Camillus Mall
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Camillus Commons (formerly Camillus mall) was in Camillus, New York near Syracuse on West Greensee st and was first built as a shopping center in the early 1960s on the site of a former drive-in and by the mid 1970s it had 2 large supermarkets, a JC Penny's, a Witheralls, an Anderson Little, and the former Grants was in a corner of the plaza. A Price Chopper was also located within the mall . The mall's other supermarket, a Great American, closed in 1978. In 1980/1981 the mall became an eclosed mall and a K-mart was added at the far end. The strip mall and Withrells was replaced by a Hess's Department Store and a Radio Shack. The mall's doors officially opened in 1984. Price Chopper closed in 1982 and was converted into a Hills Department Store.Because of this closing, a P&C Markets was constructed in a freestanding building near the mall. The next large-scale addition was a 84,400 sq.ft. Sears, which was completed in 1987.
[edit] The Decline
The mall's slow and gradual decline bagan in 1990 as a new, larger mall, the Carousel Center, opened in the area. Compounding the mall's problems was a shift in area demographics as the mall's main consumer base, 18- 50 year olds, began to shrink. Many contribute the downfall of Camillus mall to its peculiar location as well, as it is relatively far away from most major highways. In 1994, the Hess's department Store closed and became a Bon-ton, the only survivng reminant of the mall today. From 1995 to 2000, a number of anchor stores, and smaller shops began to close. Thes included Silo, K-mart, Hill's (Hill's closed shortly after the their parent company's merger with Ames, as there was already an Ame's store within a mile of the mall at Fairmount Fair). By 2001, Sears and JC Penny's had closed and many of the smaller stores left, due to decreased foot traffic. Some of the more prominent shops that closed during the 1990's and early 2000's include a Hoyts 8, Fanny Farmer, Radio Shack, Burger King, Afterthoughts, Lane Bryant, Charney's, Pet Shoppe, and St. Claire's. In 2005 the entire mall, except for Bon-Ton, the newly constructed freestanding Applebee's, and the adjoining Building that contained an Ekerd's and a P&C Market was demolished. A new "Towne Centre" style plaza, entitled Camillus Commons, was constructed on the site of the Mall. A new Wal-mart supercenter and Lowe's Home Improvement Store, were constructed within the plaza. Lowe's opened in Feburary of 2006 while Wal-Mart's grand opening came in June of that same year. To coincide with Wal-Mart's opening, P&C remolded their pre-existing market into their "Fresh Market" concept.(This was done to attract grocery shoppers weary of Wal-Mart's Food Department).The Bon-ton's facade was also remolded in a neo-classical style, as many considered the old yellow stucco as quite an eyesore. A new Bank of America is being constructed adjacent to the Super Wal-Mart as well.
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