257 Responses to “Palm Beach Mall; West Palm Beach, Florida”

1. leoninatl
   August 20th, 2007 at 10:09 am

   Isn’t CityPlace over in Downtown WPB killing this mall too? It’s a so-called “Lifestyle Center” with Apartments, Shops (Macy’s is an anchor there), and restaurants. Although this mall may have to narrow it’s focus to a more “urban” clientele, since the nearest malls, Palm Beach Gardens and Mall at Wellington Green cater towards the upscale.

   I lived in FL for a couple of years, I miss those Burdines Stores, because they screamed “Florida” with the pastel colors and clothing catering to FL weather. Also, the newer stores had all these ceramic palm trees and palm tree designs incorporated into the walls. Really cool. And I love how the Burdines at this mall was designed.

   Macy’s taking over Burdines seems to have had just as bad of a reaction in FL as Macy’s taking over Rich’s up here in Atlanta (where I live now).

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2. Jonah Norason
   August 20th, 2007 at 10:41 am

   Macy’s taking over [insert department store here] is just as bad of a reaction in [city/region] also. Truth said, everyone hates Macy’s.

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3. Jonah Norason
   August 20th, 2007 at 1:48 pm

   Picture 19 does not work.

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4. Steven Swain
   August 20th, 2007 at 7:37 pm

   The JCPenney at this mall is the one featured on the Penney’s website representing a typical 1960s store.

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5. SEAN
   August 20th, 2007 at 7:46 pm

   I just read a few days ago that city place is adding more stores & 700 more resedential units. Unless PBM gets its act together quickly i think this mall will go the way of most florida malls.

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6. Dave
   August 22nd, 2007 at 6:44 am

   I read with interest your comment regarding the murder incident at this mall and comparing it with the murders at Cloverleaf Mall in Richmond.

   It amazes me how often the murders at Cloverleaf are cited in that mall’s downturn and upcoming demise. Cloverleaf was already well on it’s way down when the murders occurred. I think that the murders only served to generate a lot of vows of “I’ll never go in there again” from people who had stopped going to the mall years before, if indeed they’d ever set foot in the mall in their lifetimes.

   That said, murder is not a good thing for a mall.

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7. SEAN
   August 22nd, 2007 at 9:57 am

   For some strange reason richmond has a very high murder rate. I read that a few years ago and saw something about it on tv. Dave do you understand why that is the case? I just don’t get it,, but if you manage a mall it cant be good for business. Does anyone have an answer?

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8. Jonah Norason
   August 22nd, 2007 at 10:08 am

   I think a comment from Six Flags Mall summarized it nicely:
   “Crime is like poison to a mall, once it becomes common the mall is pretty much dead.

   Just look at the Mall of Memphis or Dixie Square Mall: two large malls whose size couldn’t prevent their demise.”

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9. Michael
   August 22nd, 2007 at 10:40 am

   Being a former resident of Richmond I can easily say that the murder rate in the city is due to the easy accessibility of guns in the state of Virginia. Being located along I-95 scores of gun purchasers from the Northeastern states would come to the Richmond area to easily purchase their supplies. The gun rules have been somewhat tightened in Virginia but that has still left many guns on the streets of Richmond. Yes, the murder rate has people battling for their turf but there is still an alarming amount of sporadic attacks in the city. I’m not here to debate the gun issue. I’m just stating that there are many guns on the streets of Richmond and they find themselves being used for horrific reasons. It was shocking to live there.

   Yes, Cloverleaf was on its way down. The people wishing to feel safer began doing their business farther away from the city limits towards the revamped Chesterfield Towne Center. But Cloverleaf was holding its own. It had downtraded some but was still a real mall. Then the murders happened. Two workers at the dollar store near JCPenney were shot execution style shortly after the mall closed one evening. That was all Richmond needed to hear. JCPenney fled to Chesterfield. Businesses fled almost overnight as the story would not leave the papers. It was almost as if the media needed to remind people not to go there. Sears closed its 2nd floor and then left entirely in 2002. That left Hecht’s in the back with no street frontage. You would have to drive around the remains of the mall to get to that Hecht’s branch. Once inside it was a dumping ground from other branches but it was a bargain hunters paradise. Midnight sales were a trip. You could have the place to your self as long as you ‘were willing to risk your life’. Hecht’s finally closed in 2003. The mall is still open with few tenants. (Yes, mostly footwear stores.) Its future, or lack thereof, is still trying to be worked out but sometimes in the case of murder and malls, which is horrible, the public says one strike and your out.

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10. Dave
    August 23rd, 2007 at 7:01 am

    The future of Cloverleaf Mall is clear. It will be demolished, probably within the next six to eight nmonths, if I have my guess. It will be replaced with a mixed-use development with about 300,000 sf of retail, including a very large Kroger. The proposed amount of retail is being debate right now, as the developer now wants to increase the amount of retail and there are a lot of details to be worked out. But the basic result is going to be the same.

    The reasons for Richmond’s high murder rate are many. The relative ease in which guns can be obtained is only one part of the puzzle. Drug wars that have flared up from time to time have had an amazing effect on the number of murders committed in the city. The murders tend to be concentrated in certain areas of the city and among certain elements of the population, so it’s not as if people are getting gunned down anywhere and at any time.

    One thing that many folks outside of Virginia don’t realize is that in Virginia, cities are separate from counties, which tends to skew statistics such as murder rates. Granted, Richmnond’s murder rate is still high even taking this difference into account, but those statistics only represent what occurs within the city limits among a population of a bit less than 200,000, as opposed to the entire metropolitan area, which is pushing 1,500,000 in population.

    Interestingly, since Cloverleaf is located in Chesterfield County, just over the city line, the dollar store murders aren’t even reflected in Richmond’s murder statistics. Personally, I think that if people were scared away from Cloverleaf because oif those murders, they weren’t paying attention to what was going on around them. There were plenty of bad things happening within walking distance of Cloverleaf that apparently had no effect until the murders at the mall.

    I think more than anything else, the westward progression of population in that part of the Richmond area did more than anything to kill Cloverleaf. Whether or not you want to term it a natural progression is up too you. Southside Plaza was the big shopping center when it opened in 1959, Cloverleaf’s opening in 1972 killed Southside. Chesterfield Mall (now Chesterfield Towne Center) opened in 1975, but wasn’t much of anything until it was expanded in the 1980’s. All of it shores up the theory that prime retail’s lifecycle is around 15 years.

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11. Michael
    August 23rd, 2007 at 9:31 am

    Dave-
    I agree with you on many of your points. I do also look forward to seeing an entry by someone on Regency Square Mall in the very near future. And within 5 years I’m sure Stony Point will make an interesting case study.

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    Sarah Reply:
    June 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    @Michael, I’m currently trying to do a write-up on Regency Square and submit it. When I was growing up in Richmond in the early ’90s, that was “THE mall”, and was always my mall. (I now reside in FL, but visit my parents and friends from time to time). I have pictures from my short tenure working in the hobby store in the mall in ‘04, when things were starting to look kinda gloomy.

    My best friend and I are debating which mall’s going to bite the dust in Richmond next — Fairfield Commons would be the logical answer, but that mall’s a zombie. It will never die. Our money’s on Virginia Center Commons, and one of your mentions — Stony Point. Every time I’ve gone there it’s been deader n’ dead. Odd for a new fancy-pants outdoors mall, huh?

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12. SEAN
    August 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 am

    WNBC TV last night had a story on gun running in New York. Guess were 1 out of every 9 came from… yes Richmond. Why? lack of law inforcement to make it simple.

    “The iron pipeline is alive and well” from WNBC TV
    If you are a mall manager this should open your eyes & make you more aware of safety issues.

    If you want to see the story go to http://www.wnbc.com.

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13. Mavz
    August 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 pm

    my hometown mall (the maine mall in south portland, me) has a jordan marsh/macys that looks just like the one in that pic!!!! i miss going there when i was little and having lunch at garnishes resturant that was on the 2nd floor..i wonder if any other jordan marsh stores had them or just the south portland one…

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14. Bobby
    August 26th, 2007 at 5:30 pm

    The Jordan Marsh pic doesn’t work.

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15. Nitek Ketin
    August 28th, 2007 at 6:33 am

    Is that a dead American Eagle in pic 17? If so, it looks like one of their more recent designs.

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16. Heather Strang
    August 30th, 2007 at 4:40 pm

    Thanks for the info and pictures – this is awesome!

    Since you’re in the retail scene – be sure to leave your nomination for fave retail restroom in the nation on Retail Design Diva: http://retaildesigndiva.blogs.com/.

    We hope to hear from you!
    Heather

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17. Jonah Norason
    November 8th, 2007 at 6:34 pm

    I have a few questions…

    a) Does anyone have a picture of the Center Court pre-Dillard’s?
    b) Rumor is the mall will shut and be turned into an open-air center within the near future. What’s the truth value of this?
    c) What’s the basic layout of the mall? (Simon’s is kinda crappy)
    d) Do you think this mall has been affected by the mega Aventura Mall (7th largest in USA)?

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18. Ken Hart
    November 25th, 2007 at 1:51 am

    I grew up with this mall, and spent a decent amount of my childhood there. Watching it’s slow death over the years is disheartening to me. I used to walk only on the dark tiles across the mall as a game when I was little, and playing with He-Man toys on the racks in Burdines.

    The place is pretty hollowed out now, with most of the stores that I used to go to there just empty spaces. Compared to the other malls in the area, the Palm Beach Lakes mall is actually pretty squalid looking.

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19. Jonah Norason
    December 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pm

    Hey! The Richards ad lists Lauderhill Mall and 163rd St. Shopping Center (as it was open-air back then) as other locations. Whats the history of Richards anyway???

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20. Jonah Norason
    January 20th, 2008 at 8:19 pm

    I’ve been looking for the center court area here before Dillard’s lobotomized it, and I’m pretty sure this is it:

    http://mallsofamerica.blogspot.com/2006/08/palm-beach-mall.html

    However, I can’t figure out which direction Dillard’s took up the hallway…

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21. Carole James
    January 21st, 2008 at 10:29 am

    Jonah, Although young, I remember when the Palm Beach Mall opened. Here is a different view of the Mall’s fountain that shows the Jordan Marsh entrance. There is also a partial list of original stores.

    http://www.africa-usa.com/pbmall/

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22. Michael
    January 21st, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    I glad the question of ‘what was Richards came up”. Before Jordan Marsh came on the Miami scene to give Burdines a run for their money, there was Richards. Based in downtown Miami, Richards originally opened as the New York Department Store in 1913. Over the next several years the store experienced many financial difficulties. After a bankruptcy filing in 1936 in came a group of Miami businessmen and a group from City Stores. The store was purchased and their first job was to hire Richard Gimbel, a cousin of the famed Gimbel department store family. City Stores wanted to name the store Gimbels but after several legal threats they settled on just calling the store Richards. The downtown Miami store was extensively modernized in 1951.

    Richards, just like Burdines, began opening suburban stores in 1958 followed by 6 others over the next 13 years. Its final store opened at the Hollywood Fashion Center in 1971. (HFC needs to be on this site!) Richards was never a high end store (its main downtown store was known for a while for its white carpeting) but it wasn’t as low end as Jefferson, a Miami discounter. Over the 1970s City Stores seemed more interested in selling off its business rather than improving any retail sales improvement. In January 1980, City Stores put the axe to Richards. It was no surprise to the Miami business community but it did put over 1,200 employees out of work. At this point, the older, smaller South Florida malls that counted on Richards began their slow spiral downwards.

    There’s the history of Richards, almost a fifth division of the Gimbels name. I’m glad I was able to write this. There is so little information out there about this important Miami retailer.

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23. Aaron
    January 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm

    RE: Michael’s claim that “Jordan Marsh came on the Miami scene to give Burdines a run for their money.”

    That’s entirely false. Jordan Marsh wasn’t even in the same league of popularity as Burdines. While less disruptive than the Marshall Fields wars in Chicago, the closing of Burdines and the switch to Macys is not looked upon favorably in Florida (and may be a mistake, as Macys moved downscale in brand and is not defined locally.)

    The sad part of this mall is that it’s not a hole…there’s viability here. Many of the malls you report on look to have no recourse back from the dead: from size to decor to location. Palm Beach Mall is centrally located in a growin urban area, is bland but nice looking, and has enough space to succeed.

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24. Michael Lisicky
    January 22nd, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    Aaron-

    I must respond to your post saying that my comments about Florida’s Jordan Marsh division are “entirely false”. I will begin by saying that Burdines is, was, and will always be “Florida’s Store”. However I would like to cite the following statements taken from respected periodicals.

    In the book ‘It’s Better at Burdines’, author Roberta Morgan reports “The banner year of 1956 also saw the biggest challenge in Burdines’ history…(CEO George Corrigan states) When Allied first came to town with Jordan Marsh in 1956, we were rocked pretty hard. Allied had all the money in the world…We were being out-maneuvered and out-gunned in the newspapers and the marketplace. Although many prominent Miamians note that Jordan Marsh was never the Florida store…the competition was there and it was threatening.” Later in the book in an interview with former Burdines chief Howard Socol, Socol states “I would say that the Jacobs era (1960s) was the one where Burdines traded its quality up and traded itself up. In those days, I believe Jordan Marsh was perceived as the better store, and Burdines was seen as more moderate. Jacobs actually turned that around.”

    In an article from the Miami Herald from 3/16/87, the Herald states “At one time Jordan Marsh was the premier fashion store in the state, in the whole Southeast….If you wanted something of top fashion, you would go to Jordan Marsh. (These comments stem from the article’s title “Jordan Marsh price cuts proved costly.”) After Jordan Marsh ended its run, the Miami Herald’s Ena Naunton in 11/91 stated “What a store it was. There was a slightly intimidating hauteur about it…The store’s “we’re a big deal” attitude carried over to one of Miami’s leading social events each winter season: the Orange Bowl luncheon. This event (was) hosted alternately by Burdines…There I learned the rules laid down by the dictators of fashion, including Jordan Marsh.”

    As I said, Florida was Burdines but Jordan Marsh, through Allied’s buying power and clout, gave Burdines a run for their money. Its existence helped Burdines define itself with its Florida roots as New York intruders filled the Florida scene. Jordan Marsh may not have been as popular as Burdines but it was its true competition for many years. Is Publix more popular than Winn-Dixie? Probably. Especially as Publix took on the look as Florida’s grocer but Winn-Dixie is still a strong competitor, at least down in South Florida.

    To say my comments are “totally false” is unfair. I was there when Jordan Marsh lost direction and traded downmarket until, as Ena Naunton writes “Jordan Marsh first lost its identity, then, as though broken-hearted, it died.” Macy’s certainly hasn’t won the hearts of Floridians. Yes, I will enter the downtown Miami store for an occasional Popeye Salad in the Royal Palm Restaurant when I can stomach the sight of the red star but I base my comments and submissions on Labelscar on historical records. I try to keep emotions out of it and I will be happy to provide dozens of more documents to support my statements of Jordan Marsh Florida. As the slogan went “The Store with the Florida Flair.”

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25. Aaron
    January 28th, 2008 at 6:39 pm

    I stand corrected. Of my generation of Floridians, we all thought that Jordan Marsh was clothing your grandmother bought to go to the Bar Mitzvah.

