Could Things Have Been Different For Euclid Square Mall?

Originally constructed in 1977, Euclid Square Mall was certainly never the Cleveland area’s biggest or most flashy mall, but it most certainly deserved a better fate than it would eventually suffer.

Could things have been different? Maybe. Let’s look back at some times that could have possibly changed the fate of Euclid Square Mall.

Euclid Square Mall Entrance
Entrance to Euclid Square Mall – Image credit Nicholas Eckhart’s wonderful Flickr account.

In late December of 1997, The Zamias Services Company would close a deal on the  purchase of ten mall properties from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Included in the deal were Euclid Square Mall and 9 other malls scattered throughout the eastern and midwestern states. With the deal the company was looking to grow their already impressive portfolio of 35 shopping centers.

At the time of purchase, Euclid Square Mall was still a somewhat respectable center with vacancy rates at 15%. Though these numbers were below average for the Cleveland market, they were still nowhere near as bad as the 29% vacancy rate at nearby Richmond Mall or the 31% rate at Randall Park Mall.

Renovations at Euclid Square Mall

Renovations at Euclid Square Mall
With Simon-DeBartolo already renovating the nearby Richmond Mall could a swanky facelift have saved Euclid Square?

In an effort to improve the vacancy numbers at Euclid Square, Zamias Services did a study of the mall which looked at multiple renovation and redevelopment plans for the property. Some of these plans included a complete renovation, a conversion to a power center, completely demolishing the mall and repurposing the site into an apartment community, and one plan even looked at turning the site into a golf course.

Euclid Square Mall as a Power Center
For better or for worse, the power center idea never unfolded.

Sadly, none of these ideas ever came to fruition. One year later the mall would lose a major anchor when Kaufmann’s would relocate to the nearby and newly renovated Richmond Mall. This loss would only help contribute to the soon to be rapid rise in vacancy.

Euclid Square Mall Directory
This 1999 mall directory shows there was still some life left.

Even after losing an anchor there still may have been a chance of turning the place around as the mall still had some signs of life but by 1999 it had seemed that Zamias Services had given up. Shortly later in 2000 Zamias would sell the mall to North Carolina real estate investor Haywood Wichard.

Haywood not only looked like a business class villain from an 80s movie, he also played the part to near perfection. He cared zero about the mall, the jobs it created, or the people that worked there. He cared only about one thing and that was turning a profit on his investment. Mr. Wichard was quoted in the Plain Dealer as saying “We are willing to sit there and hold it until a use comes along. Somebody will come along eventually who will need that property.”

Haywood Richard Euclid Squares Death Nemesis
Haywood Wichard – Was he wise to not dump money into the mall or is he the reason the mall doesn’t exist today?

In just a year under Haywood Wichard’s ownership vacancy rates soared to 87%. By 2002 the mall’s remaining anchor, Dillard’s, converted the store to a clearance center and closed off access to the second level of the store. In 2004 Haywood eventually gave up the idea of ever turning a profit on the property and sold the mall at a loss to local businessman Ted Lichko.

Whereas Haywood Wichard seemed like a villain, Ted Lichko seemed like the unlikely hero that Euclid Square needed to save it from certain doom. Lichko was mostly known operating United Furniture but also was in the business of purchasing run-down brick apartment buildings and rehabbing them into safe, affordable housing. He had even bought and turned around Conneaut Shopping Center so it seemed like he could really make this happen.

Lichko’s first plan was to fill the other vacant anchor store. His idea was Outlets USA. Despite the name, Outlets USA was not your typical factory outlet, but more of an upscale flea market set in a department store consisting of a gallery of vendors selling wares such as furniture, cigarette lighters, tires, and scratch and dent appliances. Outlets USA would feature 150 spaces for vendors on the first level of the former Kaufmann’s store and if that was filled up they would open up the second level.

Outlets USA Euclid Square Mall
Outlets USA – Not just an outlet shopping mall.

Next, Lichko would focus on revitalizing the mall’s interior. His first order of business was to reactivate the beautiful fountain system. He put his team to work to clean up the mall interior and get the stores into move-in ready condition. Lichko hoped that the mall could rebound by using a “main street” mix of offices and stores. Lichko even had educational organizations evaluating areas of the mall as potential business school campus.

One of Lichko’s first orders of business as the malls new owner was to reactivate the malls beautiful fountain system.

Initially Lichko’s plan would pay off. Outlets USA’s grand opening weekend would attract nearly 13,000 customers. One of the food vendor’s, “The Dog House” actually ran out wieners! It was a hit and customers even commented to the Plain Dealer on how great it was for the mall to be back open and about how wonderful the mall looked.

The success however wouldn’t last. Outlets USA would close just two years after opening, with Litchko citing that the vendors were a bad mix with the mall. And just like that, the mall was headed back on it’s course of failure.

A shuttered Outlets USA at Euclid Square Mall – Image via Nicholas Eckhart’s wonderful Flickr account.

And that is basically the end of the line for Euclid Square. Though it did have somewhat of a resurgence as a place of worship. In 2013 there were as many as 24 different churches located in the mall. However in 2013 the mall also lost it’s last retail client when the Dillard’s Clearance finally closed its doors.

In late 2017 the mall would eventually meet its doom after many years struggle.

In 2016 the mall would be condemned by the city of Euclid and a year later demolition would begin.

