Oglethorpe Mall
Encyclopedia
Oglethorpe Mall is a super-regional shopping mall
on the Southside of Savannah, Georgia
. Named after General James Oglethorpe
, the founder of Savannah, it has grown over the last forty years to be nearly one million square feet.
Among some of its features are several restaurants, a 10-unit food court, approximately 150 stores and anchors of Barnes & Noble
, Belk
, JC Penney, Macy's
(formerly Rich's
), Stein Mart
and Sears
.
Oglethorpe Mall opened in 1969 and was Savannah's first shopping mall. Largely written off as obsolete once the larger Savannah Mall
opened in 1990, Oglethorpe Mall has been expanded and refurbished to include a strong tenant line-up. It has also maintained a low vacancy rating. Oglethorpe Mall is currently owned by General Growth Properties
.
The mall opened in April 1969 at 7804 Abercorn Street. Its main anchors were Belk
-Beery, McCrory
, (now Stein Mart
) and Sears. Local department store Adler's and a single screen
GA Theatre were located on the rear side of the mall. The basic design of the mall was very simple. It consisted of suspended ceilings, fluorescent lighting, and terrazzo floors. And, due to unparalleled growth on Savannah's Southside, in 1974 the mall was expanded by 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²). This expansion wing jutted out from center court and began the mall's growth towards Fairmont Avenue.
By 1982 a 230000 square feet (21,367.7 m²) expansion wing was constructed with JC Penney and Levy's of Savannah. Subsequently in 1986, Levy's was acquired by Maas Brothers
of Tampa, which in itself became Jordan Marsh
in 1988. Beginning in 1989, the mall was gutted and aesthetically redesigned with design schemes of the 1980s. 1990 saw the completion of the renovation with a new two level parking garage. A year later, in 1991, the Oglethorpe Mall was expanding again with the addition of Rich's
and the renovation of Jordan Marsh
into an expansion wing.
Since the late 1990s many modernizations have occurred, like the replacing of a section of the mall known as The Promenade (a long corridor with small shops along either side and a restaurant at the end, all decorated in what would now be defined as '80s kitsch
– Day-Glo colors, neon lights, and glass tile blocks, among many other popular construction designs from the '80s) with Barnes and Noble. Three years later, in 2002, a new food court opened, replacing the older sporadically placed restaurants throughout the mall. The latest anchor change occurred in 2005 when Rich's
was converted to Macy's
.
2011 saw a return of good prosperity to the mall, with the opening of several new stores and several stores returning to the mall. Charming Charlie opened a store in the space vacated by Tilt! arcade in the spring. Bare Escentuals and Jimmy Jazz have opened, and La Parrilla Mexican Grill (an Atlanta based restaurant), and Shape's Brow Bar will open late in the year. Also, The Limited reopened a store in the mall after it left the Savannah market in 2008. Kirkland's opened a store in the mall in late September. The Briar Patch, a predecessor to Kirkland's left the mall in 2005 for a new Kirkland's store at Abercorn Walk
. Kirkland's did not renew their lease at Abercorn Walk after the space was given to Williams-Sonoma. Oglethorpe Mall is now 98% occupied.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
on the Southside of Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. Named after General James Oglethorpe
James Oglethorpe
James Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, member of Parliament, philanthropist, and founder of the colony of Georgia...
, the founder of Savannah, it has grown over the last forty years to be nearly one million square feet.
Among some of its features are several restaurants, a 10-unit food court, approximately 150 stores and anchors of Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, Belk
Belk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
, JC Penney, Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
(formerly Rich's
Rich's
Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's...
), Stein Mart
Stein Mart
Stein Mart is a nationwide department store based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reported a profit of nearly $24 million in 2009 with operation of 264 stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Stein Mart has locations primarily in the Southeast and Texas. Stein Mart's stores carry...
and Sears
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
.
Oglethorpe Mall opened in 1969 and was Savannah's first shopping mall. Largely written off as obsolete once the larger Savannah Mall
Savannah Mall
Savannah Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall on the southside of Savannah, Georgia. The mall opened on August 29, 1990 and has four anchor stores: Bass Pro Shops, Burlington Coat Factory, Dillard's and Target...
opened in 1990, Oglethorpe Mall has been expanded and refurbished to include a strong tenant line-up. It has also maintained a low vacancy rating. Oglethorpe Mall is currently owned by General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust in the United States. It is based in Chicago, Illinois at 110 North Wacker Drive, a historic building designed by architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White...
