Holly Hill Mall and Business Center

Holly Hill Mall and Business Center is an enclosed shopping mall and commercial property in Burlington, North Carolina. The center opened in 1969 and took its original name from the nearby Holly Hill neighborhood. During its early years, the mall hosted several traditional department-store and variety-store anchors, including Belk, Sears, and Woolworth. Woolworth was later succeeded by Goody's, reflecting the gradual transition from the classic department-store and five-and-dime retail model toward apparel and specialty formats. The property changed names and ownership several times. Colonial Properties Trust acquired the mall and renamed it Colonial Mall Burlington in 1999. A substantial renovation followed in 2004, updating both the interior and exterior with features such as skylights, new floor surfaces, and additional retail space. Hibbett Sports was among the businesses added during this modernization. Colonial Properties sold the mall to Prime Retail in 2005, after which the property was renamed Burlington Square Mall. The mall faced significant competitive pressure when Alamance Crossing, a lifestyle-center development less than two miles away, opened in 2007. Belk and J. C. Penney relocated to the newer complex, and several smaller retailers also departed. The resulting occupancy and trading challenges were followed by foreclosure proceedings announced in July 2008. The property was subsequently acquired from the bank by its current ownership group at that time. Additional tenant changes followed. Goody's announced in October 2008 that it would close all of its stores, including its Burlington location, and Books-A-Million later closed as well. A former Gold's Gym space was temporarily occupied by Trailhead Church from 2009 until 2010. In May 2010, a group of local investors purchased the property and returned it to its historical identity by renaming it Holly Hill Mall & Business Center. The repositioning emphasized local and national tenants rather than relying exclusively on the former department-store anchors. The tenant mix was reshaped during the following years. Hamrick's opened in the former J. C. Penney space in 2011, while Dave's Discount Furniture replaced the former Goody's location. Dunham's Sports opened in the former Belk space in 2012; the Burlington store was described as the chain's first North Carolina location and its largest store at the time. Hamrick's later closed in 2014. Sears remained one of the property's legacy anchors until its closure was announced in December 2019. The Sears building was subsequently demolished, and the site was redeveloped for a Publix supermarket, which opened in 2021. The center's later identity combines retail, food, service, and business uses. Its principal listed anchors include Dunham's Sports and Dave's Furniture, while the former Sears site has been redeveloped as a Publix supermarket. Unlike a corporate retail brand with a standardized national footprint, Holly Hill Mall and Business Center is primarily a local commercial property whose significance comes from its changing tenant roster, repeated repositioning, and role in Burlington's retail landscape.

Holly Hill Mall opened in Burlington, North Carolina, in 1969. Its name referred to the nearby Holly Hill neighborhood. The original anchor lineup included Belk, Sears, and Woolworth, with Woolworth later becoming Goody's. These tenants made the property a conventional enclosed shopping mall serving the Burlington area. In 1999, Colonial Properties Trust acquired the property and changed its name to Colonial Mall Burlington. The owner carried out a major renovation in 2004, updating the mall’s interior and exterior and adding features including skylights, new floor tiles, and new stores such as Hibbett Sports. Colonial Properties sold the mall to Prime Retail in 2005, and the property was then renamed Burlington Square Mall. The mall’s competitive position weakened after Alamance Crossing opened less than two miles away in 2007. Belk and J. C. Penney moved to the newer lifestyle-center development, and other retailers followed. On July 8, 2008, foreclosure proceedings were reported. The property was later purchased from the bank by a new ownership group. Tenant turnover continued during the late 2000s. Goody's announced in October 2008 that it would close all of its stores, including its Burlington location. Books-A-Million closed afterward. Trailhead Church occupied a former Gold's Gym space from November 2009 until July 2010, when it merged with Victory Worship Center in Graham and moved away from the mall. In May 2010, local investors bought the mall and changed its name to Holly Hill Mall & Business Center, deliberately reconnecting the property with its original local identity. The new ownership pursued a broader mix of local and national tenants. Hamrick's opened in the former J. C. Penney location in 2011, Dave's Discount Furniture replaced the former Goody's space, and Dunham's Sports opened in the former Belk location in 2012. Hamrick's closed in 2014. Sears announced in December 2019 that it would close its store at the mall on January 15, 2020. The Sears building was later demolished to make way for a Publix supermarket, which opened in 2021. The mall’s current identity is therefore the result of several cycles of ownership change, retail competition, anchor replacement, and redevelopment. Its principal anchors are identified as Dunham’s Sports and Dave’s Furniture, with Publix occupying the redeveloped former Sears site.

