Countryside Mall

Countryside Mall is a regional shopping mall in Clearwater, Florida, near the Gulf Coast and within the Tampa Bay metropolitan area. It opened on September 8, 1975, with Maas Brothers and Sears as its initial anchor tenants. JCPenney and J. W. Robinson's joined the project the following year, creating the four-anchor configuration around which the mall developed. JCPenney is the only one of those original anchors that remains under its original name. Other former anchor spaces have changed through retail consolidation, redevelopment, and replacement: the Maas Brothers location became a Macy's after intervening department-store ownership and branding changes, while the J. W. Robinson's location became a Dillard's after further department-store transitions. The property has been repeatedly repositioned in response to changing shopping patterns. A six-screen cinema built near JCPenney closed in 2000 after declining attendance and was later converted into a Crunch Fitness facility. Westfield acquired the mall in 2002 as part of a broader purchase of shopping centers and subsequently operated it under the Westfield Countryside name. The Westfield branding was adopted in place of the earlier Westfield Shoppingtown naming convention in 2005. A major renovation began in April 2009 and was completed in November of that year. The approximately $12 million project updated the interior with new flooring and ceilings, relocated escalators, additional skylights, an expanded children's play area, and a redesigned food court. The work also removed various planters and decorative columns while introducing new stores and restaurant concepts. These changes were intended to modernize the common areas and make the mall more suitable for dining and entertainment as well as conventional retail. Food and entertainment became increasingly important parts of the property. A 12-screen cinema operated by Cobb Theatres, later associated with CMX Cinemas, opened on the mall's second level in 2011. Restaurant additions between 2012 and 2013 included Bar Louie, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Grimaldi's Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, Red Robin, and P.F. Chang's, creating a concentrated dining area sometimes described as Restaurant Row. Whole Foods Market opened in September 2014 in part of the former Sears footprint, providing a grocery component alongside the traditional department-store and specialty-retail mix. Nordstrom Rack opened in late 2015 in the former Sears Auto Center, adding an off-price fashion anchor. Sears announced in April 2018 that its Countryside location would close as part of a nationwide store-closure program; the store ceased operations on July 15, 2018. The closure left a substantial anchor vacancy and accelerated the property's ongoing redevelopment. In 2021, the mall became involved in foreclosure proceedings after mortgage payments were not made by its then-owner, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. The property's branding subsequently reverted from Westfield Countryside to Countryside Mall. In 2025, Target was reported to have acquired the upper floor of the former Sears space and announced plans for a two-story store, with an intended opening by 2027. This proposed redevelopment illustrates the mall's continuing adaptation from a conventional department-store-centered format toward a mixed retail, grocery, dining, entertainment, fitness, and experience-oriented destination. The mall is described in reference material as having five anchor stores, a 12-screen cinema, restaurants, and an ice-skating rink, and as serving more than nine million customers annually; those figures are not independently time-stamped in the supplied material.

Countryside Mall opened in Clearwater, Florida, on September 8, 1975. Maas Brothers and Sears were the opening anchors, while JCPenney and J. W. Robinson's joined the mall in 1976. The original department-store lineup changed over time as national chains consolidated and properties were repurposed. JCPenney remains in its original role. The former Maas Brothers location ultimately became Macy's, while the former J. W. Robinson's location became Dillard's after subsequent department-store transitions. A six-screen movie theater was later built beside the mall near JCPenney. It closed in 2000 because of declining attendance and was subsequently converted into a Crunch Fitness location. The mall's entertainment and dining offer was later expanded through a new multiplex, restaurants, and other leisure uses. Westfield acquired Countryside Mall in 2002 in a portfolio transaction involving 14 shopping centers. The property was renamed Westfield Countryside, and in 2005 the operator dropped the longer Shoppingtown-style naming convention. Under Westfield, the mall underwent a major physical modernization. Renovation work began in April 2009 and concluded in November. The project updated floors, ceilings, escalators, skylights, children's facilities, and the food court, while also removing older decorative elements and introducing new tenants. The property continued to broaden its tenant mix in the following decade. A 12-screen cinema was added in 2011. In 2012, Bar Louie, BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, Grimaldi's Coal Fired Pizzeria, and Red Robin joined the center. P.F. Chang's opened in 2013, completing the group of restaurants promoted as Restaurant Row. Whole Foods Market opened in September 2014 in the western portion of the former Sears space. In 2015, Sears Holdings placed the mall's Sears property into Seritage Growth Properties as part of a nationwide real-estate spin-off, while Nordstrom Rack opened in the former Sears Auto Center later that year. Sears announced in April 2018 that its Countryside store would close. The store shut on July 15, 2018, leaving a large anchor area available for further redevelopment. In 2021, the property faced foreclosure proceedings after mortgage payments were not made by its then-owner, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. The mall's name subsequently reverted from Westfield Countryside to Countryside Mall. In 2025, Target was reported to have acquired the upper floor of the former Sears space and announced plans for a two-story store intended to open by 2027. The proposed project represents the latest stage in the property's evolution from a conventional department-store mall into a diversified regional destination. Its current offer is described as including five anchor stores, a 12-screen CMX Cinemas location, restaurants, and an ice-skating rink. Reference material also states that the mall serves more than nine million customers annually, although the supplied source does not provide a specific measurement year for that figure.

