The End of an Era: Remembering Regency Square Mall

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.

Early construction 1977 Regency Square MallPhoto byCourtesy Peanut Paul Rogers

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.

2013 Regency Square Mall, Florence, AlabamaPhoto byUnknown (Sourced from Mallmanac.com community photos)

In a 1977 Times-Daily article, the following retail stores were announced for the soon-to-come Regency Square Mall.

• Baker Shoes
• Best Jewelers
• Bookland
• Colony Shop
• County Seat
• Foxmoor Casuals
• Hibbet's Sporting Goods
• Jeans West
• Just Pants
• Kenney Shoe
• Lerner
• Pearl Vision Center
• Red Rooster
• Regis Hairstylist
• Shanky's Men's Wear
• Stuart's
• Thom McAnn Shoes
• The Village Shoppe
• Zane Jewelers
• Sears
• JC Penney
• Parisian
• Pizitz
• Castner Knott

The original list of eateries announced in 1977 included:

• Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream
• Karmelkorn
• Morrison's Cafeteria
• Orange Bowl
• Pizitz Bake Shop

1986 Ad for Regency Square Mall featured in the UNA DioramaPhoto byUnknown (sourced from the 1986 UNA Yearbook)

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.

Regency Square Mall / Florence Mall 2014 renovations and name changePhoto byUnknown (sourced from Mallmanac.com community photos)

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!

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