Milledgeville Mall, originally known as Hatcher Square Mall, is one of several quirky small malls found in middle Georgia. It seems that all of these were built by the same company, since they are inside almost total clones of each other. The others I noted as clones were Dublin Mall and Statesboro Mall. All of these malls share a common thread: they are partly a strip mall, very small, all have a Belk (formerly Belk Matthews) and JCPenney and all contained at least one large store not accessible to the mall itself. In all, these small town malls are a dramatic example of trying to bring a mall to even the smallest cities: something that would never happen today.
Milledgeville, however, is a city that has seen a significant amount of growth since the mall first first opened with a trade area of 100,000 people. The mall, however, is one of the very smallest at 231,000 square feet, according to the mall's fact sheet. It recently was very fully tenanted with a Belk, Goody's and a JCPenney along with Office Max. Goody's and Office Max in particular appear to either have been subdivided from a larger department store or were added in the 2007 renovation, though I am guessing this was probably a discount anchor such as Wal-Mart. If that former tenant was a larger department store, the possible tenant I could only assume. Since it opened in 1972, it was renovated twice since it was built: first in 1986 and again in 1998 [1]. I wish that I had seen the mall prior to the renovation, because the fountain was removed in the last one.
Lengthwise view of the mall from front the entrance to JCPenney. The center court area is in the foreground. The first photo is an artsy photo of center court with a focus on the skylight that cast the rest of the mall in a dusky glow.
JCPenney sign overhangs the back part of the mall approaching JCPenney. Waldenbooks was in this part.
The "JCPenney Court" complete with ramps and empty planters.
Next to JCPenney is this very dark and narrow entrance corridor. This apparently serves as the only actual entrance to JCPenney.
Looking back lengthwise from in front of JCPenney toward the front entrance.
In layout, the mall is a very basic plus-shape with a super basic center court that serves as nothing more than as a center of all the mall hallways. The mall has a rather strange mix of tenants overall. It has a Rite-Aid (former Eckerd) on the front of the mall with both an inside and outside entrance. It is located in front of the Belk mall entrance. A Mexican restaurant also fronts the mall with no mall access. Other tenants of the mall are the typical Hull Storey Gibson set such as Maurice's, Rue 21, formerly Waldenbooks and a few other mall staples. Waldenbooks in particular closed early this year. A Chinese restaurant is also in the mall, and overall the mall looked the healthiest of the three semi-rural malls.
Approaching center court with front entrance in the background.
The Belk wing is very tiny. This is about all of it. Rite-Aid (formerly Eckerd) is on the left and additional Belk space is on the right at the end of the hallway.
Rite-Aid and Belk.
Goody's former mall entrance. This would make a perfect Books-A-Million or Borders.
Inside Goody's, the celing looks rough but the floor looks fine.
Another element I find interesting in the mall is the ramped area that is in front of JCPenney. This area goes up with a couple planters (with no plants) and then levels out in front of the JCPenney entrance. In this area are two narrow rear mall entrances as well. I guess the ramped area was to provide distinction, which is nice since the mall would otherwise be uninteresting and uninviting. Nevertheless, it is nice to see a mall at all in a small city that is located quite far from all the major interstates. This may change in the future, however, since I-14 is planned to eventually come very close to the city along what is now an under-construction basic four-lane highway known inappropriately as the "Fall Line Freeway". Such a project would either boost the mall or kill it.
Looking back from former Goody's toward Belk.
Heading out of the mall.
Milledgeville Mall's sign looks to be original but renovated for the renaming in the 90's.
