Avalon Mall

Avalon Mall is an enclosed shopping centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Located on Kenmount Road, it serves the Avalon Peninsula and functions as one of the province's principal retail, dining, entertainment, and service destinations. The mall opened on November 1, 1967, and has subsequently expanded and been modernized several times. The available reference describes a two-level complex of more than 500,000 square feet, with approximately 142 stores, making it the largest shopping mall in Newfoundland and Labrador. The centre's development reflects the changing structure of Canadian retail. It underwent major extensions in 1977, 1987, and 1999, while renovation programs in the late 1980s and early 1990s responded to weak retail performance and the need to refresh the property. A significant 2005 modernization updated the food court, washrooms, entrances, and exterior. These projects helped reposition Avalon Mall as a broader regional destination rather than simply a collection of department-store spaces. Anchor occupancy has changed repeatedly over the mall's history. A former Woolco location later became Walmart and then Sears before Sears closed in January 2018. A new Winners/HomeSense store subsequently opened in the former Sears space in 2019. Other important tenants and anchors have included Sport Chek, Lawtons, Old Navy, H&M, Eclipse Clothing Stores, and the Scotiabank Theatre. These changes illustrate the mall's adaptation to department-store closures, the consolidation of national chains, and the growth of specialty apparel, sporting-goods, home-furnishing, pharmacy, and entertainment uses. Entertainment has been an important part of the complex. Empire Theatres operated a five-screen cinema until 1999, when it was replaced by a 12-screen Studio 12 theatre. The cinema business was transferred from Empire Theatres to Cineplex Entertainment in 2013, reopening as Cineplex Cinemas before adopting the Scotiabank Theatre name in 2014. Cineplex later opened The Rec Room at Avalon Mall in April 2019, the first Atlantic Canadian location of that entertainment concept. The facility expanded the mall's role beyond conventional shopping by combining food, games, and social entertainment with the cinema offer. Avalon Mall has also reflected local retail and regulatory conditions. Before Sunday shopping was legalized provincially in 1998, flea markets were a common feature at the centre. Mall management ended that practice in December 2010. The property continues to operate as a major regional shopping and entertainment destination, with its tenant mix and physical spaces periodically changing as retailers enter, leave, relocate, or replace former anchor occupants.

Avalon Mall opened on November 1, 1967, on Kenmount Road in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. From its beginning, the property served as a major enclosed retail centre for the St. John's area and the wider Avalon Peninsula. Its regional importance increased as the mall expanded in 1977, 1987, and 1999. The expansion phases enlarged the centre and supported a changing mixture of department stores, specialty retailers, services, food outlets, and entertainment facilities. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, comparatively weak retail performance led management to undertake substantial renovation work. The program included improvements to individual tenant spaces, including a renovation of the Scotiabank branch. The former Ayre and Sons department-store space became a Gap location in 1991. That space was later substantially reconfigured in early 2018 for several occupants, including Charm Diamond Centres, Claire's, The Source, and Jump Plus. A wider property modernization followed in 2005, when the food court, washrooms, entrances, and exterior were renovated. The mall's anchor history has been marked by successive changes in Canadian retail. A former Woolco location became Walmart in 1994. Walmart closed on January 25, 2005, after which Sears opened in the space in the autumn of that year. Sears later entered liquidation and closed on January 9, 2018. A new Winners/HomeSense store opened in the former Sears location in 2019. Sobeys moved to Kelsey Drive in spring 2006, and its former Avalon Mall space later became associated with other retail uses, including Old Navy. These changes accompanied the broader replacement of traditional department stores and supermarkets by specialty, discount, apparel, and home-goods retailers. Entertainment has developed alongside the retail offer. Empire Theatres operated a five-screen cinema at the mall until 1999. A 12-screen Studio 12 theatre then opened at the opposite end of the second floor, near the food court. Empire Theatres announced in June 2013 that the cinema would be sold to Cineplex Entertainment with other Atlantic Canadian theatres. The venue closed under the Empire name on October 22, 2013, reopened as Cineplex Cinemas on October 25, and adopted the Scotiabank Theatre identity in November 2014. In February 2018, Cineplex announced a planned The Rec Room venue adjacent to the theatre. It opened on April 18, 2019, becoming the first Rec Room location in Atlantic Canada. Avalon Mall has also been affected by provincial shopping rules and local operating decisions. Flea markets were common before Sunday shopping was legalized in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1998. Mall management ended the flea-market practice in December 2010. The property remains an active regional centre with a large enclosed footprint, multiple levels, national chain tenants, food services, cinema facilities, and immersive entertainment. Its ownership by Crombie REIT places it within a Canadian real-estate investment portfolio, while day-to-day identity is shaped by the tenant and entertainment brands operating at the site.

