The mall is presently in the midst of a name change as it undergoes active redevelopment.
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: ScrapeHero.com, Wikipedia.org, and Times-Advocate.com.
Introduction
I have written extensively about the Costco retail superchain for NewsBreak. Though like most other businesses Costco has experienced its share of financial challenges, the entity continues to be among the most financially viable such models in the country.
Per ScrapeHero.com’s current location count of company stores: There are 585 Costco retail stores in the United States as of February 06, 2023. The state with the most number of Costco locations in the U.S. is California, with 133 retail stores, which is about 23% of all Costco retail stores in the U.S.
The company opened its first warehouse (the chain's term for its retail outlets) in Seattle in 1983, according to Wikipedia.
That said, in as much as I write extensively about the Costco retail chain, I write about the state of U.S. shopping malls for NewsBreak. Most often, these articles regard major national mall closings, sales, or redevelopment plans.
This current piece focuses on the latter two matters and a related new Costco location, coming soon.
Let us explore further.
Shopping Malls, 2023
According to a February 7th report from Times-Advocate.com, entitled “New Owners, New Name For Mall,” major changes to the recently-sold property are forthcoming.
As excerpted from the report: One of the most valuable pieces of real estate in Escondido, the Westfield North County Fair Mall, known to one and all as “North County Fair,” since it opened in the mid-1980s has a new owner and a new name: North County Mall. That name is unlikely to be permanent but will serve until a more suitable one is chosen—with the input of stakeholders and local residents.
The deal reportedly closed on February 1st. URW (Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield) announced the sale of its equity interests in the property.
The Times-Advocate report goes on to state: The mall has come into hard times in recent years with many vacancies among its more than 100 stores and eateries. Two of its six original anchor stores, Sears and Nordstrom, have ceased operating. The city has penned an agreement with Costco to open a store in the old Sears location.
No formal date has been announced of the Costco opening as of press time, or the full scope of other upcoming changes forthcoming to the property.
Conclusion
This is a developing story. In the event of pertinent updates to this matter, inclusive of progress and announcements of milestone dates, I will share them here on NewsBreak.
Thank you for reading.
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