WestShore Plaza facts for kids
The southeast entrance to the mall.
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| Location | Tampa, Florida, United States |
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| Opening date | September 28, 1967 |
| Developer | Sydney N. Greenberg Jr. and Theodore W. Berenson |
| Management | Washington Prime Group |
| Owner | Washington Prime Group |
| No. of stores and services | 115 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 (4 open, 1 vacant) |
| Total retail floor area | 1,059,525 sq ft (98,433.1 m2) |
| No. of floors | 1 with partial second level (2 in anchors) |
| Parking | Available on-site |
| Website | WestShore Plaza |
WestShore Plaza is a popular shopping mall located in the Westshore area of Tampa, Florida. It was one of the first fully air-conditioned shopping centers in Tampa. The mall opened its doors in 1967.
Today, WestShore Plaza is home to many different stores. You can find places like Francesca's Collection, LOFT, New Balance, H&M, Old Navy, and Sunglass Hut. The mall is managed and owned by the Washington Prime Group.
The main stores, called "anchors," include JCPenney, Macy's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and an AMC movie theater. There is also one large space that used to be a Sears store. You can also find many restaurants like P.F. Chang's China Bistro and Maggiano's Little Italy. For younger kids, there's a play area near JCPenney. The mall also has nursing rooms and baby changing stations.
Contents
Discovering WestShore Plaza's History
WestShore Plaza first opened on September 28, 1967. It was the first enclosed shopping mall in the Tampa Bay area. This meant it was a cool, air-conditioned place to shop, which was a big deal back then!
Early Stores and Growth
One of the first big stores to open was Maas Brothers. It actually opened a year before the rest of the mall, in 1966. It even had a restaurant on its third floor!
JCPenney opened on September 7, 1967. It was the second main store and is still there today. When the mall first opened, it also had a Woolworth's store, which was a popular "five-and-dime" store. There was also a Walgreens and a grocery store called Pantry Pride.
Mall Expansions and New Stores
The mall grew over the years. In 1974, a new section was added, along with a parking garage. A third main store, Robinson's, also opened. This store later changed names several times, becoming Maison Blanche and then Dillard's. In 2002, Sears took over that spot. However, the Sears store closed in March 2019.
In 1991, Maas Brothers became part of Burdines, which later changed its name to Macy's in 2005.
Modern Look and Entertainment
In 1990, the mall got a big makeover. The inside was redesigned to look like a Spanish-Mediterranean style. A tall bell tower was built in the center of the mall.
In 1998, another big store, Saks Fifth Avenue, opened. It closed in 2013 and was replaced by a large Dick's Sporting Goods in 2014. The mall also added a new food court and a 14-screen AMC Theatres movie theater in 2000.
In 2020, there was news that JCPenney might close. But thankfully, the store was removed from the closing list and remains open!
Main Stores at WestShore Plaza
These are the large "anchor" stores that help bring people to the mall.
Current Main Stores
- AMC WestShore 14: This movie theater opened in 2000. It's on the second level of the mall.
- Dick's Sporting Goods: This sports store opened in 2014. It took over the space where Saks Fifth Avenue used to be.
- JCPenney: This is one of the original main stores from when the mall first opened in 1967.
- Macy's: This store used to be Maas Brothers and then Burdines before becoming Macy's.
Past Main Stores
Over the years, some main stores have changed or left the mall.
- Maas Brothers: This was one of the first main stores. It became Burdines in 1991.
- Burdines: This store used to be Maas Brothers. It became Macy's in 2005.
- Robinson's: This store changed to Maison Blanche in 1987.
- Maison Blanche: This store used to be Robinson's. It became Dillard's in 1991.
- Dillard's: This store used to be Maison Blanche. It closed in 2001 and was replaced by Sears in 2002.
- Sears: This store was in the spot where Robinson's, Maison Blanche, and Dillard's had been. It closed in March 2019.
- Saks Fifth Avenue: This fancy store closed in 2013. It was replaced by Dick's Sporting Goods in 2014.