• 2025

  Target redevelopment announced

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Target was reported to have acquired part of the former Sears space for a planned two-story store targeted for 2027.

• 2021

  Name reverts to Countryside Mall

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following foreclosure proceedings, the property reverted from Westfield Countryside to Countryside Mall.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears anchor closed on July 15 after a nationwide closure announcement.

• 2015

  Nordstrom Rack opens

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Nordstrom Rack opened in the former Sears Auto Center.

• 2014

  Whole Foods Market opens

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Whole Foods Market opened in part of the former Sears space.

• 2011

  Twelve-screen cinema added

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A 12-screen cinema opened on the mall's second level.

• 2009

  Major renovation completed

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A major interior renovation updated the mall's circulation, finishes, skylights, children's area, food court, and tenant presentation.

• 2005

  Westfield Countryside naming adopted

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property was operated as Westfield Countryside after the operator removed the Shoppingtown naming convention.

• 2002

  Westfield acquisition

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Westfield acquired the mall in a broader portfolio transaction involving 14 shopping centers.

• 2000

  Original cinema closes

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's six-screen cinema closed after declining attendance; the site later became a Crunch Fitness facility.

• 1976

  Original anchor lineup completed

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney and J. W. Robinson's opened, completing the original four-anchor configuration.

• 1975

  Mall opens

  [1]Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Countryside Mall opened in Clearwater on September 8 with Maas Brothers and Sears as anchor tenants.

A regional, experience-oriented shopping and dining destination serving Clearwater and the wider Tampa Bay area, combining department stores, specialty retail, grocery, restaurants, cinema, fitness, and leisure attractions.

• Anchor retail · 1975

  Department-store retail

  The mall's department-store offer has historically included Maas Brothers, Sears, J. W. Robinson's, JCPenney, Macy's, and Dillard's. The lineup reflects the property's long-term role as a regional shopping center and the changing ownership and branding of major American department-store chains.

• Grocery · 2014

  Whole Foods Market

  Whole Foods Market opened in September 2014 in the western portion of the former Sears space. Its presence added grocery shopping to the mall's traditional fashion, department-store, dining, and entertainment mix.

• Off-price fashion retail · 2015

  Nordstrom Rack

  Nordstrom Rack opened in late 2015 in the former Sears Auto Center. The off-price format broadened the property's apparel and accessories offer and gave the mall a value-oriented fashion anchor.

• Cinema and entertainment · 2011

  CMX Cinemas

  A 12-screen cinema opened on the second level in 2011. The venue was initially associated with Cobb Theatres and is described in current reference material as CMX Cinemas, providing a major entertainment component for mall visitors.

• Dining · 2012

  Restaurant Row

  The mall's restaurant cluster includes concepts such as BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's, Red Robin, Charleys Philly Steaks, and Sarku Japan. Additions made between 2012 and 2013 helped establish dining as a central part of the center's positioning.

• Leisure and recreation

  Ice-skating rink

  An ice-skating rink is identified as one of the mall's principal leisure amenities, complementing its retail, restaurant, and cinema uses.

• 2025

  Target anchor redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The former Sears anchor space provided an opportunity to replace a closed traditional department-store tenant with a contemporary large-format retailer.

  Action taken

  Target was reported to have purchased the upper floor of the former Sears space and announced plans for a two-story store targeted for opening by 2027.

  Aftermath

  The proposal would further diversify the mall's anchor mix and reuse a long-vacant department-store area.

  Source

• 2018

  Sears anchor closureOther

  Background

  Sears announced a nationwide store-closure program that included its Countryside Mall location.

  Action taken

  The Sears store closed on July 15, 2018.

  Aftermath

  The closure created a large former-anchor space that was subsequently used in part by Whole Foods Market and later considered for further redevelopment.

  Source

• 2009

  Comprehensive mall renovationStrategy

  Background

  The property required an updated interior and a stronger mix of retail, dining, and family-oriented amenities.

  Action taken

  The operator undertook a major renovation involving common-area finishes, escalators, skylights, the children's play area, the food court, and new tenants.

  Aftermath

  The renovation was completed in November 2009 and modernized the mall's visitor environment.

  Renovation investment. 12 million USD (2009)

  Source

• 2002

  Westfield portfolio acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Westfield was expanding its United States shopping-center portfolio and acquired Countryside Mall together with 13 other shopping centers.

  Action taken

  Westfield acquired the property and subsequently operated it under the Westfield Countryside name.

  Aftermath

  The mall entered the Westfield operating portfolio and later adopted the Westfield Countryside branding.

  Portfolio transaction value. 4.8 billion USD (2002)

  Source

1. 1Countryside Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Countryside Mall official websitecountrysidemallfl.com