Magnolia Park Town Center
Magnolia Park Town Center is an open-air shopping and entertainment center in Greenville, South Carolina, redeveloped from the former Greenville Mall site.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Magnolia Park Town Center is a retail and entertainment destination in Greenville, South Carolina. The property occupies the site of Greenville Mall, an enclosed shopping center that opened in 1978 after several years of planning and construction. Although the original mall was anchored by Montgomery Ward and J. B. White, its later history was shaped by anchor-store turnover, periods of high vacancy, several large renovations, and eventual redevelopment into a more open, mixed retail format. Planning for the original center began in the 1970s, when Montgomery Ward was secured as the first major tenant and J. B. White was added as a second anchor. Construction began in August 1976, and Greenville Mall opened on August 3, 1978, with approximately 700,000 square feet of retail space, 37 interior tenants, two anchor stores, and a two-screen cinema. The opening reportedly attracted about 25,000 visitors. The center was intended to serve the growing Greenville market with department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and entertainment. By the early 1990s, Greenville Mall was struggling with substantial vacancy. Its owners and tenants responded with an extensive redevelopment program announced in 1994. The project added new and enlarged anchor spaces, a food court, a replacement cinema, another retail wing, landscaping, fountains, skylights, and architectural elements intended to create a more upscale Southern-garden atmosphere. Montgomery Ward opened a new concept store in May 1995, Parisian opened later that month, and the renovated center formally reopened on August 31, 1995. Grand-opening programming included fashion and family events, sports-related activities, live music, and appearances by public figures. Oshman's SuperSports USA was also introduced as a major sporting-goods tenant. The center experienced another period of decline after the late-1990s anchor changes. Dillard's entered the property through its acquisition of J. B. White's parent company, while Parisian was converted to Proffitt's in 1999. Montgomery Ward's Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2000 led to the closure of its store. Dillard's closed its location in 2003, and Proffitt's and Williams-Sonoma departed in 2004. Oshman's, which had become Sports Authority by 2005, was the remaining major tenant at that stage. The property was sold in December 2005, and redevelopment proposals soon shifted from renovating the enclosed mall to replacing most of it. In 2006, plans were announced to demolish almost the entire former mall, retaining the successful Hollywood 20-screen theater, and create a new retail-oriented development. The property was renamed Magnolia Park Town Center. Early proposals included Costco, Rooms To Go, Sports Authority, additional stores, and possible office and residential components. The Great Recession delayed the larger project after partial demolition, and the site remained substantially underdeveloped for several years. Menin Development later advanced the redevelopment, while the property changed ownership again in 2014 when it was sold to MetLife Core Property Fund for more than $155 million, according to the cited reference material. The rebuilt center developed as an outdoor-oriented retail and entertainment complex rather than a conventional enclosed mall. Cabela's announced a store for the site in 2013, and Dave & Buster's opened on November 17, 2014. In the 2024 tenant profile cited by the reference material, major occupants included Golf Galaxy, Urban Air, Nordstrom Rack, Bass Pro Shops, Regal Cinemas, and Dave & Buster's. Some current tenants occupy spaces formerly associated with earlier retailers, including Golf Galaxy's relationship to the former Golfsmith location and Urban Air's use of space previously associated with Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us. Magnolia Park therefore represents a multi-stage retail-property transformation: from a late-1970s enclosed suburban mall, through a 1990s repositioning, to a post-recession open-air shopping and entertainment center.
