Euclid Square Mall

Euclid Square Mall was a regional shopping center in Euclid, Ohio, United States. Developed by Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs on the former site of a Chase Brass & Copper Company tubing mill, it opened in March 1977 with more than 92 inline stores and two principal anchor tenants, the Cleveland-area department-store chain Higbee's and May Company. The project was accompanied by several outparcels, including Toys "R" Us, Dollar Bank, Stop & Shop, Red Lobster, a convenience plaza, and another bank, giving the property a broader retail and dining footprint than the enclosed mall alone. The mall's tenant and ownership structure changed repeatedly over the following decades. Dillard's acquired Higbee's in 1992, while May Company was consolidated into the Kaufmann's division of its parent company in 1993. The Kaufmann's store later became vulnerable to consolidation when plans emerged for a new Kaufmann's location at nearby Richmond Town Square. Although the proposed relocation generated uncertainty earlier, the Euclid Square Kaufmann's closed by 1998. Zamias Enterprises of Pennsylvania acquired the mall from Metropolitan Life Insurance in the late 1990s and considered several redevelopment concepts, including conversion of the property into a power center. Occupancy continued to decline, and the property was later sold by Zamias to Raleigh-based Wichard Real Estate, which was backed by the late investor Haywood Wichard. Dillard's remained at the center for a time but converted its store into a Dillard's Clearance Center by 2002, closing the upper level. In 2004, the vacant former Kaufmann's space was used by Outlets USA, a collection of outlet vendors. That operation closed in 2006 after the mall owner concluded that the tenant mix was not suitable for the property. Other redevelopment proposals included incorporating the increasingly vacant mall into a reconstruction of a nearby abandoned industrial park. By July 2013, the building reportedly housed 24 churches, reflecting the mall's transition away from conventional retail use. The Dillard's Clearance Center closed in September 2013 when its lease expired. The city of Euclid ordered the mall closed in autumn 2016 because of safety concerns. Demolition took place between 2017 and 2018. In September 2017, Amazon announced plans for a fulfillment center on the former mall site, and the facility opened in 2019. Euclid Square Mall therefore represents a typical late-twentieth-century regional mall decline: an initially successful suburban retail destination that lost anchor stores, experienced falling occupancy and repeated redevelopment attempts, and ultimately gave way to a logistics use.

Euclid Square Mall opened in March 1977 in Euclid, Ohio, on land previously occupied by a Chase Brass & Copper Company tubing mill. Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs developed the enclosed regional mall, which began with more than 92 inline tenants. Its original anchor stores were Higbee's, a local department-store chain, and May Company. Several separate parcels around the mall added major retailers, restaurants, banking, and convenience services, including Toys "R" Us, Dollar Bank, Stop & Shop, Red Lobster, a convenience plaza, and another bank. The mall's anchor lineup changed as the retail industry consolidated. Dillard's acquired Higbee's in 1992. In 1993, May Company was consolidated into the Kaufmann's division of its parent company, making Kaufmann's the successor department-store presence on that side of the property. Plans announced in 1997 for a new Kaufmann's at nearby Richmond Town Square contributed to expectations that the Euclid Square location would be closed. The Kaufmann's store had closed by 1998. Around the same period, Zamias Enterprises of Pennsylvania acquired the property from Metropolitan Life Insurance. Zamias considered multiple redevelopment approaches, including converting the enclosed mall into a power center. These plans were not sufficient to reverse the property's declining occupancy. The mall was subsequently sold by Zamias to Raleigh-based Wichard Real Estate, backed by investor Haywood Wichard. Dillard's continued operating at the property but repositioned its store as a Dillard's Clearance Center in 2002 and closed the upper floor. The former Kaufmann's space was later used by Outlets USA, a group of outlet vendors that opened there in early 2004. The operation closed in 2006 after the owner judged that the participating merchants did not form a suitable blend for the mall. A further proposal in late 2006 contemplated including the increasingly vacant mall property in a reconstruction of a nearby abandoned industrial park. The proposal did not restore the mall as a conventional regional shopping destination. The building's use became increasingly unconventional. By July 2013, it reportedly contained 24 churches, while the remaining traditional retail presence continued to weaken. Dillard's Clearance Center closed in September 2013 when its lease expired. The city of Euclid ordered the mall closed in autumn 2016 because of safety concerns. Demolition occurred between 2017 and 2018. In September 2017, Amazon announced plans to construct a fulfillment center on the former mall property, with an expected opening in 2019. The Amazon facility subsequently opened in 2019. The site's redevelopment marked the final transition of Euclid Square Mall from a suburban retail complex into an industrial logistics property.

