Savannah Mall, Savannah

While today you wouldn't realize it, Savannah Mall was actually once a very magical place. This in particular for younger children. When the mall first opened it was upscale and was anchored by Montgomery Ward, Parisian, Belk, and J.B.White. The mall had approximatly 130 stores like Abercrombie & Fitch, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, The United Colors of Benetton, The Disney Store, Paul Harris, 5-7-9, Maurice's, and Black Market Minerals, and Ritz Camera. The mall had and still has a carousel in the food court. At Christmas, each court had something special. The J.B. White court had animatronic bears singing Christmas carols. The center court had (and still has) a children's train and the Belk court has Santa Claus to take photos with. This is also still happening. Anyway, since there is no other major indoor place to have fun, Savannah Mall was always something close to my heart. In the late 90's the mall started to go down, since the area wasn't sufficient enough at the time to has such stores. Ann Taylor and Benetton left in 98', and so did the mall's first anchor, Montgomery Ward. J.B. White left later that year, being bought out by Dillard's. In 2003 Belk and Parisian left the mall and so did most of the mall's major apparel stores including Abercrombie & Fitch and 5-7-9, which moved to Oglethorpe Mall down the street. For the first half of that year, Savannah Mall was almost dead, except for Dillard's. Drastic action had to be taken to reverse public perception that Savannah Mall was going to close. In August 2003, Bass Pro Shops opened in the ex-Parisian. This breathed new life into the mall. The next year Target demolished the old Belk for a brand new 213,000 square foot store. That same year Steve & Barry's opened in the old Montgomery Ward on the lower level. In 2006 Burlington Coat Factory opened on the lower level of the building Target constructed. Due to the recession Steve & Barry's closed in 2008. Unfortunately the mall has continued to lose in-line tenants like Waldenbooks, The Limited, Pac Sun, Auntie Anne's and most recently New York and Company. Even though the mall has every anchor space filled except one and the food court is awesome, I still worry about the future of the place. At only 19 years old, at this rate there won't be any stores left in a few years and it might completely succumb to its cross town rival Oglethorpe Mall who it tried to kill in the first place back in August 1990. For right now there are still some decent stores left like Gap, Victoria's Secret, Lane Bryant, Sunglass Hut International, Bath & Body Works, Foot Locker, Finish Line, Hibbett Sports, Champs Sports, Gamestop, Kay Jewelers, Cato, Cold Stone Creamery, Gymboree, Journey's, Tilt, The Shoe Dept. Payless Shoe Source, Claire's, It's Fashion, and The Body Shop, most of the stores inside are mom 'n' pop stores selling junior apparel, which seems to be the mall's niche. Still there are too many vacancies and Oglethorpe Mall has stolen much of its business back over the past ten years. The mall needs to have a major redevelopment, renovation, and expansion. I'd like to see it upscale again. Now with only a hand full of department stoes to choose from it shouldn't have no problem trying to position itself. Personally I'd like for Simon to buy the mall out. Build a two level JCPenney onto the back, eliminating A.C. Moore in the process, and for Macy's to move into the old Montgomery Ward. Dillard's needs to be renovated to the current look and the Target building needs to be vacanted and turned into a Sears. Oglethorpe can keep Belk since it didn't happen the first time. Savannah Mall should keep Bass Pro Shops because it's unique and fun and sort of symbolizes what Savannah is all about.