    Publix is most certainly more popular than Winn-Dixie, but W-D isn’t really worried about Publix, but rather Wal-Mart supercenters. Publix is actually a special case, where a big-box SuperStore has come into a region and NOT put the supermarkets out of business. And considering the drek that we have up in the Northeast, I entirely understand why. Giant, W-D, and the rest in the NE could use a little Publix pantina!

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26. Janine
    January 28th, 2008 at 6:47 pm

    b) Rumor is the mall will shut and be turned into an open-air center within the near future. What’s the truth value of this?

    Here’s some proof here from the local paper, with Borders closing this week: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2008/01/08/a1d_borders_0108.html

    c) What’s the basic layout of the mall? (Simon’s is kinda crappy)

    Alot of stores have shut down in this mall the past few years, so it’s pretty transient. But the layout is pretty accurate, it’s only one floor for most stores though: http://www.simon.com/mall/images/floorplans/142Palm_BeachMall.gif

    d) Do you think this mall has been affected by the mega Aventura Mall (7th largest in USA)?

    I doubt it, since the mall is about an hour’s drive south of Palm Beach and many people in Palm Beach County tend to avoid the Miami area. I do think, however that The Gardens Mall, located 10 miles north in Palm Beach Gardens, attracted alot of the more affluent customers away from Palm Beach Mall when it opened in 1988. The shut down talk accelerated after Wellington Green opened up 10 miles west in Wellington, another affluent community in 2001, and CityPlace in downtown around the same time gave the rest of the area little need to visit Palm Beach mall. And of course, the high crime rate in and around Palm Beach Mall always helps to kill a mall.

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27. Ken Hart
    January 31st, 2008 at 4:36 am

    Wellington Green seemed to be the obvious end for Palm Beach Lakes. It had been going for years of course, but after Wellington Green opened it just seemed to lose what little it had left.

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28. Janine
    February 1st, 2008 at 7:47 pm

    Observing the mall today, I saw that about half of the mall’s spaces were either shuttered or holding a clearance sale, more so in the western half of the mall (from JCPenney to the Fountain which is not running anymore). From talking to a few mall employees (none of this is official), the mall is shutting down in April-ish; a couple said that the renovation is going in stages, going west to east, while a few other sources suggest the entire mall is going down. The mall is really in a need of a makeover, the JCPenney and the mall in general looked like a time warp into the 1970’s, unlike the two newer malls.

    Talking to someone that has been here for a long time at the mall, he said that the mall took a nosedive right after Wellington Green opened and all the stores moved over there. Boynton Beach Mall is still doing fine, but with that being the bottom mall after PBM closes, it could possibly the next to go into decline.

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29. Nicky
    March 6th, 2008 at 4:47 pm

    I was wondering if anyone knows of the name of a cookie shop that use to be in the entrance of the mall, back in 1996 0r 1997. They had the best cookies in the world. I havent been to the Palm Beach Mall in 4 years. I live in California now.

    If you have any ideas please email at: sundayglam [AT] gmail [DOT] com

    Thank You

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30. Matt R.
    March 9th, 2008 at 4:19 am

    The mall looks to be fairly recently remodeled. My mall (also simon owned ans managed) underwent an extensive renovation two years ago, starting with the interior, adding two “big box” stores (dick’s sporting goods..which had a mall entrance as well…and circuit city) at the front, and culminating this year in the addition of several restaurants in a former mall wing (and recently vacated office max), and new parking lots/ signage/ lighting. Simon can do it, but it depends on the mall manager. It sounds like this one has been poorly managed for years, and has had little effort made in coming up with new ideas. A facelift is only as good as the stores that the management can attract to fill the empty holes. Right now, I’d say tear it down (at least in part) and place all the stores in one area, and build condos on the rest of the property…making it like cityplace. Perhaps, maybe try for some more fun features to distinguish it as a middle market, family mall. Right now, its quite white and boring. The Gardens just renovated, so I think now is the time to try something new…or just let it die, like I have a feeling will end up happening.

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31. Janine
    March 9th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

    Matt R.,

    Trying to remodel the mall to attract the affluent or middle class markets probably won’t work in this case, as the local surroundings around the mall are known for being a bit shady, especially after dark. Most of the middle class and above have flocked away from the area as well and usually don’t like to drive up to the mall. Considering the circumstances of the mall and the area, the best thing probably is to let it die and let some big box retailer (yet another Super Wal-Mart) get the spot.

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32. Brian
    March 20th, 2008 at 12:09 pm

    The Palm Beach Mall is currently full of empty stores and off name places selling street wear. The Anchor stores are alive and well, the Food Court is basically empty with exception to a couple of places. Some woman was robbed there a few weeks ago while in the food court.

    Even if they revitalize it, I doubt it will lose it’s character because of the location.

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33. Graham
    May 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

    This mall is about to close sometime this summer. My mom use to work at Park Lane. Those stores were all over south FL, but disappeared around 1991.

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34. Brain
    June 8th, 2008 at 11:24 pm

    If only they put a police station in the mall. That will probably do something for it.

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35. kris-alyx devereux
    June 15th, 2008 at 12:38 am

    here’s the simple answer just don’t come to richmond if you value your life , i mean it;s just not a safe place, i mean everyone else who does not live in that urban hellhole talks about just how bad it is.

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36. michele
    July 7th, 2008 at 1:14 am

    I grew up right around the corner from this mall starting in 1970. My favorite teacher, Hattie Bruce (Military Trail Elem) used to tell me how it was before the mall was built and how she and her husband used to go fishing there.It used to be exciting to go there as a kid and go to the Barefoot Mailman, Orange Bowl (Julius), getting my favorite ice cream (Butterscotch Twirl) at the ice cream shop or even having a lunch and milkshake at Woolworth’s, the pet shop that used to be there, as well as just going to the fountain and walking across the little bridge. I still have pictures of it to this day from that time period. I refuse to go back there anymore because it’s too upsetting for me to see it the way it is now versus then, when it was booming. Back then more older folks would go (Century Village) and you could enjoy the day there. Now it’s too dangerous to go. I have so many memories, even going there and getting ready to go to the auditorium to see Elvis’ last performance (in FL). The reason why it went downhill is because of the crap that kept moving in the area. Back then the so-called *bad area* was centered more around Tamarind Ave, but now it’s most of West Palm Beach, unfortunately. I also used to go to the Twin City Mall in North Palm and have their delicious caramel popcorn. Oh those were the days.

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37. Debbi
    July 22nd, 2008 at 11:35 pm

    Has anyone heard anything lately on when this mall is going to close? I was just there last week. As Janine said, most of the open stores are at the Dillard’s end of the mall. Saw Footlocker, Victoria’s Secret (!), and Journey’s, but little else in the way of chains.

    Two things I found especially sad:

    1) The food court only looked to be about 1/3 full. My visit took place around 8pm, and half the food outlets were closed for the night.

    2) The Charlotte Russe has been taken over by a discount furniture store–never mind labelscars, the logo in the store is still there and brightly painted! I was really bummed to see that, being as this was the first Charlotte Russe I had ever seen, being they hadn’t come to the Northeast yet when I was last in this mall (2004).

    To Michele: Most of West Palm Beach is not that bad, as long as you stay away from Tamarind and the Dixie Highway areas.

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38. Pebbs78
    August 6th, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    I heard IKEA had it’s eyes on that area, but this could be defunct now since the FL economy is in the hole.

    I worked in the Palm Beach Mall for over 7 years, and quit around 2001. It was on an upswing when I left. The mall has been in trouble years before 2001…my take is that too many malls have been built, (such as the Gardens), and have left PB mall with too much competition.

    Also, the area shifted demographically, and not for the better. I remember that area when it was slightly upscale and filled with golf courses. Now there’s a BrandsMart over the old public golf course.

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39. Debbi
    August 6th, 2008 at 10:13 pm

    Well, that was quick…I was at the mall this past Saturday and the discount furniture store in the Charlotte Russe space had already packed up and left. As Emily Litella once said, “Never mind.”

    P.S. The Charlotte Russe labelscars are still there.

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40. Bill
    August 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 pm

    To add to Debbi,Tamarind and the Dixie Highway areas are actually ok… at day. But it’s improved ALOT you have to admit.

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41. Carole James
    August 30th, 2008 at 11:40 am

    It’s official. Dillard’s in the Palm Beach Mall is closing October 31, 2008. And the mall itself is “quietly” for sale.

    The article from the Palm Beach Post on Dillard’s closing:

    http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/realestate/entries/2008/08/29/dillards_to_close_as_marginal.html

    An outside picture of the PB Mall Dillard’s from their website:

    http://www.dillards.com/sec/StoreHomePageServlet?storenumber=0255

    Article on selling the PB Mall:

    http://www.palmbeachpost.com/yourtown/content/business/epaper/2008/08/24/a1f_cloughcol_0825.html

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42. CoryTJ
    August 30th, 2008 at 7:25 pm

    I have to ask, doesn anyone know if Dillard’s is experiencing a financial crunch? It seems to me that whatever city I travel to, there is a Dillard’s liquidating a store. I am in Dallas Texas this week, and I stopped by this beautiful mall called Valley View Mall run by Macerich. It had a lot of foot traffic, a decent selection of stores, a viable food court, a carousel in the spacious center court, and people seemed to be spending money there.

    It was such a nice alternative to the behemoth Galleria. Yet, Macy’s had already left the mall, and Dillard’s was closing. While there were plenty of national tenants, the upper level by the Penney’s wing had a few vacancies, and now the Dillard’s areas had about eitght store fronts that were dark. I asked an employee at Steve & Barry’s what was happening, and she said that “once Dillard’s decided to leave the mall, other stores got nervous and started closing”.

    This seems to be a pattern. Dillard’s leaves a mall and everyone gets all shaken up. Why? I have never found a damn thing I’d want at a Dillard’s.

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43. Jake
    August 30th, 2008 at 10:54 pm

    See my comment about Valley View Mall in the “Help Us” section. It provides some info about Dallas malls and some speculation regarding this closing.

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44. Bill
    September 21st, 2008 at 10:06 pm

    I have a feeling Target wants to supersize on this location…

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45. Jonah Norason
    October 8th, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    Mall Hall of Fame did a piece on this mall, which makes the whole story more sad…

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46. Evan
    October 25th, 2008 at 9:47 pm

    I was just there yesterday and it is depressing to see how far it has fallen from its glory days. The food court has only 4 open restaurants left open, which in itself is depressing enough. The mall is half empty, and who knows how much longer it will remain open. I have some great memories here, and wish they could find a way to save it and bring it back to life!

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47. Ken Hart
    October 30th, 2008 at 3:00 am

    This mall has the creepiest mall Santa I have ever seen. He made Billy Bob Thornton look positively clean-cut.

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48. will
    November 6th, 2008 at 9:05 pm

    hi,

    on the subject of crime at a mall….i know when i was there(in south florida) i was a resident of nearly 25 years and we had a rash of killings and muggings at the palm beach mall. always right around christmas. somehow, they managed to overcome that awful image and took measures to prevent it from happening again. that was about eight years ago for me. i live outside of indianapolis now and you hardly ever hear of shit like that hear. the area for the the p.b. mall isn’t the best either. palm beach lakes and e.c.drive are some of the worst areas in the palm beaches and right down the road from that is cracktown. i feel it is only a matter of time for the mall ….i hope i’m wrong, i spent a lot of great days in there.

    [Reply]

49. Bill
    December 2nd, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    Executive Center Drive? Isn’t that all gated communities, Will? I think you mean Australian Avenue,

    [Reply]

50. PBJ
    December 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm

    Dillards is history, they have closed the store at the Palm Beach Mall location.

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51. Evan
    December 12th, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    With Dillards now gone, how long to the mall is history? It is quite sad indeed. I wish they could somehow find a way to revive the mall, but I doubt they can!

    [Reply]

52. Janine
    December 18th, 2008 at 2:18 am

    went to the mall two weeks ago, the arcade next to the gamestop and the candy store (both near sears) shut down. even though the economy isn’t great and it was noon on a thursday, it felt DEAD, especially on the height of christmas season. simon doesn’t even recognize this mall as one of their own anymore, as their local radio ads mention only the boca town center and boyton beach mall when they are promoting gift cards. expect at least an announcement that the mall will shut down completely (minus the anchors) in january after the christmas shopping season is done.

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53. Evan
    December 27th, 2008 at 10:43 am

    Is the Pretzel store and Villa Pizza still open lol?

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54. will
    January 7th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    to bill:
    SOME of e.c.d. is gated….it really is the part that runs from p.b lakes to australian that has that sort of protection and even then you have the “upper crust” thugs that live in some of those gated communities. run down past the auditorium a couple of blocks and you’ll see exactly what i mean. i had a cab driver nearly get me killed over there once…the bastard tried to make a drug deal with me in the cab!!

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55. TrickyNicky
    January 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    This Macy’s location is one of 11 that are scheduled to close in 2009. Macy’s just made the announcement today. It looks like this was a massive, neat and organized location. Too bad the local Macy’s in my area were as neat. They are just too messy and disorganized.

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56. Evan
    January 8th, 2009 at 7:18 pm

    That leaves the mall with only two anchors, how long to the remaining two decide to pull out?

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57. robert
    January 8th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    Dillards, now Macy’s. I hear Ikea will move in. They will probably make a huge parking garage like the one in Sunrise.

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58. Janine
    January 8th, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    jcpenney and sears both have stores not too far away from the palm beach mall, so they may bail as well in the next few weeks to months. only other big store left besides them is that music store that was next to borders (i wonder if they shut down yet). i’ll try to go to the mall one last time in the next couple of weeks to see exactly how many stores are left.

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59. Bill
    January 9th, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    Lol, Burdines started in West Palm Beach on Clematis Street, moved to the mall, reopened downtown at CityPlace, and now closing its mall store. Back to the old days, eh?

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60. Debbi
    January 10th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    The Ritz Camera is also gone, as well as Whitehall Jewelers and one of the cell phone kiosks. Hallmark has advertised their fixtures for sale; my guess is that they’ll be history at the end of the month. Claire’s is having a clearance sale, although that could be just a store thing.

    With Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works opening locations in CityPlace by the spring, I’m wondering if their days in PBM are numbered.

    Was the arcade an FYE at one point? The carpet has an old FYE design, and the facade also looks like what they would have.

    Evan: Both Villa Pizza and Auntie Anne’s are still around. On the food court, I counted 8 out of 14 that were open. Obviously not good, but still more than I thought. Only one was a chain (Subway).

    Bill: Target is building their Super location across from the mall, on the spot of their old store, which is now demolished. I believe ground has already been broken.

    It’s a shame about this mall. Many who live in this area don’t have their own transportation and can’t afford what’s at CityPlace (although they did recently open a few independent moderately-priced boutiques). On a personal note from a bookstore geek, I find it irritating that there’s no bookstores between downtown and Wellington Green. They could do so much with this property.

