Paddock Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Ocala, Florida. Opened in 1980, the anchor stores are JCPenney, Macy's, and Belk. There is 1 vacant anchor store, formerly occupied by Sears.

Paddock Mall
Exterior view, June 2020
Map
LocationOcala, Florida, United States
Coordinates29°09′32″N 82°10′23″W / 29.158824°N 82.17318°W / 29.158824; -82.17318
Address3100 SW College St.
Opening dateAugust 13, 1980; 44 years ago (August 13, 1980)
DeveloperEdward J. DeBartolo Corporation
ManagementJamie Zimbleman
OwnerWashington Prime Group
No. of stores and services93
No. of anchor tenants4 (3 open, 1 vacant)
Total retail floor area555,310 sq ft (51,590 m2)[1]
No. of floors1
Websitepaddockmall.com

History

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The first plan for Paddock Mall was made in 1973 by local developers, who sold the land to Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation.[2] DeBartolo and Arlen Realty and Development Corporation opened Paddock Mall in 1980. Original anchors included Maas Brothers, Belk-Lindsey, and JCPenney.[3][4]

A 1991 expansion added Sears as a fourth anchor; the same year, the Maas Brothers store was absorbed into Burdines.[5] In 1997, a food court was added on the south end.[6] Burdines became Burdines-Macy's in 2003 and then just Macy's in 2005.

2010s

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Washington Prime Group, based in Columbus, Ohio acquired the mall along with Boynton Beach Mall, Edison Mall, Seminole Towne Center, and Melbourne Square as part of its merger with Glimcher Properties in 2014.[7]

In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 of its properties, including the Sears at Paddock Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.[8]

On October 15, 2018, it was announced that Sears would be closing as part of a plan to close 142 stores nationwide.[9]

2020s

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On October 5, 2022, it was announced that the former Sears store would be redeveloped into a mixed-use development.[10]

On December 23, 2023, a targeted shooting at Paddock Mall in Ocala, Florida, resulted in one dead (David Nathaniel Barron) and one injured. Mall evacuation took place, and a person of interest was sought. The motive is unknown, and the investigation is ongoing. Witnesses described chaos.[11] One man killed, one woman shot in the leg at Paddock Mall in Ocala; Suspect Albert Shell Jr. was arrested on January 8, 2024.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Washington Prime Group Inc. - Properties - Portfolio - Paddock Mall". wpgus.com. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  2. ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  3. ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  4. ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  5. ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  6. ^ "Ocala Star-Banner - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  7. ^ "WASHINGTON PRIME GROUP". washingtonprime.com. Archived from the original on 2016-11-24.
  8. ^ "At Paddock Mall | Seritage". seritage.com.
  9. ^ Tyko, Nathan Bomey and Kelly. "Sears store closing list: 142 more Sears, Kmart locations closing in Chapter 11 bankruptcy". USA TODAY.
  10. ^ "Former Sears at Paddock Mall slated for redevelopment". Ocala Gazette. 2022-10-06.
  11. ^ "40-year-old David Nathaniel Barron killed after shooting at Paddock Mall in Ocala". Channel3 NOW. 2023-12-24.
  12. ^ "ABC 33/40". January 8, 2024.