Richardson Square Mall
Encyclopedia
Richardson Square Mall was an enclosed shopping center located in Richardson, Texas
, United States
. Richardson Square Mall demolition began in June 2007. Now located in its place is an outdoor retail center which goes by the name Richardson Square. The retail center includes Super Target with a Starbucks
inside, Sears, Ross Dress for Less
, Anna's Linens and a Lowe's
home improvement store. The center also includes pad sites
such as Panda Express
, Chick-fil-A
, Whataburger
, Sonic Drive-In
, and a Bank of America
.
, Titche-Goettinger
(which became Joske's
in 1979 and a second Dillard's
location in 1987), and Montgomery Ward
. It also featured a multi-screen movie theater.
By 1981 Collin Creek Mall
--a much larger mall--opened in nearby Plano, but Richardson Square continued to be popular through the rest of the 1980s. Stores began rapidly closing in the early 1990s. By 1993, the property was at about 60% occupancy. Dillard's maintained both its store and the former Joske's location, which it would close in 1995.
A small free-standing strip of stores was built in 1985 on the outer corner of the property closest to Berkner High School. Tenants included a realtor and dry cleaning business, but most of the stores were never leased.
In 1998 the mall was remodeled , with many new tenants and a food court added, as well as a Barnes & Noble
bookstore which occupied the space of half a dozen stores. The entrance corridor near Sears, formerly occupied by a movie theater, video arcade, and several food vendors, became a Stein Mart
. Shortly thereafter Montgomery Ward
filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores. The former Ward's pad was demolished and converted into a Super Target
. Stein Mart
, Oshman's, and several other small stores soon closed as well. The mall continued to operate until Garland
's Firewheel Town Center opened in 2005. Dillard's
, Old Navy
, and Barnes & Noble
all relocated to Firewheel .
Richardson Square Mall was demolished in 2007, except for Sears which remains in operation as a free-standing store. The loss of the mall was significant for the city, but, in 2006, with the announcement that Simon Properties would be renovating the site, city leaders expressed optimism that the new development would flourish.
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Richardson Square Mall demolition began in June 2007. Now located in its place is an outdoor retail center which goes by the name Richardson Square. The retail center includes Super Target with a Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
inside, Sears, Ross Dress for Less
Ross Dress For Less
Ross Stores, Inc. , is a chain of American off-price department stores headquartered in Pleasanton, California, operating under the name Ross Dress for Less. It is the third largest off-price retailer in the United States, behind T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, both of which are owned by TJX Companies.As...
, Anna's Linens and a Lowe's
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
home improvement store. The center also includes pad sites
Pad site
A pad site is a freestanding parcel of commercial real estate located in the front of a larger shopping center or strip mall. Desirable because of their visibility to consumers, accessibility, and the ease of facilitating drive-thru service, pad sites are typically sought after by banks, casual...
such as Panda Express
Panda Express
Panda Express is a fast casual restaurant chain serving American Chinese cuisine. It operates mainly inside the United States, in casinos, shopping malls, supermarkets, airports, train stations, strip plazas, theme parks, stadiums, college campuses and The Pentagon...
, Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A |"fillet"]]) is a quick service restaurant chain headquartered in College Park, Georgia, United States, specializing in chicken entrées and is known for promoting the company founder's claims of Christian values. Long associated with the southern United States, where it has been a...
, Whataburger
Whataburger
Whataburger is a privately held, regional restaurant chain specializing in hamburgers. The company, founded by Harmon Dobson, opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950...
, Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
, and a Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
History
The single-level mall first opened in 1977 on Plano Road, stretching between the intersections of Beltline Road and Spring Valley Road. The three adjacent corners of Beltline and Plano Road were also occupied by shopping centers. At one point, the mall had four full anchors: Sears, Dillard'sDillard'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,...
, Titche-Goettinger
Titche-Goettinger
Titche-Goettinger was a department store chain based in Dallas, Texas . It was established in 1902 and was a major player in the Dallas retail market until its absorption by Dillard's in 1987.- History :...
(which became Joske's
Joske's
Joske's, founded by German immigrant Julius Joske in 1867, was a department store chain originally based in San Antonio, Texas. In December 1928, Hahn Department Stores acquired the company along with the Titche-Goettinger department store of Dallas, and three years later Hahn became part of Allied...
in 1979 and a second 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,...
location in 1987), and Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
. It also featured a multi-screen movie theater.
By 1981 Collin Creek Mall
Collin Creek Mall
Collin Creek Mall is a regional shopping mall located at 811 North Central Expressway in Plano, Texas . The two-level mall opened in 1981 featuring five anchor stores. Collin Creek Mall currently features 150 stores or less, and a food court....
--a much larger mall--opened in nearby Plano, but Richardson Square continued to be popular through the rest of the 1980s. Stores began rapidly closing in the early 1990s. By 1993, the property was at about 60% occupancy. Dillard's maintained both its store and the former Joske's location, which it would close in 1995.
A small free-standing strip of stores was built in 1985 on the outer corner of the property closest to Berkner High School. Tenants included a realtor and dry cleaning business, but most of the stores were never leased.
In 1998 the mall was remodeled , with many new tenants and a food court added, as well as a Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
bookstore which occupied the space of half a dozen stores. The entrance corridor near Sears, formerly occupied by a movie theater, video arcade, and several food vendors, became a Stein Mart
Stein Mart
Stein Mart is a nationwide department store based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reported a profit of nearly $24 million in 2009 with operation of 264 stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Stein Mart has locations primarily in the Southeast and Texas. Stein Mart's stores carry...
. Shortly thereafter Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores. The former Ward's pad was demolished and converted into a Super Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
. Stein Mart
Stein Mart
Stein Mart is a nationwide department store based in Jacksonville, Florida. The company reported a profit of nearly $24 million in 2009 with operation of 264 stores in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Stein Mart has locations primarily in the Southeast and Texas. Stein Mart's stores carry...
, Oshman's, and several other small stores soon closed as well. The mall continued to operate until Garland
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
's Firewheel Town Center opened in 2005. 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,...
, Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
, and Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
all relocated to Firewheel .
Richardson Square Mall was demolished in 2007, except for Sears which remains in operation as a free-standing store. The loss of the mall was significant for the city, but, in 2006, with the announcement that Simon Properties would be renovating the site, city leaders expressed optimism that the new development would flourish.
External links
- Photos of Richardson Square Mall just prior to and during demolition.