Southlake Mall

Southlake Mall is a regional shopping center in Morrow, Georgia, in Clayton County south of Atlanta. The property occupies a prominent transportation location beside Interstate 75 and Georgia State Route 54, also known as Jonesboro Road. Its trade area extends beyond Clayton County into Henry County, a part of metropolitan Atlanta that has experienced substantial residential and commercial growth. The mall opened in 1976 with four major department-store anchors: Rich's, Davison's, Sears, and JCPenney. The original Rich's was a substantial two-story, approximately 230,000-square-foot suburban store and included a restaurant and snack bar. The department-store lineup reflected the traditional regional-mall model of the period, in which large anchors drew customers to an enclosed collection of specialty retailers and food-service operators. Southlake's anchor identity changed as the department-store industry consolidated. Davison's was converted to Macy's in 1986, while Rich's was incorporated into the Rich's-Macy's banner in 2003 and then fully rebranded as Macy's in 2005. Macy's later closed the former Davison's building, which was repurposed in 2009 as the Morrow Center, a conference and events venue. JCPenney closed its mall store in 2011; the former anchor was subsequently converted into office space for Chime Solutions, a call-center operation reported to employ approximately 1,500 people. The mall underwent a major renovation in 1999. The food court moved to the lower level, a carousel was installed, and the escalator arrangement was redesigned so that escalators were positioned at opposite ends of the mall rather than near the center. A fountain in the lower-level area near Sears and RadioShack was removed to make room for the new circulation plan. The property faced declining performance and financial pressure during the early 2010s. Southlake Mall entered foreclosure proceedings on February 5, 2013. The anchor properties were excluded from the foreclosure, and General Growth Properties relinquished its interests while emphasizing a strategy centered on stronger-performing assets. Mortgage oversight briefly involved C-III Asset Management before the loan was sold to B Properties, a Bayer Properties subsidiary focused on rehabilitating challenged malls. Sears closed its Southlake location in September 2018, leaving Macy's as the mall's only traditional department-store anchor. The property changed hands again in January 2019, when a joint venture involving CityView Commercial and Jacobs Real Estate Advisors acquired it from Vintage Capital Group. The former Sears space was later redeveloped as The Arena at Southlake, a Clayton County Public Schools convocation and events center reported for 2026. This reuse illustrates the mall's transition from a conventional department-store-centered retail property toward a mixed commercial, office, community, and event-oriented destination.

Southlake Mall opened in 1976 in Morrow, Georgia, as a major enclosed shopping center serving the southern Atlanta metropolitan area. Its location beside Interstate 75 and State Route 54 gave it strong road access across Clayton County and into neighboring Henry County. The original tenant structure followed the dominant regional-mall pattern of the era, with four large department stores—Rich's, Davison's, Sears, and JCPenney—surrounding an enclosed collection of smaller retail and service businesses. Rich's was one of the mall's most prominent original anchors. Its two-story suburban store measured approximately 230,000 square feet and included dining facilities. The other anchors subsequently changed as department-store brands consolidated. Davison's adopted the Macy's name in 1986. In 2003, Rich's stores were moved into the Rich's-Macy's identity, and by 2005 that banner had also become Macy's. Macy's later closed the former Davison's building, ending its use as a department store but not its role in the local economy. A substantial physical renovation was completed in 1999. The project moved the food court to the lower level, introduced a carousel, and altered the internal circulation system. Escalators were moved toward the two ends of the mall, replacing an escalator closer to the center. A lower-level fountain near Sears and RadioShack was removed to accommodate the revised layout. These changes were intended to modernize the customer environment and improve movement through the property. The former Davison's/Macy's building was given a new purpose in 2009 when it was remodeled as the Morrow Center, a conference and events facility. JCPenney closed its anchor store on June 1, 2011, and the former department-store space was later converted into offices for Chime Solutions. The call-center operation reportedly employed approximately 1,500 people, making the reuse an important example of the mall's shift toward non-retail activity. Southlake Mall experienced financial and operational difficulties as regional-mall conditions weakened. On February 5, 2013, the property went into foreclosure after several years of decline. The anchor spaces were not part of the foreclosure. General Growth Properties, which had emerged from its own bankruptcy in 2010, released its interest as it concentrated on higher-performing assets. The mall's mortgage was supervised for a period by C-III Asset Management and was then sold to B Properties, a Bayer Properties subsidiary specializing in the rehabilitation of struggling malls. Sears closed its store in September 2018, leaving Macy's as the sole conventional department-store anchor. The mall was sold again in January 2019 to a joint venture of CityView Commercial LLC and Jacobs Real Estate Advisors, with Vintage Capital Group identified as the seller. The subsequent reuse of the Sears building for The Arena at Southlake, a Clayton County Public Schools convocation and events venue reported for 2026, reflects an evolving property model. Rather than relying exclusively on department-store traffic, Southlake Mall has incorporated office, conference, educational, civic, dining, and event functions alongside remaining retail uses.

