Citadel Mall
A regional shopping mall and mixed-use redevelopment property in Charleston's West Ashley area.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Citadel Mall is a regional shopping center in the West Ashley suburb of Charleston, South Carolina. The property occupies a strategically visible location at the junction of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, South Carolina Highway 7, U.S. Highway 17, and Interstate 526. The mall covers approximately 1.14 million square feet and has historically served a broad retail and service area in the Charleston metropolitan region. The center opened on July 29, 1981, as a development of Cleveland-based Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs. Its original department-store anchors included Sears, Belk, and Thalhimer's. Sears relocated from a downtown Charleston site, Belk moved from Pinehaven Shopping Center, and Thalhimer's introduced its Richmond-based department-store format to the South Carolina market. These openings established Citadel Mall as a major suburban retail destination during a period when West Ashley was becoming one of Charleston's most heavily commercialized areas. The property experienced repeated anchor changes over the following decades. Thalhimer's was absorbed into Hecht's after its parent company was acquired by May Department Stores, and the Citadel Mall location was transferred to Dillard's. Dillard's later moved into a larger purpose-built store, while the former building passed through JCPenney and then Target-related redevelopment. Belk also moved into a larger two-story building. Parisian occupied Belk's former space for a time, but that location was later transferred to JCPenney after Belk acquired Parisian and consolidated its local presence. Target eventually replaced the former JCPenney building with a new one-story store. The Richard E. Jacobs Group renovated the mall's interior and added a food court in the early 2000s. It subsequently sold the property to CBL & Associates Properties. CBL expanded the anchor lineup in 2005 with a freestanding Dick's Sporting Goods location. The mall's cinema operation also underwent a major transformation. The original General Cinemas/AMC six-screen theater closed in 2008, and a new sixteen-screen megaplex with stadium seating and IMAX branding opened in October 2009. Citadel Mall entered a period of financial distress in 2013 when an affiliate of CBL defaulted on mortgage obligations. The property went into foreclosure and receivership, and the lender acquired it at auction in January 2014. Spinoso Real Estate Group managed the mall during bank ownership and pursued new leasing activity. In 2017, TMP SRE 1, LLC, led by Charleston-area developer Richard C. Davis, acquired the property for $17 million. The new ownership proposed a repositioning program involving improved tenant selection, entertainment and mixed-use uses, and a sports facility. It also introduced the proposed name EPIC Center, although that branding was not fully implemented. Several anchor spaces were repurposed during this period. JCPenney closed in 2017, after which its building was acquired by the mall's ownership and leased to the Medical University of South Carolina for conversion into an outpatient medical facility. Sears announced the closure of its Citadel Mall store in 2018, and the ownership acquired the Sears parcel as part of a broader redevelopment strategy. From 2019 through 2025, HBO used the former Sears building for principal photography of The Righteous Gemstones, where the vacant department-store space represented the fictional Gemstone Family Ministries facility. Singerman Real Estate acquired the mall in 2023. In December 2025, the Medical University Hospital Authority was reported to have acquired the mall's inline space, the former Sears building, the West Ashley Medical Pavilion, and related parcels for $83.5 million. The separately owned Belk, Dillard's, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and Citadel Mall Stadium 16 Cinemas were expected to remain in place. MUSC described the acquisition as a way to expand clinical, research, and educational capacity, address downtown-campus parking constraints, and preserve retail use in the near term while longer-term medical and mixed-use plans are evaluated.
History
Citadel Mall opened on July 29, 1981, in Charleston's West Ashley area. It was developed by Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs, a Cleveland-based shopping-center developer that later became the Richard E. Jacobs Group. The location was selected at the convergence of major suburban roads and Interstate 526, giving the center strong regional visibility and automobile access. The original anchor lineup included Sears, Belk, and Thalhimer's. Sears moved from a downtown Charleston store, while Belk relocated from Pinehaven Shopping Center. Thalhimer's was a new South Carolina market entrant. The anchor configuration changed repeatedly as department-store ownership and retail formats evolved. Thalhimer's was folded into Hecht's following a May Department Stores transaction, and the Charleston store was sold to Dillard's. Dillard's later moved to a larger building, leaving its former space available for JCPenney. JCPenney operated there until 2001, when the building was demolished and replaced with a new Target store. Belk subsequently moved into a larger two-story facility. Its former building was sold to Parisian in 2000. After Belk acquired Parisian from Saks Incorporated in 2006, the Parisian location was closed because Belk already had a store at the mall. JCPenney later returned to the property in 2007, occupying the former Parisian space. In the early 2000s, the Richard E. Jacobs Group added a food court and substantially renovated the interior. The company later divested much of its mall portfolio, including Citadel Mall, to CBL & Associates Properties. CBL added Dick's Sporting Goods in 2005 on an outparcel beside the cinema complex. The original cinema began as a General Cinemas operation