Just three days into his new job as general manager of the North Bend Premium Outlets, midwest transplant Ed Huebner was getting ready for the late shift—6 p.m. to 6 a.m.—as part of the mall’s Thanksgiving rush.
The mall was open 36 hours straight, between Thanksgiving and end of day on Black Friday, Nov. 28. That weekend is typically one of the year’s busiest, second only to the weekend before Christmas.
Huebner grew up in Indiana, and comes to North Bend from a position as marketing director for a Simon Propety Group mall in Indianapolis. North Bend is his first managerial role. Simon operates 287 malls in the U.S.
With the busy shopping season underway, Huebner answered questions from the Valley Record about his role and what’s happening at the stores he’s newly managing.
What’s your first priority as new manager for the outlets? What has you excited about this job?
“My first priority as the new North Bend Premium Outlets’ general manager is to help guide the property through a successful holiday shopping season. I’m excited to be in the great Pacific Northwest after growing up in the Midwest, and look forward to being at North Bend Premium Outlets.
Having worked as a marketing director for Simon Property Group has given me a very good foundation to be the general manager. I have been a member of several very successful mall management teams over the past years and have worked under some very good managers that I learned a lot from.”
Were any new stores introduced recently? Is the lineup of stores likely to change in the near future?
“North Bend Premium Outlets is currently almost at full occupancy, and has welcomed quite a few new stores in 2014, including Hot Topic, Rue 21, Loft, Torrid, and Go Calendars & Games.”
What makes a ‘real’ shopping experience better than just buying everything online?
“Black Friday is easily one of the busiest shopping days of the year for the Premium Outlets. Simon’s holiday survey found that 50 percent (of respondents) will shop on Black Friday. So far, shopper traffic has been terrific (79 percent started their shopping before Black Friday and 20 percent before September) and we certainly hope it continues. Most of Simon’s Premium Outlets had crowded parking lots and long lines of customers ready to shop at least one to two hours before opening on Thanksgiving last year.
“We’re confident (our) shopping centers are well equipped to provide customers the amenities they need to complete their holiday shopping—and enjoy some social experiences with family and friends at the same time.
Not surprisingly, one in seven men will wait until December to start their shopping. The Saturday before Christmas – this year December 20 – is typically dubbed the ‘busiest shopping day’ as many take the last-minute approach to their holiday shopping, still buying gifts as stores turn out the lights. So, we expect to see many customers shopping throughout the season and even on December 24.“
• North Bend Premium Outlets are located at 461 South Fork Avenue S.W., North Bend. Learn more at www.premiumoutlets.com.