• 2026

  Former Sears building repurposed as The Arena at Southlake

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The former Sears space is reported as being rebuilt for a Clayton County Public Schools convocation and events center.

• 2019

  Sale to CityView Commercial and Jacobs Real Estate Advisors

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  A joint venture involving the two real-estate companies acquires the mall from Vintage Capital Group.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  Sears shuts its Southlake store in September, leaving Macy's as the only traditional department-store anchor.

• 2014

  JCPenney space becomes Chime Solutions offices

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The former anchor is converted for call-center and office use.

• 2013

  Foreclosure and ownership restructuring

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The mall enters foreclosure, while the property and mortgage interests move through several institutional parties.

• 2011

  JCPenney closes

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney closes its Southlake Mall anchor on June 1.

• 2009

  Former department-store anchor becomes Morrow Center

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The empty former Davison's/Macy's building is remodeled for conferences and events.

• 2005

  Rich's-Macy's becomes Macy's

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The remaining Rich's-Macy's identity is replaced by the Macy's brand.

• 2003

  Rich's enters Rich's-Macy's transition

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The Rich's stores are rebranded as Rich's-Macy's.

• 1999

  Major interior renovation

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The food court is relocated, a carousel is added, and the escalator configuration is redesigned.

• 1986

  Davison's becomes Macy's

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  The Davison's anchor is renamed under the Macy's brand.

• 1976

  Mall opens in Morrow

  [1]Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org

  Southlake Mall opens with Rich's, Davison's, Sears, and JCPenney as its principal anchors.

A suburban regional mall and mixed-use community destination serving southern metropolitan Atlanta, with a traditional enclosed-shopping format supplemented by dining, office, conference, educational, and event uses.

• Retail property · 1976

  Enclosed regional shopping mall

  Southlake Mall provides an enclosed retail environment with specialty stores, department-store space, food-service areas, and customer circulation amenities. Its regional role is supported by access from Interstate 75 and State Route 54 and by a trade area extending across Clayton and Henry counties.

• Conference and events venue · 2009

  Morrow Center

  The Morrow Center occupies the former Davison's and Macy's anchor building. After remodeling in 2009, the space was repositioned as a conference and events facility, adding a non-retail use to the mall's operating mix.

• Office and business services · 2014

  Chime Solutions office and call-center facility

  The former JCPenney anchor was converted in 2014 for Chime Solutions. The reuse created office and call-center capacity within the mall and was reported to support approximately 1,500 employees.

• Educational and events facility · 2026

  The Arena at Southlake

  The former Sears anchor is reported as being rebuilt as The Arena at Southlake, a convocation and events center serving Clayton County Public Schools. The project represents a civic and educational reuse of a former department-store space.

• 2026

  Redevelop the former Sears anchor as a civic events venueOther

  Background

  Sears closed its Southlake Mall store in 2018, leaving another major anchor building vacant.

  Action taken

  The former Sears building was reported as being rebuilt as The Arena at Southlake for Clayton County Public Schools.

  Aftermath

  The reported project would further shift the property toward educational, civic, and event uses alongside retail activity.

  Source

• 2014

  Convert the former JCPenney anchor to officesStrategy

  Background

  JCPenney had closed its Southlake store in 2011, leaving a large vacant anchor space.

  Action taken

  The building was converted into office and call-center space for Chime Solutions.

  Aftermath

  The conversion introduced a significant employment and office use into the mall property.

  Source

• 2013

  Transfer the distressed mall for rehabilitationStrategy

  Background

  Southlake Mall had experienced several years of decline and entered foreclosure. General Growth Properties was also narrowing its portfolio toward stronger-performing properties.

  Action taken

  General Growth Properties released its interests, and the mall's mortgage moved from temporary supervision by C-III Asset Management to B Properties, a Bayer Properties subsidiary specializing in challenged malls.

  Aftermath

  The transaction placed the property under an ownership and asset-management structure oriented toward rehabilitation.

  Source

• 2009

  Repurpose the former Davison's/Macy's anchorStrategy

  Background

  After Macy's closed the former Davison's location, the large department-store building no longer served its original retail role.

  Action taken

  The building was remodeled and reopened as the Morrow Center, a conference and events space.

  Aftermath

  The reuse preserved an active function for the anchor building while broadening the mall's commercial purpose beyond retail.

  Source

• 1999

  Renovate the mall's interior circulation and amenitiesStrategy

  Background

  The property updated its customer environment during a period when enclosed malls continued to compete through improved amenities and easier internal circulation.

  Action taken

  Southlake Mall moved the food court to the lower level, added a carousel, repositioned escalators at opposite ends of the mall, and removed a lower-level fountain to support the new layout.

  Aftermath

  The renovation modernized the interior and changed the placement of key customer amenities.

  Source

1. 1Southlake Mall (Atlanta)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Southlake Mall official websitesouthlakemall.com