One of the perks I enjoyed under Fred Simon’s leadership at Simon, was the opportunity to work on a variety of shopping center projects. This included what was the first phase of the downtown Indianapolis re-development in 1980 called Two West Washington, in the former Wasson’s Department store, at the corner of Meridian and Washington Street.
We were working on a Brooks Brothers Store, Custom Shirt Shop and others, when out of nowhere came an alleged opportunity for a Gucci store, sponsored by Cyril Magnin of Joseph Magnin stores in San Francisco. WHAT?
It all happened so fast, arrangements were made for a news conference with Cyril Magnin and we were to fly him back to Indianapolis for the event. On my 30th birthday, Fred sent me on one of the planes to pick him up in San Francisco and fly him back. His entourage included his little dog, Tippy and a strange young man who was “supposed” to look after the dog.
We started back to Indiana and the dog promptly peed on the jet’s carpet. The young man whipped out a pack with cleansers, cloths and brushes to clean the defiled area. After a few more minutes this little, fluffy, rat-like dog drops a steamer on the carpet and once again his aide springs into action. Mr. Magnin ignores his dog’s indiscretions, we chat for a while and he nods off in a nap…he was getting up in years. I start to read a paper, feel something warm on my foot and look to find Tippy has peed on me. The aide ignores this one and I really don’t want him toweling down my feet.
I moved to a seat in the rear of the plane, away from the freewheeling, urinating dog, his macabre caretaker and the snoring Mr. Magnin. After an hour, I dozed off and awoke to find Tippy has tracked me down and dropped a new gift of poop on my shoe. This is getting pretty old, but it does not seem to alarm anyone but me. For the rest of the trip I had to keep my eye on the dog and alert his Quasimodo-like keeper when it appeared Tippy was locking into position.
We finally land, drop Mr. Magnin and his entourage off at the Hyatt and I return home to clean up. At the evening reception, Tippy is there with Mr. Magnin, his keeper, the Simons and the city dignitaries. As soon as I show up, the dog’s ears perk up and he attempts to make his way over to drop a momento off on my feet. Fortunately he was on a leash and couldn’t get to me.
At the announcement, Cyril Magnin said he was excited about a Gucci store in Indianapolis…even Tippy was excited. He passed out Gucci key chains to every one and left us many more to give to future co-tenants.
The next day, Fred did not require me to return with this dynamic trio to see them home. They left, the Gucci store never happened, we got a bill for $35 apiece for the key chains and my shoes were never the same. Fred said if I had been kinder and more sensitive to Tippy, (perhaps giving him my shoes for the return trip or picked up his poop myself) we could have made the deal…it was my fault and I had to return my Gucci key chain.
Another occasion where I got crossways with a dog and Fred was over a little center we were attempting to lease in Corsicana, Texas. The largest retailer in town was a western wear store and the owner was very suspicious of a mall. I went through my entire spiel and he refused to look at me…no eye contact at all, while petting his old, big, stinky dog. I get through, he keeps petting the dog and says nothing. Finally, he looks down at his dog and says, “Well Jackie, what do you think about what Mr. Buck has to say?” He looks at me and says, “I don’t think he likes you.”
I get back to the office and tell Fred the story in a leasing meeting. Fred is listening to me, while puffing on a cigar. With a dead serious face he said, “You get back down there, schedule another meeting, grab that dog and throw him on his back. You determine what it’s going to take to make that mutt ‘HAPPY’ and you HAVE to do it! This is what separates the men from the boys in leasing shopping centers! ARE YOU WILLING TO DO ANYTHING IT TAKES TO MAKE A DEAL IN CORSICANA? ARE YOU A TRUE LEASING MAN OR A WANNA BE? YOU’VE GOT TO DO IT FOR THE TEAM!”
He finishes this “One for the Gipper” speech on his feet, waving his arms and it was truly inspirational. But, uh…we never relocated the western wear store to the mall. It’s one thing when a dog poops on my shoes…it’s quite another if I have to sate a dog before I have a signed lease. I mean…I am not that kind of guy…I am not cheap. If I am going to defile myself with a canine, I need a signed lease up front!
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