History
Magnolia Park Town Center developed in several distinct phases. Its predecessor, Greenville Mall, was conceived in the 1970s as a large enclosed shopping center for Greenville, South Carolina. Montgomery Ward was secured as the first anchor during early planning, and J. B. White was added in 1976. Groundbreaking took place on August 10, 1976, with the project described as a roughly 700,000-square-foot center costing about $15 million. The mall opened on August 3, 1978, with Montgomery Ward, J. B. White, 37 interior stores, and a two-screen Plitt theater. The property encountered difficulty by the early 1990s, when more than half of its space was reportedly vacant. A major repositioning was announced in 1994. The program added new anchor capacity, a food court, a replacement cinema, and another wing, while also introducing more decorative landscaping and upscale finishes. Montgomery Ward opened a larger concept store in May 1995, followed by Parisian. The renovated mall reopened at the end of August 1995 after an approximately 14-month, $65 million project. Additional stores, restaurants, and grand-opening activities followed in the autumn. Oshman's SuperSports USA was among the prominent new tenants. Anchor changes continued during the late 1990s and 2000s. Dillard's arrived after acquiring Mercantile Stores, the parent of J. B. White, and Parisian became Proffitt's in 1999. Montgomery Ward's 2000 bankruptcy eliminated one of the mall's original anchors. Dillard's closed in 2003, followed by Proffitt's and Williams-Sonoma in 2004. Oshman's had become Sports Authority by 2005, but the center no longer had the broad anchor base that had supported its earlier format. The property changed hands in December 2005 and soon moved toward replacement rather than another conventional mall renovation. In 2006, developers proposed demolishing most of Greenville Mall, preserving the Hollywood 20-screen theater, and constructing a new retail and mixed-use-oriented project. The new name, Magnolia Park Town Center, was introduced that year. Initial plans mentioned Costco, Rooms To Go, Sports Authority, additional stores, and possible offices and housing. The Great Recession interrupted the project after partial demolition, leaving the site in a stalled condition for several years. Redevelopment activity resumed under Menin Development. Cabela's announced a planned store in early 2013, and the property was sold in 2014 to MetLife Core Property Fund for more than $155 million. Dave & Buster's opened on November 17, 2014. The resulting center was organized as an open-air retail and entertainment destination rather than a traditional enclosed mall. Later tenant activity included Golfsmith, subsequently associated with Golf Galaxy, and the conversion of space formerly linked to Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us for Urban Air. By August 2024, the cited major tenants included Golf Galaxy, Urban Air, Nordstrom Rack, Bass Pro Shops, Regal Cinemas, and Dave & Buster's. The center's history illustrates the adaptation of a declining suburban mall into a multi-use retail and leisure property.
- 2014
Property sold to MetLife fund
[1]MetLife Core Property Fund acquired the property from Menin Development for more than $155 million.
- 2013
Cabela's announced for the site
[1]Cabela's announced plans for a new store at the redevelopment.
- 2006
Magnolia Park name introduced
[1]Redevelopment plans adopted the Magnolia Park Town Center name and proposed replacing most of the enclosed mall.
- 2000
Montgomery Ward closes
[1]Montgomery Ward's bankruptcy led to the closure of its mall store.
- 1995
Renovated Greenville Mall reopens
[1]A major expansion and renovation introduced new anchors, shops, restaurants, entertainment, and upgraded common areas.
- 1978
Greenville Mall opens
[1]The enclosed mall opened with Montgomery Ward, J. B. White, interior stores, and a two-screen cinema.
- 1976
Construction begins
[1]Ground was broken on August 10 for the planned Greenville Mall.
- 1974
Montgomery Ward secured as initial anchor
[1]Montgomery Ward was secured during early planning for what became Greenville Mall.
Products and positioning
A regional open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment destination serving Greenville and the surrounding Upstate South Carolina market.
Shopping center retail · 1978
Retail shopping
The center provides a collection of retail formats rather than a single proprietary product line. Its tenant mix has included off-price apparel, sporting goods, outdoor merchandise, home-related retail, specialty stores, and family-oriented businesses. Current or recently cited major retail occupants include Nordstrom Rack, Bass Pro Shops, and Golf Galaxy.
Entertainment · 2014
Entertainment and leisure
Entertainment is a central part of the post-redevelopment positioning. The property includes cinema and activity-based operators, with Regal Cinemas, Dave & Buster's, and Urban Air identified among the major tenants in the cited 2024 profile. The entertainment offer builds on the site's earlier cinema history while giving the open-air center additional reasons for non-shopping visits.
Brand decisions
2014
Sell property to MetLife Core Property FundM&ABackground
After redevelopment activity resumed and new tenants were being secured, Menin Development sold the property to a major institutional real-estate investor.
Action taken
MetLife Core Property Fund acquired the center from Menin Development.
Aftermath
The transaction placed the redeveloped property under institutional ownership while the tenant and entertainment mix continued to develop.
Transaction value. More than $155 million (2014)
2006
Replace Greenville Mall with Magnolia Park Town CenterStrategyBackground
The enclosed mall had lost most of its major anchors and was no longer considered viable in its existing form.
Action taken
Developers proposed demolishing nearly the entire mall, retaining the Hollywood theater, and creating a new retail-led development under the Magnolia Park Town Center name.
Aftermath
The Great Recession delayed the larger plan after partial demolition. Redevelopment later resumed and produced an open-air shopping and entertainment center.
1994
Approve major mall renovation and expansionStrategyBackground
Greenville Mall was facing severe vacancy, with only a limited number of stores open. The owners and anchor tenants sought to reposition the property and restore its competitive appeal.
Action taken
The project added anchor capacity, a food court, a new theater, an additional wing, landscaping, fountains, skylights, and upgraded finishes.
Aftermath
The renovated center reopened in 1995 with new anchors, stores, restaurants, and promotional opening events, but later anchor departures again weakened the enclosed-mall format.
Renovation investment. $65 million (1994-1995)
Sources2 sources
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