Heritage Park Mall officially closing

[muzique808]

Story on NewsOK:

NewsOK

[Thunder]

It's really sad that this had to happen. I blame the people for the demise. Less shoppers bring in less money and this is what we get. Retailers leaving and they had done that. The city officials did nothing, not a single attempt, to revive the mall. Personally, I prefer the indoor mall rather than constantly moving my car at the new Town Plaza.

People can whine and put out blames all they want, but in the end, these ex-shoppers are the ones to be blamed. Your fault. Don't use it, lose it.

I see ZERO benefit for Life Church to buy Dillard's space. They're not using it. The space remains empty and it is pathetic. Life Church is evil and that is my final decision.

I know that Sears own their portion of the building, but I would rather see them move to the new Del City shopping strip. If they would just fork over the money to pay for their own building and only to pay for land lease (unless they can buy the land), they would see more traffic, even tho they rake in good profit at the old building.

[TaoMaas]

Personally, I prefer the indoor mall rather than constantly moving my car at the new Town Plaza.

I agree. I'm relatively new to the Midwest City area so I wasn't that familiar with Heritage Park Mall's past, but the NewsOK article said that there used to be a movie theater located in the mall. I wish they would revive that. I'd like to have a theater closer to home. We could also use a good bookstore.

[andimthomas]

My dad owned a dollar store in the mall for a while. I remember going there after school everyday. Sad to see it close.

[ddavidson8]

There was a three screen in the mall, as well as a 5 screen across the street. It's really sad that this had to happen.

[TaoMaas]

I firmly believe that MWC is the next happenin' thing. The property prices will make it so, just they did with Edmond and Moore.

[Redskin 70]

Such an absolute shame and waste of valuable space.
Glad to see at least the Sears is staying.

[Thunder]

Yeah, I've been to the theater in the mall several time and the one across the street was where I saw the Titanic.

[oneforone]

Mall management is doing these businesses a favor by closing. I shopped the GameStop store a few times over the last few months. Each time there were more employees then anything else. Most of the people in there were mall walkers. Anybody with a reasonable amount of business since would have closed this place down months or years ago.

The mom and pop businesses will have no trouble finding affordable space to rent throughout Midwest City and Del City. I have a feeling most will move to Crossroads. The Hot Spot that was in Heritage Park took over the old Sbarro at Crossroads.

I noticed they are remodeling the space in between Aarons and Party Galaxy Across the street. I am wondering if GNC is going to move there?

I think the mall's retail days are over. I think Midwest City should find a developer that will buy out Sears and Lifechurch. They could divide the land up and use it for new housing, office space, and maybe even a new school or two. After that they could pursue tearing down the old Wal-Mart and Albertson's stores and replace the stores with a large movie theater.

[rcjunkie]

It's really sad that this had to happen. I blame the people for the demise. Less shoppers bring in less money and this is what we get. Retailers leaving and they had done that. The city officials did nothing, not a single attempt, to revive the mall. Personally, I prefer the indoor mall rather than constantly moving my car at the new Town Plaza.
People can whine and put out blames all they want, but in the end, these ex-shoppers are the ones to be blamed. Your fault. Don't use it, lose it.

I see ZERO benefit for Life Church to buy Dillard's space. They're not using it. The space remains empty and it is pathetic. Life Church is evil and that is my final decision.

I know that Sears own their portion of the building, but I would rather see them move to the new Del City shopping strip. If they would just fork over the money to pay for their own building and only to pay for land lease (unless they can buy the land), they would see more traffic, even tho they rake in good profit at the old building.

With the exception of limitations due to a handicap, why must you constantly move your car while shopping at an open air plaza/shopping center ?
Why not shop and get in a workout at the same time.

[Wambo36]

I have to say the practical side of me knew this was coming, but the sentimental side finds it to be very sad. I remember when it was an outstanding shopping mall and spent a ton of time shopping and hanging out there.
I still miss the original pizza place where they hand tossed the dough. Still some of the best pizza I've eaten. Used to walk by the fabric store with my buddies and eyeball my future wife when she worked there (she says I was stalking her). Prettiest girl I'd ever seen. Still took 3 years to start dating.
During Christmas shopping season you could see friends you hadn't seen since the last Chistmas season and get re-aquainted. Lots of good memories. Very sad.

[Lauri101]

And now the spot will go full circle - I can remember when that spot was a great place for dirt biking!

Although I haven't been to Heritage since Dillards and bookstore closed, it does make me sad. I used to take my daughters there to shop for school clothes. We were able to stay all morning and shop, plus eat lunch at El Chico and go to an afternoon movie.

Don't blame the shoppers, Thunder - blame the mall management or lack thereof! They raised rents on loyal tenants but refused to provide adequate security for shoppers. Maintenance was non-existent and no deep cleaning was done. The new guy purchased the property well before the recession but failed to act while he could reap benefits.

Sears needs to move - either to Del City or to Town Center or even at Sooner and 29th area. Raze Heritage and go for mixed use - the building would cost more to re-hab than to tear down and start over, IMHO!

