Gwinnett Place Mall
{{Short description|Shopping mall in Duluth, Georgia, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{infobox shopping mall
| name = Gwinnett Place
| image = Gwinnett Place Mall July 2016.jpg
| caption = Gwinnett Place Mall in July of 2016
| location = Duluth, Georgia, United States
| coordinates = {{Coord}} 33.961216, -84.126236
| opening_date = {{Start date|1984|02|01}}
| closing_date = {{End date|2020|03|15}}
| developer = Cadillac Fairview{{cite news|url= https://www.ajc.com/business/kempner-gwinnett-place-first-manager-staggered-mall-decline/cCneSxoU0swSYN2rSxyTkO/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|title=Kempner: Gwinnett Place's first manager staggered by mall's decline |last1=Kempner |first1=Matt }} Simon Property Group
| manager = Gwinnett County
| owner = Urban Redevelopment Agency of Gwinnett County
| number_of_stores = 2
| publictransit = Gwinnett Transit Center
| number_of_anchors = 2 (5 at peak)
| floor_area = {{convert|1278000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
| floors = 2
| parking =
}}
Gwinnett Place Mall situated in the Pleasant Hill Road corridor of Duluth, Georgia, stands as a reminder of its former glory as a premier shopping destination. Once a vibrant hub in one of the nation's fastest growing counties, its prominence faded following the emergence of newer shopping complexes like the Mall of Georgia in Buford and Sugarloaf Mills in Lawrenceville.
Interestingly, the mall experienced a pop culture revival when it was transformed into the Starcourt Mall for the third season of Netflix's Stranger Things.
History
Construction of Gwinnett Place Mall began on January 21, 1982, and it officially opened its doors on February 1, 1984, with anchor tenants Rich's, Davison's and Sears. Mervyn's joined the lineup in 1986, and Davison's transitioned to Macy's (after briefly operating as Davison’s-Macy’s in 1985). In 1993, Parisian became a new anchor, leading to the addition of a northwest wing. After Mervyn's closed all seven of its Atlanta locations, J. C. Penney took over its space in 1997. By 2003, Macy's and Rich's merged to create Rich's-Macy's, a name that remained until 2005 when it was rebranded as Macy's. This left the mall with two Macy's locations, prompting the closure of the former Davidson's store, which reopened in 2010 as the first Mega Mart (a Korean Supermarket) in the US.
In 2007, Parisian rebranded as Belk, which eventually closed in 2013, marking yet another shift in the mall's history as it faced challenges in maintaining its status as a shopping destination.{{Cite web|last1=Green|first1=Josh|last2=Atlanta|first2=Curbed|title=Gwinnett Place: The Long, Slow Death of a Suburban Mall|url=https://atlanta.curbed.com/2013/3/20/10262222/gwinnett-place-the-long-slow-death-of-a-suburban-mall|access-date=2023-07-13|language=en}}
The mall was challenged by the openings of the Mall of Georgia in 1999 and Sugarloaf Mills in 2001, and lost a large part of its customer base. The mall also failed to attract any new anchor stores for several years. The Gwinnett Place Cinemas just outside the mall closed in late September 2000 as General Cinema began winding down operations in Georgia ahead of its October bankruptcy. In 2008, Gwinnett Technical College opened an International Education Center in the mall, where students take foreign language classes. The downturn of the mall in throughout the early 2010s led to the mall’s owner, Simon Property Group, losing the mall to foreclosure in 2013, where it was acquired by Moonbeam Capital Investments LLC. JCPenney closed on April 4, 2015, and Beauty Master purchased the former JCPenney building in March 2016. Beauty Master opened on August 4, 2016.{{Cite web|first=Curt|last=Yeomans|title=BeautyMaster opening new Gwinnett Place Mall location this week|url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/business/beautymaster-opening-new-gwinnett-place-mall-location-this-week/article_9dbaa47c-57eb-5b5d-8605-3eca288833b0.html|access-date=2020-12-15|website=Gwinnett Daily Post|language=en}}
In December 2017, the body of a 19-year-old woman was found in a back room of the food court, which was identified to be an abandoned Subway, where it had gone unnoticed for weeks. In January 2018, two mall employees were robbed and assaulted in the Macy's parking lot, and in March 2018, a 32-year-old female was arrested for indecent exposure, solicitation of prostitution, and possession of heroin and cocaine in the Sears parking lot.{{cite news|url=https://www.myajc.com/business/kempner-body-unnoticed-atlanta-mall-for-weeks-mall-long-fall/8DQJ5GxnReE79QyQMt1DRJ/|title=Kempner: Body unnoticed in Atlanta area mall for weeks? A mall fades|first=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last=Matt Kempner|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} On May 31, 2018, it was announced Sears would shutter as part of an ongoing decision to eliminate its brick-and-mortar format.{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/05/31/news/companies/sears-stores-closing/index.html|title=Is your Sears or Kmart closing? Check the list|first=Aaron|last=Smith|date=31 May 2018|website=CNNMoney}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local/sears-closing-non-profitable-metro-atlanta-stores/OKz5t6JxDDiF68xJaNkknI/|title=Sears closing 3 'non-profitable' metro Atlanta stores|first1=Amanda C.|last1=Coyne|first2=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|last2=Becca J. G. Godwin|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
In late February 2019, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Gwinnett Daily Post reported that sports developer CricRealty intends to redevelop the Gwinnett Place Mall site to build a mixed-use development anchored by a 20,000-seat cricket stadium.{{cite news |last1=Estep |first1=Tyler |title=Gwinnett Place Mall might be sold — and become a cricket stadium? |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/gwinnett-place-mall-might-sold-and-become-cricket-stadium/xUuOy1NqX94VlhaT2kHqUK/ |access-date=April 5, 2019 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=February 26, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Yeomans |first1=Curt |title=Media report: Gwinnett Place Mall may be sold, converted to cricket stadium |url=https://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/local/media-report-gwinnett-place-mall-may-be-sold-converted-to/article_c665bc61-cb5c-5051-aba1-1cc19301c277.html |access-date=April 5, 2019 |work=Gwinnett Daily Post |date=February 26, 2019}}
