Shopping malls across America have been left in a state that not even Paul Blart could save, and the Tampa Bay 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
What is now the 40-acre Seminole City Center was once another bustling hub — Seminole Mall.
Seminole Mall originally opened in 1965 and in its heyday was home to spots like Publix, Eckerd Drugs, Pup’s Pub (no relation), and Jet Shoes, adding department stores like J. Byrons and McCrory after expanding a few years later. Longtime residents may remember the mall hosting monthly entertainment + the green alligator structure.
In Largo, the former Crossroads Mall — before that, Bay Area Outlet Mall — is now just a memory. Back in the day, it was the only outlet mall in Pinellas County, with stores like Dress Barn, Rack Room, and Music 4 Less + eateries such as Sardo’s Italian Restaurant and Coffee Cafe.
Back to the future
Now, both former malls are gone after each sat nearly empty as dead malls for years; Seminole Mall was demolished in 2015 to become the busy shopping and entertainment district it is today, and Crossroads Mall went from outlet mall to grocery store.
Though these malls have changed, Tampa Bay still has a number of other thriving shopping centers or districts where you can make like NSYNC and buy, buy, buy:
- International Plaza and Bay Street | With 25+ full-service restaurants, bars, and grab-and-go eateries — plus its proximity to downtown Tampa’s swathe of attractions — you’ll want to clear a full day.
- Tampa Premium Outlets | Shop 110+ stores, then tap in at Tapville for bites, cocktail flights, and a self-pour wine wall.
- The Mall at Sundial | Just off the waterfront, this downtown St. Pete shopping center is the perfect place to grab a bite, shop around, and then cool off with a movie at the mall’s AMC Theater.
Do you have memories of a local mall from back in the day? Share them with us and we may feature your story in a future newsletter: 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.
