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April Killian
The End of an Era: Remembering Regency Square Mall
2024-06-24
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The author has not recieved any kind of compensation from Florence Mall or any of the retailers included in this article.
Florence Mall recently announced plans to demolish the retail spaces that once housed Sears and JC Penney. For many of us who grew up in the Shoals, this marks the end of an era. Sears and JC Penney were the two largest anchor stores. They were there when the mall first opened as Regency Square Mall. Regency Square Mall was a big part of our lives growing up in the Shoals. It was the place where we shopped, ate, and spent countless hours with friends. Let's hang out at the mall one more time and look back at the era of Regency Square Mall.
Demolition equipment and dumpsters at former Sears buildingPhoto byApril Killian
At 630,000 square feet, Regency Square Mall was one of the largest indoor malls in north Alabama. It was built on a 65-acre tract of land between Hough Road and Section Line Road. It was designed by architect, Mark Weissman of New York for developer Ralph Biernbaum of Connecticut. King Realty and Leasing of Florence initially handled local leasing.
The land where Regency Square Mall was built was once an open field. It was a popular place to play and fly kites for many Florence residents. Construction began on the mall in 1977 and was completed in 1978. The mall had five large anchor stores: Sears, JC Penney, Castner Knotts, Parisian, and Pizitiz.
Two of the original anchor stores eventually changed ownership and names:
Pizitiz became McCrae's and then eventually Belk, which remains open today.
Castner Knott became Dillards, also still open in Florence Mall today.
In it's heyday, Regency Square Mall had 70+ stores along with several restaurants, small food shops, and kiosks. Check out this list of retail shops that were once located in the mall. This should definitely bring back memories!
Aladin's Arcade
KayBee Toys
Circus World Toys
Hickory Farms
Fashion Conspiracy
Lowery Organs
Singer Sewing Center
Eckerds Drug Store
Dollar Tree
The Bootery / Kaye's Stride Rite
Dill's Wood and Wax
General Nutrition Center (GNC)
Spencer Gifts
Radio Shack
The Record Bar
Romancing the Stone
Kirklands
Lynn's Hallmark Shop
Zale's Jewelers
Blockbuster Music
Sunglass Hut
Friedman Jewelers
Afterthoughts
Lorch Diamons Center
Gordan's Jewelers
Glamour Shots
World Bazaar
Tshirts Plus
Best Keepsake Jewelers
Tobacco Road Ltd.
The Shoe String
Athlete's Feet
First National Bank
Maurices
These restaurants and eateries were also once located in Regency Square Mall:
Orange Julius
Hardees
Big Top Deli
Chick-fil-a
Taco Bell
Dippin Dots
Cookie Jar
Yogurt Shop
Wendy's
A visit to "Santa Land" in Regency Square Mall was a yearly tradition for Shoals area families. Santa Land, unfortunately, was discontinued in 2014. There was also a Florence Police substation in the mall for several years.
The mall has had several owners since it opened in 1978 and has undergone many renovations. One of the most significant changes came in the 1990s with a $3 million renovation. The mall was remodeled again in 2014, when it was purchased by the current owner, Hull-Storey. 2014 was also the year the name was changed to Florence Mall.
Sears closed in 2017 with JC Penney following in 2020. Those two anchor stores are currently the only part of the mall slated for demolition. Florence Mall remains open today and is home to many retail shops including Dillards and Belk. For a complete list of the shops currently in Florence Mall, visit their website here. Do you have fond memories of Regency Square Mall? Leave a note in the comments!
Click "follow" for more articles about the great state of Alabama! I'm a native and resident of the Shoals area, sharing events and unique stories about the places and people across our state. Have a story to tell? Email me: april.newsbreak@gmail.com
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