Once upon a time, the Oviedo Mall was the place to be. It was THE hangout destination for just about anyone who lived in the area. It was perfect to shop, go see a movie and grab a bite to eat. It had anchor stores like Macy’s, JCPenney and Sears, and smaller stores like Bath and Body Works. There were no vacant buildings, and the mall was usually bustling with people.
Fast forward to the present, and the story is vastly different. The mall that was once thriving has fallen into a decline. Vacant storefronts are a commonality, and the once lively Macy’s is now abandoned and prone to vandalism. Sears and JCPenny are also no longer in business, and many of the smaller stores that were once a charming addition to the mall were not able to survive.
“There’s not that many good stores in the mall, but I continue going because I like to support some of their small businesses,” junior Stella Shippie said.
Malls as a whole have experienced a decline in recent years, with the popularity of online shopping skyrocketing and outdoor malls like shopping centers gaining more popularity. Studies from Capital One shopping show that malls have been closing since 1987 at a rate of around 581 per year, and projections indicate that 87% of shopping malls will be closed within the next ten years. This trend also could play a huge role in why the Oviedo Mall–which is a much smaller mall than most–has become so vacant.
Adam Brown, the owner of the shop “Wizards and Lizards” in the mall, is well aware of the changes.
“Malls aren’t the same as they were when I graduated in ’09, just as they weren’t the same when my dad was in school in the 80s,” Brown said. “We’ve been here for almost three years and we’ve had some busy months and we’ve had some slow months.”
Since online shopping has become so popular and normalized, malls have been suffering. With big online storefronts like Amazon and fast-fashion sites like SHEIN becoming so widely used, the desire to shop in person at stores or small businesses has declined.
According to the Public Broadcasting Service, online shopping has doubled in the past seven years. The shift from in-person to online shopping not only reflects how people buy items, but how they interact. Malls were once a central place to gather, a place where people could spend hours hanging around with friends. Now, a lot of those interactions have moved online and friends are a text away. Clothing can be delivered to shoppers’ doorsteps, as well as food and everything else. This change has caused significant losses of foot traffic in malls all around the world.
The decline in physical shopping can be seen locally, with many students deciding to stop visiting the mall completely, due to its overall “emptiness.”
“There’s no stores,” junior Natalia Van Pelt said. “Bath and Body Works closed, and they closed Macy’s, too…if they had more name brand stores, I would go more often.”
Most students want to see the mall being renovated and gaining more popular, name brand stores they know and have trust in, so they know what to expect when shopping.
“If they renovated it, it would be so much better,” Shippie said. “I want to see a Hot Topic
However, focusing on mainly name-brand stores might overlook what makes the mall unique. Unlike larger malls with more popular stores, the Oviedo Mall has shifted towards supporting smaller businesses, like Echo Arts and Gifts and Joy for Gifts. While these stores might not have recognition like popular chains, they offer experiences that cannot be replicated online.
Plans for the mall to expand and use its vacant spaces have been discussed, with ideas for apartment complexes to open in the mall emerging in 2023. However, the plans have not been revisited despite having the approval of the city for two years. The newspaper staff reached out to mall management about this situation, but they declined to comment on the matter.
While it may seem like the mall is fading into history, there are still plenty of signs of life.
The Oviedo Mall still has plenty of things to do. There is an arcade, a food court and many unique stores such as a place to trade cards, a yoga studio and the Regal movie theater. The mall also holds a variety of activities and events designed to bring in new customers.
“All these small businesses do some really cool stuff– there’s stores to game, a place to paint…we do tie dye classes, candle making, and blacklight neon splatter paints here at our shop,” Brown said.
Every three months, the Oviedo Mall also hosts a free Renaissance Faire. The mall is filled with 130 booths, activities, combat shows and performers. There is a night market at the mall every second Friday of the month, and there are special events for holidays like Christmas or Halloween. Until Dec. 24, there are photos with Santa available, and from Feb. 4-8 the Oviedo Mall carnival will be set up.
“Our ren faires this year averaged about 5,000 guests a day,” Brown said. “It was awesome walking out to the hall and it’s just bustling and buzzing like the mall did when I was younger.”
Whether the Oviedo Mall can reclaim its status as a popular hangout stop and tourist attraction remains uncertain. It is no easy task to compete with larger malls and online retailing. However, by embracing its role as being community centered rather than only focusing on shopping, the mall might be able to create a new identity. For now, the Oviedo Mall stands as a reminder that while the era of the classic mall might be fading into the background, the spaces themselves can still bring people together in new and unexpected ways. Perhaps the Oviedo Mall is not dead, but rather evolving.
