Re: Dead/Dying Malls in Your Area and Predictions
Posted: April 27th, 2021, 10:01 am
Louisiana has really only one or two malls remaining that aren't on life support. I'll go geographically, from the North:
Shreveport/Bossier City had three traditional malls, plus a 60,000 sq.ft. mall wannabe.
Pierremont Mall was the wannabe. It was built so Shreveport-based Selber Brothers could expand to the southern part of town. Selber was replaced by Stein Mart after their closure, and is vacant, much like most of the remaining space.
South Park Mall was built along LA3132 in the south part of town in 1974-75. Anchored by Wards, JCPenney and then new to town Dillard's, this always seemed like a second tier mall. Brought down by economic conditions in that part of town and by a loss of anchors (Wards 1999, JCP 2000, Dillards not long after), it is now owned by Summer Grove Baptist Church. They remodeled the JCP anchor into their sanctuary. Burlington still operates a store in the mall.
Mall St. Vincent was built in 1978 as a mall addition to the St. Vincent Ave Sears that was opened in 1956. Initially, only Sears and Alexandria-based Wellans were anchors. Wellans went out of business in 1987, and the space was eventually filled by a Dillards store. Sears left in 2016. The mall is small and dwindling.
Pierre Bossier boasted Sears, JCP, Dillards, Wilsons and Beall-Ladymon upon its opening in the early 80s. It was always fairly successful, even after the loss of Sears a few years ago.
Monroe had two malls.
Mid City Mall was an old 60's mall with Wards and a bunch of smaller stores. Ward's held on to the end, and was subdivided. Not much remains of the mall corridor.
Pecanland Mall had Sears, McRae's, Dillard's and JCPenney at its opening. McRae's became Belk, and Sears is gone. The retail area of Monroe grew out to this mall slowly, and it is not full at all.
Alexandria had two malls as well.
Metrocenter was a 1970 mall initially made of three retailers: Wards, Woolco and DHHolmes, though Holmes may have been a later addition. Woolco became Walmart in 1983, then Walmart left in 1991. Holmes closed when Dillards bought the chain, having already added a store in Alexandria (see the next one). Wards held until the end. The Walmart space was initially filled by Hobby Lobby and Office Depot. HL left for greener pastures closer to the other retail area, The Holmes store was occupied by a local department store (Gus Kaplan) for a few years, and is now a call center. The rest of the center is subdivided.
Alexandria Mall lured Sears and Penney's from downtown in 1973. They also brought locals Wellan's and Weiss and Goldring. The mall added a huge food court, Dillards and Mervyns in 1986. Wellans left when the chain folded. Mervyn's left in 2003. Weiss and Goldring moved out to the JCP Auto Center in the mid 2010s. Sears left in 2018. A large portion of the mall is empty.
Lake Charles has Prien Lake Mall. Built for JCPenney and Ward's, it also initially included Beaumont-based (and later Dunlaps-owned) White House. The mall was massively expanded in 1997 to include Sears and Dillards. Sears took a building that had been a theatre, and the White House store became the theatre. Wards closed at the end, and it initially became Macy's, but the store only lasted a few years; it is now Kohl's. Sears closed a few years ago. The JCP store was originally one of the experimental stores with groceries. It exceeded 100,000 sq.ft. on a single level. Last year, it was downsized and a TJMaxx store moved in.
Lafayette had two malls.
Northgate Mall was built in 1968 with Wards and JCPenney. It would be expanded with Wilson's and Beall Ladymon in 1978 when the competition opened. Southern migration hit this one hard. JCP moved to Acadiana Mall in 1989. Its massive store was demolished in favor of Albertsons in 1996. Service Merchandise took over Wilson's and B-L became Stage. Both closed prior to each chain. Wards closed with the chain, and the store was demolished in favor of a Home Depot. Albertsons closed in 2012. Most of the mall are local merchants.
Acadiana Mall was opened in 1978 by Homart for Sears, DHHolmes' massive three story store, and a single story Goudchaux. Each anchor underwent transformations. In 1989, Holmes became Dillards. The store was expanded in 2014. Goudchaux would expand to a second story before a sale to Mercantile stores and become Maison Blanche. When Dillards bought Mercantile, they passed on this one, which then became Parisian. 6 Parisian stores were then sold to May in 2004, and this one became Foley's. May sold to Macy's, which the store remains today, but only operates on the first floor. JCP would move here in 1989 and almost closed, but received a reprieve in 2020. Sears left in 2016.
Southland Mall in Houma was anchored by Holmes, Sears and JCP. Holmes became Dillards in 1989. Sears left a few years ago.
