CHARLESTON, S.C. — Dillard’s is closing its department store at Citadel Mall in West Ashley, ending a 34-year stay at one of the last big retail names left at the aging shopping center in Charleston.
The chain put up signs on Nov. 5 telling shoppers the store will close and pointing them to its website and to its Northwoods Mall location in North Charleston. No closing date has been announced.
The Little Rock, Ark., retailer came to the Charleston area in February 1992, when it took over two Thalhimers stores at Citadel Mall and Northwoods Mall. It later put up a bigger building at Citadel Mall.
The exit comes as the Medical University of South Carolina reshapes the property. MUSC closed on an $83.5 million purchase of five parcels covering 53.03 acres and about 556,000 usable square feet, a package that takes in its West Ashley Pavilion, the empty Sears building, the corridor of smaller shops and upward of 2,000 places to park.
Dillard’s, Belk and Target kept ownership of their own buildings and parking under that deal. MUSC has said it plans to use the site for research, education and clinical care, and to ease parking pressure on its downtown campus, with possible modular buildings to support its new cancer hospital.
Smaller inline tenants were given 90 days to leave after the medical university bought the space.
Section: More Charleston SC business news
Charleston business profiles
Filed under: Charleston SC Business News
