Southern and St. Vincent Avenues
Shreveport, Louisiana
Plans for a major Port City shopping center were announced in August 1975. Tentatively known as the ST. VINCENT FASHION MALL, the complex was envisaged by a joint venture of Des Moines-based General Growth Management and D & W Properties, of Shreveport.
The mall was developed on a 37-acre parcel, located 1.9 miles south of downtown Shreveport. St. Vincent's Academy, a parochial girl's school, had been built on the property in 1906. The Academy was replaced by a new facility in September 1962 and was eventually demolished.
Derwood J. Quade and Arthur Hammond, of Des Moines, designed the prospective retail complex. Its name had been changed to MALL ST. VINCENT by the time ground was broken. The fully-enclosed facility was added to a 3-level (200,000 square foot) Sears, a freestanding store that been in operation since September 1961.
MALL ST. VINCENT encompassed a single retail level and, with Sears, spanned approximately 440,000 leasable square feet. The mall was also anchored by a 1-level (40,000 square foot), Shreveport-based Palais Royal.
An official dedication was held on February 2, 1977. Sister Marietta Welsh, Mother Superior of the adjacent St. Vincent's Convent, cut a ceremonial ribbon. The grand opening was also attended by Matthew and Martin Bucksbaum (of General Growth Management), V.H. Delaney (of D & W Development), James Hutchinson (of Sears & Roebuck), Harry Flyer (of Palais Royal) and Calhoun Allen (Mayor of Shreveport).
Charter stores included Piccadilly Cafeteria, B. Dalton Bookseller, Bresler's 33 Flavors ice cream, Butler's Shoes, Corn Dog On A Stick, County Seat and Karmelkorn. These were joined by Radio Shack, Stuarts Ready-To-Wear For Ladies, Rider's Jewelers and The Snack Bar. The American Multi-Cinema St. Vincent 6 Theatres opened for business on May 20, 1977. MALL ST. VINCENT now housed fifty-five stores and services.
Shopping options in the MALL ST. VINCENT trade area included PIERREMONT MALL (1964) {1.3 miles southeast, in Shreveport}, SOUTHPARK MALL (1974) {4.9 miles southwest, also in Shreveport} and PIERRE BOSSIER ["bow-jur"] MALL (1982) {4 miles northeast, in Bossier City}.
Shreveport's Palais Royal chain was acquired by Wellan's, of Alexandria, in 1985. Stores were rebranded by Wellan's on October 29, 1986. The MALL ST. VINCENT store was short-lived. It closed for good in March 1987. By this time, MALL ST. VINCENT was in a downward spiral, with only fifteen operational stores. Area road construction had left the complex difficult to access. Eventually, the facility was usurped by the newer and larger PIERRE BOSSIER MALL.
A major renovation of MALL ST. VINCENT got underway in March 1991. The vacant Palais Royal / Wellan's store was demolished and replaced by a 2-level (148,000 square foot) Dillard's. The existing mall was given an indoor-outdoor face lift. Common area was refurbished with new fountains, flooring, lighting and landscaping. The west facade was rebuilt with new 3-story-high entrances. The parking area was also enlarged.
MALL ST. VINCENT was officially re-dedicated on September 4, 1991. Ten upscale stores joined the tenant roster. These included Dillard's, Arielle ladies' wear, Mecheall's Children's Clothing, Concord Bakery, Ann Taylor, Express, Talbots and The Bombay Company.
The revitalized complex now encompassed approximately 548,000 leasable square feet and contained forty-one tenant spaces. Business picked up considerably after a 7.5 mile stretch of Interstate 49, which passed along the west side of the mall, opened to traffic. This thoroughfare was dedicated on December 19, 1995.
General Growth had sold its majority interest in MALL ST. VINCENT in April 1980. Aetna Life & Casualty was the proprietor until the shopping hub was sold to Mall St. Vincent, Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Shreveport, Atlanta and Philadelphia investors, in December 1994. In October 1998, General Growth Properties re-purchased the complex.
The mall's cinema 6-plex was shuttered in July of the year 2000. Soon after, two open-air retail venues opened for business in Greater Shreveport. UNIVERSITY PLACE {2.8 miles southeast, in Shreveport} was dedicated in August 2001. LOUISIANA BOARDWALK OUTLETS {2.5 miles northeast, in Bossier City} welcomed its first shoppers in May 2005.
General Growth created a spin-off entity, known as Rouse Properties, in January 2012. This company would own and manage several of GGP's B-class shopping malls, including MALL ST. VINCENT. A 17 million dollar renovation was announced in August 2013.
The entire west facade was rebuilt as an exterior-entranced Streetscape. On the interior, new floors and lighting were installed, along with an indoor pond. Existing store space was also reconfigured. Hibbett Sports moved to a new location. Five spaces were merged into a (22,000 square foot) H & M. Other new tenants were signed, such as Cafe du Monde, Grimaldi's Brick Oven Pizza, J. Crew and P.F. Chang's China Bistro.
The remodeling was complete by November 2014. MALL ST. VINCENT now housed sixty stores and services. Rouse properties, and its portfolio of thirty-five shopping malls, was sold in July 2016. The buyer was Toronto's Brookfield Asset Management.