So, could things have been different for Euclid Square? Maybe. But with fierce competition from upscale centers like Crocker Park and Legacy Village it would be hard to imagine a world where Euclid Square would still be a successful shopping mall. Heck, even Richmond Mall who underwent major renovations is now closed.

 

 

Blueprint Archive – Lerner Shops at Euclid Square Mall

Today’s entry to the Blueprint Archive is this lovely sign drawing from Lerner Shops at Euclid Square Mall. The mall, which was developed by Jacobs, Visconsi & Jacobs would open in 1977 and the Lerner Shops would follow suit shortly after opening in 1978.

architectural drawing euclid square mall
1978 sign drawing for Lerner Shops at Euclid Square Mall

In the 1970s Lerner Shops had already established themselves as a major player amongst women’s fashion retailers. At one point they were even America’s largest chain of fashion specialists. Held in high regard amongst multiple generations of shoppers, Lerner Shops would offer all of the newest styles to complement any occasions, from  daytime versatile to nighttime alluring, customers knew they could find the look they were after at Lerner.

Lerner Storefront
Though not the Euclid Square store, This image from a 70s Rapid-American Corporation (majority owner of Lerner Shops) annual report shows what the finished storefront may have looked like.

The Euclid Square Mall store would eventually move from space B-252 to the A-156 location where it would remain until closing in the early 2000s.

After its days as a Lerner, the store A-156 would go on to become the Euclid Beach Boys Event Center and Museum which featured memorabilia from local amusement parks Euclid Beach, Geauga Lake, and Chippewa Lake.

Lerner euclid square mall
Store A-156 – Lerner at Euclid Square Mall marked for doom in its final days during the malls demolition.

Blueprint Archive – Euclid Square Mall Site Plan

Retailers Higbee’s and The May Company, along with developer Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs were looking to build a shopping center on the property of the Chase Brass Company located on Babbitt Road. However with that property currently zoned for industrial use, the decision would be left up to people of Euclid to decide if the land should be rezoned. So it was put it to a vote in 1973 with the result being nearly two to one in favor of the mall.

Euclid Square Mall Blueprint
1977 Site Plan of Euclid Square Mall shows a general mall layout flanked by its two anchors, Higbee’s and the May Company.

The mayor at the time, Harry J. Knuth, who was a long time champion of the project considered the mall “One of the greatest things that ever happened to the city of Euclid”. Richard E. Jacobs, President of Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs added that the malls developers “want to prove to each resident of Euclid that the city will benefit from this development and become an even better place in which to live in the years ahead”.

Artists Rendering of Euclid Square Mall
An artists rendering of Euclid Square Malls interior shows Mr. Richard E. Jacobs vision of a better tomorrow for the city.

Mr. Jacobs was right. The Euclid Square Mall would eventually open in 1977 and pay immediate dividends in the creation of nearly 2,000 jobs, plus huge increases in income to the city from real estate tax on the new mall which helped the city avoid raising its taxes.

Advert Reactions: 10 Advertising Scans From a Dead Mall – Euclid Square

Here are 10 scans of retro advertisements from beyond the dead mall graveyard out of a 1987 issue of Euclid Square News.

 

Stride Rite

Mothers may trust Stride Rite but kids are certain to hate their mothers when they are forced to wear these ridiculous shoes.

Euclid Square Mall - Stride Rite

Flowerama

If a flower is worth a thousand words, you can say I love you four thousand times with a dozen roses for 18.95…What a great deal!

Euclid Square Mall - Flowerama

Docktor Pet Centers

“If you still have fleas you need to see us”…lol

Docktors Pet Center

Luv

Why did these ever go out of style? Seems like everybody’s grandad had one of these on the side of his Lay Z Boy recliner to keep all of the remotes in order.

Euclid Square Mall - Luv

Hough Bakeries

I felt somewhat uncultured when I had to Google “canapes”…after seeing what they are I don’t feel so bad, they look gross.

Euclid Square Mall - Hough Bakeries

My Fair Lady

Nothing screams high fashion like “Sweat Separates”.

Euclid Square Mall - My Fair Lady

The Gallery

Gift shopping would have definitely been an art at “The Gallery” if this Waterford crystal is the most exciting thing they have going for them. I really had to think about the SALE catch phrase on this ad for a while and I’m still not sure I get it.

Euclid Square Mall - The Gallery

Karmelkorn

This is actually a really good coupon, both the Karmelkorn and CheeseKorn were really good from what I can remember,  not sure I would pass out Popkorn balls at Halloween though. After a Google search I was pleasantly surprised to find Karmelkorn is still in business.

Euclid-Square-Mall-Karmelkorn

Taco Bell

A Mall food court staple even though Euclid Square Mall didn’t have a traditional food court. Taco Bell is actually pretty tasty in a pinch but I have to question the quality of the steak…But seriously, can you guys just bring back those Cinnamon Crispas already!

Euclid Square Mall - Taco Bell

CPI Photo Finish

The coolest thing I remember about the mall one hour photo places was that your photos would go by individually on a conveyer type machine as they were printed, and you could stand at the storefront window and watch. It was also nice that “Double Prints” were always included.

Euclid Square Mall CPI Photo

Be like yourself or be different with one of these Euclid Square Mall shirts from Untitled Colours.

Euclid Square Mall by turboglyde