Mercer Mall is a shopping mall serving Bluefield, West Virginia. Opened in 1980, the mall features J. C. Penney, Belk, Roses, Rural King, and Hobby Lobby, Five Below and seventy other store areas, most of which have been vacant for five or more years. It is managed by Ershig Properties.
.jpg) Sign for Mercer Mall, June 2013 | |
 | |
| Location | Bluefield, West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37°17′49″N 81°10′04″W / 37.29704°N 81.16782°W |
| Address | 261 Mercer Mall Road |
| Opening date | 1980[1] |
| Developer | Homart Development Company and Zamias Services, Inc.[2] |
| Owner | Ershig Properties |
| No. of stores and services | 70[1] |
| No. of anchor tenants | 5 |
| Total retail floor area | 660,783 square feet (61,000 m2)[1] |
| No. of floors | 1 |
.jpg)
History
editAlthough the facility boasts about 70 stores inside the mall, only about 35 stores are currently in operation inside the facility.[3]
When it first opened in 1980, Mercer Mall had Sears, J. C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, Stone & Thomas, and Leggett (now Belk).[4] The Montgomery Ward closed in 1987, and the space became a Hills,[5] which was sold to Ames in 1999.[6] Stone & Thomas was sold to Elder-Beerman in 1998, but Elder-Beerman opted not to continue with the Bluefield store. Instead, Belk purchased the store and took the space for men's wear and home goods.[7]
Carmike Cinemas operated a theater in a separate building at the mall until 2016 when AMC Theaters announced it would take over the space. On February 27th, 2023 AMC Classic Theater announced its closure. In May of 2023 a new business called Golden Ticket Cinema acquired the space, with an opening date yet to be announced.[8]
After Ames closed in 2000, the space became Carolina Pottery, which closed in 2006 and became Steve & Barry's.[9] The space then became Roses in 2009 following the closure of Steve & Barry's.[10] Belk later closed the second store, which became a Hobby Lobby in 2014.[11] Also in 2014, Sears announced the closing of the Mercer Mall store.[12] Rural King opened in the former Sears space at the mall on February 18, 2017.[13]
In October 2024, it was announced that Five Below would be taking over in the old FYE (retailer) location, opening in November 2024.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Mercer Mall". Ershig Properties. Archived from the original on 28 October 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Big thinkers building Hamburg mall". The Buffalo News. January 3, 1982. pp. B1. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ Services, Bulldog Creative. "Mercer Mall". {site_name}. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
- ^ "No title". National Real Estate Investor. 26. Communication Channels, Incorporated: 84. 1984.
- ^ Tour Book: Mid-Atlantic. American Automobile Association. 1992. p. 199.
- ^ Balow, Jim (16 May 1999). "Charleston, W.Va.-Area Hills Discount Stores Prepare for Ames Takeover". Tribune Business News. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Belk to buy three Stone & Thomas stores". Charlotte Business Journal. 27 July 1998. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "CinemaTour - Cinemas Around the World - Bluefield 8, Bluefield WV". www.cinematour.com. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
- ^ "Economic good cheer: New retailers ring in the holiday season". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. 24 October 2006.
- ^ "Mercer sees new jobs despite economic woes". Bluefield Daily Telegraph. 17 July 2009.
- ^ "New national retailer coming to Bluefield". WVVA. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Mercer Mall plans to replace Sears". MetroNews. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ^ "Rural King Now Open at Mercer Mall". 20 February 2017.