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61. Janine
    January 10th, 2009 at 5:32 pm

    debbi: i forgot, but there was an fye either where the arcade was or next to the arcade (think it was next to the arcade, because i remember them both running at the same time, i’m guessing the arcade was where the fye was before they moved to their final location).

    i see victoria’s secret and b&bw bailing shortly after their new cityplace stores open up (if the mall is still open by then). i would like to know how many stores are in fact left in the mall. my guess is less than 40, with the west wing already dead. on another note, i see gnc and gamestop staying until the mall shuts down, they (and a few other stores) are usually the last to leave a mall.

    bill: the framework for the super target is in place for at least the first two floors (as of last month), they may be finished with the exterior framework by now.

    but it’s too bad about the mall. even 5 years ago, while it was known it was in a bit of a decline, it was a decent mall, getting good business, and was a break from the boutique feeling of the gardens mall and less so wellington green. i still think this mall could have been thriving if the right steps were taken back around 2004 to clean up the area. but in the past 2-3 years, it slowly deteriorated into it’s current sad state when people started thinking the mall had only months left, along with repeated violence in and around the mall. when people think the mall is going to close in 3 months (they have been saying this for some time), tenants will leave, fearing they will have to shut down anyway.

    i think the other mall in palm beach county that could become dead in the near future is boynton beach mall, about 15 miles south. it’s not in bad shape and has a good chance to turn things around, but with the crime around the mall and a christmas eve gang shooting in 2006, it could possibly go into decline after palm beach mall closes and put the death knell on non boutique shopping in palm beach county.

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62. Bill
    January 10th, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    Squeeze Downtown at The Gardens in between. Oh wait, that’s already dead.

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63. Evan
    January 10th, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    Thanks for the update Debbi, good to know my two fav places are still around. I’ll have to go visit them before they decide to close.

    As for the questions surrounding the FYE, there was a huge FYE and the arcade was right next to the store, and was also run by by FYE until they closed their store and someone else took over the arcade.

    And also funny note, the owner of the Auntie Annie’s also owned the candy store.

    Janine, your right, this mall could have been saved if Simon had taken the proper steps, but they just gave up on it. And honestly I can’t see the Boynton Beach Mall closing, they just did some recent renovations their and it has a ton of stores, and traffic still!

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64. Evan
    January 10th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

    I also just remembered probably 10-15yrs ago their was an arcade in the middle part of the mall, in the main entrance wing. It was there for awhile, but it was a no name arcade!

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65. Debbi
    January 11th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    Janine: I have to agree with Evan. I don’t see the Boynton Beach Mall going anywhere. While I remember hearing about the shooting on the news–I didn’t actually move to WPB until six months ago–it sounds to me that while unfortunate, it could happen in any random mall. I have never felt unsafe in BBM. Also, BBM is too far south from CityPlace for it to be true competition. Wellington? Most likely would have put a dent in BBM a while back if they were going to do it.

    I did make one prior visit to PBM, in 2003. While my then-boyfriend told me the mall was dying, I didn’t see any more vacancies than in the mall than the one I did most of my shopping at that time (Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold, NJ).

    I forgot about GNC–and of course Radio Shack, LOL. Curiously, Vitamin World is not amongst the survivors.

    Bill: I was actually thinking about submitting something about Downtown at the Gardens. I wouldn’t blame that one so much on any direct competition, but on the economy. Two more restaurants closed last week, in addition to the three that closed last fall. I believe that leaves The Yard House, Paul, and The Cheesecake Factory. I might be forgetting one. (I’m not counting Johnny Rockets) If anyone wants me to, I can give a more detailed report the next time I have a marketing report in this area.

    Evan: You’re welcome and thanks for the info on the arcade/FYE. Aren’t all arcades these days no-name arcades? Except for those restaurant combinations, I don’t think there’s been an arcade chain since the late 80s, LOL. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong. Apart from beach areas, arcades are scarce in the Northeast, where I’m originally from.

    A few details I forgot: The fountain, shut off, has signs warning not to play in it. Huh. Also, one of the cheap boutiques has announced a closing sale and for some strange reason, a perfume shop has actually *opened*.

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66. AceJay
    January 11th, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Gameworld/Funzone
    Alladin’s Castle/Namco Arcade/Time Out
    And the rest are one or two location no-names. Sadly.

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67. Janine
    January 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    debbi: wellington green is 17 miles away from bbm and a 1/2 hour drive away from wellington itself, i doubt wellington green would have put a dent in bbm, since most people from the wellington area would usually shop at either the gardens or palm beach mall before their mall opened up.

    most of the major shopping centers in palm beach county (cityplace, the gardens, worth ave. and less so wellington green and boca town center) have a boutique feel to them (lots of expensive stores). boynton beach mall, on the other hand, mostly doesn’t cater to boutiques and has stores most people can afford. the only reason i said it could have been dead was probably because i went there one time and it was late on a sunday. i’ll try to go there again on a higher traffic day and check out the stores for myself. i’m not sure, but did bbm get more traffic as palm beach mall went into decline?

    i think downtown at the gardens was dead on arrival. location wasn’t great (you had to cross 95 to get there, nothing else really around the immediate area), area was already saturated with boutiques, it looked like a copycat cityplace without the established elements that cityplace had, and the not so great economy.

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68. Evan
    January 11th, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    Your welcome for the info Debbi. The arcade I was talking about I think was actually run by the mall, though it had a very dark feeling to it. As for the fountain I think it has been shut off for a few years hasn’t it?

    It’s maddening to see Simon give up on the mall when it could have been saved. BTW, are their any stores even left in the West side of the mall, near Penny’s. I would walk the entire mall and even take some pictures, though im afraid to take my good camera there and I am disabled and can’t even walk that much, maybe half the mall one day and the rest the next week!

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69. Debbi
    January 12th, 2009 at 2:43 am

    Evan: I believe there are a few stores left in that wing. I recall Radio Shack was located there, as well as a couple of the trashy clothing stores.

    Let me know if you can’t take the pics. No promises since I don’t know when my marketing projects or other errands take me into that mall (which isn’t very often), but perhaps I can help with the pics.

    Janine: While Wellington Green does have many upscale shops, I also see plenty of the mall staples that BBM has (Charlotte Russe, Hot Topic, Yankee Candle, Victoria’s Secret, Journey’s, Pac-Sun and so many others). I kind of see WG as the middle ground between BBM and Palm Beach Gardens Mall.

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70. Debbi
    January 12th, 2009 at 2:46 am

    P.S. to Janine: Odd that Downtown at the Gardens may be DOA, but Legacy Place, which is directly across the highway, appears to be doing very well, or at least has a much lower vacancy rate. And now that I’m truly starting to go OT, I’ll shut up now.

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71. Evan
    January 12th, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Hey Debbi,
    Thanks for the offer, I will probably go this week and use my cell phone to take pics. Then if you also take pics we can get them added to this website. I am going to go sometime this week, possibly today.

    And you actually have work that might bring you into the mall, what in the world could that be lol?

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72. Debbi
    January 12th, 2009 at 11:22 am

    Freelance marketing projects…I have to test such things as who merchants are selling to, the level of service, if they’re pushing a certain project, etc. It’s obvious I don’t get too many assignments in PBM, usually it’s WG or PBGM, though once in a great while I will still get sent there. If I’m at PBM, it’s more likely for an errand. Last time I went was because I had to go to the Ritz Camera…which I found out gave up at the end of Dec., LOL.

    If you go, looking forward to the pics! Have fun.

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73. Evan
    January 12th, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    Just got home from the mall and I managed to walk the West Wing of the mall and then got in my car, drove to the other side and got a pretzel lol. There were only 8 stores I counted left open in the West wing of the mall. Very, very eerie feeling to see it so open. I had not been in that side of the mall in over 6yrs when Borders was still open.

    I talked to the very nice cashier at Auntie Annie’s found out this stuff:
    3 more stores are closing in the next 2weeks, forget which ones. She said in her 7hr shift she might and on a good day get 20 customers. The mall went downhill fast last year after a news reporter was in the mall talking about it closing. Stores left in droves after that.

    Asked her about when the mall might close, she said she has heard it will remain open until 2010, then also 2weeks ago a security guard told her they will be getting letters saying it is shutting down in a few months, so I don’t think anyone knows what is going on. Also found out the candy store owner moved his shop over on Lake Worth Road near Fun Depot, not sure where that is. Also interesting the cashier said alot of people from Wellington go there just to get pretzels. And they all want him to move to Wellington Green.

    I took 27pictures on my cell phone, so once I upload them later today, and resize them, ill post the link to them on here, and then send them to the owner of the site so they can post them on here!

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74. Evan
    January 12th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    Oh and that’s interesting Debbi, thanks for sharing!

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75. Evan
    January 12th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

    http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v102/LuckyHeart1281/Palm%20Beach%20Mall/

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76. Evan
    January 12th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Oh and one more thing I just remembered, the cashier told me that Sears owns their own building, so they are not going anywhere. She said they might build a new building closer to the road though, and as for Penny’s, no news yet.

    And for those who are interested, the frame for the re-built Target across the street is basically up, and it appears as if it will be two stories!

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77. izzy
    January 12th, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    Somebody please tell me club top isn’t one of those stores closing!!! that store has awesome pants 4 cheap! anyway,i’m going on wednesday 2 take some pics and see if it’s changed since i went there a few weeks ago.when i went a few weeks ago,i entered through jcpenney and when i got out of jcpenney this mall looked abandoned and seriously creepy with it’s bad lighting,long hallways that lead to nothing but a soda machine,and about 5 stores open (i had come that day for the borders that their website said was open,and it wasn’t) plus,i went like at 7 or 8 pm so that could’ve added to the creepiness.also,i’m a frequent shopper at wellington green which is the complete opposite of this mall..so yeah.on thursday i’ll give a link to the pics!

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78. Debbi
    January 14th, 2009 at 12:04 am

    Excellent photos, Evan. Thanks for taking those!

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79. Evan
    January 14th, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    Your welcome, for a cell phone, they came out surprisingly well!

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80. Janine
    January 15th, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    the west end of the mall is extremely eerie right now, only 10 stores open in the west wing (that side of the mall is planned to close first). i counted a total of 53 stores open (including the food court) and 13 kiosks (all but two of those are east of dillards). the stores that are shutting down soon aren’t in the count.

    about the bath and body works and victoria’s secret: they are both closing next weekend, prior to their cityplace stores opening up in february. macys will shut down in the middle of march, and already, the second floor looks empty.

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81. Evan
    January 15th, 2009 at 8:51 pm

    Where did you hear that that side is closing first, even though it is quite obvious!

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82. Janine
    January 16th, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    evan: various sources from mall employees, although the info is very jumbled, as with everything else regarding the mall’s future. all i know is that the west half of the mall is dead, and the east end of the mall is on it’s way to being dead. the stores left on the west end could take up some empty spaces on the east end once they shut the west end down as they turn the area into an outdoor shopping center.

    on the jcpenny store, i think the mall owns their space, but they can stay open after the mall closes, and they are more than likely staying put (or open their space near the mall). also, the shabbro’s shut down, what a shame too.

    i still wonder why borders has on their website that this store was open, they shut down the mall location nearly a year ago, and that’s when most people knew this mall was going to die.

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83. Evan
    January 16th, 2009 at 8:08 pm

    Man Sbarros closed, that is a shame. And Borders only shut down a year ago? I read somewhere it closed nearly 5yrs ago on another website.

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84. PBJ
    January 18th, 2009 at 12:31 am

    Borders was there a couple of years ago, I think it closed last year or maybe it was the year before, I was there a few times 5 years ago and it was still there.

    Dillards was only there since 2000, Lord and Taylor was there as well, between Dillards and JCPenney. They closed and tore down the building.

    Simon needs to update their site for the Palm Beach Mall lol!

    http://www.simon.com/mall/mall_info.aspx?ID=142&LeasingInfo=1#leasing

    Before the Wellington Green Mall, people around here would go to the Gardens Mall, Boynton Beach Mall or the Boca Town Center.

    Gardens and Boca went upscale, Boca more so then the Gardens and Boynton Beach Mall went down the toilet.

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85. PBJ
    January 18th, 2009 at 1:00 am

    Debbi:

    Don’t forget there is a Toojay’s at Downtown which is always packed and I think RA Sushi is still there as well.

    Whole Foods is always busy and the Cobb Theater is doing fine. That’s what’s keeping Johnny Rockets in business.

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86. Debbi
    January 19th, 2009 at 3:50 am

    RA Sushi–that was the one I forgot! But wasn’t The Strip House doing just fine until they suddenly went belly up?

    I’m not going to enter the Borders debate, except to say that I do know when I moved to the area (June 2008) that it was already gone with the sign removed.

    Izzy: I forget which of the trashy boutiques it was, they’re all interchangeable to me anyway, LOL.

    I still don’t think that BBM is a terrible mall. A bit more leaning toward the “urban” clientele, true, but that’s kept to a minimum. Most of what they have can also easily be found at Wellington and every other mall in the state. I find it to be clean and well-run. Not every mall can be super-upscale and as much as I love PBGM, they don’t have half the stores I love to shop at.

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87. ZEE
    January 19th, 2009 at 4:29 am

    This mall served as great hang out spot for the more urban community and those who lived in those areas..Some people can’t afford to drive or ride the bus to Palm Beach Gardens and/or Wellington..Also, many can’t afford certain things in these store.If anybody who is bargain shopper realizes that the prices differ depending on what side of town your on. In my opinion the Palm Beach Mall had many grreat deals in some of their stores and also in their bigger brand-named stores. *sighs* Well just goes to show that the rich is always about themselves and never really for the people. But yeah they are replacing the mall with an IKEA furniture store. ((which i find ridiculous..but who am I to argue))

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88. Karen
    January 19th, 2009 at 10:30 am

    Borders closed in January of 2008.

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89. Evan
    January 19th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    Thanks for clarifying that Karen. And BBM is doing fine. I was there last year and it was crowed and most of the mall is full store wise. There is not another mall near there to provide to much competition, I don’t think. It is not an upscale mall, and it is very similar to what PBM used to be say 15yrs ago!

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90. E Ruskin
    January 20th, 2009 at 9:13 pm

    Macy is leaving the mall!!!! How sad!

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91. izzy
    January 24th, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!! they closed club top!!!!! luckily they’re relocating to wellington mall though,(i learned that by asking a cashier in a nearby store,and confirming it by emailing someone at the wellington mall,who told me that they would be open on or before january 27.in case you havn’t noticed yet,i am obsessed with this store,so i’m going to wellington on tuesday.) which seems kinda weird;it just doen’t seem like one of those overpriced wellington stores (like Hollister and blah blah blah)yeah sorry i’m like a week later than i said i would post a link to the pics but it doesn’t really matter cuz it turns out i forgot to replace my old (and almost full) memory card with my new one,so i didn’t have enough memory to take many pictures.i only got 3.one is the only remains of the closed down club top,a sign that says buy 1 get 1 half off.the 2nd pic is what the mall looks like outside of macy’s.the 3rd pic is a pic taken near the middle of the mall.i thought it was pathetic that not even their fountain worked.i was going to go take pictures of the dead section of the mall near Jcpenney,but it was getting late and the area isn’t that great (hey i rhymed!) and plus i’m really lazy.anyway sorry for rambling here’s the link: http://s474.photobucket.com/albums/rr102/randomweirdperson/

    i thought it was weird how a mall can reflect on the area it’s in.
    Boynton=average area
    Wellington and Gardens=rich area
    Palm beach=Bleh Area (aka crime area)

    [Reply]

92. Evan
    January 25th, 2009 at 11:56 am

    Hey Izzy, you need a password to see the pics, thanks for taking them. Anyways, I have a link up a few entries of the dead wing, but if you take more that would be cool!

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93. izzy
    January 25th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

    i’ll probably go back in a few weeks and take more pics.if you can’t find the pics from the link then search my username,randomweirdperson on photobucket.and by the way,i saw this one place in palm beach mall that appeared to be an old arcade,and there was an old half full coke bottle in it!! ew.it still had a sign hanging from the ceiling that said prizes,and the carpet was red and…arcade-ish.also,i read a comment on this page that said the arcade had a “dark feeling to it” what the heck??? that’s creepy!! what do you mean by that?