• 2019

  Winners/HomeSense and The Rec Room expand the offer

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A new Winners/HomeSense opened in the former Sears location, and The Rec Room opened beside the cinema.

• 2018

  Former retail space is reconfigured

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Gap space was renovated for Charm Diamond Centres, Claire's, The Source, and Jump Plus.

• 2014

  Cinema adopts Scotiabank Theatre branding

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The cinema changed from the Cineplex Cinemas identity to Scotiabank Theatre.

• 2013

  Cinema transferred from Empire Theatres to Cineplex

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Cineplex acquired the Avalon Mall cinema as part of a transaction involving Empire Theatres locations in Atlantic Canada.

• 2006

  Sobeys relocates

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sobeys moved to Kelsey Drive, changing the use of one of Avalon Mall's major retail spaces.

• 2005

  Property-wide renovations

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The food court, washrooms, entrances, and exterior were renovated. Walmart also closed that year.

• 1999

  Major extension and cinema replacement

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall underwent another major extension, while its five-screen Empire cinema was replaced by a 12-screen Studio 12 theatre.

• 1994

  Woolco location becomes Walmart

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A former Woolco anchor space was occupied by Walmart.

• 1991

  Ayre and Sons space becomes The Gap

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Ayre and Sons department-store space was converted for The Gap.

• 1987

  Second major extension

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A further major extension increased the mall's capacity and retail footprint.

• 1977

  First major extension

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Avalon Mall underwent a major expansion as it developed its regional retail role.

• 1967

  Avalon Mall opens

  [1]Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping mall opened on November 1 on Kenmount Road in St. John's.

A regional enclosed shopping, dining, and entertainment destination serving St. John's and Newfoundland and Labrador.

• Shopping mall retail · 1967

  Retail stores

  Avalon Mall houses a broad tenant mix spanning apparel, footwear, sporting goods, home merchandise, jewelry, beauty, pharmacy, electronics, and specialty services. The reference identifies national and regional retailers such as Winners/HomeSense, Sport Chek, Lawtons, Old Navy, H&M, and Eclipse Clothing Stores as major current or prominent occupants.

• Cinema · 1999

  Scotiabank Theatre

  The mall's multiplex cinema evolved from a five-screen Empire Theatres venue to a 12-screen Studio 12 facility. It transferred to Cineplex in 2013 and adopted the Scotiabank Theatre brand in 2014, providing movie entertainment alongside the centre's retail and food offerings.

• Entertainment venue · 2019

  The Rec Room

  The Rec Room is a Cineplex entertainment venue adjacent to the mall cinema. It combines games, food, and social entertainment and opened at Avalon Mall in April 2019 as the first location of the concept in Atlantic Canada.

• Food service

  Food court

  Avalon Mall's food court is a central dining component of the complex. It was among the areas substantially renovated in 2005 and is positioned near the cinema and other entertainment facilities.

• 2019

  Replacement of the former Sears anchorGeneration change

  Background

  Sears closed its Avalon Mall store after liquidation in January 2018, leaving a major anchor space available.

  Action taken

  A new Winners/HomeSense store opened in the former Sears location.

  Aftermath

  The space returned to active use under a combined discount-fashion and home-goods retail format.

  Source

• 2018

  The Rec Room expansionProduct launch

  Background

  Cineplex sought to extend its entertainment offer beyond traditional cinema.

  Action taken

  Cineplex announced a new The Rec Room venue adjacent to the Scotiabank Theatre.

  Aftermath

  The venue opened in April 2019 as the first Atlantic Canadian Rec Room location.

  Source

• 2013

  Transfer of the cinema business to CineplexM&A

  Background

  Empire Theatres announced the sale of its Avalon Mall cinema and other Atlantic Canadian theatres.

  Action taken

  Cineplex Entertainment acquired the theatre operation, which reopened under Cineplex branding in October 2013.

  Aftermath

  The venue later became Scotiabank Theatre and remained a major entertainment anchor.

  Source

• 2010

  End of flea-market operationsStrategy

  Background

  Flea markets had been common at the mall before Sunday shopping was legalized in the province in 1998.

  Action taken

  Mall management decided to discontinue the flea-market practice in December 2010.

  Aftermath

  The centre continued with a conventional permanent-retail and entertainment model.

  Source

• 2005

  Modernization of key public areasStrategy

  Background

  The mall needed to refresh its public environment and maintain its regional appeal amid changing retail conditions.

  Action taken

  Management renovated the food court, washrooms, entrances, and exterior.

  Aftermath

  The work updated major customer-facing areas and supported the mall's continuing regional role.

  Source

1. 1Avalon Mallen.wikipedia.org