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93º | 20% chance of precipitation
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You could shop... until they dropped

Dead malls: You could shop... until they dropped
A black and white image of the inside of a mall featuring a store with the words "Jean Nicole" in cursive above the store's entrance. Four people walk in different directions on the right side of the hallway. A set of plants is in the center of the hallway outside of the store.
Women’s clothing store Jean Nicole was a tenant of the Lakeland Mall back in 1972. | Photo via Florida Memory
Shopping malls across America have been left in a state that not even Paul Blart could save, and the Lakeland area is no exception.

Known as “dead malls,” these abandoned, dilapidated, or mostly vacant shopping centers have become a subject of fascination — especially thanks to the online popularity of liminal space aesthetics.

🛍️ Let’s go to the mall

You likely won’t find much on what was Polk County’s first-ever shopping mall. Lake Parker Mall, once anchored by Montgomery Ward and Woolco, was renamed Lakeland Mall in 1974 before losing its anchors in the ‘90s and sitting empty for years. Eventually, the entire mall was purchased by a Southern Baptist church.

Just outside of Lakeland, Winter Haven Mall was once in its heyday. The indoor mall was built in the early ‘70s with anchors such as Sears, Byrons, and Burdines. By the late ‘90s, however, Winter Haven Mall had lost popularity — the mall was torn down and redeveloped into an outdoor shopping area called Citi Centre in the early 2000s.

☄️ Back to the future

Originally known by locals as “Church at the Mall,” the former Lake Parker Mall is now called “Lakes Church” due to the church’s expansion to other locations. The mall is still home to Lakes Church today.

As Citi Centre, the former Winter Haven Mall site now consists of a Lowe’s home improvement store + several other restaurants and shops.

Though these malls have changed, Lakeland still has a number of other thriving shopping centers or districts where you can make like *NSYNC and buy, buy, buy:
Asked

Do you have memories of a local mall from back in the day?

First date at the food court, trying on prom dresses at the department store, hitting up Orange Julius before picking up the perfect graphic tee at Hot Topic — we wanna hear it all.
Tell us everything
 
Events
Tuesday, July 30
  • Clay Class – Turtle Dish | Tuesday, July 30 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Picassoz Art Cafe, 4636 Cleveland Heights Blvd., Lakeland | $25 | Celebrate National Marine Week by creating a turtle trinket dish out of clay.
  • Teacher Night | Tuesday, July 30 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Bonnet Springs Park, 400 Bonnet Springs Blvd., Lakeland | Free | Educators can mingle together while learning about BSP’s field trips, teacher workshops, and educational experiences.
  • Writing Group | Tuesday, July 30 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Pressed, 213 E. Bay St., Lakeland | Free | RSVP to swap your writing with other wordsmiths and stretch your creativity.
Wednesday, July 31
  • Harry Potter Trivia with Smokin’ Chanchos | Wednesday, July 31 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | If you’re a trivia wizard, test your knowledge with Hold On I Know This and a glass of boozy butter beer.
Thursday, Aug. 1
  • “The Wedding Singer” | Thursday, Aug. 1-Sunday, Aug. 4 | Times vary | Theatre Winter Haven, 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Lakeland | $33-$36 | This romantic musical comedy will take you right back to the 1980s.
Events calendar here
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News Notes
Closing
  • If you’ve been eyeing a new sectional or need an updated fridge, now’s the time to buy from Badcock Home Furniture. The Mulberry-founded biz is closing all of its locations and offering discounts online + in stores. (The Ledger)
Edu
  • PCPS school buses will be equipped with stop arm safety cameras this year, meaning fines for drivers who illegally pass stopped buses. Get answers to FAQs — plus a refresher on when to stop for a school bus — before school begins on Monday, Aug. 12.
Biz
  • The next chapter for Inklings Book Shoppe begins in Bartow, where the bookstore will open another location inside the coffee shop Unfiltered. The shop teased a September opening, plus extended hours + fall drinks coming in August.
Arts
  • Where is muralist Gillian Fazio’s next canvas? Lakeside Village. Fazio will begin a new mural behind Books-A-Million next week featuring her signature floral style. It’s expected to take three to four weeks to complete.
Wellness
  • Peace River Center received a $6,000 grant from the GiveWell Community Foundation’s Leland Bryan Fund. The funding will be used for individual and group art therapy programs for 300 or more of Peace River Center’s clients.
State
  • Earlier this year, Florida’s population surpassed 23 million for the first time, according to state demographic data. The milestone comes after an estimated 359,000 people moved to the Sunshine State in 2023 — roughly matching this decade’s average yearly increase. (WTSP)
Quoted
  • “It was like I was going to the Olympics,” said Auburndale High School track coach Sheryl Covington-Thomas of watching alum Monae’ Nichols qualify for the 2024 Games. Nichols still holds the long jump + triple jump records at Auburndale High. (WFLA)
Cause
  • Game on to give back. Family Fun Center is holding a Back to School Fun Drive through Sunday, Aug. 4. Buy a package with two attractions and a gaming Fun Card, and Family Fun Center will donate school supplies for Kiwanis of Lakeland’s Stuff the Bus campaign.
Outdoors
  • The survey results are in, and Bartow residents said they prefer renovating the existing pool at the Bartow Civic Center for a new aquatics center. It’s up for a city commission vote on Monday, Aug. 19. (The Ledger)
Seasonal
Featured Apartment
  • Welcome Canary offers resort-style apartment living rooted in self-care. With an emphasis on natural spaces and a suite of wellness amenities (think: Zen Den, Biophilic Gym, community garden + more), this modern haven is all about elevating your daily experience. Explore the grounds.*
Shop
  • Ditch the men’s dress pants — the Dealmaker Pant is the ultimate pant for work or play, with an impeccable fit and feel. Save 15% with code READ15.*
 
The Buy

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More worth The Buy
 
The Wrap
 
Amelia Herring.jpg

Today’s edition by:
Amelia
From the editor
Today’s story about dead malls has me reminiscing about my first job — Bath & Body Works at the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, NH. The mall is permanently closed now, but every time I visit my parents up north and drive by the site, it always evokes strong memories.
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