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94. Evan
    January 25th, 2009 at 2:21 pm

    izzy, you need a password to access your photos, or change your settings to make them public. The arcade you are talking about closed recently, and was run by FYE, and then someone else. The dark one I mentioned was circa 1991, a completely different one, and was in the main entrance hall wing, and was only there for a couple years. It was just not real well lit, kinda had florescent lighting on the ceiling, and was just a rundown looking arcade.

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95. izzy
    January 25th, 2009 at 4:51 pm

    ohhhhh…ok thanks evan!!

    [Reply]

96. izzy
    January 25th, 2009 at 4:54 pm

    i set it to public so it should work now

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97. Evan
    January 25th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    Your welcome izzy, and great pics!

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98. Debbi
    January 25th, 2009 at 6:42 pm

    I second the great pics, Izzy.

    While I will say the area PBM is in is not one I would want to be in late at night, there are still many office buildings within a 5 minute drive, or even a decent walk. There are plenty of restaurants, even a decent hotel or two.

    I’m glad Club Top is moving to Wellington; at least its owner(s) will still have a decent go of making money off his/her/their business. But I wonder how exactly it would fit into Wellington, with the competition of Charlotte Russe, Forever 21, and Wet Seal (which looks like they might be closing their BBM location, but I may be completely wrong on that)

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99. Debbi
    January 25th, 2009 at 6:45 pm

    One more OT note on BBM: I was at this mall yesterday, and found it interesting how most of the “urban” clientele business was located on the Sears wing of the mall, including a nail salon, Foot Locker, and a couple of independent businesses (party store, cheap gift shop). The more upscale stores and mall staples were going toward the Macy’s wing. Just made me think.

    [Reply]

100. AceJay
     January 25th, 2009 at 8:12 pm

     Isn’t that how every mall is? =/

     [Reply]

101. Debbi
     January 26th, 2009 at 2:11 am

     Yeah, it seems the Sears wing always gets the short end of the stick.

     [Reply]

102. J
     January 26th, 2009 at 2:15 am

     It’s a shame this mall has gone downhill. Used to love going to Woolworth here back in the 80s-90s when the mall was still thriving.

     [Reply]

103. SEAN
     January 26th, 2009 at 10:27 am

     Debbie/AceJay,

     What is it about Sears that is causing this trend?

     [Reply]

104. Karen
     January 26th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

     Sean,

     It’s all about demographics and foot traffic. This is what I observe in my little corner of the world, anyway, with Sears not being as much of a draw. In retail, perception is reality and Sears is stodgy. As one of the oldest retailers, Sears started out as all things for all people. Clothing, home goods, tools, lawn equipment, appliances etc. But now retail is much more specialized due to the big boxes. The types that bought Craftman tools and lawnmowers, occasionally a new pair of jeans are going to Lowe’s or Home Depot where you don’t have to navigate through non hard goods. Appliance shoppers have many more choices, too. The clothing shoppers never did go to Sears much, save Mom buying some new Toughskins for the rambunctious rug rats. Apparel and other fashion oriented stores which make up the bulk of the mall would much rather locate near Macy’s or Penney’s which never did focus much on hard goods and were superior in terms of styles offered. Inline tenants scrutinize co-tenants and foot traffic very carefully before signing, extending or re-negotiating a lease. Spaces are either deemed desirable because they’re visible and/or amid better tenants, or sub par if they are in a dead or dying wing. Sears just can’t seem to generate the traffic anymore and their wings will keep losing storefronts. I think Footlocker’s customers treat it like a destination store, and they don’t necessarily need as many people walking by to be drawn in. Salons are very much repeat-business types that may not need as much foot traffic, either. I usually see Radio Shack and GNC in a Sears wing, too.

     [Reply]

105. AceJay
     January 26th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

     And remember, Sears is just a little better than your average Target/Kmart/Walmart, and with (usuall) all three of those nearby, more and more people are not going to the mall for Sears, and going to the Bigboxes instead.

     Unrelated, I personally went into Nordstrom, Lord and Taylor, and Macy’s (no, really) for the first time ever recently and was not really that impressed by the Nordstrom, though it absolutely destroys your average JC Penney or Sears. I personally thought the L+T was basically the same as the Nordstrom, just cheaper. Even Macy’s, which I thought was not THAT much better than a JC Penney at first, impressed me.

     [Reply]

106. Evan
     January 26th, 2009 at 4:29 pm

     Ok thanks for that cool explanation Karen, but why in that case is the Penny’s wing dead and the Sears wing still semi active with stores. Plus a Radio Shack right near Penny’s, one of the only stores left in that wing!

     [Reply]

107. AceJay
     January 26th, 2009 at 7:11 pm

     Could be that the mall forced some stores to move/stay in the Sears wing to attempt to drawtraffic over there.

     [Reply]

108. SEAN
     January 26th, 2009 at 9:09 pm

     A Little history of the Sears in White Plains New York. It opened in 1964 on Main street next to city hall. It was always crowded no matter what time of year it was, quite often parking was a challenge. In 2001 the store relocated to a former JC Penny at the Galleria Mall. As a result of this move foot traffic has dropped to the point that rumors of it’s closure have floted around from time to time. As of now those rumors are just that.

     What use to feed Sears foot traffic was the Macy’s across the street. Now Macy’s is also in the Galleria as well, with the former Macy’s location being replaced with a mixed-used development called City Center & the former Sears occupide by a Walmart & Berlington Coat Factory.

     Times, they are a changing.

     [Reply]

109. Evan
     February 8th, 2009 at 11:21 am

     Any new news?

     [Reply]

110. izzy
     February 10th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

     wow…this is becoming more dead than the palm beach mall…for no apparent reason…

     [Reply]

111. Debbi
     February 14th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

     I’ve got new news!

     First, bad news for Evan: both Villa Pizza and Auntie Anne’s have given up. There is a new pizza place that opened up for whatever reason, though. Maybe a killer deal on rent? LOL

     With that in mind, the number of open places in the food court has been cut in half since my last visit. Besides the new pizza place, the survivors are All American Hero, Subway, the Chinese place, and Palm Beach Ice Cream. Mr. Coffee (which I don’t count as part of the food court) is also open.

     Janine heard correctly about Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret; both are gone. Also among the newest victims;

     Journey’s
     Most of the trashy clothing stores (Ladies Night, Back 2 Back, and one or two others are hanging in there)
     Perfume shop in the JC Penney wing (could be wrong here, but the gate was down with boxes behind it, so I’m assuming it’s done)

     Also, one of the indie shoe stores had a closing sale going. And of course, Macy’s has put up their closing signs.

     Hanging in there are Claire’s, the Hallmark continuing their fixture sale, and naturally, GNC and Radio Shack. The only stores I saw open in the JC Penney wing were Radio Shack, Andrew Bridal and a kiosk (forgot what it sold…gold jewelry, I think)

     Strangely, the mall looked fairly busy in the “populated” areas i.e. the Sears wing and the food court. George’s Music was hopping as well.

     [Reply]

112. Evan
     February 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm

     Thank you Debbi. I am saddened that Villa finally gave up. My family used to eat there every single Friday when we first moved to Florida from NY in 1991. I am truly saddened now, though I knew it was coming. Is the new pizza place in the same space? And Auntie Annie’s, I really hope the owner has decided to move to Wellington. I think he was thinking about it as alot of people wanted him to since Wellington Green lacks a pretzel store. I guess I can tell you now since he closed, I was told he was suing the malls owner over a rent dispute. He was being screwed in rent charge. But yeah as for the new pizza place the cashier at Auntie Annie’s told me last month they are leasing spaces for like $500 a month as opposed to the traditional small space like Auntie Annie’s at $5000.

     Now I really have no reason to go back to the mall, it will just depress me even more then I already am. Is it pathetic to be depressed over a mall closing?

     I am surprised GNC and Radio Shack have not moved over to the Sears wing, wouldn’t that make more sense?

     Thanks for the update again Debbi, it is much appreciated. If you go again could you take some new pics?

     [Reply]

113. Debbi
     February 14th, 2009 at 4:48 pm

     Evan, I don’t exactly remember where Villa Pizza’s space was. The new pizza place is located in the last spot on the left, if you’re facing the outer entrance.

     Wow, $500 is way lower than $5000. The owner sounds desperate to rent out the space if he’s willing to go that low. Hell, that’s cheaper than my apartment. Wonder if he’ll let me live in the mall, LOL.

     GNC is located in a high-traffic (well, relatively) part of the mall, the front entrance, so they could stay where they are. But Radio Shack…yeah, I wonder why they don’t just seal the entire JC Penney wing off, practically nothing is there and certainly little to no foot traffic. On the other hand, since JC Penney appears to be sticking around for now, that may just encourage them to take off.

     It’s never pathetic to be bummed over something you love dying a slow and painful death. I should have taken pics; forgot since this marketing project flew at me at practically the last minute. Next time I need to remember!

     [Reply]

114. Evan
     February 14th, 2009 at 6:26 pm

     Villa Pizza was next tot the Chinese restaurant near the parking lot entrance. I would have to think they would move in the same space. And as for the rent, I am pretty sure she said $500. The owners don’t care obviously because the mall is closing soon. I would LOVE to live in the mall, that would be so cool. Heck I read story in another state that a couple was fed up with a mall so they actually moved in it.

     They will probably eventually seal off the JC Penny’s wing when it ends up being completely emptied out. And I can’t imagine what marketing projects you could have in the mall, though im glad you do and get there. I wish I could go again, I’ll make it there one more time once the official closing is announced.

     [Reply]

115. Future home owner near PB Mall
     February 17th, 2009 at 11:24 pm

     I heard a rumor that the management of City Place is very interested in buying out Palm Beach Mall. It makes sense to me.

     The PB mall is in an excellent location near the Interstate. Just that fact alone keeps a steady flow of customers. Not a huge flow but a guaranteed income anyway. The PB mall has a huge parking area all around. Much more than is needed. The parking area looks run down at the moment but a new coat of asphalt and paint will make it like new for a relatively small investment.

     I would love to see PB Mall converted into a new bigger City Place. Use some of that wasted parking space and construct a new multi-story luxury condos with direct access to the mall. Yeah!! residential and business mixed. A mini city. Then change the mall’s interior and exterior to the same “european comunity” look and feel of City Place. Mix the tenants to include a post office, pharmacy, walk in clinic, lots of small restaurants/bars/clubs. Attract live shows like puppeteers, musicians, singers, painters, artists of all kinds. If it was up to me, I would dedicate an entire section of the mall just for quality-of-life businesses and activities.

     Stay away from the usual mall department stores chains. Yuk boring.

     City Place is totally cool. That is what makes it sucessful and attractive. But people can get wet in a rainstorm or suffer from heat and need to hunt endlessly for a paking spots. I estimage that the PB Mall is at least five times larger than all of the stores in City Place combined.

     If City Place takes over PB Mall, it would be a big success. The new “Palm Beach City Center”

     Anyone else has news about this?

     [Reply]

116. AceJay
     February 19th, 2009 at 3:15 am

     http://www.simon.com/Assets/Mall/142/LEASING_PLAN/9363_PALM%20BEACH_CurrentWebLeasePlan-1_1.pdf

     THREE PERFUME EXPRESSES

     LOL

     Also while on the subject of rent, what’s the cheapest rent I’d expect to find for a 7kSqFt location in the worst wing of any mall that’s doing well?

     [Reply]

117. Evan
     February 19th, 2009 at 9:00 am

     Half those stores are gone lol, and as for the rent, I have no idea!

     [Reply]

118. Debbi
     February 21st, 2009 at 2:46 pm

     It’s outdated but not that outdated. Although I wonder why DSW is still listed, being long gone.

     I forgot to mention in my last update that Players of Palm Beach is also gone. Wasn’t that a PBM mainstay?

     Looking at the map again, I can confirm to Evan that Pizza Grill is indeed in Villa Pizza’s spot. Perhaps one just took over from the other.

     [Reply]

119. Evan
     February 21st, 2009 at 8:39 pm

     Thanks Debbi.

     Here is a link to the story of Auntie Annie’s closing, and it so pisses me off!
     http://www.wpbf.com/news/18584558/detail.html

     [Reply]

120. Debbi
     February 23rd, 2009 at 1:48 am

     Fourteen years? Wow. Good luck to Ken Shenkman. I really wish Simon would get their acts together on what’s going on with this mall.

     OT: Now I want a 1-pound caramel sucker, LOL.

     [Reply]

121. Evan
     February 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm

     I feel bad for Ken, I really want a Cinnamon Sugar pretzel, and I would have to drive to BBM to get one lol!

     [Reply]

122. Debbi
     February 26th, 2009 at 1:11 pm

     On the news today:

     Palm Beach Mall to close earlier

     It’s really just as well. When I do go to PBM, I’ve felt nervous being here past early evening. Many stores, especially in the food court, were closed by 7pm anyway.

     [Reply]

123. Debbi
     February 26th, 2009 at 3:53 pm

     Replying to Future Home Owner a few posts up:

     I would love to see PB Mall converted into a new bigger City Place. Use some of that wasted parking space and construct a new multi-story luxury condos with direct access to the mall. Yeah!! residential and business mixed. A mini city. Then change the mall’s interior and exterior to the same “european comunity” look and feel of City Place. Mix the tenants to include a post office, pharmacy, walk in clinic, lots of small restaurants/bars/clubs. Attract live shows like puppeteers, musicians, singers, painters, artists of all kinds. If it was up to me, I would dedicate an entire section of the mall just for quality-of-life businesses and activities.

     It’s a great idea on paper, but the thing is, WPB already has Cityplace. To have a carbon copy less than five miles from the original would spell a practical disaster. Besides, it would be a much better idea to cater to those who do live in the area, as well as those who work in offices nearby. Why not an outdoor area with moderately priced boutiques (of which I’m observing more opening in Cityplace..they’re smart enough to realize replicating Worth Ave. in this economy isn’t going to cut it). The live shows are a good idea, although they would be competing with not only Cityplace, but Clematis at Night. Still, IMO the more venues for local artists and musicians, the better. Do keep a small food court as well.

     But luxury condos in that area, I don’t know..then again, keeping in mind what was torn down for Cityplace (which I was told was a MAJOR crack-infested ghetto…mind you, I only know of this third-hand), that was likely considered a crazy idea on paper too.

     [Reply]

124. Future home owner near PB Mall
     February 28th, 2009 at 11:42 pm

     Debbie thanks for your ideas. Keep them coming. I would like to see the mall renovated.

     I am a type of person that refuses to think that all is lost. The economy will not keep spiraling down forever. Look at history. The great depression came, lasted for years, and America recovered stronger than ever. Back then too the stock market crashed and credit was literally suspended. Don’t loose hope. We are much better off now than the time of the great depression..

     I am convinced that the worst is here. We are living it. It is going to pass. It took years to ruin the economy. In the past few years all the non-government businesses and organizations have become very lean. A painful process indeed with tons of layoffs. Families have become ‘lean’ in their spending habits.

     I have a “mall queen” friend who opens up her purse ONLY when she sees a good bargain. I am proud!

     You are soo right to say that luxury condos or luxury shops or luxury anything is probably not a good idea. And a carbon copy of Cityplace is silly. But moderately-priced, good quality, innovative shops have a chance. I like the style and flavor of Cityplace. Don’t turn the PB mall into a Walmart either.

