South Square Mall

South Square Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Durham, North Carolina, United States. It opened in 1975 and became one of the principal retail centers serving the Durham and wider Research Triangle area. The property combined traditional department-store anchors, specialty retailers, food-service businesses, a supermarket, financial services, and a small movie theater. Its original anchor lineup consisted of Belk-Leggett, later renamed Hudson-Belk, J.C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward. The mall's tenant mix reflected the retail model of its era. In addition to the department stores, South Square housed Piccadilly Cafeterias, the upscale women's fashion boutique Montaldo's, Miller & Rhoads, Big Star Supermarket, Central Carolina Bank and Trust, and a four-screen cinema. It also had a second-level food court positioned away from the main circulation area. This food court was notable locally because South Square became the first mall in the Triangle area to operate one; Crabtree Mall in Raleigh, despite opening earlier, did not add a food court until 1984. South Square underwent several important changes during the 1980s. Montgomery Ward left in 1985 as part of a broader corporate restructuring by its parent company. The vacant space was subsequently occupied by Ivey's in 1986, with that department-store business later becoming part of Dillard's. The same period brought the mall's only reported interior modernization. Big Star closed in 1988 following its acquisition by Harris Teeter, and its former premises were converted for use by Office Depot. Montaldo's eventually moved to a new location in Chapel Hill, while the mall's original cinema closed in 1994 after a new Carmike Cinemas multiplex opened less than a mile away. The mall's decline accelerated with the opening of The Streets at Southpoint in 2002. Southpoint attracted major retailers and drew away South Square's remaining department-store traffic. Belk and J.C. Penney relocated to the new development, leaving Dillard's as South Square's only anchor. Dillard's later closed, and South Square Mall shut down in September 2002, approximately six months after Southpoint opened. The vacant mall was demolished in 2004 and replaced by a big-box retail development. The replacement site included SuperTarget, Sam's Club, Ross Dress for Less, and Petco, along with other businesses such as Carolina Ale House and Discount Tire. Office Depot and Firestone survived from the mall period and were incorporated into the later development. Although the enclosed mall no longer exists, the replacement project retained the South Square name, preserving a limited connection with the former shopping center. South Square Mall is therefore best understood as a defunct regional shopping destination whose history illustrates the competitive pressure that newer, larger lifestyle-oriented retail developments placed on older enclosed malls.

South Square Mall opened in Durham, North Carolina, in 1975 as an enclosed shopping center designed around a conventional department-store anchor model. Its original major tenants were Belk-Leggett, later known as Hudson-Belk, J.C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward. The center also offered a broad mix of specialty retail, food, groceries, services, and entertainment. Notable tenants included Piccadilly Cafeterias, Miller & Rhoads, Montaldo's, Big Star Supermarket, Central Carolina Bank and Trust, and a four-screen movie theater. The property had a second-level food court located to the side of the main mall area. This feature gave South Square a distinctive place in Triangle-area retail history because it was reportedly the first mall in the area to have a food court. Crabtree Mall, which had opened in 1972, did not introduce its own food court until 1984. The mall experienced substantial tenant turnover during the 1980s. Montgomery Ward left in 1985 during a corporate restructuring program. Its former space was filled by Ivey's in 1986; Ivey's later became part of Dillard's. South Square also received its only interior renovation during this period. Big Star closed in 1988 after being acquired by Harris Teeter, and Office Depot subsequently occupied the space. Montaldo's moved away to a Chapel Hill location, reducing the mall's high-end specialty fashion presence. Entertainment offerings also weakened. The original four-screen theater closed in 1994 after a new Carmike Cinemas multiplex opened less than a mile away. The loss of the cinema, along with the departures of other tenants, reduced the mall's ability to function as a broad social and retail destination. The decisive competitive challenge arrived in 2002 with the opening of The Streets at Southpoint. The newer project attracted retailers and shoppers away from South Square. Belk and J.C. Penney moved to Southpoint, leaving Dillard's as the only remaining anchor. Dillard's eventually closed, and South Square Mall shut down in September 2002, only about six months after Southpoint opened. The empty structure was demolished in 2004. A big-box-oriented retail development replaced it, with SuperTarget, Sam's Club, Ross Dress for Less, and Petco among the principal occupants. Office Depot and Firestone remained from the former mall period and were incorporated into the new site. Other businesses included Carolina Ale House and Discount Tire. The redevelopment retained the South Square name, but the enclosed shopping mall itself ceased to exist. Its trajectory—from a conventional 1970s regional mall to a property displaced by a newer retail development—reflects broader changes in American shopping-center competition and the decline of older enclosed malls.

