January 31st was the mall’s last day of business. Remaining tenants must move out by February 15th.
Author’s Note
This article is based on corporate postings and accredited media reports. Linked information within this article is attributed to the following outlets: Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia.org and 13NewsNow.com.
Introduction
I write extensively about the state of U.S. shopping malls for NewsBreak. My December 30th article, “52-Year-Old U.S. Shopping Mall, Including Ross Dress For Less Store, Permanently Closing and Scheduled For Demolition,” is particularly relevant to this current piece due to detailing the closure of the mall focused upon in this article: Military Circle Mall in Norfolk, Virginia.
My article included an excerpt from Wikipedia, which features a comprehensive and well-attributed overview of the entity (as written pre-closure): Military Circle Mall, known as The Gallery at Military Circle Mall from 2002 to 2015, is an enclosed shopping mall in Norfolk, Virginia. The mall opened in 1970... The anchor stores are Ross Dress for Less, Optima Health, and Movement Mortgage. There are 3 vacant anchor stores that were once Cinemark, Sears, and Macy's.
The mall’s last day of business was January 31st, 2023, and now plans have been made public as to options for the location.
Let us explore further.
Shopping Malls, 2023
According to a 13NewsNow.com report, “The End of an Era: Military Circle Mall Closes Permanently,” the Norfolk, Virginia mall, which closed yesterday, is presently fielding several offers for redevelopment.
The report quoted Mia Byrd, of Norfolk’s Economic Development Authority, who pointed to changes in trends, and economic volatility, as factors that led to the steep decline in shoppers at the iconic mall. City leaders are currently discussing three proposals for the location’s revitalization.
As excerpted from the report: “There are people who have been there a long time there are people who were raised in this community and remember when the mall opened so it does have that historic nostalgia that we’d definitely like to honor,” Byrd said.
The report goes on to state: The plan by Crossroads Partnership LLC includes a retail space with an arena. The second plan by development company Norfolk MC Associates includes an amphitheater and a lake. The third, by musician Pharrell Williams and the company Wellness Circle, also includes an amphitheater and homes.
There has been no official announcement, as of press time, regarding confirmed future plans. Remaining tenants have until February 15th to move out.
Conclusion
This is a developing story. In the event of pertinent updates to these matters, I will share them here on NewsBreak.
Thank you for reading.
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