     [Reply]

125. Evan
     March 1st, 2009 at 9:43 am

     If the turn the mall into a Walmart, I swear ill burn it down lol. I am also hoping they renovate it, and save it, but I have about given up hope of that happening!

     [Reply]

126. Debbi
     March 1st, 2009 at 1:58 pm

     There’s a Walmart being built on the corner of Military and 45th, that would something like the third in less than a 10-mile radius–fourth if you count their supermarket on Okeechobee and Jog. I would like to say it would be ridiculous to build yet another one, but this *is* Walmart we’re talking about.

     If they bring in any kind of big box to replace it, I’m still rooting for an IKEA, lol.

     Seriously, I would like PBM to be renovated too, although I agree with Evan that’s just about hopeless to happen. I’ll say it again–it’s insane that Simon is just doing nothing with the property at all. My best guess is that they don’t want to let it go for some idiotic political real estate reason for some reason they think we don’t understand.

     Future Home Owner, I hope you’re right–we’ve reached the peak of this recession. I’ve gotten dribs and drabs of work since the beginning of the year so I’m crossing my fingers. Good on your friend–I’m also a major bargain shopper these days, my recent slip at the WG Sanrio store notwithstanding, LOL (but hey, $26 for a purse isn’t *that* bad *g*)

     Now for an OT but somewhat related question: Does anyone know the history of the Wellington Commons Mall? I was there on Friday as I had to find the post office. It was well out of the way of WG (where, yes, I had two marketing projects to do), but worth it. I was expecting a dead mall, but instead I saw a nice mix of professional offices, community services, and retail (jewelry, gift shop, bike shop, hair salon, coffee shop, plus a few others). Except for a Curves franchise and two fast food outposts, all businesses were local. Was this a hero-to-zero mall or did it always have a community center feel? Anything anyone knows would be appreciated.

     [Reply]

127. Evan
     March 1st, 2009 at 2:24 pm

     Well I’ll do my best to answer your question Debbi. I have lived in Wellington since 1991 and it has been there a couple years before that. It is now called the Original/Old Wellington Mall. It has always been the way it is now, a mix of professional and small businesses. There used to be a long time local book store in their I always bought my comic books at. There also used to be Parrots in the cages that were a hoot, they were loud and talked ALOT. It has never been your typical mall, it’s more of a business center, with some restaurants mixed in. And its that not that out of the way lol, only a 10min drive. The jewelry store has been there a long time also, as has the bike shop. It’s just a nice little center, hope that answers your questions.

     And back to the PBM, even if they renovate it, it will never be the same again now that Villa Pizza and Auntie Anne’s left. I don’t think Simon even knows what they want to do with it. Which is the most frustrating part, because they could have saved it, before it got to bad!

     [Reply]

128. Debbi
     March 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm

     Thanks, Evan. My hunch was that it always was a community-oriented place. I called it the Wellington Commons Mall, as that is what I saw it being referred to as on Google. Hopefully, next time I have the occasion to be there, the little coffee shop will be open. WCM looks to be a truly charming place and I wish everyone associated with it well.

     [Reply]

129. Future home owner near PB Mall
     March 1st, 2009 at 10:54 pm

     The more I think about it, the more I think it might be true. Is just like a movie plot. Could it be that Simon really wants the mall tenants out? Is there already a purchase deal behind doors?

     [Reply]

130. Evan
     March 2nd, 2009 at 12:09 pm

     Future Home Owner, the way I have heard Simon treating their tenants at the mall, I would not be surprised if your right. The way they have neglected the mall, I wish more of them would sue Simon.

     [Reply]

131. Future home owner near PB Mall
     March 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 pm

     What is that huge bldg getting constructed across from PBM? Is that a new Target?

     [Reply]

132. Evan
     March 2nd, 2009 at 6:48 pm

     Yes, they are re-building the old small Target as a new 2story super sized Target.

     Hey Debbi, I don’t know how long you have lived here, but do you know what used to be where Best Buy is now? When I moved it, there were just two buildings crumbling. I think it was a movie theater and shops, just curious!

     [Reply]

133. Debbi
     March 3rd, 2009 at 12:04 am

     I’ve only been here for about 10 months, although I’ve visited the area on and off for about two years before that. I only know the building as a Best Buy; sorry. :\ I do have friends who have been here much longer than me; I’ll try to slip it in conversation to see what I can get out of them.

     [Reply]

134. Evan
     March 3rd, 2009 at 2:52 pm

     That sucks Debbi, so you never got to see the mall when it was actually in good shape then. I wish someone would invent a time machine so I could go back to when it first opened lol! And thanks, I was just curious.

     [Reply]

135. SEAN
     March 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm

     Debbi,

     Did you live in the Freehold NJ area before living in PB?

     Just wondering

     [Reply]

136. Debbi
     March 3rd, 2009 at 6:20 pm

     Sean: Yes, I’m the same Debbi that left comments on the Freehold Raceway Mall and Monmouth Mall threads. I miss both those places, nothing even comes close to MM’s funky architecture.

     Evan: I did get to see the mall in semi-living condition, back in October 2003. Even then, I was told the place was dying, but I didn’t see any more vacancies then that I saw in FRM (which I’m guessing is about 15%.)

     [Reply]

137. SEAN
     March 3rd, 2009 at 7:19 pm

     I thaught so. I had know idea where you went. Do you still think DD’s coffee is overrated? LOL

     More importently what have you sene at some of the other malls around PB such as City Place, Wellington Green & The gardens. I read that Wellington Green has been somewhat of a disapointment while City Place has been flying high Breathing life back into an area that was basicly a depressing neighborhood.

     The PBS show This Old House did a feature on CP a few years ago. A former mayor of WPB gave a walking tour of the center, I thaught how unique that project was compared to the blandness of PBM.

     [Reply]

138. Debbi
     March 4th, 2009 at 1:07 am

     Aw, I didn’t know anyone over there missed me. I’m flattered. That thread got too overwhelming for me, LOL.

     I like WG. Of the malls around here, this is the one closest to the malls in NJ IMHO. It can be a tad confusing to walk around–I’ve felt like Alice in the rabbit hole there more than once–but like FRM, it slightly kicks it up a notch from the average mall. There’s some upscale chains there (Godiva, Swarovski, Dale & Thomas Popcorn to name a few), but also many of the mall staples we all know and love (or not).

     I enjoy PBGM (aka The Gardens Mall), but while I adore looking in Chanel and Tiffany’s, let’s be real here. Even if I were doing fairly well, I wouldn’t spend too much money in this mall. There is a “classier” feel, but it’s a still a mall, there’s still going to be groups of teenagers roaming around.

     Boynton Beach Mall is closer to MM in terms of crowd and store selection–without that funky architecture of course, LOL. Overall, there are less “urban” stores than MM has, but they are there, mostly by the main mall entrance and the Sears wing.

     I didn’t know This Old House did a show about CP. I’ve got to look for it on YouTube. If you come down here, it’s absolutely gorgeous, especially on the second level.

     And yes, I still think DD coffee is overrated.

     [Reply]

139. SEAN
     March 4th, 2009 at 10:19 am

     Debbi,

     I guess I’m impart to blame for the FRM threds condition. LOL

     Sometimes when you are trying to learn the lay of the mall around here you end up going places you didn’t intend to.

     Do you have any news on the FLL Galleria & Aventura Mall? I have family that live in Plantation, but I haven’t been in that area in about 20 years. Aventura I know has gone upscale like Roosevelt Field, & is almost as large.

     TTYL

     [Reply]

140. Evan
     March 4th, 2009 at 11:49 am

     I have not been to Aventura Mall in at least 10yrs, but it is a semi upscale mall from what I remember. It was big last time I was there, and I think it has since expanded. I used to go there with extended family, and eat at a great Italian restaurant. Memories lol. I’d love to go back there, but being an hour drive, doubt im going back anytime soon!

     [Reply]

141. Debbi
     March 14th, 2009 at 1:25 pm

     Going a bit OT: I may have to rethink what I said upthread about BBM. I was there yesterday, and *four* food court stands were vacant (though I believe at least one has been that way for quite a while). Maybe it’s just me, but I find that to be a bit strange. The rest of the mall, one closed pretzel place aside, looked to be doing well. (Also, I was wrong about Wet Seal, it’s still there and doing fine)

     Oh yes, Ruby Tuesday’s there has also closed. There’s a sign in front encouraging customers to patronize Toojay’s.

     [Reply]

142. Evan
     March 14th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

     Last time I was there, four empty food court spaces sounds normal. Surprising to hear Ruby closed also. I have no reason to go that mall, I used to go there when my Grandma lived in Boynton, but she passed a a year ago so I have not been there since. I might have to go to get a pretzel, please tell me the closed Pretzel place is not Auntie Anne’s!

     [Reply]

143. Debbi
     March 14th, 2009 at 9:32 pm

     It’s not–the closed place in question is Mr. Pretzel.

     [Reply]

144. SEAN
     March 15th, 2009 at 1:55 pm

     Debbi,

     What’s going on at Aventura.

     [Reply]

145. Debbi
     March 17th, 2009 at 12:21 pm

     Sean: No idea, I’ve never been there. There’s a chance I may be moving closer to Miami, if that happens, I’ll check it out.

     [Reply]

146. SEAN
     March 17th, 2009 at 2:57 pm

     Thanks Debbi.

     I have a question, do you know of a Kathleen Gunn? She is the asistent city manager of FLL. I use to work for her before she moved down there. She is one of the nicest & most careing persons you will ever meet.

     [Reply]

147. Debbi
     March 18th, 2009 at 12:59 am

     Nope, never heard of her, sorry. She does sound cool though.

     [Reply]

148. Steven
     March 20th, 2009 at 10:58 am

     >

     That site was formerly occupied by Village Green Movies, a six-srceen multiplex.

     I lived in WPB in the 70s and 80s and saw many movies there, AND at the movie theater that was once attached to Palm Beach Mall, too. I think that one had four screens. So, you had two multiplexes across from each other, and now … NONE. It’s so weird.

     [Reply]

149. Debbi
     March 22nd, 2009 at 12:07 pm

     News…sort of…

     Yesterday while out and about, I happened to chance upon someone who had a friend who runs one of the PBM stores (I wasn’t told which one.). He says that the friend was given notice of eviction because the mall was going to close in 2-3 months and be demolished.

     My response was basically I’ll believe it when I see it. The boy who cried wolf and all that.

     [Reply]

150. Evan
     March 22nd, 2009 at 2:52 pm

     Awww man, if this is true, im truly saddened now. It will be a sad day once the mall is actually demolished, a day I thought would never come!

     [Reply]

151. Janine
     March 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 pm

     just some questions and comments this time.

     1. has the macy’s shut down yet? i remember back when they started to put everything on clearance, mid-march was the target closing date.

     2. reducing mall hours is usually a sign that the mall is in trouble, and in dead mall like the pbm, it’s usually followed by an announcement that the mall is shutting down. see the nanuet mall article here for more details. but i need to see an announcement before i believe the pbm is shutting down, since the shut down talks have been going on for 3 years with little progress and a deader mall.

     3. talking about mall closings, the most likely time of the year for the mall to close would be may-sep due to the overall reduced population in south florida during that part of the year. if it’s still standing by labor day, expect it to stick around for another year.

     [Reply]

152. Alan
     March 27th, 2009 at 1:49 am

     RE Janine:

     1- Yes, Macy’s is now closed.
     Ive been told the mall would close in 2-3 months, though a few stores still exist like JCPenny as well as other random stores.

     [Reply]

153. Alan
     March 27th, 2009 at 2:19 am

     More photos here. Enjoy!

     http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff344/labelscar/Palm%20Beach%20Mall/

     [Reply]

154. Alan
     March 27th, 2009 at 3:12 am

     Downtown at the Gardens: I would agree to it being a DOA. The only places that seem to have consistent business are the Yard House, Whole Foods store, and the Cobb cinema, all which would do well w/o the assistance of a mall. Everything else in between seems dried up and dilapidated. To add to that, it really feels uncomfortable walking in the middle section of DatG due to you often being the only person there for a good 20-30 yards.

     Boynton Beach Mall: I’ve been there quite a few times recently and it seems to be doing just as well as it has always done. Part of this has to due to the increase of Boynton Beach’s population Id presume. The shooting does not seem to have affected the mall either. Though it does seem outdated compared to all the new shopping centers that have popped up around it in the last few years.

     Gardens Mall: This mall seemed really, really empty the last few times that I was there. I often found myself alone with nobody in sight only to come around to another deserted corner. it’s a shame because this mall was packed with people in the 90s up until 2004 or so. it’s a real quality mall too and a rather new one.

     Wellington Green Mall: This mall attracts an overwhelming teen crowd and caters to them as well, too well. It seems more like a teen hangout rather then a place you would go shopping. The first floor seems to be doing well but the second floor is often quiet and a step down from the first floor.

     Boca Town Center Mall: Probably the most crowded of malls in the Palm Beach County area. Mondays here seem like Saturdays at all the other malls mentioned above. You often have a hard time even finding a parking space! Though it’s the type of mall where $100 gets you nothing, which seems to cater well to the affluent neighborhood it resides in.

     [Reply]

155. Alan
     March 27th, 2009 at 3:47 am

     Here are some pictures of the now demolished Target across the street from the Palm Beach Mall. It was the third Target store that has been razed in the last year, as well as the Boynton Beach and Wellington locations which were torn down due to new Super Targets that were built in the area, both of which seem to be struggling today. Though its great that Target has kept the same interior for over 2 decades now, with the neon signs on the walls and the red carpeting with scribbled characters in it. I don’t care much for the medditeranian exteriors that EVERY store is using these days around here, with over the top towers on the sides, which seem to decay in a few years anyway and look hideous. I wish they would build some stores with a more 60s and 70s, not just the same crap everywhere. And why are the new parking lots filled with so many plants and trees that it feels like you are driving through a jungle? I prefer the contemporary feel with open spaces and minimal obstractions. Anyway, enjoy!

     http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff344/labelscar/Target/

     [Reply]

156. Alan
     March 27th, 2009 at 4:06 am

     Does anyone have any pics of PBM before the 1999 renovation? I remember the mall having a brown tile floor and ‘islands’ with plants and benches centered throughout the mall. I recall it being very dangerous in the mid to late 90s and the renovation seemed to give it new life, though only for a few years. When Lord & Taylor was closing there was clutter scattered everyone in the store and everything was so dirty and run down that they just ending up tearing the store down. At least Macy’s made a very professional exit and closed as an well organized and positive store.

     [Reply]

157. Debbi
     March 27th, 2009 at 10:47 pm

     Hey Alan:

     Thank you for your awesome pics.

     I have to disagree with you on The Gardens. Every time I’ve been there, the crowd level has been moderate-to-high. Most stores I go into always have a few customers at least browsing.

     On DatG, I haven’t had a reason to go there in a while, but yes, creepy. What really gets me is that Dale & Thomas popcorn store, which the last time I was there, had an eviction notice pasted on the door…yet had merchandise ready to go. Come to think of it, I’m hoping for another marketing project there really soon, just so I have another excuse to check it out.

     And on PBM closing, I still say I’ll believe it when I see it.

     [Reply]

158. Evan
     March 28th, 2009 at 9:02 am

     The Wellington Target was not torn down, it was renovated into a church!

