East Pioneer Parkway / Spur 303 and State Highway 360
Arlington, Texas
Plans were announced for a new Metroplex shopping mall in April 1969. This was to be constructed on 120 acres at the intersection of East Pioneer Parkway / Spur 303 and an initial stretch of State Highway 360. The site was located 15.5 miles southwest of downtown Dallas and 14.5 miles southeast of center city Fort Worth. It was entirely within the Tarrant County suburb of Arlington.
Robert and Maurice Alpert developed FORUM 303 MALL, in a joint venture with the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. The firm of Harrell & Hamilton, of Dallas, designed the complex. A 2-level (239,200 square foot), Fort Worth-based Leonards was the first operational tenant. This freestanding store, which opened on October 31, 1969, was the chain's first branch. There was a full-line supermarket within the store and freestanding Leonards Auto Center on a northeast pad.
Leonards was joined by the FORUM 303 MALL. The first inline stores opened on September 23, 1971. Free entertainment at the dedication ceremony was provided by Leon Breeden's Big Band, the University of Texas at Arlington's Lab Band and Southern Methodist University stage band. There were also style shows and an appearance by Jingles the Dragon. A 2-level (151,000 square foot) Montgomery Ward, and freestanding Wards Auto Center, opened their doors.
The American Multi-Cinema Forum 6 Theatres showed its first features on September 23, 1971. A Formal Opening for the mall began on May 11, 1972. There were free performances by organist Ron Baker, Country & Western singer Sonny Wayne, local rock groups Lead Stamp and Dust, the Ice Cream Theatre and University of Texas at Arlington Tijuana Band. The headlining act was Roy Clark, of the syndicated "Hee-Haw" television program.
At the time of the 1972 Formal Opening, the mall spread over approximately 875,000 leasable square feet and housed forty-five stores and services. Among these were World Bazaar, Margie's ladies' wear, Helen Gallagher Gifts, Father & Son Shoes, Kinney Shoes, Chick-fil-A, Chess King, Cheese Villa, West Piano & Organ, Toys By Roy, Strawhat Pizza Palace and a Piccadilly Cafeteria.
The original complex consisted of a main mall level built over a 350-car capacity parking deck and three-tenant Mini-Mall. At the center of the main mall level was The Forum, a 320-seat amphitheater. It descended to a stage 17 feet below mall level, which was used to host fashion shows, pageants, concerts, karate exhibitions and dog shows. Surrounding the 15,000 square foot area were mini-projection wall screens and, above these, a mezzanine balcony which was planned to connect into a multistory hotel.
As envisaged, FORUM 303 was to be the nucleus of a 1.5 million square foot development which was to include the aforementioned hotel as well as two high-rise office towers and three additional mall anchor stores. Alas, most of these were never built.
As envisaged, FORUM 303 was to be the nucleus of a 1.5 million square foot development which was to include the aforementioned hotel as well as two high-rise office towers and three additional mall anchor stores. Alas, most of these were never built.
A (25,000 square foot) Ice Capades Chalet skating rink did open in December 1972, followed by a 2-level (45,000 square foot), Baton Rouge-based H.J. Wilson Catalog Showroom, which began business on October 23, 1980. With these expansions, FORUM 303 MALL encompassed approximately 945,000 leasable square feet.
Major shopping centers in the FORUM 303 trade area included SIX FLAGS MALL (1970) {2.1 miles north, in Arlington} and, eventually, THE PARKS AT ARLINGTON (1988) {4.4 miles southwest, also in Arlington}.
The first anchor nameplate change at FORUM 303 MALL took place as a result of Dillard's purchase of the three-store Leonards chain, in March 1974. Leonard's stores were rebranded as Dillard's in March 1975. Wilson's was acquired, and rebranded, by Nashville-based Service Merchandise in June 1985. In August 1990, the east anchor at FORUM 303 was demoted to a Dillard's Clearance Center.
With two other malls in Arlington, FORUM 303 was facing unbeatable competition. Its plight was exacerbated by a decline of the surrounding neighborhood and an insidious cycle of murders and muggings that began at the mall in 1974 and continued in 1988, 1991 and 1994. By November 1993, the shopping center was in foreclosure. It was sold to Bob Yari and Ken Mateen, of New York City, in November 1994.
Major shopping centers in the FORUM 303 trade area included SIX FLAGS MALL (1970) {2.1 miles north, in Arlington} and, eventually, THE PARKS AT ARLINGTON (1988) {4.4 miles southwest, also in Arlington}.
