The Avenues
A two-level regional shopping mall on Jacksonville's Southside in Florida, United States.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Avenues, commonly called Avenues Mall, is a two-level regional shopping center in Jacksonville, Florida. It occupies a prominent location on the city's Southside along the Interstate 95 corridor, near the intersection of U.S. 1, also known as Philips Highway, and Southside Boulevard. The property is reached from Interstate 95 through exit 339 and includes a parking deck on its northwestern side. The mall opened on September 26, 1990, with JCPenney, Maison Blanche, and Sears among its initial anchor tenants. Dillard's joined the center in 1991, and Parisian opened an additional department-store location in 1994. Maison Blanche subsequently became Gayfers in 1992 and Belk in 1998, reflecting the consolidation and ownership changes that affected American department-store retail during the period. The mall's physical environment was substantially refreshed in a renovation completed in April 2005. The approximately $10.5 million project introduced a new entrance featuring stained glass, updated neutral finishes designed to complement Italian limestone on the ground floor, renewed restrooms, ceilings, lighting, seating, and lounge areas, a modernized glass elevator, and a children's play area. These changes were intended to maintain the center's appeal as a large, family-oriented regional destination rather than merely a collection of department stores. The Avenues combines department stores, specialty retail, food and beverage, personal-care businesses, and entertainment. Its anchor and major-format occupants have included Belk, Dillard's, JCPenney, Sears, Forever 21, and furniture source. Specialty tenants identified with the center include Aldo, H&M, LOFT, BoxLunch, Build-A-Bear Workshop, MAC, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, Pandora, and Le Macaron French Pastries. The tenant mix has changed considerably over time as national chains have retrenched, relocated, or entered bankruptcy. A large number of formerly prominent brands, including Gap, Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch, Oakley, Pottery Barn, Ann Taylor, Williams-Sonoma, and Coach, moved to or emphasized St. Johns Town Center, while other chains left the market or closed stores. The mall faced increased competitive pressure after the growth of St. Johns Town Center and the wider structural difficulties affecting enclosed shopping centers. Its earlier upscale positioning weakened as higher-end tenants departed and long-standing retailers vacated space. Nevertheless, The Avenues continued operating as a major Southside retail and services destination. Forever 21 opened a very large store in 2010 in space previously associated with Belk's men's and children's operation, but the store ultimately closed in 2025 following the chain's bankruptcy-related restructuring. Sears announced the closure of its Avenues location in 2019; the store shut in December of that year and was later replaced by furniture source. In 2025, the former Forever 21 space was announced as the future home of Elev8 Fun, an entertainment center planned to include an arcade, bowling, go-karts, and a restaurant. The project represents an effort to add experiential uses and a new large-format attraction to the mall's tenant mix. Simon Property Group manages the property and is identified with ownership of a 25 percent interest in the mall in the reference material. The Avenues therefore remains an active Jacksonville shopping center whose identity has evolved from a traditional department-store-led mall toward a broader combination of retail, dining, services, and entertainment.
History
The Avenues is a regional enclosed shopping mall on the Southside of Jacksonville, Florida. It opened on September 26, 1990, beside the Interstate 95 corridor at U.S. 1 and Southside Boulevard. The original development included JCPenney, Maison Blanche, and Sears. Dillard's was added in 1991, while Parisian opened in 1994. The center's department-store history reflected broader industry consolidation: Maison Blanche became Gayfers in early 1992 and later Belk in late 1998. Parisian's business was sold by Saks Incorporated to Belk in 2006, after which the Avenues location was reorganized. Belk ultimately consolidated its departments in the former Parisian and related space in 2010. A substantial renovation was completed in April 2005. The approximately $10.5 million program added a stained-glass entrance and refreshed the mall's interior with neutral colors, updated lighting, ceilings, seating, lounge furniture, restrooms, a glass elevator, and a children's play area. The improvements were designed to preserve the center's role as a broad regional destination and to modernize its enclosed-mall environment. During the 2010s, The Avenues experienced growing competitive pressure from St. Johns Town Center and from the wider decline of many traditional enclosed malls. Several established or comparatively upscale tenants relocated to St. Johns Town Center, including Gap, Banana Republic, Abercrombie & Fitch, Oakley, Pottery Barn, Ann Taylor, Williams-Sonoma, and Coach. Other tenants exited because of corporate closures, bankruptcies, or market withdrawals. The resulting tenant turnover changed the mall's character and weakened its earlier concentration of national specialty retailers. The center nevertheless attracted several significant replacements and additions. Forever 21 opened a 116,000-square-foot store on November 18, 2010, in space formerly occupied by Belk's men's and children's store. H&M opened a two-story store on September 6, 2012, and Buffalo Wild Wings opened on the second floor in early 2014. Sears announced in August 2019 that its Avenues store would close; the store ceased operations in December 2019. The former Sears space was later occupied by furniture source, sometime between 2021 and 2023. Forever 21 later closed its Avenues store in 2025 during the retailer's bankruptcy-related store reductions. That year, Elev8 Fun was announced for the former Forever 21 premises. The planned attraction is intended to add an arcade, bowling alley, go-kart track, and restaurant, signaling a shift toward entertainment and experiential uses. Simon Property Group manages The Avenues and is associated with a 25 percent ownership interest according to the cited reference material. The mall remains an active Jacksonville retail property with department stores, specialty shops, food and beverage operators, services, and planned entertainment.