     [Reply]

159. Evan
     March 28th, 2009 at 11:56 am

     Oh and thanks for the excellent pictures Alan!

     [Reply]

160. Alan
     March 29th, 2009 at 2:00 am

     Thanks for the kind coments!

     Your right Evan, the Wellington Target was indeed turned into a church. I know the one on Military trail near Forest Hill blvd is now the Sunshine International Flea Market. Its the same exact building as the one that was demolished across the PBM. And its kind of strange that it sits directly behind the old K-Mart, which is now a Sears Essentials. So wierd that both places closed. I know K-Mart did in 2004-2005 but I cant remember when Target did. Perhaps you know?

     Debbi: Im actually glad that the Gardens mall is doing good. It really shocked me to see nobody there the last few times. Its a shame since its a really nice mall.

     DatG was meant to compete against Gardens mall but failed really. I guess its indeed the claustraphobic feel of the center walk way that is driving people away. I really dont believe the place will last long if they dont plan on a makeover soon.

     And would anyone happen to know what stores used to be in the strip mall on the corner of 10th ave and Congress in Lake Worth? I remember that place from 20 years ago and remember it being closed and really run down for about 10 years. Now I drove by and the place has been completly remodeled and I could not tell it apart at first. Though there are still many empty retail spaces there.

     [Reply]

161. Alan
     March 29th, 2009 at 2:09 am

     Debbi: Is Dale & Thomas still open at DatG? When I was last over there that place seemed to have more customers then any other, allthough most were just browsing and sampling the goods. I dont understand who would want popcorn while shopping? But I guess its mostly intended for the people who go to the cinema over there.

     [Reply]

162. Alan
     March 29th, 2009 at 2:14 am

     I really dont buy into them tearing the entire PBM down. Especially after the multi-million remodel in 2000. I bet Sears and Jcpenny, along with the renovated main sections of the mall will stay, and they will build and half outdoor/half indoor shopping center in the middle. The whole thing is just a rause to get rid of the junky stores in the mall!

     [Reply]

163. Debbi
     March 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

     Hey Alan, let me try to answer your questions in one post.

     To the best of my knowledge–I haven’t been back there since the beginning of the year–Dale & Thomas at DatG is closed. There were eviction notices in the window, yet the store was fully stocked, looking like they could reopen in a snap. Very strange.

     It’s too bad about DatG. I actually did like the place. Then again, I’m one of the few people who like the architecture of Monmouth Mall, LOL. I doubt a makeover would do much, not with Legacy Place, with its big boxes and more moderately-priced chains, doing much better–and I find their layout to be just as, if not more, confusing.

     Don’t know anything about the 10th Ave/Congress strip mall, sorry.

     Back on topic: That was a multi-million remodel? I’ve seen what Simon can really do for a mall if they want–Brunswick Square Mall in East Brunswick, NJ comes to mind. That mall, while never dead, was not a pleasant place to shop either. It was dark and, quite frankly, smelled funny. Three years later, when I had occasion to go back, I was surprised to see the mall looked absolutely gorgeous. Point being: Simon could have chosen to revive PBM to compete with Cityplace. They didn’t. If they’re trying to get rid of the trashy stoers, it’s backfiring–they’re staying while all the decent ones (Victoria’s Secret, B&BW, and Journey’s being the most recent) are taking off.

     [Reply]

164. Alan
     March 29th, 2009 at 7:11 pm

     Hi Debbi,

     Yes the remodel of the Palm Beach Mall in 2000 was certainly a multi-million one. A few of the things they did were tear down the Lord & Taylor building, build a new grand entrance, reconstruct the main fountain, remodel the ceiling and tile floor quite lavishly (the old one was a typical dark brown tile and had that dingy look to it), and I believe that they also switched out all the lights in the outdoor parking areas (for reference, look at the 1991 picture in the article).
     Simon also fixed up the Town Center mall in Boca during the same time. I remember there being a few dead corners and corridors in that mall but the mall as a whole was lively. If they want they could certainly save the PBM from being torn down. A City-Place clone is too much of a gamble in that neighborhood and with this economy.

     [Reply]

165. Evan
     March 29th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

     If they wanted to save it, they would have done it before Dillards left I would think, and before most of the good stores left. I hate Simon for giving up on the mall, they just forgot about it and wrote it off. And I wish someone had pictures of it pre-remodel 2000. I do remember it was darker and dingy. The food court also had a raised wooden seating area. To spend that much money to remodel it and then basically give up on it 4yrs later, it makes no sense!

     [Reply]

166. Alan
     March 31st, 2009 at 9:02 pm

     I agree Evan about Simon themselves failing the mall. And I do wish to see more vintage pictures too. I did not think they would be so hard to find though. I remember the old Kay-Bee toys store as well

     [Reply]

167. Janine
     March 31st, 2009 at 10:02 pm

     one more question: where was the woolworth’s store before it closed in 1997?

     i think this mall is very close to getting it’s own deadmalls.com entry, as the west wing of the mall is already dead, and the rest of the mall isn’t too far behind.

     [Reply]

168. Bobby
     March 31st, 2009 at 11:22 pm

     Woolworth was the DSW/Borders/Mars Music space if I’m not mistaken.

     [Reply]

169. Evan
     April 1st, 2009 at 9:30 am

     That is correct Bobby, Woolworth’s store and their restaurant was where Borders and most of DSW took over.There was a Spencers gifts on the end also.The restaurant closed a few years before the store did, though im not sure how long. And if anyone cares, there also used to be public restrooms in the west wing entrance wing before the 2000 remodel and DSW took over!

     And Janine, I already have emailed deadmalls.com like 3x’s about this mall lol, and have yet to get a response!

     [Reply]

170. Evan
     April 1st, 2009 at 10:15 am

     http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_AcUdTl7Aq-s/SOtzH4_sfLI/AAAAAAAAH0s/meBasLTaNRM/s1600-h/01_Palm+Beach+Mall+plan_1967.jpg

     [Reply]

171. Alan
     April 8th, 2009 at 1:54 am

     I cant believe there used to be a food fair in the mall! While on the subject of grocery stores, does anyone have pics of old Publix or Winn-Dixie stores in or around Palm Beach county from the 70s/80s? Im mostly looking for interior shots as I know the basic exterier store prototypes from around the time.

     And about the PBM, was it Dillards who destroyed the Jordan Marsh interior and the water fountain? They obviously did with the exterior lol.

     [Reply]

172. Alan
     April 8th, 2009 at 1:59 am

     Im sorry, let me revise my question: Did Dillard’s tear down Jordan Marsh and build their own store on the spot thus razing the old fountain as well? I remember both stores but dont recall the Jordan Marsh being torn down. This must have been sometime between 91-93′.

     [Reply]

173. Alan
     April 8th, 2009 at 2:06 am

     Never mind, I found a Google Earth aerial image from 1995. Let me answer my own question. The Jordan Marsh store was in fact razed between 1995-1998. Lord & Taylor was razed in 2000 during the remodel in which Dillards built their own building, about twice the size of the former Jorden Marsh. Well that did not last long did it?

     [Reply]

174. Evan
     April 8th, 2009 at 10:30 am

     Dillards razed the building and built the bigger one. The Mall itself re-did the center court during the 2000 remodel and when Jordan Marsh’s building was demolished the mall added extra stores to the center court area as seen today.

     [Reply]

175. Alan
     April 10th, 2009 at 2:25 am

     Thank you Evan. If I recall correctly, Jordan Marsh then was sort of like a Bloomingdales or Neiman Marcus store today, a more pricey and glamourous store. Though its hard to believe now but allmost every mall, shopping center and retailer store in south Florida in 1990’s had their original 1960s-1980s look intact. It was only untill 1998 or so when everyone started renovating and the “lifestyle centers” started popping up. Now you go out and its rare to see a store with its vintage look, really a shame. I wish they could have done the same with the PBM like they did with the mall in Texas on the front page, just clean it up and keep the original look and add something new as well on the outskirts. But no, it HAS to be razed…

     [Reply]

176. Jonah Norason
     April 10th, 2009 at 9:24 am

     How about turning it into big-box anchors…with a grocery store, a hardware store, and a Wal-Mart…but keeping the interior?

     [Reply]

177. Evan
     April 10th, 2009 at 10:39 am

     If they put a Walmart on that site, I will honestly throw up!

     [Reply]

178. Graham
     April 10th, 2009 at 10:55 am

     Jordan Marsh was raised in 1998. Lord & Taylor continues to be an empty field.

     The old fountain was there until 2000 albeit turned off for a bit before 2000. The old fountain going I believe had nothing to do with Dillards, I believe that was a Simon Malls decision just like the idea of getting rid of the giant Monarch butterfly fountain in the Boynton Mall.

     I think it had to do mostly with power and energy consumption as well as maintenance.

     I am only 21 but from what i remember that fountain that was in the Palm Beach mall was quite scrungy looking in 2000 and a bit outdated. I think they could have done something with it rather than put a boring one in, but oh well! As for the Jordan Marsh, my mother was one of the last mangers in 1991.

     [Reply]

179. SEAN
     April 10th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

     At the rate Poison-mart is going you will average 100 stores per state! That doesn’t account for there own stores that are no longer viable & now sit empty.

     I think before a new store is allowed to be constructed a chain must be able to have a new tennent of some kind occupy the location that is closing. That way the number of dead boxes drops to a manageable level. As of now that number is getting out of hand for local governments across the country.

     [Reply]

180. M.C.
     April 10th, 2009 at 7:00 pm

     @ Sean: So true, I often wonder why cities allow stores to construct new buildings when there is a glut of empty boxes and pad sites. Some of the cities in my area are doing something about it, but not enough. I drive by so much empty retail space every day on the way to work, and it really makes me scratch my head. Cities just don’t seem to care until it’s out of hand.

     [Reply]

181. Jonah Norason
     April 10th, 2009 at 8:12 pm

     I know one Wal-Mart in Hearne, Texas (especially ironic since they pulled out after every business in town was crushed) that was converted into a high school…

     [Reply]

182. Chip
     April 10th, 2009 at 10:04 pm

     Problem is after a Big Box leaves an empty shell, they will continue to pay the lease so no one else can use that space. It is a way to make sure a competiter doesn’t move into the vacant space. It leaves a trail of greyfields and empty stores along the nation’s retail strips.

     [Reply]

183. SEAN
     April 11th, 2009 at 11:26 am

     @Chip,

     That is true with a CPK location at Menlo Park Mall in Eddison NJ. They have been paying rent for over 15 years now.

     Now this brings up an interesting question, with the rate of big box stores closing & companies shutting down, at what point will these chains finally do something about this growing problom.

     It has been a rare problem where I live but here is an article that illistrates the problem at hand.

     Fortunoff Becoming Just A Memory. Who’s Next? How Many Will We Let Leave? Posted on Friday, March 06 @ 09:00:00 EST by John F Bailey

     WPCNR PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER. March 6, 2009: The professional liquidators taking care of the business of wiping Fortunoff in White Plains and the “Forties” at points West and East off the face of the earth, stepped up the advertising from last week’s lone Advertising Operative (man with sign in front of store) to this mobile billboard circulating about the streets of White Plains yesterday.

     A sad sight. Soon Fortunoff’s will be just a pleasant retail memory only old-time shopoholics remember. Photo by the WPCNR Roving Photographer

     Who remembers now Wallachs, Floorscheim Shoes, Knapps Shoes, Borders, B. Altman & Company, Robert Hall, Saks Fifth Avenue, JC Penney, Woolworths 5 and 10, and in more recent memories: Korvettes (pronounced Core Vetties), Caldor’s, Crazy Eddie (His Prices Are Insane), A & S, Pipe & Bowl? When every store you strolled by was interesting to go into? Well, most every store.

     Like old baseball fans,when serious shoppers like my mother get together, these are the experiences they swap, remember, and trade, talking about the great bargains they had, the certain feel of their favorite store, the great buys they got, the in-store cafes and snack bars. Where is that stimulus by way Washington? Have we stimulated the banks, the brokers, the investment banks, the insurance companies, the mortgage companies and taken care of our rich buddies enough already? Buddy can you just lower the principal of my loan just a tad? All I want is a few grand — not 40 Billion.

     Will we wait until the last store has left the malls?

     Who has White Plains lost this year? Fortunoff, Borders, The Corner Nook (which could still have been in business by the way if not for the Common Council), Circuit City, Filene’s Basement, Todai, the Japanese seafood place, not too mention the stores closed from construction projects not started, 10 shops along Mamaroneck Avenue and some shops in the Galleria, which continues to draw traffic, a bright spot. However, The Westchester is not drawing very well at all, except for The Apple Store which draws customers lots of them every hour of the day. The Westchester Pavilion has good draws at MacDonald’s and Sports Authority, but without Borders, they hurt.

     Malls have to think about knocking out their outrageous parking fees down to zero. The City has to declare a Sales Tax Free day or a cut in the sales tax for one day a week, as my colleague Jim Benerofe suggests. We still have the best shopping in Westchester, the safest city, a fine restaurant line up if a tad expensive, but the Iron Tomato, City Limits, Dorry’s Diner, Brooklyn’s Famous Pizza and Subs, the pizza stops, fill in the gaps for us deadbeat reporters, but the Malls need help.

     Shop White Plains Card Coming

     The BID (Business Improvement District) is about to launch a “Shop White Plains” Card for its BID Members, but it has to do a lot more than just offer discounts, and it needs to be out there soon. Or at least free-parking or a get-out-of-a-parking ticket free pass with purchase. Parades are not the only answer.

     Get some of those Street Ambassadors to explain the new parking machines that the White Plains Department of Parking Commissar of Coin has installed. Mr. Moroni is the most efficient of the city Commissioners, perhaps a little too efficient, since the reputation of the Parking Enforcement Officers has spread worldwide.

     No offense, Mr. Commissar, you are just doing your revenue raising mission, and that is a good thing within reason.) However, everytime I go out to park in White Plains, I end up having a person come up to me asking me “how do I use this machine?” like they used to ask how to play a jukebox in the 50s. I am not making this up. The machines are not “well-signed.” That has to be fixed.

     Young and old alike stop me for explanations of the machines. It happens to me too often to not mean that understanding the “Moroniolas” is not a problem. Despite the fast-moving “Black and White Scat Cars” of the Parking Enforcement Elite Strike Force

     (I am just having fun with a purpose, Parking Enforcement Officers. White Plainsians, who pay parking fines, appreciate your professionalism and quick-strike capability and respect it, and you have made us agonizingly sensitive to each tick of the clock, measuring out our lives in 15 minute, 25 cent segments, which perhaps kills off that last minuter impulse purcahse. It is fortunate White Plains Parking Violations does not have the death penalty, because we’d be targeted nationally.)

     But it is significant that parking fine collections were down $800,000 the first 7 months of the year. People are either getting the message all too well that parking is a nightmare in White Plains, or it’s the economy. Could it be a little of both?

     Where is the Under Assistant West Coast Sharp Promotion Man or Woman?

     We need serious promotion of this city, here. Coordinate sales in stores better with the gazillion parades. On the Juneteenth Parade every minority from miles around should be in this city this year. Make it an Obama Day!

     Or, not too late to do this: How about $5, $1, whatever off every purchase if wearing green on St. Pat’s Day? Come on BID, bail your merchants out, make a start. The Shop White Plains Card is a good idea…but let’s make it really valuable.

     Have a talent show downtown.

