Outlets of Des Moines — Attraction in Altoona

Their contracted security is horrible. They are poorly trained and aggressive. If you park along a curb that is unpainted, not marked as not parking, they will confront you by yelling at you from their vehicle. Mind you when there is another car parked in a fire lane 75 yards in front of you. Then when you tell them you waiting for your wife and there is not a no parking sign on that side of the lot, nor is the curb painted and you are telling him he is actually the one blocking traffic since several cars are now backed up behind him and when he wasn’t there cars were flowing fine he literally screams at you to move your car and when ask for his name to make a complaint he won’t give it. Then the Assistant Director of security comes out, won’t listen to your complaint that you have him on camera yelling at you and she treats you like trash and you don’t matter by not listening and yelling you to move and talks over you as he did with you in minutes of starting a interaction, threatens to trespass you and call the police. So you finally say fine and leave property because obviously she is not going to take a complaint and won’t give you anything but her first name. However you know the law and respect the police so you pull off property and wait. Your wife comes out from getting food, can’t find you and is searching. As she gets your text and trying to respond, her phone goes dead. Clearly searching for you or something, does security help her-no. When she approaches an officer trying to get assistance, he radios into the Assistant Director because she is in watching cameras and screaming the plate number over the walkie to the point he has to radio in twice to get her attention and then wait before explaining your wife not asking for anything but point her in the direction. And instead of being helpful, repeated loudly over walkie again and not welcome on the property, again the office helping your wife has to explain just asking for directions to connect with you. Wife walks off grounds to meet you while your still following their request and calmly wait for police officer to arrive to explain what happen. As the police office is pulling onto the property, you flag the officer to pull into your location and acknowledge you are the one the call is for and your willing to take your trespass as calmly explain what happen. Causing no issues for the officer as he exited his car and addressed everyone respectfully while he did his due diligence to collect information for the parties.

After explaining the situation to the police officer and while he is collecting information, your wife tells you she observed another encounter similar to yours as she was waiting- a young driver idol along the unmarked curb and the security officer in the truck pull up along side of him and yell across the passenger seat to the driver while both lanes of traffic now blocked by young driver and security officer. Hopefully he faired better with his encounter as mine resulted in a permanent trespass as a result of 4 minutes of asking for clarification, pointing out the markings and asking to be treated with respect and not yelled at by the security officer and voice concern to...

They had a great variety of stores but the way they have the one set up in Altoona IA, isn't set up very well. They have it set up like a rat maze. All of the right & left angles.

LITERALLY. When blows, which is often it seems. When you go in there you feel like you've walked into a blast furnace only right now it's cold! You take 2 steps in & it blows your hair straight up from your head!

Any other Outlet Mall I've been to in many states have all been arranged in a L or a U not all blocked off. They don't even have the entire ends hooked together. Those are so much better.

I can't stand so much sand & dust in my eyes. I have heard these exact same complaints from a lot of others as well. It's really a shame that they have spent so much time & money for this particular Outlet Mall. If anyone from Iowa had any input on the final design, they must not have spent much time here.

I would not seek shelter there from a tornado or straight line winds. I hate to complain, but it would be better to rethink & redesign. The location is in a great place. Altoona is growing fast!

There is so much potential for that outlet! The only negative thing I have heard from friends & a lot of people walking...

It’s ok, def need to add more stores and restaurants. Prices are not exactly what I would call outlet prices.. overall decent experience, except at the Loft. Incompetent cashier. They had a table in the clearance section all items marked down $6.88, and a sign that said buy get one free. Several other clearance sections marked but one get one free. I bought 4 items, she charged me for 5 and the items were not charged at the $6.88 price, my friend also was overcharged. We told her to fix the charges, she then proceeded to tell us those items were not marked correctly and they were in fact more expensive because they were final sale items. Each item had a sticker marked down for less than what she was trying to charge, she went and spoke with a manager but only refunded me for the 5th item I didn’t purchase and did not adjust the prices to what they were labeled, or honored the buy one get one free sign, instead she charged what the register said. THEY labeled items Incorrectly and falsely advertised but one get one free, for that I will not give them my business again! If you go there make sure and check...