In St. Augustine, Florida there is an indoor shopping mall called Ponce de Leon Mall. The anchor stores for this mall are JC Penny's and Belks. In June 2009 there are twenty-three specialty shops and a Blockbuster video store. There are plans to significantly increase the number of stores within a year.
You can find Ponce de Leon Mall at 2121 US Highway 1 S in St Augustine, Florida. U.S. Highway 1 is the region's major north-south thoroughfare. Ponce de Leon Mall is located less than 2 miles away from the beach. This mall is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 9:00pm and on Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
Ponce de Leon mall is the only enclosed regional mall located within a forty-mile radius. This climate controlled environment houses a GNC store, Flower's by Shirley and The Scrub Hut. There is also a dance boutique, an auction house and a community theatre. At the time this article was written the sole restaurant option is De Leon Pizza.
This mall has suffered in the last few years as the popularity of indoor malls decreased while outdoor malls increased. Because of this current market trend, the mall's owner wanted to tear it down.
Hull Storey Gibson Company, a retail real estate management and development company based in Augusta, Georgia, owns Ponce de Leon Mall. Hull Storey Gibson's charter is to acquire enclosed malls and shopping center properties and develop them into what is known as a "big box" retail facility. This means they tear properties down and put big box buildings in place of the mall. Buildings that hold something like Lowe's or Pet Sense.
In a May 2009 article in the St. Augustine Record, the Company CEO John Gibson admitted that Hull Storey Gibson wanted to demolish the mall. He goes on to say, "We discouraged tenants from staying, leasing month-to-month with the goal of redevelopment. But Belk's and Penney's are doing - and have done - so well that we've refocused our efforts on making the mall a success.''
Part of the new commitment to success included a new roof in 2008. Other additions consist of carpeting, raised ceilings and new lighting. The renovations extend to fresh black mulch and white columns flanking the front entrance. Future renovations include tearing down the recently vacated Regal Cinema.
"It will be raw land," Gibson said. "That will provide a better view of Belk's. No one is coming back to build a theater here again." He had a more positive message for prospective tenants. "We want to work with you," he said. "If you are committed, if you want a better location, another location - call us."
The St. Augustine paper reports that mall tenants are hopeful. Frank Arguello, who has owned De Leon Pizza at the Ponce mall for nearly 20 years, is opening a new pizza shop at the EPIC Theatres complex on State Road 207. But he said because of recent discussions with mall owners, he might remain at his current location as well. "They told me everything I wanted to hear," Arguello said.
