Pier Park (Florida) facts for kids
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| Location | Panama City Beach, Florida, United States |
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| Coordinates | 30°13′05″N 85°52′24″W / 30.21812°N 85.87347°W |
| Opening date | February 14, 2008 |
| Developer | Simon Property Group |
| Management | Simon Property Group |
| Owner | Simon Property Group (65.6%) |
| No. of stores and services | 141 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 3 |
| Total retail floor area | 895,974 square feet (83,238.7 square meters) |
| No. of floors | 1 |
Pier Park is a large outdoor shopping area located in Panama City Beach, Florida. It's known as a "lifestyle center" because it combines shopping with dining and entertainment. Pier Park first opened its doors in 2008.
This popular spot has many different stores. Some of its biggest stores, called anchor stores, include Dillard's, J. C. Penney, and Target. It's a great place for families and friends to spend time.
Contents
The Story of Pier Park
How Pier Park Began
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, people started talking about building a big outdoor shopping area in Panama City Beach. They wanted it to be close to the Gulf of Mexico. The idea was to have shops, restaurants, and a movie theater all in one place.
The official construction for Pier Park began in 2002. It was planned to take about five to six years to finish. By late 2007, the project was almost done. It was ready for its grand opening in the spring of 2008.
Opening Day and Early Stores
Pier Park officially opened on February 14, 2008, just in time for Valentine's Day! Many stores opened their doors on that first day. The main anchor stores, Dillard's, J. C. Penney, and Target, were all ready for shoppers. These stores are still open today.
Other popular places that opened early included:
- Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant
- Buffalo Wild Wings
- Marble Slab Creamery
- Old Navy
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries
- Victoria's Secret
- Dick's Last Resort
A large movie theater, The Grand 16, also opened. It featured special screens like IMAX 3D and RealD 3D. Later, in 2011, a Forever 21 store opened in the spot where a Borders bookstore used to be.
Changes Over Time
In early 2021, after being open for 12 years, the Nike Factory Outlet at Pier Park closed its doors. This shows that stores can change over time in big shopping centers.
More Than Just One Park
Growing the Area
The success of Pier Park led to even more development nearby. Other shopping areas and stores were built because Pier Park brought so many visitors.
- Pier Park West: This is a shopping area right next to the original Pier Park. It has stores like GameStop, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Jimmy John's, and Chipotle.
- Pier Park North: This second large shopping center was finished in 2015. It's home to many well-known stores, including:
- Bealls Outlet
- Five Below
- Dick's Sporting Goods
- Ross Dress For Less
- The Fresh Market
- Petsmart
- Cost Plus World Market
- Bed Bath & Beyond
- Rooms To Go
- Chili's
- Texas Roadhouse
- Wayback Burgers
- Jersey Mike's Subs
Future Plans
There are also plans for a fourth development called Pier Park East. This new area is expected to be an extension of the current Pier Park. It might include more shops, an indoor family entertainment center, a hotel, and even homes. Construction for Pier Park East has not started yet.
