Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi)

Last updated
Sunrise Mall
Sunrise Mall Fountain.JPG
Sunrise Mall in January 2009
Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi)
Location Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
Opening dateFebruary 4, 1981
Closing dateAugust 11, 2019
Developer Corpus Christi, Texas
ManagementSunrise LP
Owner IBC Bank
No. of anchor tenants 6 (5 open, 1 vacant)
Total retail floor area 930,538 square feet (86,449.8 m2)
No. of floors2
Parking2,500est

Sunrise Mall was a two-story, enclosed shopping mall in Corpus Christi, Texas. It is located at the intersection of Airline Rd. & S. Padre Island Drive. Current tenants include Planet Fitness, New Life Church (formerly The Summit Church), Freedom Fitness, and Little Woodrow's Bar.

Contents

Mall History

Early years and Prosperity (1979–1987)

With construction crews breaking ground on November 1, 1979, Sunrise Mall was built over a 15-month period in the early 1980s on property less than 1,000 feet from the existing Padre Staples Mall (now La Palmera). Grand opening ceremonies were held on February 4, 1981, with Joske's, Frost Bros. and Sears as the mall's primary anchors. An H-E-B grocery store, present before the mall's opening, was on site. In its early years, the mall competed well against nearby Padre Staples Mall. Despite its close proximity to a competing mall, most retailers chose to locate duplicate locations within the new mall rather than close their existing ones. The mall flourished during the early 1980s, earning minor fame as a filming location for the film The Legend of Billie Jean .

In response to a renovation and expansion of Padre Staples Mall, management began a major expansion and renovation in 1987 which was to add a new anchor store, Mervyn's, a movie theater, a nautical-themed food court, and two parking garages. In the midst of their renovations, however, Sunrise was dealt a blow when Joske's was purchased by Dillard's. Already having a location at Padre Staples Mall, Dillard's management chose to close the Sunrise Mall location, leaving Sunrise with one of their major anchor stores vacant. Montgomery Ward, however, stepped in and took over the location in November of the same year

Gradual Downfall (1988–2007)

In April 1988, just two months after completing renovations, Frost Bros. announced that they were closing their Corpus Christi location due to financial difficulties. Problems began to beset the retailers at Sunrise almost immediately. Many retailers were already finding it difficult to justify operating two stores within such proximity to one another. Gradually, major retailers began to migrate back to Padre Staples Mall. In 1990, the now closed H-E-B store on the property was connected to the mall by a corridor and re-opened as a Stein Mart, adding a sixth anchor store to the property.

After more than four years, the Frost Bros. location was taken over in 1992 by Burlington Coat Factory, a retailer not normally associated with being a major mall anchor. Despite this, major retailers continued to leave the mall. The collapse of Montgomery Ward in 2000 along with the closing of Mervyn's in 2006 [1] left Sunrise with two major anchor spaces vacant. A series of ownership and management changes left the mall mostly vacant by 2007, leaving a few non-traditional mall tenants such as an insurance agency, an unemployment office, and a medical clinic. [2] Wilcox Furniture, a local chain, opened in late 2007, occupying a portion of the previous Montgomery Ward anchor store. [3]

Rapid decline (2008–2019)

The mall fell into serious neglect in early 2008, including an incident in which the power was cut off by Reliant Energy due to the owner failing to pay the facility's electricity bill. [4] After a brief legal battle and a bankruptcy filing, the mall was foreclosed upon in September 2008, but was still open and running with few businesses open.

In November 2018, news stations reported that more tenants were told to leave by the end of the month. It was unknown if the mall would close, leaving the major tenants who own their property open. [5]

On August 31, 2019, it was announced that Sears would be closing this location a part of a plan to close 92 stores nationwide. The store closed in December 2019. [6]

Sunrise Mall Today

New Ownership and Revitalization Attempt

Sunrise Mall was purchased at a foreclosure auction by Laredo, Texas-based IBC Bank, the mall's largest creditor, in September 2008. [7] A new management team was brought in to revitalize the facility and to market the mall to new tenants. Many improvements had been made, including a new air conditioning system and a professional security staff. Notably, the fountains, which were prominently featured in the film The Legend of Billie Jean , had been restored to working condition after years of being inoperable.

Anchor tenant Sears closed in December 2019. [8] Wilcox Furniture announced their closure in March 2021, [9] while Burlington announced that their store would close and relocate to the nearby Moore Plaza shopping center in fall 2021. [10]

Decline & eventual closure

By June 2018, the mall had become nearly dead, albeit clean and well-maintained, but housing very few active businesses. The mall's escalators were shut down, leaving only a few elevators and staircases to help people to the second floor. The upstairs food court had been reduced to one open restaurant.

