MALLING ALONG
Before long, DeBartolo was flying around the Midwest, picking out potential sites for prospective strip shopping plazas. In September 1961, he went the next step further and opened Mentor, Ohio's GREAT LAKES MALL. Soon, there would be malls going up in Anne Arundel County (Maryland), Melbourne (Florida), and Findlay, Akron and Lima (Ohio). When the 1960s came to a close, there were ten DeBartolo malls in full operation.
In 1972, Forbes Magazine named "Mr. D" the nation's top mall builder. By late 1973, he had implemented twenty-two enclosed shopping centers; these located in the Ohio, Florida, Maryland, Indiana, New York, Tennessee and New Jersey.
The Sunshine State became the primary focus of DeBartolo's mall development, with twelve being built in Florida. By 1980, there were also DeBartolo malls in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Colorado, Washington State and California. By the mid-1980s, his company was the nation's largest mall owner-operator.
MEDALS OF MERIT
Delving into other areas of entrepreneurial endeavor, DeBartolo opened the Toledo Foreign Trade Zone, purchased several horse racing parks and became the owner of the San Francisco 49ers football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey franchises.
Edward J. DeBartolo was given the Italian government's Order of Merit in 1981 and received his highest honor when Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1988. DeBartolo died in December 1994, after having developed a total of fifty-one shopping malls and eleven strip plazas.
Before long, DeBartolo was flying around the Midwest, picking out potential sites for prospective strip shopping plazas. In September 1961, he went the next step further and opened Mentor, Ohio's GREAT LAKES MALL. Soon, there would be malls going up in Anne Arundel County (Maryland), Melbourne (Florida), and Findlay, Akron and Lima (Ohio). When the 1960s came to a close, there were ten DeBartolo malls in full operation.
In 1972, Forbes Magazine named "Mr. D" the nation's top mall builder. By late 1973, he had implemented twenty-two enclosed shopping centers; these located in the Ohio, Florida, Maryland, Indiana, New York, Tennessee and New Jersey.
The Sunshine State became the primary focus of DeBartolo's mall development, with twelve being built in Florida. By 1980, there were also DeBartolo malls in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Wisconsin, Texas, Colorado, Washington State and California. By the mid-1980s, his company was the nation's largest mall owner-operator.
MEDALS OF MERIT
Delving into other areas of entrepreneurial endeavor, DeBartolo opened the Toledo Foreign Trade Zone, purchased several horse racing parks and became the owner of the San Francisco 49ers football and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey franchises.
Edward J. DeBartolo was given the Italian government's Order of Merit in 1981 and received his highest honor when Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1988. DeBartolo died in December 1994, after having developed a total of fifty-one shopping malls and eleven strip plazas.
DEBARTOLO MALLS 1961-1980:
A list of shopping malls built by the DeBartolo Corporation between the early 1960s and 1980. Those indicated in green have been inducted into the Mall Hall of Fame.