and was later operated by AMC Theatres. AMC announced in 2008 that the six-screen cinema would close. Earlier replacement plans for a larger multiplex had not proceeded after General Cinemas was sold. Southeast Cinema Entertainment temporarily acquired and reopened the facility, but the building was ultimately demolished. A sixteen-screen stadium-style complex, Citadel Mall IMAX Stadium 16, opened on October 2, 2009. The mall received wider media exposure in 2013 when Food Network's Food Court Wars filmed an episode there. The program placed two couples in competition for a one-year lease to operate in a vacant food-court location. That same year, the property experienced a major financial disruption. US Bank National Association filed foreclosure proceedings against the CBL-related ownership entity after mortgage-payment defaults. The mall entered receivership, and Spinoso Real Estate Group was appointed to manage it. Spinoso marketed the property and sought new tenants while the lender-controlled ownership structure was in place. The mall's location, highway visibility, anchor base, and newer cinema were presented as factors supporting its repositioning prospects. TMP SRE 1, LLC acquired Citadel Mall in 2017 for $17 million. The buyer, led by Richard C. Davis, proposed a more ambitious repositioning program, including an improved tenant mix, entertainment uses, mixed-use development, and a multistory travel-sports facility. The mall was also associated with the proposed EPIC Center name. Management shifted from Spinoso to JLL. Anchor transitions continued. JCPenney announced in March 2017 that its store would close as part of a national reduction program, and the location shut in July. The building was acquired by an affiliate of the new mall owners and leased to the Medical University of South Carolina. The planned conversion became the West Ashley Medical Pavilion, with proposed outpatient, imaging, surgical, musculoskeletal, patient-service, and support functions. Sears announced in May 2018 that its Citadel Mall store would close. The mall ownership acquired the Sears property for $7.55 million and described it as a key part of a three-stage transformation plan. From 2019 through 2025, HBO used the vacant Sears building for principal photography of The Righteous Gemstones. The building served as the fictional headquarters of Gemstone Family Ministries and was incorporated into the program's visual storytelling as a former department-store structure. Singerman Real Estate acquired the property in January 2023. Publicly announced redevelopment intentions remained uncertain, and references to EPIC Center were gradually obscured within the mall. In December 2025, the Medical University Hospital Authority was reported to have purchased the inline mall area, former Sears building, medical pavilion, and related parcels for $83.5 million. The transaction did not include several independently owned anchor properties, including Belk, Dillard's, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and the cinema. MUSC indicated that retail use would continue in the near term, while future possibilities included clinical and research facilities, modular expansion, educational uses, and parking support for its Charleston medical campus.
- 2025
MUSC-affiliated authority acquires core mall parcels
[1]The Medical University Hospital Authority acquires the core inline, medical-pavilion, former Sears, and related parcels, while several anchor properties remain separately owned.
- 2023
Singerman Real Estate becomes owner
[1]Singerman Real Estate acquires Citadel Mall for an undisclosed amount.
- 2018
Sears closes
[1]Sears exits the mall, and the mall owners acquire its property for possible redevelopment.
- 2017
TMP SRE 1 acquires the property
[1]A local ownership group purchases Citadel Mall and announces a repositioning strategy.
- 2017
Former JCPenney space begins medical conversion
[1]The former JCPenney building is sold and leased for development as an MUSC outpatient medical facility.
- 2014
Lender takes ownership
[1]The lender acquires the mall at auction and places it under a new holding company.
- 2013
Mall enters foreclosure and receivership
[1]Mortgage-payment defaults associated with the CBL ownership structure lead to foreclosure proceedings and court-supervised receivership.
- 2009
Sixteen-screen IMAX cinema opens
[1]A replacement multiplex opens after the former six-screen cinema is closed and demolished.
- 2005
Dick's Sporting Goods joins the anchor lineup
[1]CBL adds Dick's Sporting Goods on an outparcel next to the mall's cinema.
- 2001
Target replaces the former JCPenney building
[1]The former JCPenney structure is demolished and replaced by a new one-story Target store.
Products and positioning
A large suburban regional shopping center positioned around department-store anchors, highway accessibility, entertainment, and evolving medical and mixed-use uses.
Shopping mall · 1981
Regional retail center
Citadel Mall provides a large enclosed retail environment serving Charleston and surrounding communities. Its tenant mix has historically combined department stores, specialty retail, food service, and entertainment. The property has been repeatedly adapted as traditional department-store formats declined and new service-oriented uses emerged.
Cinema and entertainment · 2009
Citadel Mall Stadium 16 Cinemas
The cinema complex replaced the original six-screen theater after its closure and demolition. The replacement opened in 2009 with sixteen screens, stadium-style seating, and IMAX branding, giving the mall a major entertainment anchor alongside its retail tenants.
Medical services
MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion
The former JCPenney/Parisian/original Belk space was converted for Medical University of South Carolina outpatient use. Planned functions included musculoskeletal care, ambulatory surgery, imaging, patient services, and related clinical support. Its development illustrates the mall's shift toward service and institutional uses.
