In the case of apparel retailer Chico's FAS, which targets womenover 35, management found that malls were no longer catering to thedemographic it was trying to target, said Michael Elleman, thatcompany's SVP of real estate. Malls have become more teen-orientedand the parking configurations don't allow for quick in-and-outshopping. "She doesn't want to battle the regional mall," Ellemansaid in respect to his company's 580-store chain with just 30% ofits units in malls.

However, at the company's 280-store White House/Black Marketconcept, which caters to younger women as well as the over-35 agegroup, half in are malls and half are in open-air developments.

Some developers are trying too hard to force upscale lifestylecenters in areas that don't have the demographics to support thosestores, Elleman said. "I think we need to be very careful in someof the greener areas."