Fiesta Mall
Encyclopedia
Fiesta Mall is a regional shopping center in the U.S.
city of Mesa, Arizona
(part of the Phoenix metropolitan area
). Fiesta Mall is located west of Alma School Road, between Southern Avenue and the US 60
(Superstition) freeway.
, which at the time of the opening of Fiesta Mall in 1979 was the real estate division of Sears, Roebuck and Company
and was engaged in development of several shopping centers nationwide, anchored by Sears retail locations. In 1995, Homart Development Company and its mall properties were sold to General Growth Properties
. Fiesta Mall was acquired by Macerich in 2004 for $135 million.
Fiesta Mall opened with four anchor department store
s, Goldwaters (which became Robinsons-May
in 1989 and changed to Macy's
in 2006), Diamond's
(now Dillard's
), The Broadway
(which became Macy's
in 1996, and closed in 2006 with the location knocked down for a Best Buy
and Dick's Sporting Goods
, and Sears. It was one of the first major malls to be built in Mesa, which has traditionally been one of the nation's fastest growing areas. There are 116 stores in the mall with a total area of 9226325 sq ft (857,153.6 m²).
Fiesta's opening hastened the decline of Mesa's Main Street shopping corridor (although it has rebounded slightly since the 1990s with an emphasis on locally-owned boutiques and related shops). Fiesta Mall itself has seen some decline as since its opening many other regional malls have opened in the area, including the 1990 opening of Superstition Springs Center
in east Mesa, the 1997 opening of Arizona Mills
(located in Tempe
), the 2001 opening of Chandler Fashion Center
, and the 2007 openings of Mesa Riverview
and Tempe Marketplace
. Fiesta Mall underwent a renovation in 2000 in part to try to reverse the trend.
The demographics around Fiesta Mall have changed as the west Mesa area has become less upscale and more blue-collar in nature (as new development in Mesa favors the eastern portions of the city), which hurt sales in Fiesta's more upscale stores.
In May 2007, plans were announced to demolish the vacant Macy's location. The structure has been replaced by a new two-level building that has two separate 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) tenants, one on each level. The tenants are Best Buy
and Dick's Sporting Goods
. Demolition began in November 2007 and new tenants are currently in place. A new retail location has also been created with frontage on Alma School Road for a In-N-Out Burger
location.
), apartment complexes and power centers are in the immediate surrounding neighborhood, although many of the power centers date from the 1970s and 1980s and are showing signs of age. Several prominent national retailers have stores in these strip malls. A free-standing Target store is located just west of Fiesta Mall (at the southwest corner of Longmore and Southern), which replaced the now-defunct Montgomery Ward. A branch of the Florida-based Italian dining chain, Olive Garden
, and a branch of the California-based casual dining chain Mimi's Cafe are located on Southern Avenue just off the main Fiesta Mall parking lot. An In-N-Out Burger
restaurant opened in May 2009 on Alma School Road. Conversely, a Bennigan's
restaurant at the northwest corner of Alma School and Southern, across the street from Fiesta Mall, has sat vacant since at least 2005, and will likely never reopen as a Bennigan's after that restaurant chain's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing
in July 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Mesa, Arizona
Mesa, Arizona
According to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
(part of the Phoenix metropolitan area
Phoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix metropolitan area, often referred to as The Valley of the Sun, is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, that includes much of the central part of the US state of Arizona...
). Fiesta Mall is located west of Alma School Road, between Southern Avenue and the US 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
(Superstition) freeway.
History
Fiesta Mall was originally developed by the Homart Development CompanyHomart Development Company
Homart Development Company, a subsidiary of Sears, was one of the largest builders of shopping centers and malls in the United States from 1959 to 1995.-Company history:...
, which at the time of the opening of Fiesta Mall in 1979 was the real estate division of Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, Roebuck and Company
Sears, officially named Sears, Roebuck and Co., is an American chain of department stores which was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in the late 19th century...
and was engaged in development of several shopping centers nationwide, anchored by Sears retail locations. In 1995, Homart Development Company and its mall properties were sold to General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties
General Growth Properties, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust in the United States. It is based in Chicago, Illinois at 110 North Wacker Drive, a historic building designed by architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White...
. Fiesta Mall was acquired by Macerich in 2004 for $135 million.
Fiesta Mall opened with four anchor department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, Goldwaters (which became Robinsons-May
Robinsons-May
Robinsons-May was a chain of department stores operating in Southern California, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada, previously with headquarters in North Hollywood, California...
in 1989 and changed to Macy's
Macy's West
Macy's West was a longtime division of Macy's, Inc. , representing one of the New York-based department store chain's earliest notable acquisitions and westward expansions...
in 2006), Diamond's
Diamond's
Diamond's was a department store based in Phoenix, Arizona.Originally named The Boston Store, it was founded in 1897 by Nathan and Issac Diamond, Jewish immigrants who had earlier begun a dry-goods mercantile in El Paso. Consisting of one store in downtown Phoenix, it was renamed Diamond's in 1947...
(now Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
), The Broadway
The Broadway
The Broadway was a mid-level department store chain headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. Founded in 1896 by English born Arthur Letts, Sr., who later went on to develop Holmby Hills, The Broadway became one of the dominant retailers in Southern California and the...
