Anderson Towne Center

Plans for Beechmont Mall were first announced in September 1967. Developer Carl H. Lindner and his brother Robert D. Lindner announced that the mall's anchor stores would be two local department stores: John Shillito Company (Shillito's) and Mabley & Carew, with over {{convert|600000|sqft|m2}} of retail space occupying {{convert|50|acre}}. Manuel D. Meyerson and Associates served as leasing agent for both anchor stores. According to the initially-announced plans, the Shillito store was to consist of two levels, with the lower level mainly consisting of apparel, shoes, toys, and sporting goods, while the upper level would feature furnishings, household goods, appliances, and discounted merchandise. Baxter, Hodell, Donnelly & Preston was hired as the architectural firm to design the Mabley & Carew store. The mall's location was chosen on Beechmont Avenue (SR 125) in Anderson Township.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100687807/|title=$14 million center planned|last=Weiskittel|first=Ralph|date=September 20, 1967|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=1|accessdate=August 12, 2018}} Construction began in October 1968, with projected costs of $14 million. By this point, several tenants had been confirmed for the mall, including Lerner New York (now known as New York & Company), Waldenbooks, Kinney Shoes, F. W. Woolworth Company, Florsheim Shoes, Casual Corner, Swiss Colony, 5-7-9, along with Thriftway Supermarket and SupeRx Drugs.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/100880619/|title=Construction begins on Beechmont Mall|date=October 22, 1968|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|page=27|accessdate=August 12, 2018}} The Lindner brothers sold the mall to Prudential Financial in 1977.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101868019/ | title=Prudential sells mall | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=September 30, 1987 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=B7}}

The first change to come to the mall was in 1978, when Dayton, Ohio-based Elder-Beerman purchased all four locations of Mabley & Carew.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101628380/ | title=Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. takes over Mabley & Carew | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=August 10, 1978 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=1}} Four years later, Federated Department Stores (now Macy's, Inc.) merged Shillito's with the Rike Kumler Co. (Rike's), another Dayton-based department store, and dual-branded all locations as Shillito-Rikes.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101687547/ | title=Federated combines Shillito's, Rike's | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=April 6, 1982 | accessdate=April 7, 2019 | author=Wayne Buckhout | pages=C9}} In 1983, Beechmont Mall underwent an expansion whose construction costs were valued at $2,000,000. This expansion consisted of adding a Gold Circle discount store (also owned by Federated) to the north end of the mall, while relocating the Thriftway supermarket to a larger location on the mall's periphery. In addition, the older Thriftway location would become a food court.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/103327835/ | title=Beechmont Mall schedules $2 million renovation | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=October 13, 1983 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=C11}} Further consolidation by Federated affected the two anchor stores under its ownership throughout the late 1980s. In 1986, the company merged the Shillito-Rike's stores with Lazarus, a department store based in Columbus, Ohio. As a result, Beechmont's western anchor was remodeled and converted to Lazarus that year.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101762612/ | title=Lazarus: sign of times: Merger to end Shillito's name | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=January 21, 1986 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Margaret Josten | pages=A1, A8}} Two years later, following the acquisition of Federated by the Campeau Corporation, the Gold Circle chain was sold to Kimco Realty, which leased all of the Cincinnati-area locations to Hills that year.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/103144015/ | title=Fate of Gold Circle workers still in limbo | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=September 13, 1988 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Mike Boyer | pages=C6}} Woolworth closed at the mall in 1989 when its lease was not renewed, and its space was subdivided for smaller stores. In addition, Limited Brands (now L Brands) expanded its presence at the mall by downsizing Lerner New York for The Limited while also adding a branch of its sister brand Limited Express (now Express).{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101981158/ | title=Beechmont Mall redoing its image | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=August 9, 1988 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Richard Green | pages=C9}} Many of these changes were instigated by MetLife, which had acquired the mall from Prudential in 1987, and sought to target more white-collar worker demographics by bringing in more fashion-oriented tenants.

Hills closed the store in June 1991 and five months later it was converted to Kmart, which relocated from an existing store {{convert|1|mile|km}} to the west at Cherry Grove Plaza.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101694302/ | title=Kmart will be tenant at Beechmont | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=November 9, 1991 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=D10}} Elder-Beerman closed its store at Beechmont Mall in 1992 after deeming that renovations to the store would be too costly. The store was sold that same year to Parisian, a department store chain based out of Birmingham, Alabama which had begun seeking other Cincinnati-area locations after the initial success of their location at Forest Fair Mall (now Forest Fair Village). In addition, a TGI Friday's restaurant opened at the mall the same year.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101812535/ | title=Beechmont Mall lands Parisian | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=August 22, 1992 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=John J. Byczkowski | pages=B5}} Further renovations in 1993 included expanded locations for existing tenants Claire's, GNC, and B. Dalton.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101995446/ | title=New stores deliver early gift to mall | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=October 14, 1993 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Anne Bowling | pages=3}} MetLife proposed renovation plans for the mall in 1994, which would include new entrances and expansion of the food court. Gap and Bombay Company also opened at the mall at this point, and mall management cited these stores as examples of the tenants desired in creating a more upscale image for the mall.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102042759/ | title=Beechmont Mall may get makeover | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=June 23, 1994 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Sheri King | pages=1}}

