I feel like you're what is an omnivert? Wait.

SPEAKER_01 31:07

Yeah, I think it's omnivert, actually. I do think that's it.

SPEAKER_04 31:11

Is it? I hope like you're a mixture of an extrovert, introvert.

SPEAKER_01 31:15

I think that's I mean now.

SPEAKER_04 31:17

I'm introverted, but I feel like you can fake being an extrovert then.

SPEAKER_01 31:20

He doesn't, but now that I think about it, you don't seem extroverted. You seem like chill, but you don't seem introverted either. You seem like, oh, I'm just a chill guy, like your voice is more quiet, you know.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

Like I don't think of like a loud person who's like I think since I'm here at work, I know I have to be more outgoing and make people feel more welcome when I'm doing stories for them.

SPEAKER_04 31:44

Yes, because I go with the I go to events and stuff with you, so I I see you like interacting with people and I turn it on and off. Yeah. But that's maybe just because you're like talking to people.

SPEAKER_01 31:55

I'm the same way, actually. Like I'm I'm a really awkward, introverted person, but when I'm at work and depending on sometimes at school, depending on the classroom, I am, I think, pretty outspoken. Yeah, but if you would have speaked to me a few years ago, I never was I couldn't do it. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:17

I mean, best example is the mall. I know when I'm at the mall, if I'm by myself, I'm only getting three words out. Oh not really talking to people.

SPEAKER_04 32:26

No, yeah. Me, if I'm like at the cash register, I like I'm just like, hi.

SPEAKER_01 32:30

Oh the cash. Yeah, that's funny.

SPEAKER_04 32:33

I I don't know. I'm just not a big talker. Unless I'm around people I'm like super comfortable with. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:40

Yeah. I think I'm only really talkative to like my partner, you know, just like specific people for sure.

SPEAKER_04 32:48

Yeah, I have to know you for like a year to be comfortable with you. Yeah, like any other closing thoughts on the mall.

SPEAKER_00 32:56

Jay, you want to go ahead?

SPEAKER_01 32:57

Yeah, I can start for sure. Like I said kind of earlier, I do think with you know, the addition of these three new places, more people should definitely go around the mall and check it out. I would say just to practice, making sure you're not missing local businesses and small businesses or whatever else, maybe once every four months, just go to the mall, look around and see if anything new's been added. So I would suggest that.

unknown 33:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:26

I'm gonna take two things from you, Jada. A, look at the new business that are in the clean mall. And then B, I think the clean mall should do something with their interior decorations.

SPEAKER_02 33:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:37

Try to liven up the place a little bit. Cause like you said, Amita, it's been since 1981.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_04 33:45

Yeah, they opened the colour.

SPEAKER_00 33:46

The carpets are always the best either.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:50

Yeah. For me, I think they need to cater to the community, listen to their audiences. Like you said, when you were working there, customers were like, we don't have new stores. So but they decided three new stores, so they're obviously starting to listen. So I think they need to continue to listen to their customers, continue improving, and I don't know, try to be a better competitor for market heights. Yeah, that's their biggest competitor right now. Yeah.

unknown 34:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 34:19

Yeah, I really appreciate you guys coming on. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Yeah, you're welcome. Of course. Happy to be here.

SPEAKER_04 34:25

By the way, it's Dalen Shay's birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Thank you. You wanna say how old you are?

SPEAKER_00 34:31

I'm 21.

SPEAKER_04 34:33

Great. By the way, we're like people are really young. It's crazy. Yeah, he was not expecting that. Anyways. Today's sponsor is Guiding Light Concepts. Empowerment is at the heart of Women's History Month and it's at the core of our sponsor, Guiding Light Concepts. Just as we celebrate the women who uplift our community, Guiding Light Concepts empowers to clean children diagnosed with autism. Their expert team champions children with autism by providing highly individualized ABA therapy, behavior reduction, and IEP support. To help your child build independence and thrive, visit GuidingLightConcepts.com or call 254-432-704 today. We'd also like to thank WDF Express. Relax, let us do your laundry. At WDF Express, we understand that life is busy, but your laundry doesn't have to be. We offer free pickup and delivery as well as drop-off service, conveniently located only one mile from the Clear Creek gate in Winfield Plaza. Quick, easy, stress-free. Mention KDH and receive$10 off your wash and fold service. Fast, affordable, and reliable here at WDF Express. Thank you for listening. The Kaleen Podcast is brought to you by the Kaleen Daily Herald and produced by me. We'll continue covering the news stories at the Kaleen Mall, and you can read more coverage from Dalen Shea and Jada Holcomb at KDHnews.com. Thanks for tuning in.