Things are looking up at the Mall of the Mainland. A new ownership group has taken over the majority of the property and big things are happening. The new ownership has all of the anchors filled, and has greatly improved the future of the once ailing mall. Sears and the Cinemark Movies 12 are still operating as normal on the property. The former Macy's was completely renovated and reopened as well. Both the former JCPenney and the former Dillard's are also being renovated to become a college expansion and church. An indoor trampoline park, large salon, and a new bar occupying the former Stingers bar space are also in the works. Progress has been quick, all of the photographed projects were started in the first half of 2015. These images were taken in the first half of 2015, I will provide a future update in 2016.
Here is the former Macy's anchor as it now looks. They added windows to the second floor to bring light into the new gym.
Here is the inside of the former Macy's. The escalator goes to the new World Gym.
Some fixtures from Macy's remain, but they blend in with the new surroundings.
The middle of the store is configured as a mini-mall.
The center court has been renovated very nicely.
The new road sign.
The former Macy's, now occupied by World Gym, Palais Royal, and Galaxy Nutrition. Palais Royal moved from a junior anchor space in the mall to a prime spot in the largest mall building facing the highway.
One of the spaces facing the former mall entrance to Macy's was being worked on.
A few more shots of the inside of the former Macy's.
Inside of the Palais Royal which still looks like the former Macy's.
The former Affordable Furniture junior anchor, with a night vision filter so you could see it better.
The closed off corridor entrance near Sears.
Zoomed in through the glass to see the former mall corridor.
Taken from the glass of the Sears mall entrance
This was taken from the other side of the Sears mall entrance glass. The mall corridor still nearly looks the same as when it closed with the exception of the wall constructed to separate the mall.
The sign at the Affordable Furniture outside entrance
The beginnings of the former JCPenney anchor conversion. College of the Mainland will eventually occupy this space.
Through the glass doors this is all you can see, but things are looking up for the long-abandoned anchor.
The Dillard's is being converted into the First Baptist Church, the store was in the process of getting a new paint job on my visits. As you can see from my previous mall photos, the landscaping has also been cleaned up revealing more of the building.
New paint on the Cinemark Movies 12.
A better look at the Dillard's, with the paint job nearly completed on one side.
