South Bellevue Boulevard / US 51 and Whitecap Road (Shelby Drive)
Whitehaven (Memphis), Tennessee
The story of Greater Memphis' first mall-type shopping center begins in March 1964, when plans for a "glass-topped shopping center" were first announced. On June 2, 1965, ground was broken at a 48.5-acre parcel, located 12 miles south of downtown Memphis, in suburban Whitehaven.
A 5 million dollar, fully-enclosed mall was being built by a joint venture of Baltimore's Joseph Meyerhoff Corporation and the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. SOUTHLAND MALL was designed by Herbert H. Johnson Associates, of Miami, and the Memphis firms Eason, Anthony, Mckinnie & Cox and Roy P. Harrover. The single-level complex, which covered approximately 478,700 leasable square feet, was officially dedicated on August 15, 1966.
SOUTHLAND MALL was originally anchored by a 1-level (105,000 square foot), Memphis-based Goldsmith's and 2-level (140,000 square foot) Sears. Among fifty-one charter stores and services were Florsheim Shoes, Spencer Gifts, Nip & Tuck, Singer Sewing Center, a (40,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10, (11,250 square foot) Walgreen Drug, (22,000 square foot) Levy's and (19,000 square foot) Del "D" Farm supermarket.
SOUTHLAND MALL was originally anchored by a 1-level (105,000 square foot), Memphis-based Goldsmith's and 2-level (140,000 square foot) Sears. Among fifty-one charter stores and services were Florsheim Shoes, Spencer Gifts, Nip & Tuck, Singer Sewing Center, a (40,000 square foot) F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10, (11,250 square foot) Walgreen Drug, (22,000 square foot) Levy's and (19,000 square foot) Del "D" Farm supermarket.
There were two parking area outparcels; a First National Bank of Memphis and Sears Auto Center. The interior of SOUTHLAND MALL featured an 850-foot-long, air-conditioned shopping concourse. The Constructivist Strands of Mirror sculpture, created by artisan Beverly Pepper, graced Center Mall.
Goldsmith's SOUTHLAND store was expanded to 148,000 square feet, with a grand re-opening held on August 12, 1972. A few years later, Sears' partial upper floor was also extended. That store now encompassed 172,000 square feet. The shopping center proper enveloped approximately 553,700 leasable square feet and housed over sixty stores and services.
In 1981, MALL OF MEMPHIS {5.8 miles northeast, in Memphis} and HICKORY RIDGE MALL {6.8 miles northeast, in Memphis} were completed. OAK COURT MALL {6.8 miles northeast, also in Memphis} made its debut in 1988.
As keeping up measures, SOUTHLAND was given face lift refurbishments in 1981 and 1993. During the first project, the Strands of Mirror sculpture was removed. The mall interior and north facade were refurbished, with all mall entrances rebuilt. The 600,000 dollar project got underway in October 1981 and was completed in April 1982.
The community of Whitehaven, including SOUTHLAND MALL, was annexed into Memphis on January 1, 1970. In 1971, South Bellevue Boulevard, which ran along the west side of SOUTHLAND MALL, was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. In the same year, RALEIGH SPRINGS MALL {9.7 miles northeast, in Shelby County (Memphis)} was dedicated.
Goldsmith's SOUTHLAND store was expanded to 148,000 square feet, with a grand re-opening held on August 12, 1972. A few years later, Sears' partial upper floor was also extended. That store now encompassed 172,000 square feet. The shopping center proper enveloped approximately 553,700 leasable square feet and housed over sixty stores and services.
In 1981, MALL OF MEMPHIS {5.8 miles northeast, in Memphis} and HICKORY RIDGE MALL {6.8 miles northeast, in Memphis} were completed. OAK COURT MALL {6.8 miles northeast, also in Memphis} made its debut in 1988.
As keeping up measures, SOUTHLAND was given face lift refurbishments in 1981 and 1993. During the first project, the Strands of Mirror sculpture was removed. The mall interior and north facade were refurbished, with all mall entrances rebuilt. The 600,000 dollar project got underway in October 1981 and was completed in April 1982.
A second remodeling was done between June and November of 1993. The sloping floor of the shopping concourse was leveled and recessed seating areas removed. New lighting, Italian tile flooring, kiosks and a new Center Mall fountain were installed, with mall entrances rebuilt (again).
The SOUTHLAND Woolworth store was shuttered in 1994 and re-opened, as a short-lived J.G. McCrory, in July of the year 2000. WOLFCHASE GALLERIA {11 miles northeast, in Shelby County} had been dedicated in 1997. With five major shopping malls in its trade area, SOUTHLAND somehow persevered. It even eclipsed one of its retail rivals, MALL OF MEMPHIS, which was demolished in 2004.
SOUTHLAND MALL had been sold to a joint venture of Raleigh-based Whichard Real Estate and Charlotte-based B.V. Belk Properties. The transaction closed in January of the year 2004. Goldsmith's at SOUTHLAND MALL was rebranded as a Goldsmith's-Macy's on August 1, 2003 and was fully "Macy-ated" March 6, 2005.
SOUTHLAND MALL had been sold to a joint venture of Raleigh-based Whichard Real Estate and Charlotte-based B.V. Belk Properties. The transaction closed in January of the year 2004. Goldsmith's at SOUTHLAND MALL was rebranded as a Goldsmith's-Macy's on August 1, 2003 and was fully "Macy-ated" March 6, 2005.
A third face lift renovation was done between February and July of 2004. This time around, new landscaping was installed, the exterior was painted and Main Entrance reconfigured. In January 2007, SOUTHLAND changed hands again. A New York City-based concern, Southland Mall Shopping Center, Limited Liability Company, assumed ownership and hired Chicago's Urban Retail Properties as a managing agent.
Some bad tidings arrived in January 2015. Cincinnati-based Macy's, Inc. announced that the SOUTHLAND store would be shuttered. The store went dark in March, leaving the shopping hub with just one operational anchor. Sears eventually closed, with that store pulling up stakes in February 2019.
Some bad tidings arrived in January 2015. Cincinnati-based Macy's, Inc. announced that the SOUTHLAND store would be shuttered. The store went dark in March, leaving the shopping hub with just one operational anchor. Sears eventually closed, with that store pulling up stakes in February 2019.
Meanwhile, the mall's owner defaulted on their loan, with the inline store section being auctioned off in March 2016. The new owner was an entity known as 1215 East Shelby Drive Holdings, Limited Liability Company. Boca Raton, Florida's Urban Retail Properties was enlisted as a managing agent. The inline store section of SOUTHLAND MALL was sold to a joint venture of Great Neck, New York's Namdar Realty Group and Mason Asset Management in December 2018.
Sources:
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee)
Sources:
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee)
The Memphis Press-Scimitar (Memphis, Tennessee)
https://memphismagazine.com / VanceLauderdale
http://www.southlandmallmemphis.com
https://namdarrealtygroup.com / Namdar Realty
"Elvis Presley" article on Wikipedia
"Mall Of Memphis" article on Wikipedia
"Mall Of Memphis" article on Wikipedia