     Keep the Wheels in WP

     You also have to do something to make people buy cars in White Plains — not in Mamaroneck, Yonkers, or on Central Ave. Offer some sort of big sales tax reduction: Buy a car in White Plains, we pay a quarter of your sales tax, or something like that. Once the car dealers start pulling out of WP you are really hurting and they won’t be back. You have to help them survive

     Help Media Help

     Where are the radio station remote broadcasts of the past that used to draw traffic? Of course, you don’t have radio stations today that are part of the community or consider themselves a part of it -they are promotionally brain dead. I cannot remember when I last tuned in WFAS, WVOX or WHUD. No news, just sports, and the school closings. Bring back Bob E. Lloyd! Murray Bennett. There is no good reason to listen to FAS anymore. But, if they started serving the community, maybe we would. Radio station remotes would bring that back.

     I cannot remember when I saw the WFAS truck in White Plains. And how about News 12 giving a White Plains News Cast or segment in their regular programming? I know one guy who could do it — Peter Katz, but no matter who does it News 12 should do it. If worse comes to worse the BID could buy a simple promotion segment on News 12 and promo the city progress and News 12 could run it. A News 12-a-thon in White Plains during one of the parades. or even on a non-parade weekend — say July 4 — what a good thing.

     Department of Promotion, Please

     You have to make White Plains attractive to shoppers again. Is anyone thinking out there in the downtown? Has anyone noticed how empty our premier malls are?

     Though we are the place to drink and date in Westchester County, and the safest place to eat and drink, thanks to the White Plains Department of Public Safety (moving vio tickets with a smile, DUIs tenderly, understandingly handled, disorderly conducts smoothly conducted away), and despite issuing liquor licenses at the fastest pace in the free world, White Plains needs to tell our shopping story better as a community before all the stores leave.

     Remember once a big box store leaves, and you have to give them incentive to come in again and that usually costs us a lot more than it does to keep them here but running professional promotions — more of them — not that I am saying the city has not tried to promote itself well in the past — but the time to promote more is when things are going bad. Not pull back.

     I am sorry if I offended anyone, this was just supposed to be a dab of melancholy, but I hate what that picture says at the top of this column and we have to bring our goods to the people, provide good value and incentive to buy. Even if people are watching their dollars, what dollars they spend should be here. Especially if they live here.

     [Reply]

184. Future home owner near PB Mall
     April 15th, 2009 at 1:14 am

     Hi guys,

     I did buy the house near PBM and I still haven’t gone to PBM. The parking lot screams ‘run-down-place’ so I don’t even venture inside. I still hope for something different than the status quo.

     PBM has potential. It has an excellent location. Right off the interstate. Has aaaaample parking space. It is large enough to be called a mall. However, PBM is not clearly visible from Palm Beach Lake blvd. It is visible from the Interstate but it is not well advertised on interstate billboards to give drivers a friendly reminder that PBM is x number of miles coming up.

     Brandsmart, Best Buy, and even a carpet store have signs that ARE clearly visible from the interstate and scream ‘welcome’.

     I say that putting a condo building annexed to the mall is the way to go to attract yuppies and have cool people on the hallways. Then change PBM to something that is a great place to hang out. The purchasing will happen indirectly.

     [Reply]

185. Evan
     April 20th, 2009 at 7:02 pm

     WPTV did a story on the mall about an hour ago, and I missed it, but my Dad said the mall owner owes $55million in past payments or something and he is desperate to sell it, or might just close it. I am trying to find the story!

     [Reply]

186. Evan
     April 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pm

     http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/04/20/0420mall.html

     [Reply]

187. Jonah Norason
     April 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm

     So it was Simon! Those jerks! They evicted all the tenants for their own greedy purposes!

     [Reply]

188. Future home owner near PB Mall
     April 22nd, 2009 at 1:51 am

     I’m smelling that it is all planned… Simon is not going to renovate the mall. But something else is happening. Looks like Simon wants the mall to fail. Is there a bigger reward in the end? Perhaps a secret buyer has already signed an agreement behind closed doors to buy the entire thing and they need the existing tenants to close their stores.

     Let me put it in another way. Let’s say you own an apartment building by the beach. Great location. Not so good a place. Then someone offers big $$$ to buy the entire thing. ONE condition — the buyer wants to radically modify the place and turn it into something else.

     How do you get the existing tenants out? Don’t clean the yard? Don’t make repairs? Circulate rumors that the building is getting foreclosed? Make their lives miserable? Ask them to leave? Don’t renovate the contract when it ends? Even if you have empty rooms, don’t look for new tenants? Sounds like PBM?

     [Reply]

189. Evan
     April 22nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm

     Yeah it sure does, doesn’t it? It sure pisses me off, and it is true, I hope the former tenants file a class action lawsuit against Simon.

     [Reply]

190. Debbi
     April 23rd, 2009 at 2:28 am

     FHO, that sounds exactly like what’s going on in Long Branch. They just refer to the area as “blighted” (even though it’s not) to throw out the not-rich tenants.

     I don’t understand if Simon wants everybody out (and “everybody” at this point is mostly trashy clothing stores, trashy shoe stores, Subway, GNC, and Radio Shack), why not just pull the damn plug and put them out of their misery already. Then again, perhaps this is why I’m not in the commerical real estate business.

     [Reply]

191. Future home owner near PB Mall
     April 25th, 2009 at 6:20 pm

     Selling PBM or Long Branch does not make sense to me. The property values are at an all time low. Maybe Simon is just mean. Trashy is as trashy does… FG

     [Reply]

192. SEAN
     April 26th, 2009 at 10:26 am

     Maybe Simon wants to sell but cant do to lower property values. Perhaps they’re just waiting it out &preparing to do something similar to what they wanted to do to Nanuet Mall on this site.

     Yes! I agree that the way Simon is handling this semes less than perfessional, but there maybe things going on behind the senes that we have no clue about. Sometimes I wonder if these situations are a corporate problem or just on a property level with bad mall management.

     [Reply]

193. Janine
     April 30th, 2009 at 12:11 am

     “I say that putting a condo building annexed to the mall is the way to go to attract yuppies and have cool people on the hallways. Then change PBM to something that is a great place to hang out. The purchasing will happen indirectly.”

     doubt it, for two reasons. first, a place like that already exists in cityplace, which is 5 minutes away, plus factor in all the other places that exist like that not too far away. over-saturation will bite it fast unless it offers something new on the table (outlets, stage shows, etc.), another plain old upscale shopping center won’t cut it around here. second, and more importantly, the area is plagued with crime and has been for years, i doubt people with money to spend will go there unless the crime gets cleaned up.

     “Yes! I agree that the way Simon is handling this semes less than perfessional, but there maybe things going on behind the senes that we have no clue about. Sometimes I wonder if these situations are a corporate problem or just on a property level with bad mall management.”

     i think it’s a corporate level problem. other malls from different areas of the country have accused simon of doing the same thing to their malls. just browse this site and you’ll read some of the stories.

     [Reply]

194. Janine
     April 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

     update: gamestop has left the mall. same probably goes for mr. coffee and a few others near sears that was open 2 months earlier. i personally think the mall won’t last through the summer, especially if a store like gamestop is out.

     [Reply]

195. Evan
     April 30th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

     Wow, what is actually left now lol!

     [Reply]

196. Debbi
     May 1st, 2009 at 11:13 pm

     Gamestop is gone? Well, we’re down to what usually are the last chains standing (Radio Shack, GNC, Claire’s). The Sears wing is also the most populated. Anyone want to start a pool? I’m calling it for the end of August.

     [Reply]

197. Alan
     May 2nd, 2009 at 1:49 am

     I have not been to the mall since Macy’s closed. Its quite incredible to hear that Gamestop closed, they actually had quite a few customers in there every time I stopped by and their location was good too considering Sears is still there.

     Debbi: I don’t think much anything will happen to the mall for quite some time. Finding out (not surprisingly) what Simon has done recently by ridding of all the tenants and not paying off loans seems to me that they will either be selling or abandoning the mall, hopefully leaving hope that it will be fixed one day. I believe both Sears and JCPenney own their stores so they wont be going anywhere, so why not leave one wing of the mall open for business?

     Graham: thanks for the info! I agree that they shoul of kept both fountains, or at least the same concept. Has Simon done anything good with the PBM?

     [Reply]

198. Janine
     May 2nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm

     gamestop had a sign directing customers to a nearby store. i think radio shack will be sticking around until the mall is actually closed. but when gamestop is gone, it’s a sign that the mall won’t be open this time next year.

     claire’s, underground station and the dentist were still open of what little i saw. the two stores right next to sears looked like they were still operating, but they were closed around noon, and the same goes for the store that is where the candy shop used to be. i counted 53 stores (and 13 kiosks) open back in january, i wonder if that number is still over 40. i’ll try to take another trip to the mall this month to do another count and note of what major stores are left.

     my prediction for closure: mid-july.

     [Reply]

199. Evan
     May 3rd, 2009 at 3:06 pm

     I’ll predict December, even if the mall is completely empty, I mean it was “supposed” to close 2yrs ago anyways. BTW, what store opened where the candy store was. And who in their right mind would open a new store in a nearly dead mall?

     [Reply]

200. Jonah Norason
     May 3rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

     Someone looking for cheap rent?

     [Reply]

201. Evan
     May 3rd, 2009 at 5:28 pm

     Even if the rent is $100 a month, if you have no customers, and lets face it, 90% of the people left going to the mall, are just “mall walkers”, then how is it business smart to even open there? I mean I wish more people would though, bring in more traffic.

     [Reply]

202. Janine
     May 3rd, 2009 at 5:34 pm

     i think it was a dollar store, but i was only there for all of 2 minutes, so i’m not completely sure. but that was closed too.

     i also doubt they would close the mall during the winter in this region, traffic usually is up during that part of the year due to snowbirds. i see them more likely to close during the summer when traffic is down. if it’s still open come october, i say 90% chance of it staying open until at least next spring.

     if the mall were to suffer structural damage in a hurricane (i hope it doesn’t come to that), don’t expect it to reopen (minus jcpenny and sears). simon would say that it’s too much of a hassle to repair the mall in it’s present ‘dead mall’ status and call it a day.

     [Reply]

203. Evan
     May 3rd, 2009 at 6:54 pm

     A dollar store. Did the dollar store in the front next to the candy store space close or something?

     [Reply]

204. Debbi
     May 4th, 2009 at 2:35 am

     The dollar store is gone? Aw nuts, that place wasn’t too bad as dollar stores go.

     I’m trying to rack my brain of what went into the candy store space but for some reason coming up blank. Maybe another trashy clothing store?

     [Reply]

205. Evan
     May 11th, 2009 at 9:29 am

     For all those who post on here, who are on facebook, check out this group:

     http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=729881323&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=34682422023&ref=mf

     [Reply]

     

     Jonah Norason Reply:
     May 13th, 2009 at 5:26 pm

     @Evan, it just links to your FB page.

     [Reply]

     

     Evan Reply:
     May 14th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

     @Jonah Norason,

     http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34682422023&ref=mf

     I clicked it and it worked, but let’s try this again!

     [Reply]

206. Alan
     May 13th, 2009 at 3:17 am

     http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff344/labelscar/Palm%20Beach%20Mall/?action=view&current=jordanmarsh.jpg

     http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff344/labelscar/Palm%20Beach%20Mall/?action=view&current=jordanmarsh2.jpg

     This one is possibly not the PBM Jordan Marsh but rather the Miami location. Not too sure…

     http://s538.photobucket.com/albums/ff344/labelscar/Palm%20Beach%20Mall/?action=view&current=jordanmarsh3.jpg

     [Reply]

207. Evan
     May 13th, 2009 at 10:45 am

     Wow ,Alan, where in the world did you find those old PBM pics? That Woolworths one is so cool, I don’t even remember it ,and it was still open when I moved here in 1991, memories!

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208. Alan
     May 14th, 2009 at 12:43 am

     Thanks Evan. I found them via a link from the Pleasant Family Shopping website (check it out btw) :

     http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/

     yeah I remember Woolworths too. Perhaps the one store that I most visited growing up.

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209. Evan
     May 14th, 2009 at 1:43 pm

     http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=34682422023&ref=mf

     Palm Beach Mall Facebook group – This link should work!

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210. Tim
     June 6th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

     Did anybody notice that PBM is no longer listed on the Simon website? Also, the mall’s site is gone. Are they letting it go?

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211. Alan
     June 6th, 2009 at 4:31 pm

     This might be a little off topic but im not sure one of these new ‘lifestyle centers’ would do well in the current location of the PBM. I went to Wellington last night and stopped by quite a few of these centers and noticed the one on US 441 with Best Buy seems to be struggling quite a bit. And the center with Pei Wei and Fresh Market just past the Wellington Green Mall on Forest Hill BLVD had so many of its stores close since my last visit. It seems to be going downhill fast and if they dont take care of the problom then there will be only 2 or 3 places open in a few months. Then the new center on Southern BLVD with Dick’s Sporting Goods and Kohl’s did have many shoppers but the feel of that center is just way off to be honest. The space between the 2 stores does not look quite right with the huge walls and no exits to the stores. This goes to reference without even mentioning other lifestyle centers throughout WPB. Anyway, to get to my point, I just dont think this type of center would do well in a neigberhood such as where the PBM is located. With City Place a few miles away its just better for them to fix up the PBM and keep an interior shopping center then try to compete with CP. I dont know about you but these Lifestyle Centers dont attract me the list bit at all to go and shop there. The fake feeling of them drives me away.

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212. Evan
     June 6th, 2009 at 5:20 pm

     Any updates on the status of the mall? I have not been in awhile, would like to go one last time though before it closes for good!

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     Joseph Reply:
     June 12th, 2009 at 8:48 pm

     @Evan, You need to go soon! I was there on Tuesday and it was a ghost town. just a hand full of stores (low end) left. It was earie hearing the mall music over the PA system but no other noise.

     vast space with no stores between JC Penney and Sears. I used to work there when the mall was in it’s prime 1984-1986. It was kind of sad seeing what’s become of it.

     I’ll post video. took some with my phone (not the best) but it’ll give you an idea that this mall is on it’s last breath.

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213. Evan
     June 6th, 2009 at 5:22 pm

     Oh and interesting thoughts Alan, and I live in Wellington. I see all this new construction, while so many currently built centers sit with many vacant spaces. Hell, there are two in front of the Wellington Mall where Circuit City And Linens and Things were. Those two will probably stay empty for a long, long time!

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214. Andy
     June 6th, 2009 at 8:19 pm

     I stopped in here today not knowing that I was heading into a dead mall. The Penney’s wing is totally dead, save two or three stores. Most activity is concentrated near Sears, including a dollar store.

     There are identical signs in a number of stores’ windows stating that the mall will be open through 2009.

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215. Alan
     June 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

     Its a shame isnt it? Its as if a 5-10 year old center is not good enough these days and it just goes to waste. They built that Sports Authority / Best Buy complex in not so good of a location so that may be one of the probloms for it struggling. And with Linen & Things now defunct, Im not sure anyone wants their obscure modeled stores. I remember the days when Grocery stores and Electronics stores used to swap buildings with ease and almost no remodels were done. Now when a Kohl’s wants to move into a new location, they tear down a perfect 15 year old Target (Boynton Beach) just to build the same type of store again!

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     SEAN Reply:
     June 7th, 2009 at 6:24 pm

     @Alan,

     I said this on the Queens Center thred, but it bears repeating here. It is cheaper to rebuild than remoddle.

