Hampton Towne Centre
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| Hampton Towne Centre (originally Hampton Square Mall) | |
| Mall facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Location | Essexville, Michigan, United States |
| Opening date | 1975 |
| No. of stores and services | fewer than 10 remain; contained over 50 at its peak |
| No. of anchor tenants | 3 |
| Total retail floor area | 248,868 square feet |
| No. of floors | 1 |
Contents |
[edit] Summary
Hampton Towne Centre (originally called Hampton Square Mall) is a dead mall located in Essexville, Michigan, just outside of Bay City. It was the dominant shopping mall in Bay City until 1991, when Bay City Mall opened on the other end of town. As a result of that mall's opening, Hampton was quick to lose stores, becoming the dead mall that it is today.
[edit] History
Hampton Square Mall opened in 1975, featuring Kmart, Wiechmann's, and Perry Drugs, with an A & P supermarket located next to the Wiechmann's store. The mall was reportedly 50% leased when it opened. At the time, it serviced a rather wide market, including the "Thumb" region of Michigan as well as most of northeastern Michigan. Early tenants included Lerner New York, Fannie Farmer, B. Dalton, Hot Sam Pretzels, Circus World, Zales Jewelers, Fashion Bug Plus, and Kinney Shoes. For many years, the only competing malls were in nearby Saginaw - Fashion Square Mall (which also opened in 1975) and Fort Saginaw Mall. A new mall wing was constructed in 1990, adding about a dozen other stores, and a third anchor in J.C. Penney, which had moved from downtown. A second expansion of the mall was also planned in 1990, but those plans were scrapped because of the presence of nearby power lines
[edit] Downfall
In 1990, a new Target store opened on the opposite side of Bay City; this store would be the first store to open in the Bay City Mall. By 1991, Bay City Mall would open for business, while at the same time, nearby Midland saw the opening of Midland Mall. These newer, larger malls both featured food courts, and Bay City Mall also featured a movie theater; both amenities were lacking at the smaller Hampton mall. In addition, the newer malls were more convienently located.
J.C. Penney moved to Bay City Mall in 1992, becoming the fourth anchor store there after only two years in operation at Hampton. (In fact, some portions of the older mall's 1990 expansion were never filled!) Similarly, many of Hampton Square Mall's tenants flocked to the newer mall. Wiechmann's went bankrupt in 1993, leaving the west end without an anchor. A & P closed up its Michigan stores in the 1990s as well. Some new stores still opened (including a dollar store, a storefront church, and a small McDonald's), but these tenants were often short-lived. Around the same time, Hampton Square Mall was re-named Hampton Towne Centre.
Eventually, many of the former retail spaces were converted for non-retail use. The former Wiechmann's has been converted into classrooms for Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District; the former J.C. Penney is now Family Independence Agency offices. Edward Jones Investments, an allergy clinic, a gym, and other offices opened up; some are still in operation to this day.
In 2003, when Kmart declared bankruptcy, their store in Hampton Towne Centre was closed, leaving the mall without an anchor tenant. A Hallmark across from Kmart was the last chain store to leave (the store having relocated twice within the same hallway); Spring Crest Drapery was the last actual retailer to depart.
[edit] The mall now
In its current state, the mall is no longer a shopping destination, though it remains open to the public. Many patrons come to walk laps around the mall for exercise, and several of the office and service tenants are in operation. Mandarin House, a Chinese restaurant, also remains open. Once a year, Bay County Library holds a used book sale in the mall.
Kmart and Perry Drugs are still vacant, as are the majority of the mall's inline spaces. Some spaces have been vacant for more than ten years. The fountain in the center court has been turned off, and most of the lighting in the concourse remains off at all times, giving the mall a dark and dreary appearance.
As of September 2006, Do-All, Inc., a thrift shop and material assistance center, has opened in the former A & P. [1]
[edit] References
- ^ "Filling the need for help", Mlive.com http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1158074140201470.xml&coll=4
