Southgate Mall (Muscle Shoals)

Southgate Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Around 2005 the inside of the mall closed and the businesses that remained moved to the outside of the mall. Opened in 1968, it features Genesis Jewelry (currently the oldest tenant in the mall), Tractor Supply Company, PetDepot, Hibbets and a Walgreens call center. WalMart was a tenant of the mall at one point, but now has its own free-standing store next to the mall.

Southgate Mall
The former entrance to the enclosed portion of the mall.
LocationMuscle Shoals, Alabama
Coordinates34.7462°N 87.6720°W / 34.7462; -87.6720
Opening date1968
DeveloperAronov Realty
OwnerAronov Realty
No. of stores and services20+
No. of anchor tenants3
Total retail floor area499,110 sq ft (46,369 m2)[1]
No. of floors1

History

The mall opened in 1968, featuring Woolco[2] and Rogers as its original anchor stores. After Woolco closed in 1983, its space was sold to Walmart, which moved from an existing store in Sheffield.[3] In 1989, mall renovations were announced that included the expansion of the Rogers store,[4] and the opening of Hibbett Sports and Bookland (a division of Books-A-Million).[5]

In 1995, Walmart closed its store in favor of a supercenter located at the opposite end of the mall, in addition to opening a second supercenter in nearby Florence. At the time, the presence of two supercenters in the market was considered unusual.[6] Rogers was acquired by the Dunlaps chain in 1996. At the time, Rogers also had a store at Beltline Mall (now Decatur Mall) in Decatur, Alabama.[7]

Convergys purchased the former Walmart in 2001, and announced plans to convert it to a call center, but later canceled these plans.[8] In 2006, Burke's Outlet opened at the mall,[9] while Tractor Supply Company and a Walgreens call center filled portions of the former Walmart. Many new stores opened in the mid-2000s, although most of them faced the outside of the mall, leaving the interior corridors mostly vacant.[10] Rogers closed in 2007.[7]

References
  1. "Southgate Mall" (PDF). Aronov Realty. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  2. "Woolco opens today". Times Daily. 21 May 1968. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  3. "Wal-Mart moving to Southgate Mall". Times Daily. 1 February 1983. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  4. Cronan, Carl (16 September 1989). "$500,000 renovation project planned at Southgate Mall". Times Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  5. Coburn, Barry (25 October 1989). "Southgate renovation nears finish". Times Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  6. "Wal-Mart picks Shoals twice". Times-Daily. 1 January 1995. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  7. Williams, Kenda (13 September 2007). "Historic Shoals retailer closes". Times Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  8. Goens, Mike (29 September 2001). "Decision a letdown for Shoals". Times Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  9. "Retail revival: New stores open in Muscle Shoals". Times Daily. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  10. Willis, Jonathan (13 September 2006). "Crews begin work at Southgate Mall on 20,000 square foot retail facility". Times Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
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