Despite the addition of these new stores, the mall's occupancy rate began to decline throughout the late 1990s due to its age, its smaller size than other malls, and increased competition from the then-newly expanded Kenwood Towne Centre.{{cite web | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/1997/09/22/story1.html | title=Beechmont Mall on auction block | work=BizJournals.com | date=September 22, 1997 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Andy Hemmer}} MetLife put the mall up for sale in 1996,{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102181861 | title=MetLife accepting mall bids | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=February 8, 1996 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=B8}} but withdrew the sale after lack of interest. MetLife auctioned Beechmont and nine other malls under its ownership in 1997, and Zamias Services, Inc. bought all ten that December.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/101524237/ | title=Zamias closes deal on Beechmont Mall | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=December 23, 1997 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | pages=B10}} By 1998, many major tenants had left the mall, including Gap, Express, and Lane Bryant. As a result, Zamias sought renovation plans, with proposals including a multiplex movie theater{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102257418/ | title=Beechmont Mall looks at cinemaplex | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=January 2, 1999 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Lisa Biank Fasig | pages=B8, B7}} Parisian closed at the mall in late 1999 due to declining sales.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/98718409/ | title=Store closing at mall: Parisian out at Beechmont | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=April 9, 1999 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Lisa Biank Fasig | pages=D10}}

Goldman Sachs acquired the mall from Zamias in 1999. The company proposed tearing down the mall and redeveloping it as an outdoor shopping center, but declined at the time due to concerns that redevelopment would not yield a large enough return on investment. Delays in redevelopment, combined with the expiration of tenant leases, contributed to an increasingly high vacancy rate at the beginning of the 21st century; by 2001, The Cincinnati Enquirer described the mall as a "ghost town" with "a handful of smaller stores" alongside Lazarus and Kmart.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/104782480/ | title=Beechmont Mall put up for sale | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=November 10, 2001 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Lew Moores | pages=B8}} Victory Real Estate of Columbus, Georgia was announced as a potential buyer in November of that year.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102616868/ | title=Potential buyer of Beechmont Mall envisions revamp | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=November 30, 2001 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Lew Moores | pages=C5}} After buying the property, Victory Real Estate renamed it to Anderson Towne Center and announced that they would begin converting it to an outdoor mall. These plans called for the demolition of everything except for the Kmart and Lazarus buildings, along with the addition of exterior-facing retail suites and new locations for TGI Friday's and CVS Pharmacy, two of the only remaining tenants at the time.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/103717018/ | title=Mall will lose some walls | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=October 1, 2002 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Karen Vance | pages=B5}} Demolition began in January 2003.{{cite web | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2002/12/09/daily47.html | title=Beechmont Mall could be torn down Jan. 30 | work=BizJournals | date=December 9, 2002 | accessdate=October 28, 2019}} Also included in the redevelopment would be a {{convert|104000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Kroger supermarket, then the largest in the chain, on the site of the former Parisian. In addition, the Lazarus store was renovated.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102632199/ | title=Mall makeover poised to begin | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=February 6, 2004 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Jennifer Edwards | pages=D1, D5}} Kroger opened for business in November 2004.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102662500/ | title=New Kroger thinks big | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=November 11, 2004 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=John Byzcwoski | pages=E1, E5}} The rest of the renovated center opened in 2005, by which point the Lazarus store had been re-branded as Macy's. At the time of reopening, the new mall had multiple vacancies, but township representatives and mall owners noted that this was due to several leases having not yet been finalized.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/102723622/ | title=Shopping center's retail sites vacant | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=May 30, 2005 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Steve Kemme | pages=B3}}

Kmart closed at Anderson Towne Center in 2014.{{cite news | url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/06/11/anderson-township-kmart-closing/10321977/ | title=Anderson Township Kmart closing | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=June 11, 2014 | accessdate=October 28, 2019}} Five years later, the former Kmart was torn down for an AMC Theatres multiplex theater and a Crunch Fitness. Other tenants joining in 2019 included Sky Zone trampoline park and Bar Louie restaurant, while Macy's expanded its store with a branch of its discount division Macy's Backstage.{{cite news | url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/01/07/new-shops-and-food-whats-next-anderson-towne-center/2471162002/ | title=Anderson Towne Center work wrapping up, so what's next? | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=January 7, 2019 | accessdate=October 28, 2019 | author=Sheila Vilvens}}

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Category:Shopping malls established in 1969

Category:Shopping malls in Hamilton County, Ohio

Category:1969 establishments in Ohio