Goody's bankruptcy, however, left an obvious hole in the mall. It seems that Goody's positioning as a prominent anchor in all three malls left a mark that revealed how much small town malls are struggling with anchor losses due to mergers, bankruptcies and an overall decline in the standard of living in outlying areas. Unlike larger cities that can retrofit with lifestyle centers and big boxes, anchor losses at even the healthiest small town malls are often devastating. Thankfully, Belk and JCPenney have not abandoned the center, and Belk's commitment to small town markets has provided at least a modest department store to towns that otherwise would have none. Its previous local partnership as Belk Matthews once dominated this region, and it still remains today without Mr. Matthews as the merchant. The Goody's is also hardly dead weight since it is a good candidate for a large bookstore chain, which is desperately needed in a college town since Waldenbooks closed. Books-A-Million could easily fill the space vacated by Goody's, which would undeniably draw traffic to the mall. Obviously, a mall so small has trouble competing with better retail options in Macon and Augusta, but it seems that the mall could still offer more than it has right now.
Next to the main mall entrance, the mall looks more like a goofy strip mall. A Mexican restaurant with no mall access, the dead Goody's and Office Max, which has no mall access, is lined up.
JCPenney made no effort architecturally at all when this store was built. They didn't even attach an outside entrance. Shoppers actually enter the corridor in the door there, which goes into the mall right in front of the mall entrance.
Belk, featuring plain white arches. Note the distance between the Belk sign and the door, which previously included "Matthews".
Rite-Aid (formerly Eckerd) has its own outside entrance on the front of the mall. This was typical in older, second-tier malls.
When Hatcher Square became Milledgeville Mall, it got this stodgy new urbanist brick entrance, which looks gaudy and out of place in comparison to the mall.
Milledgeville Mall I am doubting will be going anywhere soon, but I think a better job could be done filling this mall. A nice bookstore, a small expansion and a more tasteful renovation I'm sure would help. A mall with 40-50 stores would obviously be more of a draw than the 20 odd inline stores it has now. What will happen there is unknown, but it is hoped that the local economy is strong enough to support this quirky little mall. Milledgeville itself is in a good position to become a much larger city in the future if the economy improves. It has several industries, a major state college, a popular lake and is centrally located. It is also a bit more scenic than other areas in that it is more mountainous due to its position on the "fall line". I do think that if the city starts growing again that the mall will also expand and improve. I don't, however, like the new name and wonder why they changed it. Because it is lesser known, I also was not able to provide much history of it, which I hope to uncover in time. While I do not think this mall is particularly outstanding in any way, I think it still has been shortchanged of its potential where it could look better, be a little bigger and offer more to the local population.
My previous post discussed Houston Mall, the little hybrid strip mall/enclosed mall that eventually emptied out when another mall opened. That other mall responsible for this exodus was Houston County Galleria, which opened to the west in the suburban town of Centerville. Centerville is much like Warner-Robins in that it lacks a downtown, and part of that was that the city itself was not even established until the 1950's. It is also similar in that it caters to the military crowd, thus displacing much of the businesses in Warner-Robins in the process. Centerville is also an extremely fast growing area. In fact, surrounding Houston County is one of the fastest growing places in the state. Since the city has no central business district, the mall has essentially established itself as the downtown of the city since it opened in 1994.
Houston County Galleria is not clearly named at all. The sign on Watson Blvd reads simply "Galleria" and it is also referred to by others as "The Mall at Centerville" and "Houston Galleria". The vague nature of the name is reflected in the owners, Zamias Realty. The Pennsylvania-based company seems to be having difficulty managing its portfolio. Despite the fact the mall is in a red hot retail corridor, the mall has enough vacancies that shoppers are genuinely concerned that it may, too, be a dying mall. Personally, I'm wondering why it is having the trouble it is. The only obvious answer I see is that it is a bit poorly located, situated a couple miles east of I-75 at the intersection of Watson Blvd (GA 247 Connector) and Houston Lake Road. It is a reasonably attractive mall, and it has three solid anchors with Belk, JCPenney, Sears and a movie theater. Of course, the same can be said for a mall I covered in Cleveland, TN that seems to be having issues of its own. Perhaps it is just the curse of the 90's mall?
The first photo shows the east court, which is the most attractive part of the mall. Inside is a tropical planter with this rather unusual fountain with water exiting an elephant's trunk shown in the second pic.
A stroll down the east wing from Belk. The design of the ceiling reminds me of the inside of an airplane hangar. Is this deliberate to pay tribute to Robins ARB?