By 2017, it was clear that the much-touted renovation of MALL ST. VINCENT had not been entirely successful. The plan to reposition the complex as the premier shopping venue in Northwest Louisiana had fallen short of its goal. Major inline tenants, such as Grimaldi's Brick Oven Pizza and Gymboree, closed up shop. Sears pulled the proverbial plug on their MALL ST. VINCENT store in September 2018.
Charter stores included Piccadilly Cafeteria, B. Dalton Bookseller, Bresler's 33 Flavors ice cream, Butler's Shoes, Corn Dog On A Stick, County Seat and Karmelkorn. These were joined by Radio Shack, Stuarts Ready-To-Wear For Ladies, Rider's Jewelers and The Snack Bar. The American Multi-Cinema St. Vincent 6 Theatres opened for business on May 20, 1977. MALL ST. VINCENT now housed fifty-five stores and services.
Shopping options in the MALL ST. VINCENT trade area included PIERREMONT MALL (1964) {1.3 miles southeast, in Shreveport}, SOUTHPARK MALL (1974) {4.9 miles southwest, also in Shreveport} and PIERRE BOSSIER ["bow-jur"] MALL (1982) {4 miles northeast, in Bossier City}.
Shreveport's Palais Royal chain was acquired by Wellan's, of Alexandria, in 1985. Stores were rebranded by Wellan's on October 29, 1986. The MALL ST. VINCENT store was short-lived. It closed for good in March 1987. By this time, MALL ST. VINCENT was in a downward spiral, with only fifteen operational stores. Area road construction had left the complex difficult to access. Eventually, the facility was usurped by the newer and larger PIERRE BOSSIER MALL.
A major renovation of MALL ST. VINCENT got underway in March 1991. The vacant Palais Royal / Wellan's store was demolished and replaced by a 2-level (148,000 square foot) Dillard's. The existing mall was given an indoor-outdoor face lift. Common area was refurbished with new fountains, flooring, lighting and landscaping. The west facade was rebuilt with new 3-story-high entrances. The parking area was also enlarged.
MALL ST. VINCENT was officially re-dedicated on September 4, 1991. Ten upscale stores joined the tenant roster. These included Dillard's, Arielle ladies' wear, Mecheall's Children's Clothing, Concord Bakery, Ann Taylor, Express, Talbots and The Bombay Company.
The revitalized complex now encompassed approximately 548,000 leasable square feet and contained forty-one tenant spaces. Business picked up considerably after a 7.5 mile stretch of Interstate 49, which passed along the west side of the mall, opened to traffic. This thoroughfare was dedicated on December 19, 1995.
General Growth had sold its majority interest in MALL ST. VINCENT in April 1980. Aetna Life & Casualty was the proprietor until the shopping hub was sold to Mall St. Vincent, Limited Liability Company, a joint venture of Shreveport, Atlanta and Philadelphia investors, in December 1994. In October 1998, General Growth Properties re-purchased the complex.
The mall's cinema 6-plex was shuttered in July of the year 2000. Soon after, two open-air retail venues opened for business in Greater Shreveport. UNIVERSITY PLACE {2.8 miles southeast, in Shreveport} was dedicated in August 2001. LOUISIANA BOARDWALK OUTLETS {2.5 miles northeast, in Bossier City} welcomed its first shoppers in May 2005.
General Growth created a spin-off entity, known as Rouse Properties, in January 2012. This company would own and manage several of GGP's B-class shopping malls, including MALL ST. VINCENT. A 17 million dollar renovation was announced in August 2013.
The entire west facade was rebuilt as an exterior-entranced Streetscape. On the interior, new floors and lighting were installed, along with an indoor pond. Existing store space was also reconfigured. Hibbett Sports moved to a new location. Five spaces were merged into a (22,000 square foot) H & M. Other new tenants were signed, such as Cafe du Monde, Grimaldi's Brick Oven Pizza, J. Crew and P.F. Chang's China Bistro.
The remodeling was complete by November 2014. MALL ST. VINCENT now housed sixty stores and services. Rouse properties, and its portfolio of thirty-five shopping malls, was sold in July 2016. The buyer was Toronto's Brookfield Asset Management.
By 2017, it was clear that the much-touted renovation of MALL ST. VINCENT had not been entirely successful. The plan to reposition the complex as the premier shopping venue in Northwest Louisiana had fallen short of its goal. Major inline tenants, such as Grimaldi's Brick Oven Pizza and Gymboree, closed up shop. Sears pulled the proverbial plug on their MALL ST. VINCENT store in September 2018.
In June 2021, Great Neck, New York's Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the struggling shopping complex. At this time, thirty-four store spaces were leased, with twenty-two vacancies. Operational stores included American Eagle Outfitters, Hibbett Sports, Elite Jewelers and City Gear.
Sources:
The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana)
http://www.southernretail.blogspot.com
www.realtytimes.com
www.cinematreasures.org
http://rouseproperties.com / Rouse Properties
Sources:
The Times (Shreveport, Louisiana)
http://www.southernretail.blogspot.com
www.realtytimes.com
www.cinematreasures.org
http://rouseproperties.com / Rouse Properties
https://www.mallstvincent.com
www.bizjournals.com
http://kennethpark.com / Kenneth Park Architects
www.bizjournals.com
http://kennethpark.com / Kenneth Park Architects
Comment post by Scott Greer
"Mall St. Vincent" article on Wikipedia