.
History
Belk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
-Beery, McCrory
McCrory Stores
J.G. McCrory's or McCrory Stores was a chain of five and dime stores in the United States based in York, Pennsylvania. The stores typically sold shoes, clothing, housewares, fabrics, penny candy, toys, cosmetics, and often included a lunch counter or snack bar...
, (now Stein Mart
Stein Mart
Stein Mart is a nationwide department store based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reported a profit of nearly $24 million in 2009 with operation of 264 stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Stein Mart has locations primarily in the Southeast and Texas. Stein Mart's stores carry...
) and Sears. Local department store Adler's and a single screen
GA Theatre were located on the rear side of the mall. The basic design of the mall was very simple. It consisted of suspended ceilings, fluorescent lighting, and terrazzo floors. And, due to unparalleled growth on Savannah's Southside, in 1974 the mall was expanded by 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²). This expansion wing jutted out from center court and began the mall's growth towards Fairmont Avenue.
By 1982 a 230000 square feet (21,367.7 m²) expansion wing was constructed with JC Penney and Levy's of Savannah. Subsequently in 1986, Levy's was acquired by Maas Brothers
Maas Brothers
Maas Brothers was a leading Tampa, Florida, department store founded by Abe and Isaac Maas in 1886. It grew from a small 23' by 90' store to a chain of 39 stores across the state of Florida...
of Tampa, which in itself became Jordan Marsh
Jordan Marsh
Jordan Marsh & Company was a department store in Boston, Massachusetts, which grew to be a major regional chain in the New England area of the United States. In 1996, the last of the Jordan Marsh stores were converted to Macy's. The store was formerly part of Allied Stores and then Federated...
in 1988. Beginning in 1989, the mall was gutted and aesthetically redesigned with design schemes of the 1980s. 1990 saw the completion of the renovation with a new two level parking garage. A year later, in 1991, the Oglethorpe Mall was expanding again with the addition of Rich's
Rich's
Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's...
and the renovation of Jordan Marsh
Jordan Marsh
Jordan Marsh & Company was a department store in Boston, Massachusetts, which grew to be a major regional chain in the New England area of the United States. In 1996, the last of the Jordan Marsh stores were converted to Macy's. The store was formerly part of Allied Stores and then Federated...
into an expansion wing.
Since the late 1990s many modernizations have occurred, like the replacing of a section of the mall known as The Promenade (a long corridor with small shops along either side and a restaurant at the end, all decorated in what would now be defined as '80s kitsch
Kitsch
Kitsch is a form of art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass-produced objects that...
– Day-Glo colors, neon lights, and glass tile blocks, among many other popular construction designs from the '80s) with Barnes and Noble. Three years later, in 2002, a new food court opened, replacing the older sporadically placed restaurants throughout the mall. The latest anchor change occurred in 2005 when Rich's
Rich's
Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's...
was converted to Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
.
2011 saw a return of good prosperity to the mall, with the opening of several new stores and several stores returning to the mall. Charming Charlie opened a store in the space vacated by Tilt! arcade in the spring. Bare Escentuals and Jimmy Jazz have opened, and La Parrilla Mexican Grill (an Atlanta based restaurant), and Shape's Brow Bar will open late in the year. Also, The Limited reopened a store in the mall after it left the Savannah market in 2008. Kirkland's opened a store in the mall in late September. The Briar Patch, a predecessor to Kirkland's left the mall in 2005 for a new Kirkland's store at Abercorn Walk
Abercorn Walk
Abercorn Walk is a shopping center that runs along Abercorn Street in midtown Savannah, Georgia. It is located near the city's more upscale midtown commercial sector. Abercorn Walk resembles a village in which each storefront retains a different style...
. Kirkland's did not renew their lease at Abercorn Walk after the space was given to Williams-Sonoma. Oglethorpe Mall is now 98% occupied.
Sources
- Savannahnow.com – Savannah Morning News Article 1 January 2003
- WSAV.com - "Business Good at Oglethorpe Mall" 11 July 2011
- Generalgrowth.com – Mall management and mall portfolio website
External links
- oglethorpemall.com · Official Website