McAlister Square

McAlister Square is a repositioned shopping-center property in Greenville, South Carolina. Announced in December 1965 and opened in 1968, it was South Carolina's first enclosed shopping center and was described at the time as the largest shopping center in the state. Its original format was a conventional regional mall, combining department-store anchors, interior specialty retail, restaurants, services, and surrounding outparcels. The first development phase began construction in June 1967. It included Meyers-Arnold and Ivey's as anchor stores, approximately 245,000 square feet of interior space, and a planned opening in early 1968. The two anchor stores opened on February 15, 1968, and the center was scheduled for formal completion and opening in March of that year. The development plan also contemplated a second phase with another anchor, a convenience center, and a theater, with an intended total size of approximately 600,000 square feet by 1970. S. H. Kress & Co. and Walgreens were among the early junior-anchor or major tenants announced for the center. McAlister Square expanded during the 1970s. Belk-Simpson was added as an anchor in 1974, bringing the property to approximately 500,000 square feet of leasable area. The surrounding commercial environment included a Winn-Dixie grocery store, a movie theater, a bank branch, and other outparcels. These uses gave the center a broader convenience and service role than its enclosed mall interior alone. The property later experienced the decline associated with changing retail patterns and competition from newer shopping destinations. Ivey's was converted to Dillard's in 1990, but Dillard's closed in 1995 after relocating to Haywood Mall. Belk-Simpson announced its closure in October 1998 and shut its store in January 1999. The Uptons store, which had replaced Meyers-Arnold, also closed shortly afterward. These departures removed the principal department-store anchors that had supported the mall's original retail model. McAlister Square has since been transformed from a traditional retail mall into a hybrid property centered on education, nonprofit organizations, workforce services, and other businesses. The Greenville Tech Foundation owns the property, and the University Center of Greenville is its largest tenant. Other occupants identified with the current center include Thrive Upstate, the Greenville Literacy Association, Public Education Partners, the Urban League of the Upstate, and SC Works. Retail activity inside the main mall has ended, although nearby outparcels continue to include a Publix grocery store, the Camelot movie theater, a Truist bank branch, and other retailers. A Chick-fil-A location on Laurens Road, identified as South Carolina's first freestanding Chick-fil-A, also remains in operation. Repainting and landscaping have accompanied the property's conversion into a mixed-use educational and community-services center.

McAlister Square emerged during the expansion of enclosed shopping centers in the United States after the Second World War. The project was first announced in December 1965 in Greenville, South Carolina. Construction began in June 1967 with a first phase built around two department-store anchors: Meyers-Arnold, with approximately 63,000 square feet, and Ivey's, with approximately 60,000 square feet. The first phase provided about 245,000 square feet of interior space and was planned to open in early 1968. The two anchors opened on February 15, 1968. The interior center was expected to be completed in March, with a formal opening scheduled for March 25. Early tenant plans included S. H. Kress & Co. and Walgreens Drug. A second phase was discussed at the time of the first construction program. It was intended to add a third anchor, a convenience center, and a theater, ultimately bringing the development to roughly 600,000 square feet by 1970. The center was significant in the South Carolina retail landscape because it was the state's first enclosed shopping center and, at completion, the largest shopping center in the state. The property expanded its department-store presence in 1974 when Belk-Simpson joined the center. This addition increased the mall to approximately 500,000 square feet of leasable space. The wider site also incorporated outparcels and freestanding services, including a Winn-Dixie grocery store, a movie theater, and a bank branch. The combination of interior mall retail and external convenience-oriented businesses made McAlister Square an important commercial destination in Greenville. Its original anchor strategy weakened in the 1990s. Ivey's became a Dillard's store in 1990, but Dillard's closed in 1995 after moving to Haywood Mall. Belk-Simpson announced in October 1998 that it would leave, and the store closed in January 1999. The Uptons store, which had taken over the Meyers-Arnold location, closed soon afterward. The loss of these stores reflected both the competitive pressure from newer regional retail developments and the broader decline of many traditional enclosed malls. McAlister Square subsequently underwent a substantial change in function. Rather than continuing as a conventional retail mall, it became a hybrid property occupied primarily by educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community-service providers. The Greenville Tech Foundation owns the property, and the University Center of Greenville is its largest tenant. Current uses identified for the center include Thrive Upstate, the Greenville Literacy Association, Public Education Partners, the Urban League of the Upstate, and SC Works. No space in the main mall continues to operate as conventional retail space, although commercial activity remains on surrounding outparcels. The contemporary site includes a Publix grocery store, the Camelot movie theater, a Truist bank branch, and other retailers. A freestanding Chick-fil-A on Laurens Road, described as South Carolina's first freestanding location, also continues to operate. Repainting and landscaping have formed part of the site's physical renewal. McAlister Square therefore remains active, but its identity has shifted from a department-store-led shopping mall to a mixed-use education and community-services center that retains selected commercial uses around its perimeter.

