The end of Ponce

Ponce De Leon Mall,

which has been dying slowly for years,
may have finally met its demise.
Since the Regal 6 shuttered in 2010
upon the arrival of Epic 20 Theaters nearby,
The mall has only suffered more and more.
Hallmark closed last year.
Other shops and small businesses left.
And in April of this year, a decision was made to close it's interior.
GNC, a tenant since 1980, has already fled to Cobblestone,
the massive Publix plaza around the corner
which is home to Michael's, Bealls and soon a Party City.
The other few tenants, which include Anchor Faith church,
a florist and a sewing lounge,
have been working out what they will do.
Perhaps the largest uncertainty is the Sears appliance store.
It has an outside-facing door, but also an entrance into the mall.
It could be forced out, but it might not.
Amazingly, the Belk and JCPenney will stay.
Typically, what kills a mall is the death of its anchors first,
which forces the interior stores to close when foot traffic dies off.
What about a tiny mall with 2 live anchors and a dead space in-between that
isn't even accessible to mall walkers?
They will have to get in their cars and drive to the other department store
on the other side.
It doesn't seem like it will take long for something to go down.

What will they do with that vacant, sealed off space?
There are rumors.... but one in particular caught my attention.
In May, an article was posted that Anchor Faith church wanted to buy the mall!
This was a suggestion I wrote in my blog a few months ago.
Maybe I wasn't the only one who thought of it?

Will there be a new "Mall-church"?

stay tuned.