Regency Mall's list of 'Santa's Top Picks' for Christmas 2009

Regency Mall put together a list of the most popular gifts kids and adults want wrapped under the tree this Christmas. Here's what they're saying is hot this holiday season:

DJ Hero – This music rhythm video game has an electronic turntable device that lets kids mix and scratch to popular tunes like a real DJ. Starting at $99 at GameStop.

Wii Motion Plus – A new Wii accessory that has additional sensors creating fast response to the slightest wrist action or twist, and greatly enhances accuracy and control – just $24.99 at GameStop.

Keeping in the Wii family – Find Super Mario Bros Wii $49.99; Wii Fit Plus Game $99.99; Wii Sports Resort $49.99; Nintendo Wii $199.99 and more.

Remote control toys – Young children love animated plush toys and vehicles that go.


Gifts for adults

Mini Laptops / Net books – All of the best manufacturers from Apple to Dell are in the game. These mini laptops are perfect for travel and staying "connected" wherever you are.

Video Game Consoles – From Xbox to Wii, the game consoles get better every year and feature relatively inexpensive add-ons to keep the games challenging and enjoyable year after year.

Portable GPS Navigator Systems – These systems have navigated their way from the dashboard to the purse and pocket. Pre-program any location in any city and you're on your way. The Tom Tom One is regular price $129 at Radio Shack.

Mobile Phones – The latest editions go beyond calls, text and e-mail to features including video cameras, Web browsers, and photo capabilities that are better than many stand-alone cameras. Get the new iPod Nano with video at Radio Shack $149.99.

Blu-ray Disc Player – It seems like Blu-ray picture quality just can't get any better, and now many players are compatible with almost any disc format. Recent updates include streaming and Wi-Fi capabilities to watch Internet content on your TV. The list of options is endless.

Portable Gaming Devices – From the Sony PSP to the Nintendo DS you can take fun along wherever you want to go. Don't forget accessories like headphones and portable speakers. Nintendo DSi at GameStop just $169.99. Sony Reader $229 at Radio Shack.

Digital Cameras – Point-and-shoots have come a long way. High quality imagery, ease of use, and affordable prices make it easier than ever to capture your memories.

Portable MP3 Players – Sleek new models feature touch screens and can play music and games, stream podcasts, show HD video, and more. Look for iPod, Zune and SanDisk models.

Flip Video Mini Camcorders – These hand-held video recorders are the size of a cell phone, can record up to 120 minutes, and can come with built-in software for sharing your adventures.

For Young and Old

For All – Games, Books, Movies, Cashmere Scarves, Luxurious Scents, Leather Gloves, and Slippers.

For Women – Personalized jewelry, planners/organizers, family photo frames, cosmetics or manicure/pedicure gift certificates.

For Men, Outdoor/Sports Gang – Multi-tools, outdoor accessories, hats, camping accessories, and outdoor apparel & equipment.

Uptown restaurant may include a coffee shop; Massage business approved at Regency Mall

Plan Commission meeting, Sept. 9.

A new restaurant in Uptown may also have a coffee shop, the owner said Wednesday.

Gerald Bester, who plans to open "Gerald's" restaurant at 1501 Washington Ave. next spring, told the Plan Commission he's close to securing a deal with a Milwaukee's Stone Creek Coffee to open a cafe for the site.

The cafe would add morning hours to Bester's plan, with Gerald's opening daily at 7 a.m. The coffee shop would close daily at 7 p.m., while the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The Plan Commission approved the additional hours as part of Bester's conditional use permit for the site, which is the former home of "The Bank," and "The Vault." The permit now needs final approval from the City Council.

Body Oasis Massage

A body and foot massage business is moving into Regency Mall.

Hua Ying Sun is planning to open Body Oasis Massage in the former D.O.C. Optical store in the mall. The store will be Sun's second. He also runs a massage business at the mall in Fond du Lac.

Curt Pruitt, manager of Regency Mall, visited Sun's Fond du Lac shop. He described the business as an open and appropriate service. All massages are fully clothed in chairs or on a table. Cloth screens may be used to divide people using the service or to block the front window.

Sun estimated between 10 and 20 people use the service daily in Fond du Lac.

The Plan Commission approved a permit for Sun's business on Wednesday. It now needs City Council approval.

Taylor Home

The commission approved a residential facility for developmentally disabled adults in two buildings on the Taylor Home campus at 3131 Taylor Ave.

JML Healthcare Services LLC will run the program, which will accommodate up to 16 adults. Audrey Viau, chairwoman of the Village of Elmwood Park, said no one objected to the residential facility during a public hearing Tuesday night.

"We're looking forward to having them," Viau said.

J. Michael Grasso, of JML Healthcare, said eight residents will attend a shelter workshop - like Careers Industries - during the day, and eight are more severely disabled and will require more intensive care. All 16 will be supervised 24 hours a day, Grasso said.

The commission approved JML Healthcare's permit, which now moves to the full council for approval.

Racine's last movie theater to be demolished

The glory days of the Venetian Theatre are long gone in Racine ...

Racine's last movie theater will have one final show within the next month.

The Racine Fire Department, pending approval of the City Council, will use the shuttered Regency Theater, 5230 Durand Ave., for practice drills before the building is demolished, according to Chief Steve Hansen. (The Public Safety and Licensing Committee approved the training Monday night.)

