The Death of the Mall of Memphis

Urban StudiesSenior Seminar

Katherine MauzyFebruary 17, 2004

Data Collected: Literature

Census Information

Crime Information

Consumer Surveys

Business Evaluations

Hypotheses:

Location Income Crime Surrounding businesses

Competition Proximity to competing malls Tenants

Demographics Income Race

What is a dead mall? Annual sales per square foot is less than

$150, or one-third the rate of sales at a successful mall

Characteristics of a dead mall: Small size Advancing age Less affluent neighborhoods Stiff competition Middle or low-end stores Vacancy Located in first-ring suburbs

Malls Studied: Mall of Memphis

1982- December 24, 2003

4451 American Way

Hickory Ridge 1981 6075 Winchester

Road

Oak Court 1988 530 Oak Court

Drive- off of Poplar Avenue

Southland 1966 1215 Southland

Mall- off of Shelby Drive

LOCATION

Figure 2: Property Crimes

91%

75%

71%

61%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Oak Court

Hickory Ridge

Mall of Memphis

Southland

Figure 1: Violent Crimes

34%

21%

20%

5%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Southland

Hickory Ridge

Mall of Memphis

Oak Court

Number of Crimes (per 1000 person)

13.56

11.46

11.32

6.69

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Oak Court

Southland

Hickory Ridge

Mall of Memphis

Number of Crimes (1 mile radius)

191

117

96

77

0 50 100 150 200 250

Hickory Ridge

Southland

Mall of Memphis

Oak Court

Perception of Crime “I remember several of my friends in Memphis

advising me not to take a date ice skating at the ‘Mall of Murder.’”

Kent Ahren, January 29, 2003 (www.deadmalls.com) “A reputation for crime in the late 80's and the

nickname "Mall of Murder" didn't help steer shoppers inside the stores of the Southeast Memphis mega mall.”

News Channel 3, December 23, 2003 “I don’t shop at the Mall of Memphis because I

don’t want to get shot or robbed when I go to the mall. It is supposed to be a realxing event.”

Elizabeth Winkelmann, April 16, 2004

Blue Collar Businesses

100%

60%

50%

0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%

Mall of Memphis

Southland

Hickory Ridge

Oak Court

COMPETITION

Loss of Tenants

Loss of anchor department stores, Dillard’s and JC Penny’s in 2001

On closing day, only 13 of the 160 stores were still open

Consumer Satisfaction with the Mall of Memphis

67%

50%

47%

43%

37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Cost

Convenience

Mall Environment

Safety

Stores

DEMOGRAPHICS

Income Comparison: 1990-2000 1990

Median household income for the City of Memphis: $22,674

Median household income for the Mall of Memphis: $26,129

Mall of Memphis was 15% ABOVE the city of Memphis

2000 Median household

income for the City of Memphis: $32,285

Median household income for the Mall of Memphis: $30,674

Mall of Memphis area is 5% BELOW the City of Memphis

Changing Race: White

Percent White

39%

30%

89%

8%

69%

83%

94%

26%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Mall ofMemphis

Hickory Ridge

Oak Court

Southland

1990

2000

Changing Race: Hispanic

Percent Hispanic

8%

5%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10%

Mall ofMemphis

Hickory Ridge

Oak Court

Southland

1990

2000

Mall of Memphis…

Mall of Memphis…