Among the major attractions that remained were Burlington, arcade, mini-golf, two gyms, and bridal stores. At Christmas time, Santa came to the mall's center. By January 15, 2018 the Cinemark Dollar Cinema had ceased operation.

The mall officially closed its mall portion to the public on August 11, 2019, with many of the remaining tenants inside the building following suit. As of July 2021, the only remaining tenants are New Life Church, Freedom Fitness and Planet Fitness.

On October 3, 2022, the owners of the mall filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [11]

Related Research Articles

The Shoppes at South Hills, formerly South Hills Mall, is a shopping mall on U.S. 9, now converted into a strip mall, in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. The 675,000 ft² plaza opened in 1974 and included two anchors, Sears and Kmart, at opposite ends of the mall. Currently, The Shoppes at South Hills are owned and operated by DLC Management Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genesee Valley Center</span> Shopping mall in Michigan, United States

Genesee Valley Center is an enclosed shopping mall located in Flint Township, Michigan, outside the city of Flint, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1970, the mall is 1,272,397 square feet (118,209.5 m2) of leasable area. The mall has three anchor tenants: JCPenney, Macy's, and Play Big. It comprises more than 120 tenants, including a food court, and an external concourse called the Outdoor Village which also features a Barnes & Noble bookstore. The mall is located on Miller Road and Linden Road, near the junction of Interstate 69 (I-69) and I-75.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Park Mall (San Antonio)</span> Shopping mall in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

South Park Mall is a shopping mall located on the southwest side of San Antonio, Texas. It serves the communities on the south side of the city, with a Hispanic theme inside it. It is anchored by Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Macy's.

Inland Center is a regional shopping mall owned and operated by Macerich, located in San Bernardino, California along the southwest border adjacent to Interstate 215 and the city of Colton. The mall is within one mile of three bordering cities on the southern end of San Bernardino. Inland Center is a single-level mall anchored by, JCPenney, Forever 21 and Macy's, plus 110 specialty shops and services.

The Mall of Victor Valley is a shopping mall located in Victorville, California. It is owned and managed by Macerich. The mall is located near Interstate 15 and Bear Valley Road.

Somersville Towne Center is a regional shopping mall located in Antioch, California. Previously named County East Mall until 2004, the 501,259 square feet (46,570 m2) mall is managed by Urban Retail Properties. Originally opened in 1966, it is strategically positioned in one of the fastest growing areas of the San Francisco Bay Area, east Contra Costa County. Along with high population growth, east Contra Costa County is also experiencing sizable household income increases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett Mall</span> Shopping mall in Washington, United States

Everett Mall is a 673,000-square-foot (62,500 m2) indoor/outdoor shopping mall located in Everett, Washington, United States. Planned in the late 1960s, the mall began with the construction of two anchor stores, Sears in 1969 and White Front in 1971; the mall was originally built and opened in 1974. It was plagued from the start of development: construction was stalled in 1972 due to the Boeing bust, and it suffered further misfortune with one anchor store closing before the rest of the mall could open. The mall also had a low tenant rate upon opening, only rebounding after The Bon Marché opened in 1977; the success led to the construction of an additional north wing to the mall anchored by the upscale Frederick & Nelson department store. In 2004, the mall underwent a massive expansion and renovation that included the addition of a 16-screen movie theater and outdoor stores along the south side. The mall's anchor stores are Regal Cinemas, LA Fitness, Burlington, Floor & Decor, Ulta Beauty, and Party City. There is one vacant anchor store that was once Sears.

Alexandria Mall is a shopping mall located in Alexandria, Louisiana, United States. It features Dillard's, JCPenney, Conn's, Burlington Coat Factory, and Bed Bath And Beyond as anchor stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chapel Hills Mall</span> Shopping mall in Colorado, United States

Chapel Hills Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, with 562,733 square feet (52,280 m2) of gross leasable area. The anchor stores are AMC Theatres, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dillard's, H&M, and Macy's. There are two vacant anchor stores that Burlington and Gordmans occupied before closing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irving Mall</span> Shopping mall in Texas, United States

Irving Mall is an enclosed American shopping mall located in Irving, Texas, at the intersection of Texas State Highway 183 and Belt Line Road. It has over 80 stores, including four anchor tenants as of November 29, 2020, plus a food court with the only international restaurant being Subway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baybrook Mall</span> Shopping mall in Texas, United States

