Centre of Tallahassee facts for kids
Looking from Belk towards AMC
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| Location | Tallahassee, Florida, United States |
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| Coordinates | 30°28′34″N 84°17′24″W / 30.476°N 84.290°W |
| Opening date | 1971 (as Tallahassee Mall); 2016 (as Centre of Tallahassee) |
| Developer | Cafaro Company |
| Management | Blackwater Resources LLC |
| No. of stores and services | 93 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 4 |
| Total retail floor area | 747,000 square feet (69,400 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 (2 in AMC and Belk wing) |
| Parking | 10,230 |
The Centre of Tallahassee, once known as Tallahassee Mall, is a large complex in Tallahassee, Florida. It used to be a fully enclosed shopping mall. Now, it's a mix of shops, fun places, and offices. You can find it where North Monroe Street and John Knox Road meet.
For many years, Tallahassee Mall was one of the main shopping centers in the area. It was the older of two large enclosed malls in Tallahassee. The other one is Governor's Square.
Today, the Centre has popular stores like AMC Theatres (a movie theater), Ross Dress For Less, and Belk. You can also find bigger stores such as Barnes & Noble and Guitar Center. Over the years, some stores have changed or closed down.
Contents
History of Tallahassee Mall
The Tallahassee Mall first opened its doors in 1971. It had three main "anchor" stores. Anchor stores are usually very large shops that attract many customers. These first anchors were Woolco, Gayfers, and Montgomery Ward. Other well-known stores included McCrory Stores and Walgreens.
In 1983, Woolco closed. It was replaced by a store called Zayre. Seven years later, Zayre became Ames.
Mall Expansions and Changes
A new section was added to the mall in 1992. This new part led to a fourth anchor store, Parisian. To connect the new section, the Montgomery Ward store was split. This created a new walkway through the mall.
Even with new additions, the mall had fewer stores open by 1995. Only about 45% of the spaces were being used. However, a Service Merchandise store and the first Goody's Family Clothing store in Tallahassee opened in the old Ames space that year.
New Entertainment and Store Changes
A big movie theater with twenty screens was added in 1996. This AMC Theatres cinema was built near the Parisian wing. In 1998, Dillard's took over the Gayfers store.
More changes happened when Service Merchandise closed in 1999. Montgomery Ward also closed in 2000. After these closures, the mall began to get a makeover. The old Service Merchandise space was split into two new stores: Ross Dress for Less and Shoe Carnival. The former Montgomery Ward became Burlington Coat Factory and other shops.
Several new, large stores also joined the mall. These included Oshman's, Barnes & Noble, and Guitar Center.
In 2007, Belk bought the Parisian store. The Tallahassee Mall's Parisian then became a Belk store. The Dillard's store announced it would close in early 2008. By 2011, the mall faced financial difficulties. Despite this, it was announced that the mall would stay open.
Becoming The Centre of Tallahassee
Big changes began in September 2014. The mall was renamed the Centre of Tallahassee. The plan was to make it feel like a town square. Some old hallways were changed to look like roads and paths. These paths were designed for both slow-moving cars and people walking.
At this time, only 12 stores were still open. The former Dillard's space was planned for demolition. However, plans changed, and it was kept to be refitted.
New Businesses and Entertainment
New businesses started to open in the refurbished Centre. An organic food grocery store, a wine bar, and a deli called Urban Food Market opened. A branch of a local charter middle school, School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), also moved into the former Dillard's anchor wing.
An outdoor amphitheater was also built. This space was made for public concerts. Between 2016 and 2018, many famous music artists performed there. These included the Steve Miller Band, Dashboard Confessional, Coolio, Willie Nelson, Blink 182, and Alice Cooper. These concerts brought many people to the Centre.
During this time, Belk and AMC also planned their own updates. The mall was truly transforming into the Centre of Tallahassee.
The Centre's Evolution and Future Plans
Even with all the changes, some favorite stores from the old Tallahassee Mall remained. These included:
- Tara's, a store for strategy board game fans.
- Stone Age, a store with unique items.
- GameScape, a computer-based video game arcade and comic book store.
These stores were always popular with local customers. They stayed busy even when the mall was going through tough times.
Developers had hoped to add an upscale apartment complex to the Centre. However, some businesses had to move out to make room for new office spaces.
The renovation project was sometimes called a "white elephant" by locals. This means it was a big project that might not be worth the cost. But the developers hoped that having a school, new restaurants, and entertainment would make the Centre a success. New restaurants included Lemongrass, a Southeast Asian food place, and a craft beer bar. There were also plans for a brewery and a Dreamland Bar-B-Que restaurant. A seasonal ice skating rink was also planned.
One of the main developers, Alex Baker, passed away in 2017. This had an impact on the project to bring the Centre back to life.
Transition to Office Complex
The Centre of Tallahassee is now changing again. It is becoming more of an office complex. Besides the charter school, some government agencies are moving in. The Florida Department of State and the Florida Department of Children and Families have taken office space. The Department of Children and Families moved in between 2018 and 2019.
This change has caused some discussion in Tallahassee. Some local store owners, like those from Stone Age and GameScape, were asked to move. This was to make room for the new government offices. These businesses, along with Burlington Coat Factory, have now found new locations outside the Centre.
As of 2019, large parts of the Centre have been divided into office spaces. The Department of State, Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Health have claimed these areas. However, some retail plans still remain. The current developers hope to bring branches of Tom Thumb and Culver's to the Centre in the future.
