On Thursday April 16, 2009 Camarillo celebrated the grand opening of its long anticipated Promenade. However, not all Camarillo or Ventura County residents welcome the expansion, and have some suggestions for stores that provide a better fit with the younger portion of Camarillo.
On an article previously written by yours truly about the Camarillo Promenade E.J comments:
Mana, it may seem nice for all the shoppaholics, but we definitely need much more for the family entertainment. How about a Dave and Busters! Our college age young people would love it and there is definitely nothing like it in Ventura Co. Kids, families and singles would sure make use of it.
How could this be promoted?
E.J
Another frustrated reader writes:
These new developments are so disappointing (so far). I was born and raised in Camarillo, but have since opted to move to Ventura about 2 years ago. Why? Because Ventura has fun things to do. There is nothing better than small, non-chain restaurants where you know the food quality is good. Camarillo and their lack of vision burns me up. All of this land and more retail space…what for? The outlet mall isn’t even that great…unless you live out of town because its a novelty. Why would we want to expand upon that with more nonsense stores! I’d like to see a Cheesecake Factory or PF Changs if we have to go the chain route. Like someone said earlier, a Dave and Busters would be ideal. In case the old folks running this city forgot, Camarillo has become a college town…even though you wouldn’t know it since all of the college students go to T.O or Ventura to have fun. How about keeping the revenue in Camarillo and create, even a small scene, for college kids to congregate and have a fun time at. Just my thoughts…
The city of Camarillo claims that the new Camarillo Promenade will provide 400 new jobs. What city officials have failed to see is that the same number of jobs could have been provided for employees of stores in the new Promenade that served the local residents rather than the visiting shoppers. When city officials proposed a promenade in Camarillo many residents were under the impression that Camarillo’s promenade will be some what similar to that of Westlake’s Promenade.
A large chain book store or a few restaurants would have served the families and students of California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) better than an extension to Camarillo’s Outlet Mall.
With the Promenade adding another 28 stores to the existing Camarillo outlet, Camarillo now houses the largest outlet center in California. Why? That is the million dollar question…
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I, also, thought there was going to be a bookstore. It is just an extension of the Outlet Mall. Very disappointing!
It is not a place to meet and gather. It does not promote family fun. In this enconomy we are looking for things to do other than shop. The other attractions like skating, minature golf, play areas and fun snacking are unfortunately not provided for us in camarillo. Maybe the city got the mall and the people need the city to consider businesses that attract dollars that entertain. We all have too many shoes and clothes.
I was shocked when I saw what came of our “Camarillo Promenade”. I was led to believe this would be just like Westlake’s Promenade, great stores, a few restaurants and a nice place to walk around on a Friday night. This is nothing more than a better view for some of the same outlet stores. Some have just changed addresses. I am so disappointed in the City. I’m not sure what happened but it certainly isn’t what I expected nor wanted. 41 years here and I still question our City and what direction we’re going.
WOW…what a HUGE disappointment the Promenade is!! Just an expansion of what we already have…in fact, a few of the stores that are already represented at the OUTLET are simply transplants over to the new Promenade…or should I say, OUTLET. I was under the impression that it was going to be a Promenade like the two in Calabasas and Westlake Village, not just an extension of the OUTLET we already have! What a mistake! We need to keep our Camarillo money in CAMARILLO. Oh well, I guess this will just give the Camarillo City Counsel a reason to bring in MORE development in the future to right the wrong that they obviously approved…ridiculous.
Hi Mana,
I read your article and couldn’t agree more! I was really looking forward to the opening of the so called “promenade” and stopped by the other day to have lunch and walk around. I was livid to find only more outlet stores and another pretzel store! Not one restaurant!! (Johnny rockets is coming) Needless to say, I left. The only reason to go there is if you are going shopping. This place is not for our community but for tourists and that makes me very angry. I’m tired of driving out of town for decent food and entertainment.
I’d love it if you sent your article and the comments to the City, Acorn and the Star. They need to hear it–not that it would change anything..
I too thought we were getting something like The Lakes or the Westlake Village Promenade. I am so disappointed that there is not a fun restraurant, bookstore, and a place to meet friends. The fountains are a nice touch and give me hope that someday it will convert over to a true Promenade. I am glad that Camarillo has the outlets because they have provided the city with a steady revenue source and kept our taxes lower than the surrounding cities but I still hope the city can attract more fun places for families (and I don’t mean another fast food joint).
I’ve lived in many places across this country and I’m sorry to say that Camarillo is one of the most boring cities I’ve lived in. It is a wonderful family town, but for all the families it houses, where is the family entertainment? We are forced to leave Camarillo and give our money to other cities that provide the fun we all desire. The City had a chance to take a step in the right direction with the Promenade but they missed the boat. It looks like we’ll just have to keep spending our dollars elsewhere. Yes, I’m disappointed.
I am just reading your blog and although I am chiming in late, better late than never. I am so sad that our promenade is not the promised promenade that we were all so hoping for. With Edwards right there, there was hope for dinner, drinks, a movie and coffee and conversation afterwards, which is not offered in our community.
And although my expertise is not in this area, with soooo much sales tax coming into this city from the retail sales, why cant our schools benefit from this in this time of crisis instead of laying off teachers and cutting programs. It seems to me that our city can afford to support its greatest asset, it’s youth…and we don’t really see that, do we?
Thank you for speaking out. We do not need any more Strip Malls expensive shopping places that no one I know of shops at. Look at the other malls Oxnard and the Camarillo Pre. Outlets. I do not see anyone buying there. It is a great place to walk in the morning.
We need stores to support our family life.
We have never never seen that. Camarillo has always been slow but this is really sad.
I have lived here 18 yrs and we always have to go to another town to get what we need.
Anybody hear that K Mart might be closing?
Then another empty building like all the ones in the Target Shopping Center. It does not help our
home values much.
The Bookworm is closing also. That was the only place that High School Kids could find there books she was expensive she listed the books at price.
I don’t know what will happen but it is sad I dont see anyone there these day. Another good place to walk. Just like the Ventura Harbor Village and Channel Island. Great ideas but not enough customers.