The Avenues (shopping mall)

{{Infobox shopping mall

| name = The Avenues

| image = The Avenues Mall 1.jpg

| caption =

| location = Jacksonville, Florida, United States

| address = 10300 Southside Boulevard

| opening_date = September 26, 1990

| developer = CBL & Associates Properties

| number_of_anchors = 5

| number_of_stores = 138{{cite web |url=http://www.simon.com/mall/?id=124 |title=About The Avenues |publisher=Simon Property Group |access-date=2011-03-03 }}

| floor_area = {{convert|1,112,428|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.simon.com/about_simon/leasing/LocalMall.aspx?id=124 |title=The Avenues |publisher=Simon Property Group |access-date=2011-03-03 }}

| floors = 2 (3 in Parking Garage)

| owner = Simon Property Group (25%)

| manager = Simon Property Group

| website = {{URL|1=http://www.simon.com/Mall/?id=124|2=The Avenues}}

}}

The Avenues (also referred to and often known as Avenues Mall) is a two-level regional shopping mall located on the southside of Jacksonville, Florida, and opened in 1990 on the Interstate 95 corridor, and is off exit 339 at the intersection of U.S. 1 (Philips Highway) and Southside Boulevard. The mall, managed by Simon Property Group, which manages 25% of it, has a parking deck on the northwestern side. Its anchor stores are Belk, Dillard's, and JCPenney. Other stores located at the mall include Aldo, H&M, LOFT, BoxLunch, Build-A-Bear Workshop, MAC, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Pandora, and Le Macaron French Pastries.

History

The mall opened on September 26, 1990 with JCPenney, Maison Blanche (originally slated to open as May-Cohen's/May Florida), and Sears, followed by the opening of Dillard's (first proposed as Ivey's, which was purchased on June 4) in 1991, along with another at Cool Springs Galleria. Furthermore, Parisian was dedicated in 1994, which was also done in that same year at Cool Springs and a year later at the brand new Seminole Towne Center.{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=siZPAAAAMAAJ&q=%22the+avenues%22+%22jacksonville%22+%22parisian%22 |title = ULI Market Profiles: North America|year = 1995}}{{cite news |last=Flaisig |first=Liz |title=New retailers moving in to The Avenues |url=http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2004/03/01/daily22.html |newspaper=Jacksonville Business Journal |date=March 4, 2004 }} Maison Blanche changed twice-first to Gayfers in early 1992 and then Belk in late 1998.

A major renovation in 2005 featured a new entrance with stained glass, neutral paint colors to complement Italian limestone on the ground floor, replacing restrooms, ceilings, lighting, benches, lounge chairs, modernizing the glass elevator, and a new children's play area. Nearly $10.5 million was spent and the changes were completed in April.{{cite news |last=Flaisig |first=Liz |title= Simon finishes $10 million renovation of The Avenues |url=http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2005/04/04/daily30.html |newspaper=Jacksonville Business Journal |date=April 8, 2005 }}

On August 2, 2006, Saks Incorporated announced an agreement to sell its Parisian specialty department store business to Belk, Inc.{{cite press release |title=SAKS INCORPORATED AGREES TO SELL PARISIAN TO BELK, INC. FOR $285 MILLION |url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=110111&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=890941 |publisher=Saks Incorporated |date=Aug 2, 2006 }} Shortly thereafter, the Avenues Parisian store was briefly closed and converted into the men's and children's store, with the women's departments staying in the existing store, where Belk consolidated all of its departments in February 2010.{{cite news| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/print-edition/2010/11/26/forever-21-leases-116000-square-feet.html?page=all | title=Forever 21 leases 116,000 square feet at Avenues mall}}

Since 2010, the mall has increasingly faced struggles due to marginalization from St. Johns Town Center and several long-time tenants vacating due to the ongoing retail apocalypse. Most of the mall's higher-end stores have moved to St. John's Town Center such as Gap, Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch, Oakley, Pottery Barn, Ann Taylor, Williams-Sonoma, and Coach. Others have gone out of business or left the market such as Brookstone, The Body Shop, New York & Company, Justice, Skechers, Yankee Candle, Disney Store, Teavana, Gymboree, Jos. A. Bank, and The Walking Company among others.

On November 18, 2010, Forever 21 opened its doors in the location formerly occupied by the Belk Men and Kids store. It was Forever 21's second-largest location in the country and largest in the entire state of Florida, at 116,000 square feet (at the time, the space represented 8.8% of the mall's 1.1 million square feet).{{cite news | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/print-edition/2010/11/26/forever-21-leases-116000-square-feet.html | title=Forever 21 leases 116,000 square feet at Avenues mall | first=Christian | last=Conte | work=American City Business Journals | date=November 26, 2010}} However, with the bankruptcy of the chain, Forever 21 closed in 2025.

H&M opened a two-story store at the mall on September 6, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.news4jax.com/money/2012/09/06/hm-retail-store-opens-at-avenues-mall/|title=H&M retail store opens at Avenues Mall}}

In early 2014, Buffalo Wild Wings opened on the second floor.{{cite web|url=https://www.jacksonville.com/article/20140121/ENTERTAINMENT/801259326|title=Dining Notes: Buffalo Wild Wings opens at The Avenues}}

On August 31, 2019, Sears announced that it would be closing this location as part of a plan to close 85 stores nationwide. The store closed in 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/ |access-date=August 31, 2019 |work=USA Today |date=August 31, 2019}}

Current anchor stores

Dillard's {{convert|210,104|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
JCPenney {{convert|123,029|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
Belk {{convert|181,460|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}
Furniture Source {{convert|125,330|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

Former anchor stores

Maison Blanche (became Gayfers)
Gayfers (became Belk)
Parisian (became Belk Men's, Children's and Home)
Belk Men's, Children's and Home (became Forever 21)
Forever 21 (now vacant)
Sears {{convert|125,330|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} (now Furniture Source)

References

Category:Shopping malls in Florida

Category:Simon Property Group

Category:Economy of Jacksonville, Florida

Category:Buildings and structures in Jacksonville, Florida

Category:Shopping malls established in 1990

Category:Tourist attractions in Jacksonville, Florida

Category:Southside, Jacksonville

Category:1990 establishments in Florida