1. GREAT LAKES MALL, Mentor, OH (September 1961)
2. FORT FINDLAY VILLAGE CENTER, Findlay, OH (August 1962)
3. AKRON SQUARE PLAZA, Akron, OH (August 1962)
4. GLEN BURNIE MALL, Anne Arundel County, MD (February 1963)
5. BREVARD MALL, Melbourne, FL (March 1963)
6. SUMMIT MALL, Fairlawn, OH (October 1965)
7. LIMA MALL, Lima, OH (November 1965)
8. RICHMOND SQUARE, Richmond, IN (May 1966)
9. RICHMOND MALL, Richmond Heights, OH (September 1966)
10. PALM BEACH MALL, West Palm Beach, FL (October 1967)
11. LAFAYETTE SQUARE, Indianapolis, IN (August 1968)
12. WOODVILLE MALL, Northwood, OH (April 1969)
13. DAYTON MALL, Montgomery County, OH (March 1970)
14. SOUTHERN PARK MALL, Mahooning County, OH (March 1970)
15. NORMANDY MALL, Jacksonville, FL (November 1970)
16. CHAUTAUQUA MALL, Chautauqua County, NY (April 1971)
17. RALEIGH SPRINGS MALL, Memphis, TN (August 1971)
18. UPPER VALLEY MALL, Clark County, OH (August 1971)
19. EASTERN HILLS MALL, Erie County, NY (November 1971)
12. WOODVILLE MALL, Northwood, OH (April 1969)
13. DAYTON MALL, Montgomery County, OH (March 1970)
14. SOUTHERN PARK MALL, Mahooning County, OH (March 1970)
15. NORMANDY MALL, Jacksonville, FL (November 1970)
16. CHAUTAUQUA MALL, Chautauqua County, NY (April 1971)
17. RALEIGH SPRINGS MALL, Memphis, TN (August 1971)
18. UPPER VALLEY MALL, Clark County, OH (August 1971)
19. EASTERN HILLS MALL, Erie County, NY (November 1971)
20. CASTLETON SQUARE, Indianapolis, IN (September 1972)
21. SECURITY SQUARE, Baltimore County, MD (September 1972)
22. TYRONE SQUARE, St. Petersburg, FL (October 1972)
23. BRUNSWICK SQUARE, Middlesex County, NJ (April 1973)
24. DESOTO SQUARE, Brandenton, FL (August 1973)
25. WASHINGTON SQUARE, Indianapolis, IN (April 1974)
26. ALTAMONTE MALL, Altamonte Springs, FL (August 1974)
27. UNIVERSITY SQUARE, Hillsborough County, FL (August 1974)
28. VOLUSIA MALL, Daytona Beach, FL (October 1974)
29. RED BIRD MALL, Dallas, TX (June 1975)
22. TYRONE SQUARE, St. Petersburg, FL (October 1972)
23. BRUNSWICK SQUARE, Middlesex County, NJ (April 1973)
24. DESOTO SQUARE, Brandenton, FL (August 1973)
25. WASHINGTON SQUARE, Indianapolis, IN (April 1974)
26. ALTAMONTE MALL, Altamonte Springs, FL (August 1974)
27. UNIVERSITY SQUARE, Hillsborough County, FL (August 1974)
28. VOLUSIA MALL, Daytona Beach, FL (October 1974)
29. RED BIRD MALL, Dallas, TX (June 1975)
30. OCEAN COUNTY MALL, Ocean County, NJ (July 1976)
31. AURORA MALL, Aurora, CO (August 1975)
32. RANDALL PARK MALL, North Randall, OH (August 1976)
33. EAST LAKE SQUARE, Tampa, FL (August 1976)
34. RICHARDSON SQUARE, Richardson, TX (October 1977)
35. REGENCY MALL, Augusta, GA (July 1978)
36. CUTLER RIDGE MALL, Dade County, FL (November 1978)
37. UNIVERSITY PARK MALL, St. Joseph County, IN (March 1979)
38. CENTURY III MALL, West Mifflin, PA (October 1979)
39. ALDERWOOD MALL, Snohomish County, WA (October 1979)
32. RANDALL PARK MALL, North Randall, OH (August 1976)
33. EAST LAKE SQUARE, Tampa, FL (August 1976)
34. RICHARDSON SQUARE, Richardson, TX (October 1977)
35. REGENCY MALL, Augusta, GA (July 1978)
36. CUTLER RIDGE MALL, Dade County, FL (November 1978)
37. UNIVERSITY PARK MALL, St. Joseph County, IN (March 1979)
38. CENTURY III MALL, West Mifflin, PA (October 1979)
39. ALDERWOOD MALL, Snohomish County, WA (October 1979)
40. MISSION VIEJO MALL, Mission Viejo, CA (October 1979)
41. GULF VIEW SQUARE, Pasco County, FL (March 1980)
42. PADDOCK MALL, Ocala, FL (August 1980)
43. BAY PARK SQUARE, Ashwaubenon, WI (October 1980)
42. PADDOCK MALL, Ocala, FL (August 1980)
43. BAY PARK SQUARE, Ashwaubenon, WI (October 1980)