Mixed-use property · 2019
Former Sears production and redevelopment space
After Sears closed, the approximately 132,000-square-foot building became a redevelopment asset and was leased by HBO for production of The Righteous Gemstones from 2019 through 2025. Longer-term plans include possible medical, research, parking, or other institutional uses.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2019The Righteous Gemstones production
United States
HBO used the former Sears department-store space as a principal filming location for The Righteous Gemstones, portraying it as a fictional megachurch facility.
Outcome. The vacant anchor building gained prominent television exposure while awaiting a permanent redevelopment use.
- 2013Food Court Wars filming
United States
Food Network filmed an episode of Food Court Wars at Citadel Mall. Two competing couples were offered the opportunity to win a one-year lease for a vacant food-court space.
Outcome. The episode gave the mall national television exposure and promoted the food court through a competitive format.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer core mall parcels to the Medical University Hospital AuthorityM&ABackground
The mall's retail environment included vacant and repurposable anchor space, while MUSC faced expansion and parking needs connected to its Charleston campus.
Action taken
The Medical University Hospital Authority acquired five parcels containing the inline mall area, former Sears building, medical pavilion, parking, and related property.
Aftermath
MUSC stated that existing inline retail would continue in the near term while it studies clinical, research, educational, modular, and parking-related uses. Several anchor stores and the cinema remained separately owned.
Reported acquisition price. $83.5 million (2025)
2018
Acquire the former Sears parcel for redevelopmentStrategyBackground
Sears announced that its store would close as part of a nationwide store-reduction program.
Action taken
Citadel Mall's ownership acquired the Sears property and described it as the final component of a broader three-step transformation plan.
Aftermath
The building later served as a television-production location and remained a potential redevelopment site.
Property acquisition price. $7.55 million (2018)
2017
Reposition the mall as an entertainment and mixed-use destinationStrategyBackground
The new ownership acquired the mall after several years of lender control and sought to respond to changing retail conditions and vacant anchor space.
Action taken
TMP SRE 1 proposed a stronger tenant mix, entertainment and mixed-use elements, and a multistory travel-sports facility. The property was also associated with the proposed EPIC Center name.
Aftermath
Some components, including the medical conversion of the former JCPenney space, moved forward, while the broader renaming and redevelopment plan remained uncertain after later ownership changes.
Acquisition price. $17 million (2017)
2017
Convert a former department-store anchor into medical spaceStrategyBackground
JCPenney closed its Citadel Mall location, leaving a large building available for reuse.
Action taken
A subsidiary of the mall's ownership acquired the building and leased it to the Medical University of South Carolina for a planned outpatient facility.
Aftermath
The building became associated with MUSC Health's West Ashley Medical Pavilion, broadening the property's service and institutional role.
Planned renovation cost. $32.9 million (2017 announcement)
2008
Replace the original cinema with a larger multiplexProduct launchBackground
The original six-screen cinema was aging, and previously announced plans for a new multiplex had not been completed before the ownership transition from General Cinemas to AMC.
Action taken
The existing cinema was closed and later demolished, with a sixteen-screen stadium-style IMAX complex developed on the site.
Aftermath
Citadel Mall Stadium 16 Cinemas opened in October 2009 and became a significant entertainment component of the property.
Recent events
- 2025
Medical University Hospital Authority acquires mall parcels[1]
M&A
The Medical University Hospital Authority was reported to have acquired the inline mall space, former Sears building, West Ashley Medical Pavilion, and associated parcels. Retail tenants and separately owned anchor properties were expected to continue operating while MUSC evaluates longer-term clinical, educational, research, and parking uses.
- 2023
Singerman Real Estate acquires Citadel Mall[1]
M&A
Chicago-based Singerman Real Estate acquired the mall for an undisclosed amount. The buyer had not publicly settled the property's proposed renaming and redevelopment direction.
- 2019
Former Sears building used for The Righteous Gemstones[1]
Campaign · Other
HBO leased the former Sears space for production of The Righteous Gemstones, using the vacant department-store interior as a fictional megachurch location.
- 2018
Sears closes and former store becomes redevelopment asset[1]
M&A
Sears announced the closure of its Citadel Mall store. The mall's ownership acquired the property as part of a planned repositioning and potential EPIC Center redevelopment.
- 2017
TMP SRE 1 purchases Citadel Mall[1]
M&A
TMP SRE 1, an ownership vehicle led by local investor Richard C. Davis, acquired the mall and announced plans involving tenant repositioning, entertainment, mixed-use elements, and a potential sports facility.
- 2017
JCPenney store closes and space is converted for MUSC[1]
Product generation
JCPenney announced the closure of its Citadel Mall location. The building was later acquired by a mall-owner affiliate and leased to the Medical University of South Carolina for outpatient medical use.
- 2014
Lender acquires Citadel Mall at auction[1]
M&A
Following the foreclosure process, the lender acquired Citadel Mall at auction and placed it under a newly formed holding company.
Sources2 sources
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