Baybrook Mall is a shopping mall located near the Clear Lake City area in Houston, Texas; It has a Friendswood mailing address, but it is in the Houston city limits. The mall is located off Interstate 45, and it is also in proximity to Webster and the NASA Johnson Space Center. The anchor stores are Star Cinema Grill, Dave & Buster's, Dillard's, JCPenney, H&M, Macy's, and Forever 21. There is 1 vacant anchor store that was once Sears.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronado Center</span> Shopping mall in New Mexico, United States

Coronado Center is a shopping mall in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Built in 1965 by the Homart Development Company, a defunct real-estate division of the department store Sears, the mall has undergone several renovations and expansions in its history which have led to it becoming the largest building by area in New Mexico. Its anchor stores include Macy's, J. C. Penney, Dick's Sporting Goods, Round One Entertainment, and Kohl's, with one vacancy formerly occupied by Sears; other major tenants include Barnes & Noble, H&M, Forever 21, The Container Store, The Cheesecake Factory, and Boot Barn. The mall features over 130 stores, including a food court, and is managed by Brookfield Properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macon Mall</span> Shopping mall in Georgia, United States

Macon Mall is a two-level, 1.1-million-square-foot shopping mall located in Macon, Georgia. It is a dead mall with a 74% and rising vacancy rate with only one anchor store, Burlington. It has three vacant anchors left by Belk, J.C. Penney and Macy's. Sears once occupied the space currently taken by Burlington. The lower level is still empty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Palmera</span> Shopping mall in Texas, United States

La Palmera, originally Padre Staples Mall, is an indoor and open-air super-regional shopping mall located along the shopping corridor of South Padre Island Drive at Staples St. in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. It has over 100 mainline stores and three anchor stores Dillard's, JCPenney, and Macy's.

Parkdale Plaza was a shopping mall located in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States. It opened in 1957 and closed in 2010 to be torn down for a Walmart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayshore Mall</span> Shopping mall in California, United States

Bayshore Mall is an indoor shopping mall in Eureka, California. It is named for its close proximity to Humboldt Bay. The large shopping facility is the only major mall located on the coast north of the San Francisco Bay Area, securing Eureka as the trading center for the entire far North Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific View Mall</span> Shopping mall in California, United States

Pacific View Mall is a regional, enclosed mall located on the West Coast in Ventura, California. It covers a leasable area of almost 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2).

Florin Towne Centre is an outdoor shopping center in the unincorporated area of Parkway-South Sacramento in Sacramento County, California, United States, in the Sacramento area. It opened in 2008 on the site of the old Florin Mall, which closed and was demolished in 2006. The 484,500 square feet (45,010 m2) center is anchored by AutoZone, Chuze Fitness, PetSmart, US Foods CHEF'STORE, and Walmart Supercenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chula Vista Center</span> Shopping mall in Chula Vista, California

Chula Vista Center is an outdoor shopping mall in Chula Vista, California. Opened in 1962, it features Burlington Coat Factory, JCPenney, and Macy's, with one vacant anchor last occupied by Sears. It is owned and managed by Brookfield Properties.

Sierra Vista Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Clovis, California. Opened in 1988, the mall features Kohl's, and Target, plus a go-kart track, indoor Laser Tag park, and 16-screen movie theater. Two empty anchors were formerly occupied by Sears, and United Artists Theaters.

References

  1. ↑ "Mervyn's to shut its doors in January, will lay off 100"
  2. ↑ "History of Sunrise Mall"
  3. ↑ "Sunrise Mall Gets New Tenant"
  4. ↑ "Sunrise Mall tenants can't beat heat"
  5. ↑ "Sunrise Mall is sold at foreclosure auction"
  6. ↑ Tyko, Kelly (August 31, 2019). "Kmart, Sears store closings: More locations to shutter by end of 2019". USA Today. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  7. ↑ "Sunrise Mall is sold at foreclosure auction"
  8. ↑ Tyko, Kelly (August 31, 2019). "Kmart, Sears store closings: More locations to shutter by end of 2019". USA Today. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  9. ↑ Ramirez, Chris (March 23, 2021). "After 68 years Wilcox Furniture is closing. Here's how to get a deal". Corpus Christi Caller Times. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  10. ↑ Cargo, Kathryn (June 23, 2021). "Burlington is leaving Sunrise Mall in Corpus Christi. Here's where it'll relocate". Corpus Christi Caller Times. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Mall's bankruptcy". KIII TV. May 4, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.

27°42′27″N97°21′54″W / 27.70752°N 97.365057°W / 27.70752; -97.365057

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.