Florin Mall

Florin Mall was a major regional shopping center in the Florin area of Sacramento County, California. It opened in February 1968 on a roughly 70-acre site that had previously been used as Sky Ranch Airfield. Developed by the James J. Cordano Company and Blumenfield Enterprises, the project was originally called Florin Center and became the Sacramento area's first fully enclosed shopping mall built specifically as a mall rather than as an enclosed conversion of an earlier retail property. The center was located approximately eight miles southeast of downtown Sacramento and was designed around large department-store anchors. Its principal tenants at opening were Sacramento-based Weinstock's, Sears, and JCPenney. Weinstock's operated a three-level, approximately 157,000-square-foot store whose grand opening took place in October 1967, ahead of the mall's broader opening. Sears occupied a two-level store of approximately 259,000 square feet, while JCPenney operated a two-level store of approximately 125,000 square feet. Additional large retailers, including Montgomery Ward, Zody's, and White Front, were located near the mall but were not part of the mall property itself. Florin Mall expanded only once physically. A front entrance addition completed in 1978 added approximately 46,600 square feet and brought the center's gross leasable area to roughly 667,000 square feet. During its stronger years, the mall became the dominant mall-format retail destination on Sacramento's south side, surpassing nearby Southgate Plaza, which later shifted to a more conventional shopping-center format. The mall's fortunes weakened during the 1980s and 1990s. Reports of shootings, stabbings, automobile theft, and gang activity damaged its public image. At the same time, shoppers increasingly favored competing regional destinations such as Arden Fair, Downtown Plaza, and Sunrise Mall. Renovations to Weinstock's in 1989 and to the mall interior in 1990 did not reverse the decline. The complex was also associated with the 1991 hostage crisis at an adjacent Good Guys! electronics store, in which three hostages died and fourteen were injured. Although the store was next to, rather than part of, the mall, the incident further affected perceptions of the surrounding retail area. Anchor departures accelerated the decline. After Federated Department Stores acquired Weinstock's in 1995, the Florin location was closed in March 1996 rather than converted to a Macy's. JCPenney became an outlet store in November 1998 and closed in 2003, leaving Sears as the mall's only operating anchor. The deteriorating property was purchased in October 2005 by San Francisco investor Jim Kessler and Prudential Insurance Company. Florin Mall closed permanently on February 28, 2006, after approximately 38 years of operation, and was demolished in July of that year. Sears, its auto center, and several outparcels initially remained. The site was subsequently redeveloped as an open-air shopping center known as Florin Towne Centre. That successor center opened stores beginning in 2008 and occupies a substantially smaller retail footprint, with much of the former mall site converted to parking and space for neighboring businesses. The redevelopment means that Florin Mall no longer exists as an operating retail brand or property, but its history remains important to the evolution of suburban retail in Sacramento and to the redevelopment of the Florin Road commercial corridor.

Florin Mall originated as Florin Center, a large enclosed retail development planned for Sacramento County's Florin area. The site covered approximately 70 acres and had previously served as Sky Ranch Airfield. The project was developed by the James J. Cordano Company and Blumenfield Enterprises and was intended to establish a major enclosed-shopping destination for Sacramento's growing south side. The center's anchor strategy was visible before the mall's general opening. Sacramento-based Weinstock's opened its three-level department store on October 9, 1967. The mall itself opened in February 1968 with Weinstock's, Sears, and JCPenney as its principal anchors. Sears occupied approximately 259,000 square feet over two levels, JCPenney occupied approximately 125,000 square feet over two levels, and Weinstock's occupied approximately 157,000 square feet over three levels. Nearby but independent properties included Montgomery Ward, Zody's, and White Front. Florin Mall was notable because it was the first fully enclosed shopping mall built from the ground up in the Sacramento area. It initially had approximately 620,400 square feet of space, and a 1978 front-entrance addition added about 46,600 square feet. The expansion raised the center's gross leasable area to roughly 667,000 square feet. As the second mall-format commercial center on Sacramento's south side, it overtook Southgate Plaza in regional importance; Southgate later became a conventional open-air shopping center. By the 1980s, the mall was increasingly affected by security problems and a deteriorating reputation. Accounts associated the property with shootings, stabbings, car theft, and later gang activity. Competition also intensified as consumers shifted toward Arden Fair, Downtown Plaza, Sunrise Mall, and other regional retail destinations. Management attempted to improve the property through a 1989 remodeling of Weinstock's and a broader mall renovation during the latter half of 1990. These efforts did not fully restore the center's position. A 1991 hostage incident at the neighboring Good Guys! electronics store became one of the most serious events connected with the area. Four perpetrators held forty-one people hostage; the rescue operation ended with three hostages killed and fourteen injured. The store was adjacent to the mall rather than an anchor within it, but the incident contributed to the complex's negative public image. The loss of department-store anchors marked the mall's commercial decline. Following Federated Department Stores' acquisition of Weinstock's in August 1995, the Florin store closed in March 1996 instead of being converted to Macy's. JCPenney was converted to an outlet format in November 1998 and ultimately closed in 2003. Sears remained the only operating anchor as the rest of the mall fell into disrepair. In October 2005, much of the property was purchased by San Francisco investor Jim Kessler and Prudential Insurance Company. Florin Mall closed for good on February 28, 2006. The property was completely demolished in July 2006, although Sears, its auto center, and five outparcels were left standing at that stage. Redevelopment began soon afterward. The successor property, Florin Towne Centre, was built as an open-air shopping center with a smaller footprint and a different tenant mix. Its first store, Mervyn's, opened on March 6, 2008, followed by other retailers and a Walmart opening in June 2009. The former mall's large footprint was substantially replaced by parking and neighboring commercial uses. Sears, the last remaining anchor inherited from the former mall, was later closed as part of a nationwide Sears reduction plan; it ceased operating at the site in January 2019. Florin Mall therefore survives as a historical predecessor to Florin Towne Centre rather than as an active shopping center.