- 2025
Elev8 Fun announced as future anchor
[1]An Elev8 Fun entertainment center is announced for the former Forever 21 space.
- 2021
Furniture replacement occupies former Sears space
[1]Furniture source occupies the former Sears location sometime between 2021 and 2023.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]Sears announces the store's closure in August, and the location shuts in December.
- 2014
Buffalo Wild Wings opens
[1]Buffalo Wild Wings opens on the mall's second floor.
- 2012
H&M opens
[1]H&M opens a two-story store at the mall on September 6.
- 2010
Forever 21 opens a large-format store
[1]Forever 21 opens a 116,000-square-foot store in former Belk men's and children's space.
- 2006
Belk acquires Parisian's specialty-store business
[1]After the announced Saks-to-Belk transaction, the Avenues Parisian operation is reorganized and later consolidated under Belk.
- 2005
Major renovation completed
[1]A major renovation refreshes the mall's entrance, finishes, amenities, lighting, elevator, seating, and children's area.
- 1998
Gayfers becomes Belk
[1]The former Maison Blanche and Gayfers department-store space changes to Belk.
- 1994
Parisian opens
[1]Parisian is dedicated as a new department-store anchor at the mall.
Products and positioning
A large regional enclosed shopping center serving Jacksonville's Southside, with a tenant mix spanning department stores, specialty retail, dining, services, and family entertainment.
Retail category · 1990
Department-store retail
The mall's department-store component includes Belk, Dillard's, and JCPenney. These stores provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, beauty products, household goods, and seasonal merchandise. Department stores have historically served as the principal anchors and helped draw shoppers from across Jacksonville and surrounding communities.
Fashion retail · 1990
Specialty fashion and apparel
Specialty apparel and fashion tenants have included H&M, LOFT, Aldo, and BoxLunch. The category represents the mall's role as a multi-brand shopping destination, although the exact tenant roster changes as retailers open, relocate, or leave the market.
Specialty retail · 1990
Beauty, jewelry, and accessories
The Avenues has included beauty and accessory businesses such as MAC, LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, and Pandora. These stores complement the department-store anchors with specialized cosmetics, personal-care, jewelry, and gift products.
Home retail
Home furnishings
Furniture source occupies the former Sears location and provides a large-format home-furnishings use within the mall. Its presence illustrates the property's adaptation of former department-store space as anchor retail patterns have changed.
Dining · 2014
Food and beverage
Dining and refreshment businesses have included Buffalo Wild Wings and Le Macaron French Pastries, alongside other mall food and beverage operators. These uses extend visits beyond conventional shopping and support the center's regional-destination role.
Entertainment · 2025
Elev8 Fun entertainment center
Elev8 Fun is a planned entertainment anchor for the former Forever 21 premises. The announced concept includes arcade games, bowling, go-karts, and a restaurant, adding an experiential attraction to the mall's retail and dining mix.
Brand decisions
2025
Convert former Forever 21 space to experiential entertainmentStrategyBackground
The closure of the large Forever 21 store created a substantial vacant anchor-sized space amid continuing pressure on traditional enclosed-mall retail.
Action taken
Elev8 Fun was announced for the premises with an arcade, bowling, go-karts, and a restaurant.
Aftermath
The entertainment center was under construction and expected to become a future anchor, broadening the mall's offer beyond retail.
2019
Close the Sears anchorOtherBackground
Sears announced a nationwide store-reduction plan that included its Avenues location.
Action taken
The Sears store closed in December 2019 after the company announced the closure on August 31.
Aftermath
The former department-store space was later converted to furniture source.
2010
Add a major-format Forever 21 storeProduct launchBackground
Belk's men's and children's operation created a large block of space that could be repurposed for a high-volume specialty retailer.
Action taken
Forever 21 opened a 116,000-square-foot store on November 18.
Aftermath
The store became one of the mall's largest tenants before closing in 2025 during Forever 21's bankruptcy-related contraction.
2005
Undertake a major mall renovationStrategyBackground
The property needed an updated physical environment to remain competitive as a regional enclosed shopping center.
Action taken
The mall invested approximately $10.5 million in a new entrance, interior finishes, amenities, lighting, seating, elevator improvements, and a children's play area.
Aftermath
The renovation was completed in April 2005 and refreshed the center's public spaces.
Sources2 sources
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