Paragon Mania

Prior to its opening, I had heard whispers about some outlet going up somewhere close by. Since I'm not a shop-a-holic, I wasn't interested in hearing more about it. Then, the whisper became louder until it became irritatingly noisy. This outlet finally had a name and an exact location. Everyone was talking about it. No way to avoid it. Even covering your ears didn't help.

Dang !! Another outlet. Expect mayhem and grid lock. And an excuse to shop.

On November 8th, Paragon Outlets in Livermore Valley, CA opened its doors to a herd of hungry shoppers, eager to avail of the bargains and discounts these stores had to offer on opening day. From what I've gathered in the news, the place was packed. The atmosphere was merry yet chaotic. Shoppers had to wait 45 minutes to an hour at the cash registers. That's just crazy. And traffic was backed up on the 580 freeway (by the El Charro exit), and facility's management had to use the wide open dirt spaces around the complex for parking. It was that many.

The smarter shoppers decided to stay home for days and waited till the crowd thinned out. When the novelty of being one of the first shoppers has died down, things became more manageable. On Thanksgiving Sunday, my family and I went to Paragon to check out what the fuss was all about. We  walked around to see what stores they had. My son and I stopped by the Nike store hoping to find something for him, but we were disappointed. My wife peeked inside one store and got some apparel, then off we were.

As you know, outlets do not carry the premium stuff. They're what I call "discards" of these retail stores. The outlet stores sell items that don't sell at their regular stores, and pass them off as "sale" items. So, if you're looking for a nice black Prada man-purse, like I was, you won't find it at Paragon. Instead, go to the Prada store in Union Square in San Francisco if you want a better selection. But if you aren't too picky, then an outlet should be OK.

For me, I don't need to travel far for an outlet experience. There are many near where I live. Whether its Gilroy, Great Mall in Milpitas, Napa, Cabazon, Orlando, or Woodbury Common in New York, an outlet is an outlet. They are all the same. For the experience, it wouldn't hurt if you paid Paragon a visit. Maybe you'll find something you like.

Author's Note:  For more information about Paragon Outlets, visit their website at www.paragonoutletslv.com.