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"It was my mall growing up," he said. "I had my first job at the Disney store there." It's also where he met his wife.
Now an Orange County resident, he's the Mall Manager of the reinvented The Shops at Nanuet, which turned two Oct. 10.
Though Hidalgo has fond memories of the "old," he said the competitive enviornment has changed dramatically over the years, making the concept of a community shopping center something that was ripe for this area.
So far, so good. "The reception from shoppers has been tremendous," he said. "I think there's every indication from tenants that exceeded expectations of how they would do here. There's also been a lot of anecdotal feedback that this was a homerun and exactly the type of atmosphere that differentiates us in the marketplace."
Hidalgo said that as part of its approach, Simon, the company that owns and manages The Shops at Nanuet, outlined a key goal to transform the area into something different and unique.
"We wanted to build the concept of a community shopping center where people want to come, not have to come," he said. "We wanted the mall to be a place of discovery and pleasure."
To that end, the Simon management has put in a thoughtful mixture of stores and restaurants, created nice architecture, and recently upgraded the landscaping, adding more plants, trees, and flowers. Events are also something the center does well with an annual Christmas tree lighting, Summer Concert Series and, most recently a breast cancer awareness event with Montefiore Nyack.
New tenants have also been added, including BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, which is the first in New York as well as the Northeast, Qdoba Mexican Grill and, come November, a new Verizon Wireless store.
"We realize there are a lot of choices and diversions," said Hidalgo. "Which is why we wanted to create something that folks could make a part of their daily lives. Maybe one day they come here to food shop, another day to see a movie, another time to have dinner, or to work out at our 24-hour fitness facility. It allows the property to be more than just a shopping center."
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