Comments on: Warwick Mall; Warwick, Rhode Island

By: tj

tj — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:23:47 +0000

I think I can give you a timeline of the Rhode Island(Midland) mall
Midland Mall opened in 1967. It was developmed by Homart Development(subsidary of Sears) It had about 465,00, square feet of space. It was anchored by Sears with 200,000 sq ft and Shepards of Providence with 80,000 square feet. This was Shepards first branch. Shepards closin 1973 and was vacant until about 78 when G. Fo of Hartford opened a branch. G. Fox ran until about 1992 when the name was changed to Filene’s. Filen’s operated both stores .When the Filenes at the Warwick mall was expanded, the Midland Mall store was closed.

By: TrickyNicky

TrickyNicky — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:59:23 +0000

Even though I live about 25 minutes from this mall, I have only been there once. Because I have to travel through Providence to go to Warwick, it is more logical for me to shop at Providence Place instead. I have been wanting to check it out, and I plan on doing so over the summer.

According to an article in the Providence Journal, Sports Authority is opening a location above Target, along with another location. Here is the complete article.

Sports Authority to open in Warwick Mall

Sporting-goods retailer Sports Authority will open a 40,000-square-foot store in Warwick Mall next spring, according to Aram Garabedian, one of the mall’s managing partners.

The privately held retailer will open a store on the mall’s south side, above the Target store. Both stores are taking up space once occupied by a Macy’s outlet, which moved to the mall’s north end in 2006.

Since then, the mall’s owners have reconfigured the former Macy’s space, creating an access from the concourse to its second floor. Sports Authority will share the second floor with a second store, which is yet to be leased.

Sports Authority operates more than 400 stores in 45 states, including one in Warwick, at 105 Pace Boulevard..

My guess is the other retailer will be H&M. It would definitely be a draw for the mall, since the only other H&M location in the state, at the Providence Place Mall, is a women’s only store and is quite small.

I find it odd that both Sports Authority and Target operate two locations in Warwick. I know that Target pledged that they will continue operations of the other Target store, which is ironically on the same street. However, I doubt that Sports Authority will keep both locations open.

Here is a link to the rendering of the new Target/Sports Authority exterior:
It also list renovations to the mall concourse, but I haven’t heard anything about it.
http://www.dimeo.com/markets/retail/85/292/

I think that this Filenes location was not the first in Rhode Island. If I remember correctly, I read an article about the history of Filene’s during the Federated/May merger, and it said the second FIlene’s location opened in Providence in the 1920s. I’m not sure if that is true or not.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:51:54 +0000

One of the tenants lacking that really surprised me at first was Spencer’s – there used to be a location at the Rhode Island Mall, but not at Warwick Mall. I have been told that Garabedean is close with the owner of T-Shirt City/Land of Aahs and since their merchandise was similar they blocked Spencers from opening up here!

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:10:54 +0000

What are they putting in the top of the Warwick Mall before and above Target?

By: Jill

Jill — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:01:21 +0000

In the Warwick Mall where Macy’s first was now will be Target. I think it will open in Sept or October.

By: Chrispycritters

Chrispycritters — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:32:50 +0000

Question regarding the Midland Mall, not the Warwick Mall please. What were the names of the stores that occupied the store location where GFox & Filines used to be. I think originally, there was Shepards… please reply with a chronological time of what stores were there. A friend of mine and I have been tossing this around too long trying to remember. Thanks so much

By: Ray Martel

Ray Martel — Wed, 21 May 2008 03:18:09 +0000

The replica of the Independant Man has always been at the mall. There was a plaque that was there that used to say it was the only full sized replica. Cannot remember what else was on it. But it was there before the renovation of the state house a few years back.

By: JPLemme

JPLemme — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:56:37 +0000

The “vaguely Grecian statue” you’re referring to was the Independent Man. The original statue is on top of the State House rotunda. IIRC it was temporarily removed from the State House and put in the Warwick Mall while some renovations were being done. A replica of the statue now exists outside the food court. In fact, it’s in one of your photos above.

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:30:34 +0000

Also–Edward malley was part of Outlet by the late 70s.

By: Rich

Rich — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:23:41 +0000

harvest House was part of Woolworth and they opened them adjacent to mall stores in the 60s and early 70s. York as a sizable national chain–a 1970s icon.