• 1999

  Belk-Simpson closes

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The Belk-Simpson store closed in January, followed shortly thereafter by the closure of the Uptons anchor.

• 1998

  Belk-Simpson announces closure

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Belk-Simpson announced in October that it would close its McAlister Square store.

• 1995

  Dillard's closes

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Dillard's closed its McAlister Square location after relocating to Haywood Mall.

• 1990

  Ivey's converted to Dillard's

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The Ivey's department-store location was converted into a Dillard's store.

• 1974

  Belk-Simpson added

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Belk-Simpson joined the property as an anchor, expanding the center to approximately 500,000 square feet of leasable space.

• 1968

  Enclosed shopping center opens

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The two initial anchor stores opened on February 15, and the center was scheduled for formal opening in March. It became South Carolina's first enclosed shopping center.

• 1967

  Construction begins

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  Construction began on the first phase, centered on Meyers-Arnold and Ivey's department stores.

• 1965

  Development announced

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  McAlister Square was first announced as a major enclosed shopping-center project in Greenville, South Carolina.

• Transition to a hybrid community center

  [1]McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org

  The property moved away from enclosed retail and became primarily an education, nonprofit, and community-services center under ownership of the Greenville Tech Foundation.

A historic Greenville shopping center repositioned as an education-, nonprofit-, and community-services hub rather than a conventional retail mall.

• Retail property · 1968

  Enclosed shopping-center retail

  McAlister Square originally provided an enclosed retail environment with department stores, junior anchors, specialty shops, drugstore services, and interior common areas. Its design represented the regional shopping-center format that expanded across the United States in the 1960s.

• Higher education

  University Center of Greenville

  The University Center of Greenville is the largest identified tenant in the property's current configuration. Its presence forms the core of McAlister Square's post-retail identity as an education-oriented and mixed-use center.

• Community services

  Nonprofit and community-service facilities

  The former mall now accommodates nonprofit, literacy, public-education, civic, and workforce-service organizations. Identified occupants include Thrive Upstate, the Greenville Literacy Association, Public Education Partners, the Urban League of the Upstate, and SC Works.

• Retail and services

  Commercial outparcels

  Although the main mall is no longer used for conventional retail, the surrounding property retains commercial outparcels, including a Publix grocery store, the Camelot movie theater, a Truist bank branch, and other retailers.

• 1998

  Belk-Simpson exit announcedStrategy

  Background

  Belk-Simpson was the remaining major department-store anchor identified in the historical account of the property.

  Action taken

  The retailer announced in October that it would close its McAlister Square store.

  Aftermath

  The store closed in January 1999, and the Uptons anchor also closed shortly afterward, accelerating the property's shift away from conventional mall retail.

  Source

• 1990

  Ivey's location converted to Dillard'sGeneration change

  Background

  The center replaced the Ivey's department-store identity with a Dillard's operation during a period of changing department-store ownership and branding.

  Action taken

  The Ivey's store was converted into Dillard's.

  Aftermath

  Dillard's later closed the location in 1995 after relocating to Haywood Mall.

  Source

• Property repositioned as an education and community-services centerStrategy

  Background

  Following the loss of its department-store anchors, the property no longer functioned as a conventional enclosed retail mall.

  Action taken

  Ownership and tenancy were reorganized around educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, workforce services, and other businesses.

  Aftermath

  The Greenville Tech Foundation owns the property, the University Center of Greenville is its largest tenant, and the main mall space is no longer used for retail.

  Source

1. 1McAlister Squareen.wikipedia.org