Schuylkill Mall

Schuylkill Mall is a shopping mall located in Frackville, Pennsylvania. Built in 1980 by Crown American, the mall features Black Diamond Antiques, The Bon-Ton, and Dunham's Sports as its anchor stores. It features 45 stores and a movie theater.

History

Schuylkill Mall.

Black Diamond.

Crown American, a shopping center development company based in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, opened Schuylkill Mall on October 9, 1980. The mall was built at the junction of Pennsylvania Route 61 and Interstate 81. It originally had three anchor stores: Kmart, Hess's, and Sears. The 800,000 square feet (74,000 m²) mall featured room for 115 stores, including a prototype McCrory variety store. 91 of the 115 storefronts were open at the time, including a Rea & Derick drugstore, a Weis Markets grocery store (now occupied by Big Lots) on an outparcel, and two McDonald's restaurants: one inside the mall, and a second in the parking lot.^[1] The Sears store replaced a store that had been operational in nearby Pottsville since 1930, and featured three times the square footage of that location; Hess's was built as a store-within-a-store concept with a large furniture section; and the Kmart featured a home improvement section, which many Kmart stores at the time did not contain. Originally, mall developers had been in negotiations for J. C. Penney as a fourth anchor.^[2]

In 1983, Pomeroy's department store also relocated from downtown Pottsville to become the mall's fourth anchor.^[3] Only four years later, the Pomeroy's chain was sold to The Bon-Ton.^[4] The fifth anchor, Phar-Mor, opened in 1991.^[5] As part of a store renovation in 1995, Sears added 23,000 square feet (2,100 m²) by taking over vacated sections of mall space.^[6]

Also in 1995, Hess's closed its store at the mall; three years later, it became an outlet store called U.S. Factory Outlets.^[7] Rex TV & Appliance joined the mall in 1998 as well.^[8] After U.S. Factory Outlets closed, it became the original location of Black Diamond Antiques, which later moved to the Phar-Mor building after that chain went out of business in 2002. The former Hess's building then became a Steve & Barry's in October 2007; after Steve & Barry's went out of business in 2009, it then became a discount clothing store called Famous Labels, which closed in May 2011.^[9] In November 2011, Dunham's Sports signed a lease to open a store at the mall. The store opened in the former Phar-Mor building, resulting in Black Diamond Antiques moving back to the former Hess's/Steve & Barry's/Famous Labels space.^[10] Dunham's opened in September 2012.^[11]

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), who acquired the Crown American portfolio in 2003, sold the mall to Empire Realty in 2007.^[12]

The Mall was listed to be sold as sale number 59 of the Schuylkill County Sheriff's Sale on June 17, 2016 in judgement of $27,428,876.10.^[13]

Closures

Many mall stores have closed at Schuylkill Mall since the 2000s.

In 2009, Chick-fil-A closed its location at the mall, while a fitness center opened in a space previously occupied by Jo-Ann Fabrics, and a screen printing store replaced a former KB Toys.^[14]

Gap, an original tenant, closed in early 2012.^[15]

The mall's Arby's abruptly closed in July 2014 when its franchiser declared bankruptcy.^[16] A month later, GameStop and a cigar shop closed as well.^[17]

A consignment shop called Mustard Seed opened at the mall in 2013. The space was previously occupied by a Rex electronics store.^[18]

The mall had two arcades which have also closed. One "Gamers Alley" sometime in 2014, and one in 2011 to make way for the new movie theater expansion project. The arcade was located next to the old movie theater, which is now the new lobby and concession stand for the movie theater.^[19]

Hallmark Gold Crown Last day of business was on Feb. 22 2014. The store had been in the mall since the mall opened in October 1980^[20]

Schuylkill Valley Sports: Closed sometime in the beginning of 2014 due to lack of business and foot traffic in the mall. The Frackville store opened in 1990, it was formally located where Gertrude Hawk Chocolates is now.^[21]

Littman Jewelers Ceased operations in the mall on January 20, 2014 after being there for 21 years. The store opened for business in November 1992.^[22]

Auntie Anne's Left the mall on February 2, 2013, the exact reason for closing was not given, although mall management said it "was not related to sales or rent." The mall had records for Auntie Anne's leasing the space that dates back to 1992. When it closed, a lease had already been signed with a new business that opened the next week called Totally Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, which also has a location in the Columbia Mall in Bloomsburg. There was also one other pretzel stand in the Schuylkill Mall, Bavarian Pretzel Bakery, that closed in July.^[23]

Some other stores have since closed and new national tenants are in negotiations with mall management.^[24]

Nirvana's Closet: Closed February 23, 2012 shortly after State troopers from the Schuylkill Haven and Frackville stations, working in conjunction with the Schuylkill County District Attorney's Office, executed search warrants for a drug raid looking for illegal bath salts and synthetic marijuana. Search warrants were executed about 4 p.m., warrants were also issued for three other locations.^[25][26] Not long after "The Pearl Stadium 8" began renting out the former store and began a $1.6-million project to expanded into the space to gain an additional 5,000 square feet to house The "Screening Room", a VIP theater with a lounge, a kitchen and a bar that serves alcohol.^[27]

Kay Jewelers Closed in 2011^[28]

Liberty Travel Closed in 2011 and moved to the Coal Creek Plaza in St Clair, PA.^[29]

Sears announced the closure of its store at the mall in October 2014.^[30] Sister chain Kmart also followed suit in February 2015.^[31]

Schuylkill Mall Theatres (Pearl Stadium 8)

The Pearl Theatre 8.

Kings Theater Circuit Theater purchased the former Regal Theater shortly after its closure in October 2010. King Theatre Circuit announced that they planned to install and upgraded the stereo sound system in all four theaters and do and general upgrade.^[32] Since 2010 to 2013 the theater owners had been upgrading, renovating, and expanding the outdated 1980's theater. This is the biggest and only renovation to the space since it opened. Once it was complete, it boasts 8 stadium seated theaters, an upgraded 20,000 watt sound system, much larger movie screens, a digital projection system, new wall coverings and carpets. Another feature to the theater is 2 VIP sections known as "The Screening Room" it features a bar and restaurant capable of seating 50 people off of the VIP theater and luxury leather seats. This section is only open to patroons 21 and older.^[33] The theater also has its own IMAX like experience, the screens measure about 35 feet wide and 40 feet high. They have also redone the entrance of the space, including a new concessions area, and restrooms.^[34]

References

External links

• Official website

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