• 2006

  Mall closes and is demolished

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Florin Mall closed on February 28 and was demolished in July after roughly 38 years of operation.

• 2003

  JCPenney closes

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The former JCPenney anchor, which had operated as an outlet since 1998, closed and left Sears as the mall's sole remaining anchor.

• 1996

  Weinstock's closes

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Weinstock's location closed after Federated acquired the chain and chose not to convert the store to Macy's.

• 1991

  Adjacent hostage crisis

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A hostage-taking at the adjacent Good Guys! store caused multiple deaths and injuries and further damaged the area's reputation.

• 1989

  Weinstock's remodeled

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Weinstock's anchor underwent a remodeling as part of efforts to maintain the mall's competitiveness.

• 1978

  Front-entrance expansion completed

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A 46,600-square-foot addition increased the mall's gross leasable area to approximately 667,000 square feet.

• 1968

  Florin Mall opens

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Florin Mall opened in February as Sacramento's first enclosed shopping mall built as such from the ground up.

• 1967

  Weinstock's opens ahead of the mall

  [1]Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The three-level Weinstock's anchor held its grand opening on October 9, 1967, before the broader shopping center opened.

A large regional enclosed shopping mall serving Sacramento's south side, positioned around department-store anchors and a broad mix of general merchandise, apparel, home, and specialty retail.

• Department store · 1967

  Weinstock's

  Weinstock's was the Sacramento-based mall's original signature department-store anchor. Its three-level, approximately 157,000-square-foot store opened in October 1967, before the mall's formal opening. The location closed in March 1996 after Federated Department Stores acquired Weinstock's and decided not to convert the store to Macy's.

• Department store · 1968

  Sears

  Sears was one of Florin Mall's original anchors and occupied a two-level store of approximately 259,000 square feet. It outlasted the other principal mall anchors and continued operating after the enclosed mall was demolished. The store later became part of Seritage Growth Properties' 2015 property spin-off and closed in January 2019.

• Department store · 1968

  JCPenney

  JCPenney operated a two-level, approximately 125,000-square-foot anchor store from the mall's opening. The location was converted to an outlet store in November 1998 and closed in 2003.

• 1991

  Good Guys! hostage crisis

  Four perpetrators held forty-one people hostage at a Good Guys! electronics store adjacent to Florin Mall. Three hostages were killed and fourteen were injured. Although the store was not part of the mall property, the incident intensified the center's negative public reputation.

  Source

Read more

• 1968Robert F. Kennedy campaign stop

  United States

  Senator Robert F. Kennedy visited the recently opened Florin Mall on March 23 during his 1968 presidential campaign.

  Outcome. The visit made the new shopping center a venue for a nationally significant political campaign appearance.

  Source

• 2006

  Florin Mall is replaced by open-air redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  After years of disrepair, anchor departures, and declining patronage, the property was acquired in October 2005.

  Action taken

  The enclosed mall was closed, demolished, and redeveloped as the smaller open-air Florin Towne Centre.

  Aftermath

  The replacement center began opening stores in 2008 and retained only limited elements of the former mall site and tenant legacy.

  Source

• 1995

  Weinstock's location is not converted to Macy'sStrategy

  Background

  Federated Department Stores acquired Weinstock's in August 1995 while Florin Mall was already facing competitive and reputational pressure.

  Action taken

  Federated elected to close the Florin location rather than convert it to a Macy's store.

  Aftermath

  The store closed in March 1996, creating the first major anchor vacancy and accelerating the mall's decline.

  Source

1. 1Florin Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org