[kay]

I have great memories of the mall since we grew up in that neighborhood. I remember riding our bikes in that field. But even better are the times when Granny took me shopping for school clothes like Levi's, green overalls and OP shirts. She liked to eat at a German place. For some reason the name Ingrid's Kitchen comes to mind. Not sure if it's the same one that exists now. My Grandpa bought my first real ring at Service Merchandise and he liked to eat there at a steak/ hamburger place where you ordered over the phone. Really wish I could remember the names of these places. Is there a record of all the stores that went in and out? Oh! And I watched my first movies there without my parents. My friends and I went to see Indiana Jones (the one with all the spiders and snakes). It scared the crap out of us when we had to walk home through the parking lot with a hoard of grasshoppers and cicadas "attacking" us. Star Wars, E.T., all the best of them were seen right there. I'm not a fan of change but it's time for something great in that spot. Let's hope for a movie theater!

[kay]

Olga's Kitchen! That was the name.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I'm glad Sears is staying open...I hate driving all the way to 44th and Western every time I break a wrench or need a new valve spring compressor.

[bombermwc]

Now, can the city manage to do something so the place doesnt just sit growing grass in the parking lot and more storm damage tears more roof off. We need to get the place dozed. GNC and Sears are the only things I went to in there...hopefully as you say, GNC will move across the street. Then I can pull up to the place and not have to walk through the creepy unlit mall to get to the store.

It's been a good couple of decades since the place was worth anything. Think about Dillard's for example. Then the origional carpet from 1971 still exists in the 90's....you've got a problem. They never had anything because it was so small. And once Service Merchandise and Ward's went belly-up...it was all downhill from there.

Honestly, I can't say I'll miss a thing. Year of mismanagement and absolutely no effort to maintain the place were its downfall. Simon owned it at one time and they didn't hide the fact that they took the money they earned at Heritage and put it into the remodel of Penn. Good business for Simon since they sold off not long after, but horrible business for MWC and Heritage.

[OKC@heart]

As with all things it is a dissapointment to see things that were and that gave us a sense of place replite with fond memories end. But this type of building has a shelf life, and I expect that we will see this cycle over and over.

It may be that the vacant mall can provide a site for a future well planned development. It is uncertain what that will be but it can be a tremendous opportunity, but in the meanwhile a vacant building of that size with a large ammount of parking lot around does nothing to benefit the community of which it is a part, from a perception standpoint as well as a safety one.

I hope the city and the economic developers move this to thier highest priority.

[oneforone]

MIDWEST CITY, OK -- A once bustling Midwest City mall is about to close its doors for good. Heritage Park Mall, at the corner of Reno and Air Depot, opened more than 30 years ago. The mall's California based owner has now informed the few remaining tenants they have until February 15 to move out.

Heritage Park Mall had been up for sale for several months, but the owner never found a taker for the $3.7 million price tag.

Recently the mall had been cited by the city for falling into disrepair.

Midwest City's mayor says the city has talked with numerous developers about reusing the property, though it may not end up being retail in the future.

"I don't think there's a need for 800,000 square-feet of retail property here. In my opinion, it probably has to be re-developed," said Mayor Russell Smith.

Because Sears owns its part of the building, the department store will stay open even after the rest of the mall closes.


Heritage Park Mall to close - KFOR

[so1rfan]

That whole stretch of Reno has been going downhill business-wise for some time. Started with the demise of K-Mart, then Circuit City. Pep Boys is gone, they never rebuilt the Captain D's after it burned, the car audio store (Audio Midwest?) closed, I think the Popeyes closed, Eyemart, etc. I am sure there are more but I rarely go that way.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Reno at Midwest is now a ghosttown too.

[bombermwc]

OK, people get on this rant, and i dont understand it.

Pepboys went bankrupt. It had nothing to do with the productivity of the store.

Popey's is now Basil - which is successful.

Captain D's is now a much nicer insurance office.

K-Mart is Anthony's and that tinting place

Circuit City is Goodwill and the other businesses are still there in that center.

So tell me where exactlly the ghost town is on Reno. All of the stores that closed have something in them now and are open. Audio Midwest closed after the buyers failed. Not a big deal to have a small metal building store closed down though IMO. I thought it had turned into something else even after that though...some sports thing.

Reno/Midwest has 2 buildings that are empty...remember (for the billionth time) the hospital owns the target building and are going to develop it in their phased expansion project....phase 1 is going on right now...target is phase 3.

So out of all of MWC all that's empty is an old Albertson's and Wal-Mart.

I don't really consider that too shabby folks...especially in these fun economic times with so many businesses failing...and 29th relocating so much of the dollars.

HPM is large enough to become a whole new development...new homes would be perfect. There are several new home developments 1/2 mile from there, so it's not as though there isn't a demand in the area.

[AAC2005]

every time I break a wrench

Every time you break a CRAFTSMAN wrench?! Remind me never to shake hands with you - I might not get it back.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I break Snap-On and Craftsman all the time.

Well, not ALL the time, but it's not uncommon. I broke a 50 year old 6" jawed bench vise (weighs about 50 lbs) a couple of years ago. I can break almost any tool if given the right project! I've broken two valve spring compressors in the last year. But I made my own this time and it's about 9 times faster and I doubt it'll ever break.

And bombermwc...Audio Midwest didn't go broke. A storm in '06-'07 sometime collapsed their roof, and when repairs were taking too long, they just closed it for good and moved all their car audio to their Edmond store, which used to be primarily home theater/audio.

[MonkeesFan]

That really sucks it is closing! I have not been there in 3 years

[Thunder]

I haven't been in there for longer than 3 years. I say the last time I was there was shopping for an aunt's birthday. I guess... 5 years? Maybe more. lol