(which became Macy's
Macy's West
Macy's West was a longtime division of Macy's, Inc. , representing one of the New York-based department store chain's earliest notable acquisitions and westward expansions...
in 1996, and closed in 2006 with the location knocked down for a Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
and Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
, and Sears. It was one of the first major malls to be built in Mesa, which has traditionally been one of the nation's fastest growing areas. There are 116 stores in the mall with a total area of 9226325 sq ft (857,153.6 m²).
Fiesta's opening hastened the decline of Mesa's Main Street shopping corridor (although it has rebounded slightly since the 1990s with an emphasis on locally-owned boutiques and related shops). Fiesta Mall itself has seen some decline as since its opening many other regional malls have opened in the area, including the 1990 opening of Superstition Springs Center
Superstition Springs Center
Superstition Springs Center is a shopping mall located in Mesa, Arizona. It is owned by Westcor, a subsidiary of The Macerich Company. The mall features an outdoor amphitheatre and a fountain that converts into a stage featuring free concerts from May to August on Saturday evenings.The anchors at...
in east Mesa, the 1997 opening of Arizona Mills
Arizona Mills
Arizona Mills is an indoor outlet mall in Tempe, Arizona. It is mostly owned by Simon Property Group and managed by The Taubman Company. It opened on November 20, 1997, with 6,000 parking spaces and approximately 200 retailers. It is currently anchored by outlet versions of Saks Fifth Avenue,...
(located in Tempe
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
), the 2001 opening of Chandler Fashion Center
Chandler Fashion Center
Chandler Fashion Center is a regional shopping center located in the city of Chandler, Arizona, and is the second largest mall in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The mall is owned by Westcor, a subsidiary of The Macerich Company and was opened on October 19, 2001 with more than 180 stores and five...
, and the 2007 openings of Mesa Riverview
Mesa Riverview
Mesa Riverview is an outdoor shopping mall in Mesa, Arizona located in the northwestern corner of the city near Loop 202 and Dobson Road. The mall has a gross leasable area of 1,115,112 square feet...
and Tempe Marketplace
Tempe Marketplace
Tempe Marketplace is an open air shopping center located in Tempe, Arizona. It is located along the Salt River near the interchange of the Loop 101 Pima/Price Freeway and Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway near the Tempe borders with Mesa and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.- History :The...
. Fiesta Mall underwent a renovation in 2000 in part to try to reverse the trend.
The demographics around Fiesta Mall have changed as the west Mesa area has become less upscale and more blue-collar in nature (as new development in Mesa favors the eastern portions of the city), which hurt sales in Fiesta's more upscale stores.
In May 2007, plans were announced to demolish the vacant Macy's location. The structure has been replaced by a new two-level building that has two separate 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) tenants, one on each level. The tenants are Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
and Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. , or Dick's, is a Fortune 500 American corporation in the sporting goods and retail industries.The company's headquarters are on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dick's has 451 stores in 42 states as of...
. Demolition began in November 2007 and new tenants are currently in place. A new retail location has also been created with frontage on Alma School Road for a In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations in the western United States. Founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, establishing the first In-N-Out burger in Baldwin Park and headquartered in Irvine, California, In-N-Out Burger has since expanded outside...
location.
Neighborhood
Several strip malls, office complexes (including the Bank of America building on the southeast corner of Alma School and Southern, which is Mesa's tallest building at 16 stories), free-standing bank branches, hotels (among them a 260-room HiltonHilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
), apartment complexes and power centers are in the immediate surrounding neighborhood, although many of the power centers date from the 1970s and 1980s and are showing signs of age. Several prominent national retailers have stores in these strip malls. A free-standing Target store is located just west of Fiesta Mall (at the southwest corner of Longmore and Southern), which replaced the now-defunct Montgomery Ward. A branch of the Florida-based Italian dining chain, Olive Garden
Olive Garden
Olive Garden is an American restaurant chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine. It is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, Inc., which is headquartered in an unincorporated area in Orange County, Florida, near Orlando. Olive Garden operates more than 730 locations globally.- History :The...
, and a branch of the California-based casual dining chain Mimi's Cafe are located on Southern Avenue just off the main Fiesta Mall parking lot. An In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger is a regional chain of fast food restaurants with locations in the western United States. Founded in 1948 by Harry Snyder and his wife Esther, establishing the first In-N-Out burger in Baldwin Park and headquartered in Irvine, California, In-N-Out Burger has since expanded outside...
restaurant opened in May 2009 on Alma School Road. Conversely, a Bennigan's
Bennigan's
Bennigan's is an Irish pub-themed casual dining restaurant chain with locations throughout the United States, and in 14 countries and 15 territories outside the continental U.S...
restaurant at the northwest corner of Alma School and Southern, across the street from Fiesta Mall, has sat vacant since at least 2005, and will likely never reopen as a Bennigan's after that restaurant chain's Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing
Chapter 7, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 7 of the Title 11 of the United States Code governs the process of liquidation under the bankruptcy laws of the United States...
in July 2008.
Anchors & Majors
- Dillard'sDillard'sDillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
(195,395 sq ft.) - Macy'sMacy's WestMacy's West was a longtime division of Macy's, Inc. , representing one of the New York-based department store chain's earliest notable acquisitions and westward expansions...
(154,728 sq ft.) - Sears (168,068 sq ft.)
- Best BuyBest BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
- Dicks Sporting Goods