Lake Square Mall

The mall was built in 1980 by General Growth Properties, with Belk Lindsey, J. C. Penney, and Sears as the anchor stores. An expansion comprising Target was first proposed in 1989,{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1989/11/04/talks-under-way-to-open-discount-store-in-lake-square-mall/|title=Talks Under Way To Open Discount Store In Lake Square Mall|last=Van Herik|first=Ed|date=4 November 1989|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}} as part of an expansion that added ten new storefronts.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/10/12/construction-at-mall-stays-on-target/|title=Construction at mall stays on target|last=Weber|first=Dave|date=12 October 1991|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}} Target opened in March 1992.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1992/03/11/target-store-will-open-on-sunday/|title=Target Store Will Open On Sunday|last=Jorden Spitz|first=Jill|date=11 March 1992|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}}

In 1995, the movie theater complex, owned by AMC Theatres, expanded from six screens to twelve.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1995/01/29/amc-lake-square-6-planning-to-expand-to-12-screens-by-fall/|title=Amc Lake Square 6 Planning To Expand To 12 Screens By Fall|last=Coole|first=Terri|date=29 January 1995|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}} Also, Belk expanded its store into an adjacent storefront previously occupied by Rite Aid.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1995/11/05/remodeled-expanded-belk-opens-at-lake-square-mall/|title=Remodeled, Expanded Belk Opens At Lake Square Mall|last=Weber|first=Dave|date=5 November 1995|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}} A year later, the J. C. Penney store was remodeled, and a stage was removed from center court.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1996/09/29/lake-square-mall-in-leesburg-continuing-to-evolve/|title=Lake Square Mall In Leesburg Continuing To Evolve|last=Sheckler|first=Sara|date=29 September 1996|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}} Simon Property Group and Macerich bought the mall in 1997, just after Books-A-Million was added.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1997/12/30/lake-square-mall-bought-by-debartolo/|title=Lake Square Mall Bought By Debartolo|last=Fernandez|first=Don|date=30 December 1997|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct9802/16.php|title=Simon-Macerich buy 12 IBM malls|date=January–February 1998|work=Shopping Centers Today|accessdate=3 April 2013}} PetSmart was added in 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2011/01/26/petsmart-expected-to-open-at-lake-square-mall-in-leesburg-this-summer/|title=PetSmart expected to open at Lake Square Mall in Leesburg this summer|last=Show|first=Christine|date=26 January 2011|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=3 April 2013}}

The closure of the Target store was announced in November 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2013/11/05/target-at-lake-square-mall-an-anchor-store-will-close-feb-1/|title=Target at Lake Square Mall, an anchor store, will close Feb. 1|last=Ruano González|first=Eloísa|date=5 November 2013|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=14 November 2013}} That same month, Macerich put the mall up for auction, and by March 2014, sold it to Kohan Retail Investment Group.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2013/11/11/struggling-lake-square-mall-to-go-on-auction-block/|title=Struggling Lake Square Mall to go on auction block|last=Ruano González|first=Eloísa|date=11 November 2013|work=The Orlando Sentinel|access-date=14 November 2013}} Target ended up closing on February 1, 2014. In January 2014, it was announced that JCPenney would be closing its store by May 2014,{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/15/jc-penney/4495963/|title=J.C. Penney closing 33 stores, laying off 2,000|website=USA Today |publisher=}} and would officially close on May 3, 2014. On September 3, 2014, Kohan sold the mall at an undisclosed amount to Via Properties of Istanbul, Turkey, who renovated the mall into ViaPort Florida.http://www.dailycommercial.com/news/article_547b9097-1538-56b6-9923-7fe9b7483898{{dead link|date=July 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2017, ViaPort Florida was purchased by Exclusive Management and Properties, Inc. The new owners changed the name back to Lake Square Mall, and they announced their plans to cut down the vacancy rate and renovate the mall's facade.{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-via-port-mall-sold-for-23-million-20171031-story.html|title=Via Port Florida mall sold for $23 million, new owners vow to cut vacancy rate|first=Jason|last=Ruiter|publisher=}}

On August 31, 2019, it was announced that Sears would be closing this location a part of a plan to close 92 stores nationwide. The store closed in mid-December 2019.{{cite news |last1=Tyko |first1=Kelly |title=Kmart, Sears store closings: More locations to shutter by end of 2019 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/08/06/sears-and-kmart-store-closings-2019-26-stores-close-october/1940039001/ |accessdate=August 31, 2019 |work=USA Today |date=August 31, 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.lakesquaremall.com/ Official website]

{{Greater Orlando Malls}}

Category:Shopping malls established in 1980

Category:Shopping malls in Florida

Category:Buildings and structures in Lake County, Florida

Category:Leesburg, Florida