The first anchor nameplate change at FORUM 303 MALL took place as a result of Dillard's purchase of the three-store Leonards chain, in March 1974. Leonard's stores were rebranded as Dillard's in March 1975. Wilson's was acquired, and rebranded, by Nashville-based Service Merchandise in June 1985. In August 1990, the east anchor at FORUM 303 was demoted to a Dillard's Clearance Center.
With two other malls in Arlington, FORUM 303 was facing unbeatable competition. Its plight was exacerbated by a decline of the surrounding neighborhood and an insidious cycle of murders and muggings that began at the mall in 1974 and continued in 1988, 1991 and 1994. By November 1993, the shopping center was in foreclosure. It was sold to Bob Yari and Ken Mateen, of New York City, in November 1994.
In March 1995, the new owners renamed the complex FORUM VALUE MALL, an outlet-type shopping hub. Tenants included Piccadilly Cafeteria, Chick-fil-A, Championship Sports Cards, Center Court Cafe, Koala T Cuts styling salon, Bussey's 303 Gym and the Forum 6 Theatres. In the end, the VALUE MALL concept was not successful.
A second repositioning was done in 1998. The struggling shopping center was given a 5 million dollar indoor-outdoor face lift and renamed FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE MALL. Much of the interior was gutted and rebuilt with a grid of 469 vendor booths. A Children's Play Area and Festival Food Court were installed, a Farmer's Market opened on the parking deck level and the theater rebranded as the American Multi-Cinema Festival Cinema 6.
A re-dedication celebration was held May 21, 1998. The mall was promoted as an upscale indoor flea market with all-new merchandise being sold at below-outlet prices. Stores and services included Soaring Eagle Traders, JP's Gifts & Crafts, A Little Behind, Landstrom's Original Black Hills Gold Creations, Beanie Boulevard and Burger King hamburgers. The FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE MALL also failed to catch on.
A re-dedication celebration was held May 21, 1998. The mall was promoted as an upscale indoor flea market with all-new merchandise being sold at below-outlet prices. Stores and services included Soaring Eagle Traders, JP's Gifts & Crafts, A Little Behind, Landstrom's Original Black Hills Gold Creations, Beanie Boulevard and Burger King hamburgers. The FESTIVAL MARKETPLACE MALL also failed to catch on.
In October 1999, mall owners Bob Yari and Ken Mateen brought in California's Shawn Halimi as a minority partner. Halimi was a real estate investor who also had a great deal of experience in the retail sector. He temporarily reduced rents, altered store leasing arrangements and cut the advertising budget.
A new name (the mall's fifth) was instituted in May of the year 2000. The complex would now be known as the FESTIVAL DISCOUNT MALL. Some of its stores were Picky Pinky's gift shop, Brenda's Gourmet Coffee and Gift Shop, The Knife Man, Dollar General Store, Premier Cinema Corporation Festival Mall Cinema and Streetz apparel.
A sixth name was instituted in April 2002, with the complex morphing into the FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL BAZAAR. This time around, the mall was refitted with a (12,000 square foot) Carnival-like Midway and (45,000 square foot) Buy-Sell-Trade Center venue. This was likened to a combination garage sale, flea market and swap meet.
This mall repositioning was also unsuccessful. An anchor exodus had begun in 1999, with the shuttering of Service Merchandise. Ward's went dark in February 2001 and the Dillard's Clearance Center moved to SIX FLAGS MALL in March 2005. Soon after, all remaining tenants were handed eviction notices.
The mall closed for good on May 29, 2005. The Festival Cinema 6 was in operation until August 18 of the same year. Demolition commenced in September 2007. The center was replaced by the PIONEER 360 BUSINESS CENTER, a 1.6 million square foot office park. This facility was dedicated in April 2009.
Sources:
Dallas Morning News
Mid-Cities Daily News (Hurst, Texas)
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Grand Prairie Daily (Grand Prairie, Texas)
http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com / "VJackson"
http://www.uer.ca / "HappieDaze"
www.cinematreasures.org / Comment post by "DallasMovieTheaters"
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Grand Prairie Daily (Grand Prairie, Texas)
http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com / "VJackson"
http://www.uer.ca / "HappieDaze"
www.cinematreasures.org / Comment post by "DallasMovieTheaters"
