Port Charlotte Town Center
Location | Port Charlotte, Florida,United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 27°00′32″N82°08′51″W/ 27.00889°N 82.14750°W |
Address | 1441 Tamiami Trail |
Opening date | 1989 |
Developer | Edward J Debartolo Corp. |
No. of stores and services | 100+ |
No. ofanchor tenants | 7 (4 open, 3 vacant by January 2023) |
Total retail floor area | 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) |
No. of floors | 1 |
Website | portcharlottetowncenter |
ThePort Charlotte Town Centeris a mall inPort Charlotte, Florida.The mall serves Port Charlotte and the neighboring communities ofNorth Port,Englewood,andPunta Gorda.The anchor stores are Recreational Warehouse,Regal Cinemas,Bealls,Dillard's,andJCPenney.There are 2 vacant anchor stores that were onceSearsandMacy's.All anchors have one floor.[1]
History
[edit]The mall began in 1987, with the purchase of 132 acres of land from theGeneral Development Corporationby developerEdward J. DeBartolo Corporation.Phase 1 was announced to include 600,000 sq ft of mall space with 3 department store anchors, one announced to be J. C. Penney, and 195,000 sq ft of outparcels. Phase 2 would include 2 more department store anchors and an additional 435,000 sq ft in "peripheral businesses".[2]In September 1987,Maas BrothersandBelk-Lindseywere announced as 2 additional anchors, along with an unnamed fourth anchor.[3]Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on December 8, with plans dropping "Phase 2" and instead planning to open the 1,000,000 sq ft, 6-anchor mall in one phase, projected to be finished by Fall 1989. At this time,Searshad been confirmed as the fourth anchor.[4]Mall anchors J. C. Penney, Sears, and Belk-Lindsey opened before the mall on July 29, 1989.[5]The J. C. Penney opening was attended byMiss UniverseAngela Visser.[6]A "Gala Preview" of the mall was held August 1, 1989 in a party headlined byJack Jones.[7]The mall opened, on schedule, on August 2, 1989 to a crowd of over 25,000.[8]
The Maas Brothers store, which was planned to open in 1990, was put on hold in early January 1990, before parent companyAllied Storesfiled forChapter 11 Bankruptcy.[9]Dillard's andMontgomery Wardwere announced as additional anchors in September 1991, by which the Maas Brothers anchor was considered "abandoned".[10]The Belk-Lindsey store at the mall was sold toBurdinesin February 1994, and renovated that summer.[11]Regal Cinemas was built at the mall in 1999.
Montgomery Ward closed at the mall in 2001 following their bankruptcy;Beallsopened in the space the following year.[12]Burdines became Burdines-Macy's in 2003, before converting to Macy's in 2005. On December 28, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing as part of a plan to close 80 stores nationwide. The store closed in March 2019.[13]
The 2020 show, PBS Kids Talk About was filmed in a portion of the former Sears.
On January 6, 2021, it was announced thatMacy'swould be closing in March 2021 as part of a plan to close 46 stores nationwide.[14]
The mall was owned byWashington Prime Groupbut was auctioned due to the Washington Prime's bankruptcy, and Washington Prime's creditors were the winning bidder. As of July 2022, the mall continues operations as normal following the bankruptcy auction.[15]On September 28, 2022, The Bealls was damaged byHurricane Ianalong withDSWand Dillard’s.
References
[edit]- ^"Port Charlotte Town Center".Simon Malls. Archived fromthe originalon December 16, 2008.RetrievedNovember 30,2008.
- ^Hudler, Ad (June 18, 1987)."Planners say shopping mall will put Charlotte in 'big time'".Fort Myers News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Parks, Kevin (September 30, 1987)."Maas, Penney's to anchor Charlotte mall".Charlotte News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^"Ceremonies set Dec. 8 for Port Charlotte Mall".News-Press.December 4, 1987.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Franceschina, Peter (July 30, 1989)."Early shoppers sneak peek at inside of mall".Charlotte News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Goldberg, Laura (July 28, 1989)."JC Penney's guest is out of this world".News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^"Jack Jones to be at opening".Charlotte News-Press.July 22, 1989.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Goldberg, Laura (August 3, 1989)."Over 25,000 see shopping center".Charlotte News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Kartheiser, Deb (January 4, 1990)."Town Center Maas Bros. construction is delayed".Fort Myers News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Hawk, Mary (September 12, 1991)."Montgomery Ward, Dillard's will open Charlotte stores".Bonita News-Press.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^O'Donoghue, Ed (April 14, 1994)."Retailer tries 2-store concept".Fort Myers News-Press.
- ^Mayk, Lauren (August 27, 2003)."Bealls to launch chain of home goods stores".Herald-Tribune.RetrievedMarch 26,2020.
- ^Thomas, Lauren (December 28, 2018)."Sears is closing 80 more stores in March, faces possible liquidation".CNBC.RetrievedDecember 28,2018.
- ^"Macy's is closing dozens of stores this year. Here's the full list".January 6, 2021.
- ^"Port Charlotte Town Center sells at auction".WFTX-TV.E W Scripps Company.February 28, 2022.RetrievedJuly 29,2022.