Euclid Square Mall

Euclid Square Mall is a former indoor shopping center in Euclid, Ohio. It opened in 1977 with two anchor stores, closed in 2016 and demolished in 2017-18.

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History

Euclid Square Mall was developed by Jacobs, Visconi & Jacobs, with planning efforts beginning in the early 1970s. ¹ Early on, a lawsuit was filed against the developer over zoning disputes, which was dismissed by the county Common Pleas Court on July 19, 1974, ¹¹ clearing the way for construction of the $37 million facility on the site of a former Chass Brass & Copper Company tubing mill. ¹¹

Euclid Square opened in March 1977 and featured a two-story, 177,000 square-foot May Company and a two-story Higbee’s department store as anchors and 92 indoor tenants. ¹ Five out-parcels included a Dollar Bank, Red Lobster, Stop & Shop, Toys “R” Us, and another bank.

Dillard’s acquired Higbee’s in 1992, ¹⁹ and in 1993, the May Company was merged into Kaufmann’s. The interior was renovated in 1994. ¹⁶

In January 1998, ¹⁴ Zamias Enterprises of Pennsylvania acquired Euclid Square from its then-owners, Metropolitan Life Insurance, for $16.5 million in cash. ³ At the time of the purchase, the mall had a vacancy rate of 15% and ranked as the 14th largest shopping center in the region. ¹²

Decline

Kauffmann’s closed in November 1998 ¹⁷ when the store relocated to a larger space at the newly renovated Richmond Square Mall, ^{1 2 12} and occupancy levels began to sharply drop. ¹ By 2001, the vacancy rate had dramatically increased to 87%, ¹⁸ and Zamias’ proposed redeveloping Euclid Square into an outdoor shopping center dominated by big-box retailers. ¹

The Dillard’s store was converted into a Dillard’s Outlet in 2002, and the upper-level was closed. ⁴ The last tenant at the mall, Dollar Bank, closed in 2003. ¹³

In 2000, Euclid Square was sold to Haywood Whichard of North Carolina whose only interest in the property was to resell the property for a profit. ¹⁸ The mall was sold to Ted Lichko in 2004. ¹³ Not long after, a collection of outlet vendors under the Outlets USA brand moved into the former Kauffman’s space, which lasted until 2006. ⁵

Tenants in 2010 included Cell City, City Sweets Cafe, City Sweets Ice Cream, D-Nexphaze, Digital Home Cinema, Express Cuts, Italiano’s Bistro, Kim’s Nails, Money Mart, Nature Science, Peddler’s Exchange, Princess Cakes & Catering, Production Plus, The Dog House, and Woodside Footwear. ¹⁵

The shuttered inline stores began to be replaced by churches, and by 2011, there were 16 such facilities in the mall, drawing about 1,000 people for service on weekends. ¹³ By July 2013, there were 24 churches. ⁶

On August 27, ¹⁹ it was announced that Dillard’s Outlet would close in September because its lease was expiring. ⁷ It was the last remaining store in the mall. ¹⁹

Over security and safety concerns, the city of Euclid ordered the shopping center to close in late 2016. ⁸

In September 2017, Amazon announced plans to build a 650,000 square-foot fulfillment center on the site of the mall, employing 1,000. ^{9 10} Demolition of the former shopping center began later in the year and the new fulfillment center opened in 2019. ¹⁰

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Sources

1. Piorkowski, Jeff. “Mall’s future is subject of study.” Sun News [Cleveland], 28 May 1998.
2. Piorkowski, Jeff. “One mall’s expansion cause for another’s concern.” Sun News [Cleveland], 11 Sept. 1997.
3. Bullard, Stan. “Pa. firm shopping for mall in Euclid.” Crain’s Cleveland Business, 1997 Dec.
4. “Late News: Dillard’s outlet store reduces size.” Crain’s Cleveland Business. 2002 Aug.
5. Piorkowski, Jeff. “Wrecking ball may hit Euclid Square.” Sun News [Cleveland], 21 Dec. 2006.
6. O’Malley, Michael. “Euclid Square Mall Now Home to Two Dozen Houses of Worship in Empty Storefronts.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 7 Jul. 2013.
7. Popik, Amy. “Dillard’s Outlet store to close in Euclid.” News-Herald, 29 Aug. 2013.
8. Jarboe, Michelle. “Euclid Square Mall, now dead, could be demolished for massive industrial project.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 3 May 2017.
9. Jarboe, Michelle. “Amazon confirms plans for Euclid fulfillment center, replacing another dead mall.” Plain Dealer [Cleveland], 28 Sept. 2017.
10. “Amazon to build another large warehouse in Euclid.” WKYC, 28 Sept. 2017.
11. “Cleveland Mall Gets Court’s OK.” Dayton Daily News, 21 Jul. 1974, p. 11A.
12. Bullard, Stan. “PA. Firm Shopping for Mall in Euclid.” Crain’s Cleveland Business, 8 Dec. 1997, p. 2.
13. Bonchak, Jean. “Churches replacing stores at Euclid Square Mall.” News-Herald [Willoughby], 11 Jun. 2011.
14. “PA. Developer Completes Deal for Euclid Square Mall.” Plain-Dealer [Cleveland], 11 Jul. 1998.
15. “Stores.” Euclid Square Mall, 2010. Archive.
16. “About Us.” Euclid Square Mall, 2010. Archive.
17. “Kaufmann’s Announces Grand Opening of New Store at Richmond Town Square.” PR Newswire, 2 Nov. 1998.
18. Mortland, Shannon. “Biz a bust at trio of local malls.” Crain’s Cleveland Business, 13 Aug. 2001, p. 1.
19. Popik, Amy. “Dillard’s Outlet to close in Euclid.” News-Herald [Willouhby], 29 Aug. 2013.