The "iPic" movie theater, bowling alley, bar, and restaurant complex opened up last month at Bayshore.  

I get the bar.  I get the restaurant.  With the old "Echo Bowl" being replaced by Walgreens in Glendale, I get the bowling alley.

I don't get the movie theater.  Or rather, I can't fathom the price.  $15 a pop, so $30 for a couple.

For $30, you get a movie, reserved seating, popcorn, and valet parking.

Absurd.  First, reserved seating is hardly a benefit.  It could be, if you intend on showing up at the last moment, but for most of us, we like picking out our own seat while in the theater.   One variable is who is in front of you, left, and right.  Don't know that if you're picking your seat before you get there.  With $15 seats, I imagine many empty seats and room to spread out.

Valet parking?  The drop-off is INSIDE the parking structure.  What's that going to save you, 30 steps?  Those are some expensive steps, plus you'll probably end up tipping the valet.

Ok, you get popcorn.  That better be some delicious, delicious popcorn, served in sterling silver bowls with a personal usher, ready to spritz each handful with butter.

There's a better option 3 blocks away.  It's called the Fox-Bay Cinema Grill.  Two tickets and a large popcorn will run you $21 .. 40% cheaper.  Ample parking in back.  Plus, you can have drinks and food while watching the movie.

One can imagine the iPic's prices are so high to prevent the theater from becoming like Mayfair's theater, with its real (and perceived) youth crime problems.  Here's my bet.  A year from now, with a huge of every iPic movie showing going empty, they quietly lower prices to a reasonable rate, and hope for the best.
 

I was at work the other day and the topic of Bayshore came up with two of my co-workers, both women.

Neither lived close, but had visited Bayshore.  Both didn't like it, one said she'd never go back.  Both preferred Mayfair.

Honestly, that came as a surprise to me, as so many in our area do indeed like Bayshore.   I've been there 20 odd times since it opened last year, and it always appears brimming with activity.  That being said, my concerns were echoed by my friends, that the layout was troublesome. 

Generally, they didn't like the "town" aspect, with clusters of stores on "city" streets.  It takes too long to get from one store to the next, and for 4-6 months of the year, they didn't want to be walking around outside.

Can't say I disagree.  While Bayshore has done a lot of things right, and has a clean, interesting architecture that's certainly garnered acclaims .. its functionality is not for everyone. 

It boils down to how you want to shop.  Some are browsers, some are purchasers.  If you're a browser, wandering a mile at Bayshore may be a delight.  If you're a purchaser, with something specific in mind, Bayshore and its meandering layout is a pain in the butt.  I admit, I am a purchaser.  I'm guessing there's some gender stereotypes that go along with that idea.

In the end, I believe Bayshore would have had more customers and higher revenue if they'd stuck to the traditional mall format, and not pushed away people who find the theme irritating and stay out.

Would it have been as pretty, "modern", and "town centery"?  No.  Would it have appealed to a greater crowd, willing to drive a few miles to shop, and sucked more people away from Mayfair?  Yup.    I don't think it's a flop, judging by my anecdotal visits, but it clearly isn't optimal for all.