I will continue with malls east of the MS (Baton Rouge, Hammond, Slidell and New Orleans) in another post.
Shreveport/Bossier City had three traditional malls, plus a 60,000 sq.ft. mall wannabe.
Pierremont Mall was the wannabe. It was built so Shreveport-based Selber Brothers could expand to the southern part of town. Selber was replaced by Stein Mart after their closure, and is vacant, much like most of the remaining space.
South Park Mall was built along LA3132 in the south part of town in 1974-75. Anchored by Wards, JCPenney and then new to town Dillard's, this always seemed like a second tier mall. Brought down by economic conditions in that part of town and by a loss of anchors (Wards 1999, JCP 2000, Dillards not long after), it is now owned by Summer Grove Baptist Church. They remodeled the JCP anchor into their sanctuary. Burlington still operates a store in the mall.
Mall St. Vincent was built in 1978 as a mall addition to the St. Vincent Ave Sears that was opened in 1956. Initially, only Sears and Alexandria-based Wellans were anchors. Wellans went out of business in 1987, and the space was eventually filled by a Dillards store. Sears left in 2016. The mall is small and dwindling.
Pierre Bossier boasted Sears, JCP, Dillards, Wilsons and Beall-Ladymon upon its opening in the early 80s. It was always fairly successful, even after the loss of Sears a few years ago.
Monroe had two malls.
Mid City Mall was an old 60's mall with Wards and a bunch of smaller stores. Ward's held on to the end, and was subdivided. Not much remains of the mall corridor.
Pecanland Mall had Sears, McRae's, Dillard's and JCPenney at its opening. McRae's became Belk, and Sears is gone. The retail area of Monroe grew out to this mall slowly, and it is not full at all.
Alexandria had two malls as well.
Metrocenter was a 1970 mall initially made of three retailers: Wards, Woolco and DHHolmes, though Holmes may have been a later addition. Woolco became Walmart in 1983, then Walmart left in 1991. Holmes closed when Dillards bought the chain, having already added a store in Alexandria (see the next one). Wards held until the end. The Walmart space was initially filled by Hobby Lobby and Office Depot. HL left for greener pastures closer to the other retail area, The Holmes store was occupied by a local department store (Gus Kaplan) for a few years, and is now a call center. The rest of the center is subdivided.
Alexandria Mall lured Sears and Penney's from downtown in 1973. They also brought locals Wellan's and Weiss and Goldring. The mall added a huge food court, Dillards and Mervyns in 1986. Wellans left when the chain folded. Mervyn's left in 2003. Weiss and Goldring moved out to the JCP Auto Center in the mid 2010s. Sears left in 2018. A large portion of the mall is empty.
Lake Charles has Prien Lake Mall. Built for JCPenney and Ward's, it also initially included Beaumont-based (and later Dunlaps-owned) White House. The mall was massively expanded in 1997 to include Sears and Dillards. Sears took a building that had been a theatre, and the White House store became the theatre. Wards closed at the end, and it initially became Macy's, but the store only lasted a few years; it is now Kohl's. Sears closed a few years ago. The JCP store was originally one of the experimental stores with groceries. It exceeded 100,000 sq.ft. on a single level. Last year, it was downsized and a TJMaxx store moved in.
Lafayette had two malls.
Northgate Mall was built in 1968 with Wards and JCPenney. It would be expanded with Wilson's and Beall Ladymon in 1978 when the competition opened. Southern migration hit this one hard. JCP moved to Acadiana Mall in 1989. Its massive store was demolished in favor of Albertsons in 1996. Service Merchandise took over Wilson's and B-L became Stage. Both closed prior to each chain. Wards closed with the chain, and the store was demolished in favor of a Home Depot. Albertsons closed in 2012. Most of the mall are local merchants.
Acadiana Mall was opened in 1978 by Homart for Sears, DHHolmes' massive three story store, and a single story Goudchaux. Each anchor underwent transformations. In 1989, Holmes became Dillards. The store was expanded in 2014. Goudchaux would expand to a second story before a sale to Mercantile stores and become Maison Blanche. When Dillards bought Mercantile, they passed on this one, which then became Parisian. 6 Parisian stores were then sold to May in 2004, and this one became Foley's. May sold to Macy's, which the store remains today, but only operates on the first floor. JCP would move here in 1989 and almost closed, but received a reprieve in 2020. Sears left in 2016.
Southland Mall in Houma was anchored by Holmes, Sears and JCP. Holmes became Dillards in 1989. Sears left a few years ago.
I will continue with malls east of the MS (Baton Rouge, Hammond, Slidell and New Orleans) in another post.