• 2019

  Fulfillment center opens

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Amazon's fulfillment center opens on the former mall grounds after the mall's demolition.

• 2017

  Amazon plans a fulfillment center

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Amazon announces plans for a fulfillment center on the former mall site.

• 2016

  The city orders the mall closed

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Euclid officials order the mall closed because of safety concerns.

• 2013

  Dillard's Clearance Center closes

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's leaves the property when its lease expires.

• 2006

  Outlets USA closes

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The outlet operation shuts after the owner decides its tenant mix is not a good fit for the property.

• 2004

  Outlets USA opens

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A collection of outlet vendors moves into the former Kaufmann's space.

• 2002

  Dillard's becomes a clearance center

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The remaining Dillard's anchor is repositioned as a clearance center, and its upper floor is closed.

• 1998

  Kaufmann's closes

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Kaufmann's anchor at Euclid Square Mall closes by this year.

• 1997

  Kaufmann's relocation plans affect the mall

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Plans for a new Kaufmann's at nearby Richmond Town Square raise concerns about the future of the Euclid Square location.

• 1997

  Zamias Enterprises acquires the property

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Zamias Enterprises of Pennsylvania acquires the mall from Metropolitan Life Insurance.

• 1993

  May Company is consolidated into Kaufmann's

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The May Company operation is consolidated into the Kaufmann's division of its parent company.

• 1992

  Dillard's acquires Higbee's

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Higbee's becomes part of Dillard's, changing the ownership of one of the mall's original anchor operations.

• 1977

  Euclid Square Mall opens

  [1]Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The regional mall opens in March on the former Chase Brass & Copper tubing-mill site with more than 92 inline tenants and anchor stores Higbee's and May Company.

A suburban regional shopping mall serving Euclid and nearby communities in greater Cleveland, with department-store anchors, inline specialty retailers, dining, and complementary outparcel businesses.

• Shopping center · 1977

  Enclosed regional shopping mall

  The core offering was an enclosed suburban shopping destination with more than 92 inline tenants at opening. It combined department-store anchors with specialty retail, dining, banking, and convenience services for customers in Euclid and nearby Cleveland-area communities.

• Department stores · 1977

  Anchor department stores

  Euclid Square Mall originally anchored its retail proposition with Higbee's and May Company. Higbee's later became part of Dillard's, while the May Company operation was associated with Kaufmann's before that anchor closed in the late 1990s.

• Outparcel businesses · 1977

  Retail and restaurant outparcels

  The property included five outparcels with businesses such as Toys "R" Us, Dollar Bank, Stop & Shop, Red Lobster, a convenience plaza, and another bank. The Dollar Bank parcel was demolished in 2014, while the other parcels were later vacant or used for storage according to the cited account.

• 2017

  Conversion of the site to logistics useStrategy

  Background

  Following the mall's closure and planned demolition, the property required a new use.

  Action taken

  Amazon announced plans for a fulfillment center on the former mall site.

  Aftermath

  The fulfillment center opened in 2019, replacing the former shopping-mall use with logistics operations.

  Source

• 2016

  Municipal closure orderOther

  Background

  The property had lost its principal conventional retail operations and had deteriorated significantly.

  Action taken

  The city of Euclid ordered the mall closed because of safety concerns.

  Aftermath

  The building was demolished between 2017 and 2018.

  Source

• 2004

  Introduction of Outlets USAStrategy

  Background

  The former Kaufmann's anchor space had been vacant following the department store's closure.

  Action taken

  A collection of outlet vendors known as Outlets USA moved into the space.

  Aftermath

  The operation closed in 2006 after the owner concluded that its merchants and tenants were not a suitable blend for the mall.

  Source

• 1997

  Consideration of power-center redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  After anchor-store changes and declining occupancy, the new owner considered alternatives to the traditional enclosed-mall format.

  Action taken

  Zamias Enterprises considered converting the property into a power center, but the cited material does not establish that the conversion was completed.

  Aftermath

  Occupancy continued to decline and the property later changed ownership.

  Source

1. 1Euclid Square Mallen.wikipedia.org