This is…well, was Euclid Square Mall. At one point, the mall had been re-purposed in a few ways. The vacated shops were replaced with local churches and organizations over the course of some years. Opened in 1977, Euclid Square Mall was a regional mall, housing two anchor stores - local chains Higbee’s, and May Co. One of the mall’s notable traits was being greatest high-end fashion mall in the entire country.
Euclid Square Mall had been a “dead mall” since the 90s. These eerily quiet halls were constantly filled with the chorus ensembles of the local church groups renting spaces from the building owner. Yeah…gathering in a…mostly abandoned mall? Sounds like something I would always be down to do, but…well…whatever I suppose.
In 1997, rumors erupted when talk started that Kaufmann’s would soon be closed, being dragged into expansion plans for a separate shopping center. People were absolutely right, when only a year later, Kaufmann’s closed their doors. Traffic to the mall fell shorter and shorter as time dragged on - one store after another completely shutting down. By 2002, occupancy was at an all time low, and access to Dillard’s upper level was ceased.
By 2004, vendors by the name of Outlets USA took over the former Kauffman’s space, moving in if only for a short couple of years. In 2006, it was decided by the mall’s owner that it was “not a good blend of merchants and tenants,” and Outlets USA was removed from the property.
That same year, a proposal was made to include this vacated space as part of a reconstruction project, dealing with a nearby abandoned industrial park. As we can see, that plan fell through, and the mall had sat eerily half-lit. The mall housed 24 churches for years leading up to these last few months, when Amazon purchased the property, moving everyone out to make way for their new fulfillment center. I had previously stated that I believed this mall could last as it was for at least 5 more years, but that was far too generous…it was cut 3 years shy of my estimate.
I remember first visiting this mall, waiting for the final store to close. Dillard’s outlet was eventually shuttered for good, when their lease finally ended in 2013.
Goodbye Euclid Square Mall. You will be missed by many who remember growing up with you. So many people across Facebook have told me about their first jobs here as a teenager, or how their parents would take them here for various events. So many people hold so many memories within these walls, from hanging out, to shopping during the holidays, etc. It’s unfortunate that it is now set to come down for good. It sure is a sad sight to see.
15 ноя 2018
