I was shocked to recently find out, when researching updates
about malls I toured last year for the blog,
that the Florida Mall may have suffered two massive blows this year.
Or is it just undergoing change?
First, at the beginning of this year, it lost its SAKS!
I'm surprised that I didn't realize this change.
In June of this year, I got married
and my new husband and I stopped at the mall
on the way over to the gulf coast as part of our honeymoon.
We stopped to have sushi at that establishment in the center
where the sushi cruises by on a conveyor belt and you choose at will.
We were only there for lunch,
my husband doesn't really enjoy shopping,
so we didn't walk around really.
Somehow the vacant SAKS didn't even come to my attention.
Why did SAKS close and fire its 74 employees?
It could be many factors, but most likely issues in the economy are to blame.
In June the mall was probably only beginning its renovation
to make a new food court.
The old food court was open and fully functional when we were there.
What I probably wouldn't have known unless I read the Orlando Sentinel
a little more often
Is that the Nordstrom has now closed too!
The Florida Mall has lost two anchors.
Anchor failure is generally a sign of up and coming decline,
unless the mall can creatively redeem itself like it is trying to do
with that new food court.
In 2009 the mall received an upgrade that gave it some large new stores
facing the outside, including the Zara and the double-decker Forever XXI.
The innovative new sushi restaurant replaced a dying candy store
that was oddly placed in the middle of an open area.
I believe it opened in 2012.
The Florida Hotel is still attached to the property,
with one lobby exit going into the mall.
I will pay this mall a visit possibly in December.
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