South Hills Mall
Encyclopedia
South Hills Mall was an indoor shopping mall
on U.S. 9 in the town of Poughkeepsie
, New York
. The 675,000 ft² plaza opened in 1974 and included four stores, a small food court
, and an eight-screen second-run cinema. South Hills Mall is owned and operated by Vornado Realty Trust
, which purchased the mall from the locally-based Dagar Group in October 2005.
The mall is adjacent to its significantly more successful rival, the Poughkeepsie Galleria
, and the two are linked by interior roads. The Galleria's existence has led to the slow decline
of South Hills.
Presently, the space, now known as The Shoppes at South Hills (despite the remaining "South Hills Mall" signage at the site), is being constructed as a strip mall
. Tenants, some recently opened, include K-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory
, Shop Rite
(2006), Christmas Tree Shoppes (2009), and New England-based Bob's Discount Furniture
(2009).
(after Dutchess Mall
in Fishkill
, 10 miles south). Upon opening, anchors were Sears
and KMart
in addition to smaller shops. South Hills quickly became the dominant retail center in the Poughkeepsie area, leading to the closing of prominent downtown retailer Luckey Platt & Co.
in 1981. A later expansion added Hess's
and a food court.
In the early 1980s, an initial proposal for a two-story mall adjacent to South Hills was submitted; after several years of protests, this proposal became the Poughkeepsie Galleria and opened in 1987. Though the malls co-existed successfully for the first several years of the Galleria's existence, as the 1990s began South Hills began to suffer. The decline largely began in 1991 when Hess's closed their location and Sears moved to the Galleria; the Hess's space was replaced by Burlington Coat Factory
while the Sears space was divided between Pharmhouse
and a (freestanding) Price Chopper
supermarket. Service Merchandise
relocated to this mall in 1995 after closing the location at the Dutchess Mall.
In the 1990s, South Hills was sold to Sarakreek Holdings NV, a Dutch
property holding firm which attempted to revive the mall by opening "big-box"
retailers like Media Play
, Old Navy
, Office Max, Discovery Zone
, and Bob's Stores
. The success was short-lived; in the long run the alienation of smaller stores by the larger ones only led to a further, greater decline resulting in the closure of all the aforementioned retailers.
By the late 1990s, Sarakreek sold South Hills to the Dagar Group, a locally based retail ownership group. The mall's decline accelerated after this change as many smaller tenants left the mall. Filling those holes have been smaller, independent shops which existed for only a brief time. The Service Merchandise location has been largely vacant, minus several months as an overstock book store. After Phar-Mor
, parent of Pharmhouse, folded, the space has played host to two different furniture stores. The closings of Media Play
, OfficeMax
, and Price Chopper
supermarket in 2006 did not bode well for the mall. The Price Chopper location was subsequently replaced by a ShopRite supermarket and has remained
successful. For a time in 2007 to 2008, the few remaining sources of income for the mall was the Silver Cinemas (a discount movie theater
), and K-Mart.
By May 2008, the mall was almost fully empty, with the exception of Silver Cinemas, K-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory
, ShopRite
, and Namco (not to be mistaken for the Japaneses Video Game company). The shopping center's interior halls were still open and accessible to the public, though all other stores were closed on December 31, 2007. Other stores that were still around before the closing were Gamestop
and The Avenue
In July 2008, construction crews had begun demolition of the site, while the four major tenants remain open. As Of October 2009, the mall's new exterior is almost done and a Hobby Lobby store has opened next to K-mart.
Rumors and ideas to save the mall remain popular topics of discussion. Among these plans include most of the space being converted into a WalMart Supercenter, another has a realignment in which half of the mall is replaced with a Costco
while the more successful stores are relocated into the other half.
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
on U.S. 9 in the town of Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (town), New York
Poughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The 675,000 ft² plaza opened in 1974 and included four stores, a small food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
, and an eight-screen second-run cinema. South Hills Mall is owned and operated by Vornado Realty Trust
Vornado Realty Trust
Vornado Realty Trust is a New York based real estate investment trust. It is the inheritor of real estate formerly controlled by companies including Two Guys and Alexander's.- History :...