On December 15, 2020, officials from Gwinnett County's Urban Redevelopment Agency agreed to purchase the 39-acre Gwinnett Place Mall site from Moonbeam Capital Investments LLC for $23 million.{{Cite news|last1=Kass|first1=Arielle|last2=Journal-Constitution|first2=The Atlanta|title=BREAKING: Gwinnett County to buy Gwinnett Place Mall|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/breaking-gwinnett-county-to-buy-gwinnett-place-mall/T6V66QR7MNDKDNZRDTOS5VU3LE/|access-date=2020-12-15|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=en}} At this point, several tenants, including Macy's, Mega Mart and Beauty Master, owned their own property. The sale closed in April 2021 but plans for the site were not disclosed.{{cite news |last1=Kass |first1=Arielle |title=County closes on $23 million Gwinnett Place mall purchase |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/county-closes-on-23-million-gwinnett-place-mall-purchase/DA5YLNFFD5DIJPV4INVYSUWBUY/ |access-date=11 April 2021 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}
On February 28, 2023, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners announced a revitalization strategy focusing on housing, mobility and greenspace in response to feedback from the public. The Gwinnett Place Mall Site Revitalization Strategy will take place over the next 20 years.{{Cite news|last1=Nunez|first1=Gabriella|title=Gwinnett Place Mall to get a facelift|url=https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/gwinnett-place-mall-redevelopment-project/85-db0a96dc-4f8a-4491-8806-43927017c827|access-date=2023-07-13|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Josh |date=2024-01-08 |title=Report: Gwinnett Place Mall has lost nearly 88 percent of its value |url=https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/gwinnett-place-mall-lost-88-percent-value-development-project |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240108210827/https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/gwinnett-place-mall-lost-88-percent-value-development-project |archive-date=2024-01-08 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=Urbanize Atlanta |language=en}}
On September 17, 2024, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners purchased Macy’s and the outparcel Macy’s Furniture Store for $16.5 million.{{Cite news |last=Pharr |first=Alia |title=County buys Macy's at Gwinnett Place Mall for $16.5M |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/county-buys-macys-at-gwinnett-place-mall-for-165m/RVKBYHZAHFGM3OQPDCMI4J6R24/ |access-date=2024-12-06 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |language=English |issn=1539-7459}} This sale closed on December 2.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Matt |date=2024-12-03 |title='Endless opportunities:' Plan to revive Macy's at Gwinnett Place Mall hit another milestone |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/gwinnett-county/endless-opportunities-plan-revive-macys-gwinnett-place-mall-hit-another-milestone/AS3QVE7SERH2BPJN77CGXPEAZE/?outputType=amp |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta |language=en}} The stores were included on Macy’s list of 66 closing stores, which was released on January 9, 2025. Both stores closed on March 23, 2025.{{Cite web|url= https://www.axios.com/2025/01/09/macys-store-closing-list-2025|title= Macy's closing 66 more stores in 2025. See the closure list.|last=Tyko|first=Kelly|date=January 9, 2025|access-date=January 9, 2025|website=Axios|language=en}}
In popular culture
The third season of Stranger Things was filmed in the mall. Authentic signage and storefronts were returned through a cosmetic restoration of a portion of the Gwinnett Place Mall, to represent many businesses that have since ceased to exist. The transformation took place during May 2018, with production of the series taking place in the mall during the subsequent summer months.Coming Soon: The Starcourt Mall! Hawkins, Indiana (Stranger Things Season 3 Teaser | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXyju7zFwyEGwinnett Place Mall Transformed for 'Stranger Things' Season 3 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hWG5tnCj2g{{cite web | url = https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/gwinnett-place-mall-goes-back-the-future-for-stranger-things/79A4y4Qq2UqEFqynPu1xML/ | title = Gwinnett Place Mall goes back to the future for 'Stranger Things' | first = Rodney | last =Ho | date =May 11, 2018 | access-date = July 16, 2018 | work = Atlanta Journal-Constitution}} After filming concluded, the Starcourt Mall set was dismantled in the summer of 2019 to prevent fans from vandalizing the set to steal souvenirs.{{cite news |last1=Ho |first1=Rodney |title='Stranger Things' dismantling what's left of Starcourt Mall at Gwinnett Place Mall |url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/radiotvtalk/stranger-things-dismantling-what-left-starcourt-mall-gwinnett-place-mall/hSRCwr6a7VjKwR7BSZtvBN/ |access-date=August 2, 2019 |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=July 10, 2019}}
The 2024 movie Brothers starring Josh Brolin has principal photography in and around the Atlanta metro area and as such some filing includes exterior and interior shots of Gwinnett Place Mall.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Sister project links|auto=y}}
- [http://www.shopgwinnettmall.com/ Gwinnett Place Mall official website]
{{coord|33.960553|-84.125953|region:US_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Atlanta shopping}}
{{Shopping malls in Georgia (U.S. state)}}
Category:1984 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:2020 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Buildings and structures in Gwinnett County, Georgia
Category:Defunct shopping malls in the United States
Category:Shopping malls disestablished in 2020
Category:Shopping malls established in 1984