A look at the mall just outside of Sears. Note the hit and miss open stores.
The center of the mall features a pseudo food court, but only one national chain restaurant can be found in it...Chick-Fil-A. In the background is a sunken area with planters that apparently is just there for looks...it is fenced off.
Looking down into part of the sunken area. Very nice, but what purpose does it serve?
What really stands out to me is why is this mall not thriving or at least improving considering what is going on at Macon Mall. For years, the mall has played second fiddle to the monstrosity to the north but Macon Mall is indeed a troubled mall. It seems that the lost business from there would translate into bigger business for the Galleria. They could even lure Macy's to the mall if Macon Mall continues to struggle like it has been. I guess the main problem, though, is that being a military town it is likely more difficult to attract the upscale shops. Most of those have gone to North Macon along with all the money since The Shoppes at River Crossing opened. It is not that Galleria lacks chain stores...it has stores such as American Eagle and Victoria's Secret...but it could definitely offer a lot more in the trendy chain store department. I also thought the mall could have had far better lighting. It seemed a bit dreary.
Another look in the center area with the "food court" on the left. This is definitely not an award-winning shot with that pole in view.
Here, I am walking back toward Belk.
A side entrance corridor comes off to the side past the east court. Not much of interest here really.
The mall does have an interesting layout, which resulted in there being two JCPenney mall entrances. I did not photograph the lower one. Note the top empty anchor. There is nothing there other than an outside entrance, because that is a planned future anchor. Goody's was between that and Belk.
The mall also seemed to have problems from the beginning. According to KA Turner, construction was started as early as 1990, but the site sat idle due to Zamias being unable to finance completion of the mall. A steel skeleton was beginning to rust in the middle of Centerville for quite awhile until funds were finally secured to complete the finish the mall a couple years later. Regardless, the mall was still far more attractive than Houston Mall with its detailed vaulted ceilings, elaborate court areas and completely contemporary 90's design. I wonder if perhaps the local shoppers were not pleased about what this mall did to Houston Mall.
The main JCPenney mall entrance from the center of the mall. Note "Le Nails" on the left...the only business to also have a location at Houston Mall.
The Sears mall entrance is quite different. I like it!
Belk mall entrance. You can make out where the holes were covered up where this previously read Belk Matthews.
Goody's former mall entrance flanks the most dead corner of the mall. I think the big banner is there more to remind you something is there, because I doesn't look to be accessible from the inside.
The website says "Houston County Galleria". The sign on the highway, however, just says Galleria. Personally, I'd rather it just be called "The Mall at Centerville".
Galleria was built with room for six anchors despite the fact the mall is not particularly large. Four anchors opened with the mall, however, including Belk Matthews, Sears, JCPenney and Goody's...all but JCPenney stolen from Houston Mall. A 15 screen movie theater took the fifth anchor leaving one empty spot in the back side of the mall that is yet to be filled. Goody's has also since left the mall after closing in 2009 with the chain, and Stage Stores has not shown interest in replacing that location. The owners instead made the Goody's into a new conference center. It seems doubtful the sixth anchor will ever be filled, though anything is possible. For any expansion, though, the mall will need to become a better regional draw.
When Belk Matthews became Belk, only the Matthews part was removed. The sign was not repositioned or changed otherwise. This is really kind of a neat looking store inside and out.
JCPenney is the keystone anchor dead center. It is obviously a very successful location.
The Sears is a one-level clone of the store at North Point Mall in Alpharetta, GA. It is also equally nice inside.
The theater complex looks very 90's. Unfortunately, it is configured outside the mall so it adds no traffic to the interior despite the fact a sign is inside at what would be the mall entrance reminding people it is there.
A look here at the former Goody's. Maybe this should be converted to mall space.