• 2021

  Publix opens on redeveloped anchor site

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A Publix supermarket opens after the former Sears building is demolished and redeveloped.

• 2019

  Sears announces closure

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Sears announces that its mall store will close in January 2020.

• 2012

  Dunham's Sports opens

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Dunham's Sports occupies the former Belk space and establishes its first North Carolina store at the mall.

• 2011

  Hamrick's and Dave's Discount Furniture join the tenant mix

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Hamrick's opens in the former J. C. Penney space, while Dave's Discount Furniture takes over the former Goody's location.

• 2010

  Local investors restore the Holly Hill name

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A local investor group acquires the mall and renames it Holly Hill Mall & Business Center.

• 2008

  Foreclosure proceedings reported

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Burlington Square Mall enters foreclosure proceedings during a period of increased competition and tenant losses.

• 2007

  Alamance Crossing opens

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A competing lifestyle center opens nearby, prompting the departure of major anchors including Belk and J. C. Penney.

• 2005

  Prime Retail acquires the mall

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Colonial Properties sells the property to Prime Retail, which renames it Burlington Square Mall.

• 2004

  Major renovation completed

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The mall receives interior and exterior improvements, including skylights, new flooring, and additional retail space.

• 1999

  Property renamed Colonial Mall Burlington

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Colonial Properties Trust acquires the mall and changes its name from Holly Hill Mall.

• 1969

  Holly Hill Mall opens

  [1]Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall opens in Burlington, North Carolina, named after the nearby Holly Hill neighborhood.

A locally oriented enclosed shopping mall and business center serving Burlington and the surrounding Alamance County market, with a tenant mix built around value-oriented retail, sporting goods, furniture, groceries, and commercial services.

• Retail property · 1969

  Enclosed shopping mall

  The mall provides enclosed retail space for a changing mix of apparel, sporting-goods, furniture, grocery, specialty, and service tenants. Its tenant strategy has evolved in response to anchor departures, nearby competition, and redevelopment opportunities.

• Commercial property

  Business center

  The business-center component extends the property beyond conventional shopping-mall use by accommodating commercial and service-oriented tenants alongside retail stores.

• Sporting goods · 2012

  Dunham's Sports

  Dunham's Sports opened in the former Belk anchor space in 2012. The location was described as the chain's first store in North Carolina and its largest store at the time.

• Furniture retail · 2011

  Dave's Furniture

  Dave's Discount Furniture replaced the former Goody's space in 2011 and became one of the mall's principal anchor tenants.

• Grocery retail · 2021

  Publix supermarket

  Publix opened in 2021 on the site of the demolished Sears building, adding a grocery anchor to the property's post-department-store tenant mix.

• 2021

  Redevelopment of the former Sears siteGeneration change

  Background

  Sears announced the closure of its long-standing anchor store in late 2019.

  Action taken

  The Sears building was demolished and replaced with a Publix supermarket.

  Aftermath

  Publix opened in 2021, giving the property a grocery anchor after the departure of Sears.

  Source

• 2010

  Return to the Holly Hill identityStrategy

  Background

  After foreclosure-related distress and continued tenant turnover, local investors acquired the property and sought to reconnect it with its historical local identity.

  Action taken

  The mall was renamed Holly Hill Mall & Business Center and pursued additional local and national tenants.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning was followed by new anchor replacements, including Dave's Discount Furniture and Dunham's Sports.

  Source

• 2005

  Sale to Prime Retail and name changeM&A

  Background

  Colonial Properties Trust sold the property after its period of ownership.

  Action taken

  Prime Retail acquired the mall and renamed it Burlington Square Mall.

  Aftermath

  The property operated under the Burlington Square Mall identity until local investors acquired it in 2010.

  Source

• 2004

  Major property renovationStrategy

  Background

  The mall required modernization as enclosed retail properties competed for tenants and shoppers.

  Action taken

  The interior and exterior were renovated, with skylights, new floor tiles, and new stores added.

  Aftermath

  The renovation introduced updated facilities and expanded the tenant offering, including Hibbett Sports.

  Source

• 1999

  Rebranding as Colonial Mall BurlingtonStrategy

  Background

  Following Colonial Properties Trust's acquisition, the property was repositioned under the Colonial Mall name.

  Action taken

  The mall was renamed Colonial Mall Burlington.

  Aftermath

  The Colonial branding remained until the property was sold to Prime Retail in 2005.

  Source

1. 1Holly Hill Mall and Business Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Holly Hill Mall official websitehollyhillmall.com