Firefighters will use the old theater, which shutdown last month, to practice forcible entry drills, to cut holes in the building's roof and to bust through walls to simulate rescuing a trapped victim, Hansen said.

The theater will not be set on fire during the training, he said.

"It's rare that the (abandoned buildings) come available," Hansen said. "We try to take advantage of them as quickly as possible."

Marcus Theatres closed the Regency theater, which had been serving as a budget theater since 2006, at the end of April. The company had announced plans to close the theater in January.

The move shut the door on movie theaters in Racine. Marcus closed the Westgate movie theater in 2006 after opening the 12-screen Renaissance theater on Washington Avenue in Sturtevant. Racine no longer has a theater that shows movies.

Prior to Regency closing, Racine had an active movie theater until at least 1928, when the Venetian Theatre opened Downtown (I couldn't find the date the Rialto opened).

No date has been set for the Regency theater's demolition, Hansen said.

Hansen will appear before the Common Council's Public Safety and Licensing Committee tonight to gain permission for the training. If all goes as expected, the Common Council will give final approval next week and the training, which will involve every member of the department at different times, will occur within four weeks, Hansen said.

There's no cost for the training, he said.

Regency Mall pursuing year-round, indoor pool

Curt Pruitt, manager of Regency Mall, wrote us with an interesting response to the brewing controversy over whether kids will be able to continue splashing around in the Laurel Clark Fountain in Downtown Racine.

I'm still seeking an operator who is interested in taking the 27,500 square foot front-facing bankrupt Linens 'N' Things space to create a huge indoor (read - year-round!) water park. I'm totally unfamiliar with water park "requirements" and "needs," but would appreciate the opportunity to negotiate with someone who might agree that the Racine community would support such a facility.

Mayor Becker has turned me down as he's seeking much more acreage than I have available. Additionally, he's not interested in taking any of our parcels "off" the tax roles (understandable). Consequently, if there's an enterprising investor who would like to break new ground in a regional shopping mall, feel free to have them contact me.

Pete reported on this awhile back.

Burlington Coat Factory opens at Regency Mall

Burlington Coat Factory officially opens at Regency Mall today, culmination of a project that we first reported in January.

At that time, Steve and Barry's announced its move from 80,000 sq. ft. of retail space that had been -- progressively -- Bergner's, then H.C Prange and then Younker to make room for Burlington's arrival. Steve and Barry's has moved into space formerly occupied by ... well, what difference does it make? It's now near JC Penney.

Now it's Burlington Coat Factory's turn, offering "a large assortment of current, high-quality, designer and name-brand merchandise at up to 60% less than other department stores." It is considered Regency Mall's fourth anchor store, along with JC Penney, Sears and Boston Store.

The store's opening celebration today and Saturday includes prizes from a number of mall stores, plus a grand prize of a $250 Regency Mall shopping spree. To be eligible to win, you must register at the mall.

Events Saturday in front of Burlington Coat Factory include:

9:30 a.m. - Ribbon Cutting with Mayor Gary Becker & Alderman Ronald Hart
11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Jammin 98.3 live broadcast
11:30 - 1:30 p.m. Spin Chick-fil-A’s prize wheel
1-4 p.m. Meet and greet with the Racine Raiders
2-4 p.m. Lite Rock 92.1, live broadcast
3:30 p.m. Prize drawing

Trouble at Regency Mall?

A reader left this comment on the site today:

I used to work at the mall and everyone hands down says its going downhill. It's very hard for stores to make their quotas and when the stores make abit of a profit, CBL steps in and takes a percentage according to their lease contract. It doesnt help when they pay in lint balls rather than actual money.

Two retail chains with stores here talk of closures...

The new Starbucks taking shape on Green Bay Road

The retail landscape may be changing soon. Two major chains with stores in Racine talked about closure plans today, although neither gave any definitive information about the stores here.

First up, Starbucks, the Seattle coffee retailer with 7,950 outlets in the U.S., announced plans to close 600 of them, those that are "underperforming." No details were forthcoming. Meanwhile, Starbucks is proceeding with plans to open a new store in the former location of Jo to Go, a drive-in coffee purveyor. Remodeling has been under way at the site for a couple of weeks. (Picture above taken on June 18.)

And then Steve and Barry's, the $10 logo sweatshirt and apparel retailer with 270 large mall stores around the country, is said to be on the brink of bankruptcy, desperately seeking $30 million to keep operating for the rest of the year.

Steve and Barry's occupied a premiere part of Regency Mall until last January, when it gave up its place for Burlington Coat Factory and made plans to move into somewhat smaller space next to JC Penney. The new Steve and Barry's opened a few weeks ago.

Regency Mall Manager Curt Pruitt said, "our company is working closely with them," and no plans for closing our new Steve and Barry's have been discussed.

Steve and Barry's before the move within Regency Mall

Starbucks proposed outside of Regency Mall

A Starbucks with driveup may be going in near Regency Mall at 2805 S. Green Bay Road. Dave Herbeck, of Clubhouse on Wisconsin, is applying for a conditional use permit to operate the coffee house chain. It would replace the Joe To Go, which operated at the same address.

If approved, it would be the third Starbucks, and fourth coffee shop, between Durand Avenue and Washington Avenue. There's a Starbucks near Washington Ave and S. Green Bay Road, the Barnes & Noble at S. Green Bay Road and Durand Avenue sells Starbucks and across the intersection there's a Caribou Coffee with a drive up.