, which purchased the mall from the locally-based Dagar Group in October 2005.
The mall is adjacent to its significantly more successful rival, the Poughkeepsie Galleria
Poughkeepsie Galleria
The Poughkeepsie Galleria is a shopping mall on U.S. 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York, not far from Wappingers Falls, and is the biggest mall in New York's Hudson Valley region. The mall, which opened in 1987 after much controversy regarding its construction, has an area of with two floors...
, and the two are linked by interior roads. The Galleria's existence has led to the slow decline
Dead mall
A dead mall or greyfield is a shopping mall with a high vacancy rate or a low consumer traffic level, or that is dated or deteriorating in some manner. Many malls in the United States are considered "dead" when they have no surviving anchor store or successor that could serve as an entry into or...
of South Hills.
Presently, the space, now known as The Shoppes at South Hills (despite the remaining "South Hills Mall" signage at the site), is being constructed as a strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
. Tenants, some recently opened, include K-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
, Shop Rite
ShopRite (United States)
ShopRite Supermarkets is a retailers' cooperative chain of supermarkets in the northeastern United States, with stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
(2006), Christmas Tree Shoppes (2009), and New England-based Bob's Discount Furniture
Bob's Discount Furniture
Bob's Discount Furniture is a privately owned regional chain of furniture stores along the Eastern United States, primarily in the Northeastern United States. , the company had 40 stores located in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island...
(2009).
History
South Hills Mall was the first true indoor shopping mall in Poughkeepsie and the second in Dutchess CountyDutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
(after Dutchess Mall
Dutchess Mall
Dutchess Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Fishkill, New York, United States. Currently, the former mall property is the site of a Home Depot, as well as two vacant buildings , with the rest of the property awaiting further redevelopment. Dagar Group manages the shopping center. R.C...
in Fishkill
Fishkill (town), New York
Fishkill is an affluent suburban town in the southwest part of Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 20,258 at the 2000 census, however, current estimates put the town's population at over 22,100. Fishkill partly surrounds the city of Beacon....
, 10 miles south). Upon opening, anchors were Sears
Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation is a retail conglomerate formed in 2005 by the merger of Sears, Roebuck and Co., of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, with Kmart Holdings Corporation, of Troy, Michigan...
and KMart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
in addition to smaller shops. South Hills quickly became the dominant retail center in the Poughkeepsie area, leading to the closing of prominent downtown retailer Luckey Platt & Co.
Luckey, Platt & Company Department Store
The Luckey, Platt & Company Department Store building is located at the corner of Main and Academy streets in downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. For most of the 20th century it was a major retail destination not only for the city but the entire Hudson Valley...
in 1981. A later expansion added Hess's
Hess's
Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a...
and a food court.
In the early 1980s, an initial proposal for a two-story mall adjacent to South Hills was submitted; after several years of protests, this proposal became the Poughkeepsie Galleria and opened in 1987. Though the malls co-existed successfully for the first several years of the Galleria's existence, as the 1990s began South Hills began to suffer. The decline largely began in 1991 when Hess's closed their location and Sears moved to the Galleria; the Hess's space was replaced by Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
while the Sears space was divided between Pharmhouse
Phar-Mor
Phar-Mor was a United States chain of discount drug stores, based in Youngstown, Ohio, and founded by Michael "Mickey" Monus and David S. Shapira in 1982. Some of its stores used the names Pharmhouse and Rx Place...
and a (freestanding) Price Chopper
Price Chopper
Price Chopper Supermarkets is a chain of supermarkets headquartered in Schenectady, New York. The chain began operating as Central Markets in Schenectady, New York in 1933 and changed its name to Price Chopper in 1973. It is presently owned by the Golub Corporation and run by Neil and Jerel Golub...
supermarket. Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise
Service Merchandise is an online retailer and former retailer chain of catalog showroom stores carrying fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics that existed for 68 years...
relocated to this mall in 1995 after closing the location at the Dutchess Mall.