Today, the strength of Galleria seems to be in the anchors. Belk was very busy when I visited as well as JCPenney, both filling much of the parking lot. A stroll through the mall, however, revealed somewhat of a dearth of shoppers. If nothing else, I feel the mall could use somewhat of an update as well as different owners who could market this place better. I know some of the criticism could be placed on the fact that the whole Macon region is simply over-retailed, but a mall has been on Watson Blvd since 1971 so the location is well established otherwise. However, it should be noted that Houston Mall was much smaller and built before the retail explosion along the corridor. Overall, this was a decent looking mall, and I felt this mall had much going for it. This is why I want to know why the mall itself is not thriving.
A look at the front of the mall from Belk to Sears.
Once in awhile, I run across a mall so completely dead I wonder how it keeps the doors open. Malls like this tend to be creepy, run down, moldy and void of any reason anybody would want to go there unless they are, of course, a modern history photographer like myself. Houston Mall (pronounced "How-ston") is indeed a textbook example of a dead mall in one of Georgia's military towns. It is small, old, somewhat run down and creepy, but actually was not moldy at all and quite clean despite the fact it barely functions as a retail center in any form anymore. At 364,000 square feet, it was never much of a mall...a small, simple center with all of the trappings of a typical late 60's/early 70's mall. Nevertheless, finding malls of this vintage tend to be very difficult since those of this style in that period are centering on 40 years of business meaning they are either demolished, extensively renovated or expanded. The fact that the owners discovered that it could handle a myriad of uses is why the doors stay open and the air conditioner running in the sweltering Middle Georgia heat.
When the actual mall opened in 1971, it was more than just an enclosed mall. It was actually appended onto an existing strip mall that had opened in 1968, which made it a rare hybrid strip mall and enclosed shopping mall. The mall portion included anchors Belk Matthews and Sears with an existing Grant's tying onto the mall as the north anchor. Also previously existing in the strip mall portion was A&P grocery store, which was in a separate portion of the strip detached from the mall. In addition there was Elmore's, obviously a five-and-dime operation, that fronted the mall but had no mall access and may not have predated the mall. Eckerd Drugs was included in the mall with an old-fashioned soda counter [1]. Grant's was the first closure at the mall when it liquidated with the chain in 1976. After closing, Key Wholesalers Showroom took over the spot until it closed in the mid-1980's [1]. The former Elmore's location also saw new life operating as Goody's until it joined Belk and Sears at the new mall in 1994. It is curious as to why neither Burlington Coat Factory nor JCPenney ever considered that location. For the time it was built, Warner-Robins was a small town whose growth largely centered on Robins AFB (now Robins ARB), so the mall at that time was just right. Because it was a hybrid of the enclosed mall and strip mall, it also was one of the few true all-in-one shopping plazas where, as John Belushi said in Blues Brothers, "This mall has everything!".
Upon entering the mall, a few shops remain close to the outside entrance. Le Nails is the shop with the neon sign to the left. The first photo is of the mall sign, which is about as plain and old-fashioned as you can get.
Walking from center court towards the former Sears. The kiosk is original. It intermittently functions as a hot dog stand, but originally it was an Orange Julius.
Continuing toward what was Sears, no stores to be found here on the right. I wonder what the store was with the wood trim.
Approaching ahead is the former Sears. Medical billing offices took over the former Eckerd Drugs location on the left. Straight ahead is the Houston Medical Pavillion, which operated as Sears until 1994.
Looking back from the former Sears, this photo attempts to capture the entire length of the mall.
Inside, the mall is a basic t-shape with a non-functioning fountain in the center, a few planters, high windows, a few small skylights and flooring that looks original. About the only renovations that appear to have ever been done is the bizarre and depressing blue color painted on all the ceiling tiles and the addition of some new painting and trim. This mall has every reason to be boarded up or demolished, and the fact it hangs on 16 years after it was replaced is very odd. The only reason it is even open today is primarily due to the creative non-retail reuse. The old Sears is now Houston Health Pavilion, an outpatient center. Belk Matthews now houses the Air Force Reserve Command. Warner Robins Municipal Court uses one of the spaces in the mall in what was previously a book store. Also in the mall is a law firm, doctors office, tax service and janitorial service. The only actual retail left in the mall is near the front featuring a nail salon and a beauty supply store. Evelyn's, an upscale dress shop, obviously gave up before I arrived. Penny Pinchers Home Decor took over the former north anchor at some point once held by Grant's, but appeared to be either closed or out of business when I was there. In other words, with a few exceptions there is no real reason to go there. I did, however, observe two mall walkers while I was there so it still serves that purpose.