• 2004

  Mall is demolished and site is redeveloped

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former enclosed mall is razed and replaced by a big-box retail center that retains the South Square name.

• 2002

  South Square Mall closes

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall closes in September after major anchors relocate to The Streets at Southpoint and Dillard's shuts its remaining anchor store.

• 1994

  Four-screen cinema closes

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's movie theater shuts after a new Carmike Cinemas multiplex opens nearby.

• 1988

  Big Star closes and Office Depot arrives

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Big Star leaves after its acquisition by Harris Teeter, and Office Depot later occupies the supermarket's former space.

• 1986

  Ivey's fills former Montgomery Ward space

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ivey's takes over the former Montgomery Ward premises and is later replaced in the corporate succession by Dillard's.

• 1985

  Montgomery Ward departs

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Montgomery Ward vacates its mall location as part of a company-wide restructuring.

• 1975

  South Square Mall opens

  [1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed shopping mall opens in Durham with Belk-Leggett, J.C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward as its original department-store anchors.

A traditional enclosed regional shopping mall serving Durham and the surrounding Research Triangle market, with department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, services, and entertainment.

• Department stores · 1975

  Department-store retail

  South Square's principal commercial offer came from its department-store anchors: Belk-Leggett, later Hudson-Belk, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, Ivey's, and eventually Dillard's. These stores provided apparel, household goods, accessories, and general merchandise and supplied much of the mall's regular customer traffic.

• Specialty retail · 1975

  Specialty retail and services

  The mall's specialty mix included Miller & Rhoads, the upscale women's fashion boutique Montaldo's, Central Carolina Bank and Trust, and Office Depot. These tenants complemented the anchor stores with fashion, banking, office products, and other practical services.

• Dining and leisure · 1975

  Food and entertainment

  Dining and leisure facilities included Piccadilly Cafeterias, a second-level food court, and a four-screen movie theater. The food court was an early example in the Triangle area, while the cinema operated until 1994, when nearby multiplex competition led to its closure.

• Supermarket · 1975

  Big Star Supermarket

  Big Star provided grocery retail within the mall complex until it closed in 1988 following its acquisition by Harris Teeter. Its former space was later used by Office Depot.

• 2002

  Anchor relocation and mall closureStrategy

  Background

  The opening of The Streets at Southpoint created direct competition for South Square and led Belk and J.C. Penney to relocate. Dillard's remained as the final major anchor while the enclosed mall continued to lose commercial momentum.

  Action taken

  After Dillard's closed, South Square Mall ceased operations in September 2002.

  Aftermath

  The mall was demolished in 2004 and replaced by a big-box retail center that retained the South Square name.

  Source

• 2004

  Former South Square Mall site is redeveloped as a big-box retail center[1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The former mall was demolished and replaced by a retail hub featuring businesses including SuperTarget, Sam's Club, Ross Dress for Less, and Petco. Several surviving businesses were incorporated into the new development, which retained the South Square name.

• 2002

  South Square Mall closes after losing anchor tenants to Southpoint[1]South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  South Square Mall closed in September 2002 after Belk and J.C. Penney relocated to The Streets at Southpoint and Dillard's subsequently shut its South Square location.

1. 1South Square Mallen.wikipedia.org