In the 1990s, South Hills was sold to Sarakreek Holdings NV, a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
property holding firm which attempted to revive the mall by opening "big-box"
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
retailers like Media Play
Media Play
Media Play was a chain of retail stores founded in 1992 by Musicland that sold movies on video, DVDs, music, Electronics, video games, books, and games in the United States. Each store essentially contained a book store, a movie store, a music store, and a video game store under one roof. At...
, 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...
, Office Max, Discovery Zone
Discovery Zone
Discovery Zone was a chain of entertainment facilities featuring games and elaborate indoor mazes designed for young children, including slides, climbing play structures and ball pits. The chain was founded by Ronald Matsch, Jim Jorgensen, Mike Geselbracht and Dr. David Schoenstadt in 1989. The...
, and Bob's Stores
Bob's Stores
Bob's Stores is a chain of 35 American retail stores in the northeastern U.S. owned by Versa Capital Management. Founded as Bob's Surplus in Middletown, Connecticut, by Bob Lapidus in 1954, the chain expanded gradually until it was acquired by TJX in 2003...
. The success was short-lived; in the long run the alienation of smaller stores by the larger ones only led to a further, greater decline resulting in the closure of all the aforementioned retailers.
By the late 1990s, Sarakreek sold South Hills to the Dagar Group, a locally based retail ownership group. The mall's decline accelerated after this change as many smaller tenants left the mall. Filling those holes have been smaller, independent shops which existed for only a brief time. The Service Merchandise location has been largely vacant, minus several months as an overstock book store. After Phar-Mor
Phar-Mor
Phar-Mor was a United States chain of discount drug stores, based in Youngstown, Ohio, and founded by Michael "Mickey" Monus and David S. Shapira in 1982. Some of its stores used the names Pharmhouse and Rx Place...
, parent of Pharmhouse, folded, the space has played host to two different furniture stores. The closings of Media Play
Media Play
Media Play was a chain of retail stores founded in 1992 by Musicland that sold movies on video, DVDs, music, Electronics, video games, books, and games in the United States. Each store essentially contained a book store, a movie store, a music store, and a video game store under one roof. At...
, OfficeMax
OfficeMax
OfficeMax , is an American office supplies retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois.-History:On April 1, 1988, OfficeMax was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer and Feuer...
, and Price Chopper
Price Chopper
Price Chopper Supermarkets is a chain of supermarkets headquartered in Schenectady, New York. The chain began operating as Central Markets in Schenectady, New York in 1933 and changed its name to Price Chopper in 1973. It is presently owned by the Golub Corporation and run by Neil and Jerel Golub...
supermarket in 2006 did not bode well for the mall. The Price Chopper location was subsequently replaced by a ShopRite supermarket and has remained
successful. For a time in 2007 to 2008, the few remaining sources of income for the mall was the Silver Cinemas (a discount movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
), and K-Mart.
By May 2008, the mall was almost fully empty, with the exception of Silver Cinemas, K-Mart, Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 450 stores in 45 states and Puerto Rico.. In 2006, it was acquired by Bain Capital, LLC in a take-private transaction...
, ShopRite
ShopRite (United States)
ShopRite Supermarkets is a retailers' cooperative chain of supermarkets in the northeastern United States, with stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
, and Namco (not to be mistaken for the Japaneses Video Game company). The shopping center's interior halls were still open and accessible to the public, though all other stores were closed on December 31, 2007. Other stores that were still around before the closing were Gamestop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
and The Avenue
In July 2008, construction crews had begun demolition of the site, while the four major tenants remain open. As Of October 2009, the mall's new exterior is almost done and a Hobby Lobby store has opened next to K-mart.
Present and future
Costco
Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world...
while the more successful stores are relocated into the other half.