On the left is the former Belk Matthews mall entrance, which reminds me of a prop on The Price Is Right. The old fountain is visible to the right, which was completely dry.
Another view of the former Belk Matthews mall entrance. Were those doors there it or was some stuff plastered over with sheetrock?
Directly across from the Belk Matthews entrance is the opening to the main entrance corridor shown in the second photo.
A map I made of Houston Mall the way it was laid out when it opened.
The strip portion of the mall does not appear to be faring much better, but it is not empty. Tenants outside appeared to be those that were attracted to the low rents offered meaning all non-government were small mom 'n' pop businesses. One of those, a new/used office furniture store is located in the old Winn-Dixie, but did not appear to be open. A Disabled Veterans Services office is next door is there as well along with a hair salon, alterations shop and a local ministry in the corner. A local furniture store looks to be in what was either the Elmore's or the former Eckerd Drugs. In all, the mall inside and out reminds me of The Mall in Huntsville just before it was demolished except for the cheap stucco early 90's renovation.
I am now headed toward the former Grant's, which did not appear to operate as anything since then. On the right is the Warner Robins Municipal Court where those in the town treated to blue light specials often wind up.
This brick-fronted store piqued my curiosity as to what it was.
This is possibly one of my favorite shots of the mall. It reminds me of photos I've seen of Dixie Square Mall when it was still in business. A law office sits in the store with the faux arches.
The mall entrance to Penny Pinchers Home Decor, originally Grant's, obviously is not functioning as such anymore. It looked creepy with this brick entrance and Persian rugs piled up everywhere inside.
Houston Mall as it is was built in a strange location. It is situated on top of a hill at the intersection of Watson Blvd (SR 247 Connector) and Houston Road (Old SR 11). It is situated both away from the interstate and away from SR 247 (US 129), the major north-south highway connecting Macon to Hawkinsville through Warner-Robins. It was clearly built largely to serve the military families, and by and large it was a community mall since at that time the better shopping was found at Westgate Mall and in Macon. Since the area was largely undeveloped before the 1990's, the mall thrived for over 20 years.
A back entrance is found next to the old Grant's entrance. Apparently the entrance opposite to this one was sealed off years ago.
This shop next to that entrance was sitting empty. Was this where Evelyn's was?
Another view of the dead store, which looks 60's with its main-street style entryway.
By the time the 90's rolled around, Houston Mall was not adequately serving the needs of the area. With substantial growth taking place pulling away stores from the strip combined with a very basic mall, Zamias realty planned and constructed a new mall closer to I-75 in the Centerville community. Called the Galleria, the new mall was subpar by big city standards, but it was spectacular in comparison to the dreary Houston Mall. The new mall would also have far more anchor space as well, and in the process would easily lure away Belk Matthews and Sears. Both stores were joined by JCPenney and Goody's at the new mall, and in all it seemed that Houston Mall would have simply died and been demolished overnight. Many older malls were meeting the wrecking ball the year that Houston was essentially replaced in 1994, but Houston Mall's offbeat location close to the center of Warner Robins is probably why the mall found new uses in the years since.
Now, I am standing in front of the old Grant's looking back toward Sears on the opposite end of the mall. Here, I showed some detail of one of the four planters I noticed in the mall. The planters are located under the largest overhead skylights, which are a simple domed design.
Here, I am walking back toward the main entrance from the main mall. That seating area looks very odd.
Here, I am looking just inside the main entrance doors. The ceiling through here looks like shiny brass. From this angle, the mall looks lively and the parking lot outside was not exactly empty.