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216. Alan
     June 7th, 2009 at 7:29 pm

     Interesting! What ever happened to the old ‘repaint the facade and problom solved’ days

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217. Evan
     June 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am

     Old buildings, old type of construction material. New technology is cheaper and safer I guess!

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218. Evan
     June 8th, 2009 at 5:41 pm

     Good article in today’s Palm Beach Post, there might still be hope for the old mall after all, a small glimmer of hope, but hope non the less!

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     Jonah Norason Reply:
     June 8th, 2009 at 6:34 pm

     @Evan, http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/06/07/a1b_cloughcol_0608.htm

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219. Evan
     June 8th, 2009 at 6:56 pm

     http://www.palmbeachpost.com/business/content/business/epaper/2009/06/07/a1b_cloughcol_0608.html

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220. Alan
     June 11th, 2009 at 2:27 am

     Great news. Although I was at Sears the other day and the Mall enterence was shut off. Maybe because I was there after 9:00pm? Either way, new tenants would certainly be welcome! I wonder when the new Target is due to open?

     The article aslo states how vacant the Downtown At The Gardens has become. Again, Im not shocked what so ever at this because anyone with a knowledge in retail such as us could see that coming the day it opened. Im quite glad the Gardnes Mall is kicking some arse!

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221. Jonah Norason
     June 11th, 2009 at 9:37 am

     PBM will/should probably parallel Sunrise Mall and Southwest Center, and still keep and welcome tenants. It should also be a community-welcoming place and try to attract more tenants of different varieties (Costco, Publix?)

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222. Janine
     June 13th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

     went to the mall again today…almost nothing on the west wing. claire’s is closing today, so that’s another store gone. curious thing was that i only saw the ‘this mall is staying open’ signs on the east end of the mall, i can see the west end of the mall shutting down in the near future and the remaining stores moving to the other side of the mall.

     here’s a store count. 5 stores and a kiosk on the west wing (this part of the mall is all but dead), 6 stores in the center part, 19 stores and 6 kiosks in the east wing and 3 food court stores. add in 5 more stores and that’s 38 stores and 7 kiosks open in the mall. that’s barley 1/3 occupancy, but the east end of the mall is doing okay.

     i think the mall should not become an outdoor living center, worst possible fate as cityplace is a 5-10 minute drive. turning it into a wal-mart isn’t too wise, since target is right across the street and there are two super wal-marts 10 minutes away.

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     will Reply:
     July 30th, 2009 at 1:50 am

     @Janine,

     hey, i just saw your comments here and they about knocked the air outta me. this is the first that i have heard of the sad state of this mall. i lived over off of pblakes and wabasso for a few years and in the general area for 25 years. i know it well. i haven’t lived there in the last eight years but it’s amazing how much the area has changed in that short perior of time. i have a lot of memories from the mall, the old cross county 8, richway, etc. it just breaks my heart that it’s all going away. if you could manage to take some pictures that are current, i’d be greatfull. thanks for reading the rant, will

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223. Janine
     June 14th, 2009 at 12:58 pm

     joseph: “vast space with no stores between JC Penney and Sears. I used to work there when the mall was in it’s prime 1984-1986. It was kind of sad seeing what’s become of it.”

     actually, there are quite a few stores between the center of the mall and sears (although it’s seen better times). you probably meant to say no stores between jc penney and dillards (or where it used to be anyway), which is true, as i only saw 4 open stores in that wing (it’s been dead since borders and dsw left). something tells me the west side of the mall will shut down soon.

     alan: “I wonder when the new Target is due to open?”

     this year.

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224. WestPalm2009
     July 12th, 2009 at 11:28 am

     I live in West Palm Beach, just south of downtown. I work in the office buildings on Palm Beach Lakes next to the mall…. the area is a prime spot for a successful retail center, but it needs to offer something that can’t be found in Gardens, Wellington, or Cityplace.

     No more “lifestyle centers” for now. What I think would thrive at the space is an outlet center. There isn’t a good outlet mall between Sawgrass and Vero Beach. They were talking about building one in Tradition, in Port St. Lucie, but I think the PBL location is 100X better, and can draw from a much larger pool of potential shoppers.

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     Janine Reply:
     July 12th, 2009 at 8:49 pm

     @WestPalm2009, i think an outlet mall would be nice, but i noticed that most outlet malls are built in what was the middle of nowhere. an outlet mall in an established area is a bit of a risk, but i think it’s a better idea than a cityplace clone in this area, as the immediate area caters to a lower income bracket. i would love to see if it can be pulled off and it would be something different in an area of endless upscale shopping centers.

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225. Graham
     August 4th, 2009 at 9:46 pm

     This mall is not going anywhere.

     The open air idea has been put to bed. Simon Malls and Madison Marquette Management both are trying to strategize an idea that would make the mall more attractive. The new Target across the street will likely be a big help.

     Both JC Penneys and Sears are very happy with their location there and have no intention of leaving it and are completely committed to helping the mall survive.

     The biggest issue this mall needs to overcome is safety. I do not think this mall appears any more unsafe than all malls throughout South Florida. I go there often and feel perfectly safe.

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226. Graham
     August 4th, 2009 at 9:47 pm

     This mall is not going anywhere.

     The open air idea has been put to rest. Simon Malls and Madison Marquette Management both are trying to strategize an idea that would make the mall more attractive. The new Target across the street will likely be a big help.

     Both JC Penneys and Sears are very happy with their location there and have no intention of leaving it and are completely committed to helping the mall survive.

     The biggest issue this mall needs to overcome is safety. I do not think this mall appears any more unsafe than all malls throughout South Florida. I go there often and feel perfectly safe.

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227. Evan
     August 5th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

     Graham, where have you heard this, as I was under the impression that Simon was no longer associated with this mall in any way, shape or form. I really hope everything you say is true, and that they can find a way to help the mall survive.

     You might be right about it not being any more unsafe, but it has a safety image problem. Safe or not, you have to overcome that image to bring people back. I suggest improve the lighting in the parking lot and in the mall. Brighten it up a little bit. Bring in more security once the mall starts to turn around, etc. Change the long term image of it being a “ghetto” mall!

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228. Carmen
     August 18th, 2009 at 11:15 pm

     I agree! An off price mall would be ideal because Sawgrass Mills is pretty far away. I live in Palm Springs, Fl and drove to Sawgrass Mills just last week. While shopping at the Nordstrom Rack in Sawgrass Mills I spoke to ladies who drove all the way from Jupiter just to shop at Nordstrom Rack. A Nordstrom Rack, a Last Call by Neiman Marcus and an Ikea would be a great addition to the Palm Beach mall. Here’s hoping for an offprice future to the Palm Beach Mall.

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229. Jonah Norason (Pseudo3D)
     August 19th, 2009 at 7:40 am

     While the “off-price” idea certainly works for great malls like PBM, Westminster, and RAM (before it died), keep in mind The Mills malls are somewhat known for their crime that happens there.

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     Gary Reply:
     August 19th, 2009 at 7:55 am

     @Jonah Norason (Pseudo3D), while I don’t know about the rest of the Mills malls, I can say that the Pittsburgh Mills, one of the newest of the Mills centers before the company went under, always felt very safe to me. Perhaps because it’s located in a rural area, but it has a nice atmosphere to it.

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     SEAN Reply:
     August 19th, 2009 at 7:05 pm

     @Gary, Pittsburgh Mills is more of a mix of price points unlike other Mills properties wich are outlet style.

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     Gary Reply:
     August 19th, 2009 at 9:58 pm

     @SEAN, that’s true, and that has to do with the land owners’ previous intentions of developing a regional shopping mall on that site. It was originally planned to be a two-level mall called the Frazer Heights Galleria, but for years it ran into financial problems. The Mills Corp. had been looking to build a Mills-style mall in the Pittsburgh area for a couple of years prior to selecting the Frazer site to build the mall.

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     SEAN Reply:
     August 20th, 2009 at 8:56 am

     @Gary, I’m kind of surprised that Mills or anyone else wanted to build a mall there in the first place. Yes, the population density is there about 2.5 million, but the tipografy with the hills makes it a challenge to get around. The interstates 79, 279, 579, 76/70 & 376 don’t really connect the way most interstates should.

     This could lead to customer traffic numbers to not reach levels for viability. Since this mall is somewhat away from Pittsburgh city limits, this could be a concern especially if gas prices rebound like 2008.

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     Gary Reply:
     August 20th, 2009 at 1:03 pm

     @SEAN, that was probably one of Mills’ biggest mistakes, overestimating the shopping habits of Pittsburghers and then creating a new concept which was unproven. At least the original Mills concept offered outlet shopping, but Pittsburgh Mills like you mentioned is more in line with a full-price shopping center, and these stores could be found 10-15 miles away in Monroeville and Ross Park. Ross Park may be a little more difficult to get to but Monroeville is just a straight shot on the turnpike and was serving the Tarentum/New Kensington area pretty well until the mall was built. If they had built the mall like its predecessors, I think it would be much more successful and offer a different experience.

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     Gary Reply:
     August 20th, 2009 at 1:11 pm

     @Gary, and to add to the above, the land owners had planned to build a mall on that site since the early 80s, when places such as Ross Park and Westmoreland still didn’t exist.

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     SEAN Reply:
     August 20th, 2009 at 4:01 pm

     @Gary, I remember reading a few articals in the past year reguarding Pittsburgh. generally speaking the population is trending back toward Pittsburgh’s center city or they are leaving the state entirely. Either way the burbs are going to have a tough time of it & malls like PM are going to reflect that paradime shift.

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230. Jonah Norason (Pseudo3D)
     August 19th, 2009 at 12:37 pm

     Pittsburgh Mills is the lone exception, because it although it was developed by The Mills, it was not included in Simon’s The Mills deals and is full-price.

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231. Steve
     August 20th, 2009 at 10:01 pm

     Well, the shooter from 1999 is going to prison for life, now the Palm Beach Mall can die with dignity:

     http://www.palmbeachpost.com/local_news/content/local_news/epaper/2009/07/27/0727chickfila.html

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232. Evan
     September 15th, 2009 at 11:47 am

     Anyone been to the mall lately? I have been sick and can’t drive to get there!

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233. Graham
     September 19th, 2009 at 10:19 pm

     I noticed google maps has removed the palm beach mall label from their maps. Not sue why they did this considering the mall has never closed.

     Evan, I went to the mall recently. Same old same old, good pizza place in the foodcourt now though.

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234. Carly
     October 17th, 2009 at 11:47 am

     All the local news outlets are announcing the closure of the Sears in the Palm Beach Mall. The last day for the store is January 17; Liquidations begin November 19. I hope to visit the mall and take some more photos soon, who knows how many more blows it can take… Of course, the closure of the Sears leaves only one anchor, JCPenney. It’s a shame. I’ll definitely miss having that Sears location, I’ve bought a lot of special occasion dresses and favorite pairs of sneakers and glasses, etc…. over the years there. Now to go to Sears I’ll have to drive to the Boynton Beach Mall or the Gardens Mall, ugh.

     RIP Palm Beach Mall Sears!

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235. Jonah Norason (Pseudo3D)
     October 17th, 2009 at 7:01 pm

     Sears is closing at Palm Beach Mall!

     http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/business/epaper/2009/10/16/1016searsclosing.html?imw=Y

     The mall closing in the near future is becoming more likely.

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236. TenPoundHammer
     October 17th, 2009 at 9:59 pm

     I’ve never seen so many anchors clear out of a mall so fast.

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237. Janine
     October 31st, 2009 at 1:50 pm

     with sears closing at the busier end of palm beach mall, it is unofficially toast, and i predict it will not be open a year from now. the jcpenny wing is all but empty, only two stores (radioshack and a dress store) next to jcpenny (as of june, they could have cleared out as well) and a whole lot of nothing. talking about that, when is jcpenny’s lease up? i personally think the mall could have made it if jcpenny were to close instead of sears, since little traffic goes by there anyway.

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     Graham Reply:
     November 2nd, 2009 at 10:24 am

     @Janine,

     You are completely wrong. JCPenney’s has always been the strongest anchor in this mall. The company also claims to own its building in West Palm Beach and is not leaving. And as a gesture to do so, they have closed of their entrance to the mall. You can no longer walk between JCPenney and the Mall itself. But they have made it clear that regardless what happens, they will remain in their current spot, even when they were talking about making that area an outdoor mall.

     Besides I was in JCPenneys there this past week and it was absolutely packed…and it was like Wednesday!

     On other note, Simon says the mall is not going to close. They expect more will leave, but are developing a restructuring plan to keep the mall alive, like perhaps a discount mall similar to Sawgrass…but who knows?? If they do that, they need Neiman Marcus Last Call and OFF Saks 5th Ave…which would make sense since both companies have their wealthy counterparts just a few miles away.

     [Reply]

     

     Janine Reply:
     November 2nd, 2009 at 3:14 pm

     @Graham,

     i guess that means that radioshack and that other dress shop near jcpenny packed up as well. the reason why i said that the jcpenny wing closing would have been caused less closure to the mall overall than the sears wing was because basically the western end of the mall is a dead wing (no stores), plus, with no anchors in the ‘busy’ half of the mall, the little stores will get little to no exposure. i heard there were less than 20 stores in the mall now, and only a couple of national shops like foot locker left. are they still there, or is it just fly by night stores now?

     i expect that the mall will be torn down in the near future (minus jcpenny) and rebuilt into whatever.

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238. Dee
     November 4th, 2009 at 2:06 pm

     I grew up in Palm Beach county in the 80’s and 90’s. The PB mall was the only place to go at one time…and I remember back in the day when the Best Buy across the street was the Village Green moviehouse. In the mall itself, there was a movie theater by JCP (I think) Orange Julius and I am pretty sure there was a Taco Viva. Woolworth’s was there too, and I bought an INXS cassette tape from there :^) Spec’s was down by JCP.

     It’s really sad to see that area go in the toilet. Building that new Target with a parking garage invites criminals to hide and commit crimes. I was there in 2008 and a lady at Sears said that the mall was operating under shorter hours because of the slow business. It was DEAD with a couple of urban clothing stores scattered here and there.

     Now that Sears is pulling out, it is only a matter of time before the mall goes under totally. That will be a sad day, but also, I don’t go anywhere near that mall because of the crime.

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239. Carly
     November 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am

     Hey everyone I went to the Palm Beach Mall recently (11/13/09) on a friday evening to take some shots of the current state of the place. I made a flickr to upload some of them to, I hope that everything works out right since I’m new at using it, haha!

     http://www.flickr.com/photos/44625321@N05/sets/72157622676378585/

     That is the url of the set they are in, if you would like to see. Have a good day all fans of the Palm Beach Mall!

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240. Dee
     November 14th, 2009 at 11:32 am

     I visited the mall this morning. Hadn’t been there for over a year, but wanted to get a look at the sad state of affairs for myself

     JCP had some steady business, as did Sears. They closed off the entrance to the mall from JCP. The mall’s inside was SCARY, and even had that old school musty building smell. A lone lady was sitting on a bench and all of the stores were closed and lights were off…it was scary indeed and I didn’t spend too much time there.

     Once Sears goes, that will most likely be the end. JCP can stay if it wants to, but they may as well knock down everything around it!

     I grew up in WPB in the 80’s and early 90’s. That mall was the only one to go to at the time. I remember when it was bustling and busy, but not anymore

     [Reply]

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