The Shops at Sunset Place

The Shops at Sunset Place is an open-air shopping, dining, entertainment, and office complex in South Miami, Florida. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 1, also known as Dixie Highway, and Red Road, or Southwest 57th Avenue, near Sunset Drive. The property is directly served by public transportation through the South Miami station on Miami-Dade Transit's Metrorail system, which is located across the street from the complex. Its location on a major commercial corridor and close proximity to the University of Miami area have made it a recognizable retail destination in southern Miami-Dade County. The current complex opened in 1999 after the demolition of an earlier development on the same site. Before Sunset Place, the property contained The Bakery Centre, a retail and office complex that opened in 1986 on the site of the former Holsum Bread Bakery. The Bakery Centre included a seven-screen AMC Theatres multiplex, but the complex was demolished in 1996 to make way for the outdoor development that became The Shops at Sunset Place. Sunset Place was designed around a mixed-use, open-air format rather than a conventional enclosed mall. Its tenant mix has included fashion retailers, restaurants, entertainment operators, and cinema businesses. A major attraction was a 24-screen AMC cinema occupying approximately 92,000 square feet. The property also added Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge in 2008, combining bowling, food service, and nightlife-oriented entertainment. In 2014, the center housed the Miami area's only GameTime location at that time, replacing the former GameWorks arcade. Other tenants mentioned in connection with the center have included Forever 21 and various restaurants. Ownership changed substantially during the property's history. Simon Property Group sold the mall in October 2015 to a partnership comprising Federal Realty, Grass River Property, and the Comras Company for $110 million. In January 2021, Midtown Opportunities acquired the property for $65.5 million. The reported transaction price was $44.5 million below the sellers' 2015 purchase price, reflecting a significant change in the property's valuation and market circumstances. The complex remains identified as The Shops at Sunset Place, although its tenant mix and future development plans may evolve under new ownership.

The site occupied by The Shops at Sunset Place has been used for commercial purposes for decades. It was formerly home to the Holsum Bread Bakery, after which the Bakery Centre was developed. The Bakery Centre opened in 1986 as a retail and office complex and included a seven-screen AMC Theatres multiplex. That development was later demolished in 1996. The Shops at Sunset Place opened in 1999 as an open-air shopping mall at the junction of U.S. Route 1 and Red Road in South Miami. The project adopted a mixed-use retail and entertainment format, with outdoor pedestrian areas, stores, restaurants, and large-scale leisure attractions. Its proximity to the South Miami Metrorail station gave it a transit connection uncommon among many suburban shopping centers in the region. Entertainment became an important component of the property's identity. Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge was added in 2008, providing bowling, dining, and evening entertainment. The property also contained a large AMC cinema complex with 24 screens and approximately 92,000 square feet of space. By 2014, the mall housed the Miami area's only GameTime venue, which replaced the former GameWorks arcade. Retail tenants included Forever 21, while restaurants and other service businesses occupied additional space. The ownership structure changed in 2015. In October of that year, Simon Property Group sold the mall to Federal Realty, Grass River Property, and the Comras Company for $110 million. The partnership subsequently controlled the property through a period of changing retail conditions and evolving consumer preferences. In January 2021, Midtown Opportunities purchased The Shops at Sunset Place for $65.5 million. The reported price represented a $44.5 million decline from the previous owners' acquisition price. The transaction marked a new phase for the property under Midtown Opportunities. The complex continues to be known as The Shops at Sunset Place and serves as a South Miami retail and entertainment destination, although its tenants, operating mix, and development outlook can change over time.

• 2021

  Midtown Opportunities acquires the complex

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Midtown Opportunities purchases The Shops at Sunset Place for $65.5 million.

• 2015

  The property changes ownership

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Simon Property Group sells the mall to Federal Realty, Grass River Property, and the Comras Company for $110 million.

• 2014

  GameTime replaces GameWorks

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  A GameTime venue operates at the complex, replacing the former GameWorks arcade and serving as the Miami area's only GameTime location at that time.

• 2008

  Splitsville joins the tenant mix

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge is added, expanding the center's bowling, dining, and entertainment offer.

• 1999

  The Shops at Sunset Place opens

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The open-air shopping and entertainment complex opens in South Miami at U.S. Route 1 and Red Road.

• 1996

  The Bakery Centre is demolished

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier retail and office complex is demolished before development of the current outdoor shopping center.

• 1986

  The Bakery Centre opens

  [1]The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org

  The Bakery Centre opens on the former Holsum Bread Bakery site as a retail and office complex with a seven-screen AMC Theatres multiplex.

An open-air, transit-accessible shopping and entertainment destination serving South Miami and the surrounding Miami-Dade market.

• Retail · 1999

  Retail stores

  The center's retail offer has included fashion and specialty stores, including Forever 21. The tenant mix is designed around an open-air pedestrian environment rather than a single branded product line.

• Entertainment

  AMC cinema complex

  A major cinema component of the property has been a 24-screen AMC Entertainment multiplex occupying approximately 92,000 square feet. It has served as one of the complex's principal destination attractions.

• Entertainment and dining · 2008

  Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge

  Added in 2008, Splitsville combined bowling lanes, food service, and an evening-oriented lounge concept, reinforcing Sunset Place's positioning as an entertainment-led shopping destination.

• Arcade and family entertainment · 2014

  GameTime

  GameTime operated at the complex by 2014, replacing the former GameWorks arcade. It was described as the only GameTime location in the Miami area at that time.

• 2021

  Sale to Midtown OpportunitiesM&A

  Background

  The previous ownership partnership sold the property after acquiring it in 2015.

  Action taken

  Midtown Opportunities acquired The Shops at Sunset Place for $65.5 million.

  Aftermath

  The transaction established Midtown Opportunities as the property's owner. The reported price was $44.5 million below the 2015 purchase price.

  Acquisition price. $110 million → $65.5 million (January 2021; comparison with October 2015 transaction)

  Source

• 2015

  Sale to Federal Realty, Grass River Property, and Comras CompanyM&A

  Background

  Simon Property Group decided to sell the South Miami property.

  Action taken

  A partnership of Federal Realty, Grass River Property, and the Comras Company acquired the mall for $110 million.

  Aftermath

  Ownership transferred to the three-company partnership, which held the property until its later sale in 2021.

  Acquisition price. $110 million (October 2015)

  Source

• 2008

  Addition of Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner LoungeProduct launch

  Background

  The property sought to strengthen its entertainment and dining mix beyond conventional retail.

  Action taken

  Splitsville Luxury Lanes and Dinner Lounge was added to the center.

  Aftermath

  The tenant expanded the complex's leisure offer with bowling, dining, and nightlife-oriented entertainment.

  Source

• 1996

  Redevelopment from The Bakery Centre to an open-air mallStrategy

  Background

  The earlier Bakery Centre retail and office complex had been demolished, creating the site for a new commercial concept.

  Action taken

  The property was redeveloped into the open-air shopping and entertainment complex that opened as The Shops at Sunset Place in 1999.

  Aftermath

  The site shifted from an earlier enclosed or office-oriented retail format to a mixed-use outdoor destination with shops, restaurants, cinema, and leisure venues.

  Source

1. 1The Shops at Sunset Placeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Shops at Sunset Place official websiteshopsunsetplace.com