Other than that, I can only speculate as to why Houston Mall holds on. It is partly a strip mall, and for its size it could easily be transformed into a myriad of other uses besides a mall. The over-retailed environment along Watson Blvd has done little to make the mall appealing. Even worse, it is not facing Watson Blvd, and it is mostly removed from the bulk of the shopping that has sprung up around the Galleria. Despite the 3-4 stores that still operate in the mall, the medical center and government offices the fact that the lights are still on and anybody is even there is something to behold. The strip mall part outside is also just as dead as the mall itself, and the gray stucco retrofit only made the mall look worse.
"Penny Pinchers Home Decor", formerly Grant's, from the outside, which looks to be very much out of business. There is a small store on the end, which I understand was a Radio Shack. There is a small gap that separates the mall from the old Winn-Dixie strip portion just to the right.
The Winn-Dixie portion of the strip with the former Winn-Dixie in the center.
Looking back along the rest of the Winn-Dixie strip toward the mall. The old Grant's store is visible on the left. To all appearances, this is still fully tenanted.
Houston Mall's main entrance from the outside. A store called "Furniture Express" next door I believe was either where Eckerd's was, but I cannot confirm this.
One thing I pondered on was to whether Houston Mall could be revived through an expansion. That would basically mean that on at least one side of the mall, a new two-level portion was constructed luring in JCPenney and subsequently luring back Sears and Belk. This would, of course, mean buying adjacent property and would also mean the death of the mall that killed Houston Mall, but this is pure harmless fantasy. Obviously, Belk and Sears would both have to be reconstructed, possibly as two level stores, to accommodate the addition. I see a couple scenarios on how this could be built. One would be purchasing the lot next to the southwest corner of the mall and expanding the mall over that area extending from the southwest entrance. This would give a new JCPenney high visibility, and the new mall addition would essentially have escalators drop down to the lower level portion since the adjacent lot is on a lower grade. The new wing would make the mall far more appealing from the road.
While not the best angle of Sears, it is the one I had to use because the sun was making photos of the mall from the east side near impossible.
Here is a side view of the Sears, which I should have taken from the opposite angle but for some reason didn't. This was obviously the old customer pick-up area.
Another idea to fix this dead mall would be to expand the mall through the former Grant's location and turn it back east toward the parking lot where the old Winn-Dixie and strip is. The strip would be demolished and replaced with the same JCPenney store. In the first scenario, the old Grant's would either be converted to mall space or a junior anchor such as Books-A-Million or Barnes & Noble could fill the spot. The second scenario could replace the old Winn-Dixie strip mall portion with the same bookstore connected to the mall. Any way it was done, though, the original mall would have to be extensively renovated inside and out to make it more appealing. Would anybody want this, though? Such drastic measures saved previously dumpy Oglethorpe Mall in the 90's.
A Belk Matthews labelscar is barely noticeable on the side of this building. While the logo is not there, you can tell by the holes in the side of the building.
I never remember Belk entrances looking like this, but I also never remember a Belk from 1972. Obviously no arches were put at this store, and the design is completely brutalist.
A side view of the store with the sun casting an eerie glow on the side of the building. Where was the sign from this side? I couldn't make any labelscars from this side anywhere.
In all, Houston Mall is one of many second generation malls that still litter the landscape. Way past its prime and no longer a retail destination, the mall has avoided redevelopment. This is most likely due to the huge amount of sprawl to the west and easily available land in the area that the mall found new life despite complete failure as a retail shopping mall. Its plain and dark design is probably the reason that nobody ever tried to remake the center, but there is still an outside possibility that one day someone might try to revive it such as what I suggested if they had enough cash to do it. The most likely scenario, though, is that the enclosed mall will eventually be sealed off with different parts reverting to various non-retail uses. Still, as the mall in its state approaches 40 years old it is amazing that it is still around and open to the public.
ALSO: Check out this video link above on You-Tube created by KA Turner of the mall. The video entitled "Ill Mall Housto" was designed as a parody of never-released Paw Filmworks DVD about Dixie Square Mall.
[1] Turner, KA. (2010, May 14). Houston Mall. [Electronic mail message].
