I'll update the post title.

My, wasn't *that* a great idea!

BLACKLION CLOSING SHOP AT RICHLAND MALL
The State (Columbia, SC) - Thursday, August 18, 2005
Author: DAWN HINSHAW Staff Writer

One of the largest tenants at Richland Mall is closing his last store, Blacklion , on Sept. 3, making it the 10th to close since mid-July.

Bob Emory, who owns the interior-design store Blacklion , said officials with mall owners asked him to "make way for the construction to begin."

So when he found a buyer for his clothing inventory, sold at The Department Store and a dozen other outlets scattered through the mall, Emory said he seized the opportunity.

Construction is expected to begin at the first of the year on a massive redevelopment of the mall, converting it into a modern "downtown" filled with condominiums, offices, restaurants and retail outlets.

To make the transition, Peerless Development is partnering with the mall's current owner, Angela Whichard of Raleigh, N.C., an investor who bought the mall in December 2003.

Emory's departure leaves about 30 stores still doing business at the Forest Acres mall, including anchors Barnes & Noble, Belk and Parisian, along with restaurants S&S Cafeteria and T.G.I.Friday's.

Emory said once news broke in March that the mall was being retooled with a residential focus, customers strayed.

"None of us can survive on little or no traffic," he said.

In an unrelated development, The Bombay Co., a national retailer, closed its Richland Mall store Aug. 6 to move to The Village at Sandhills, according to a sign on the door.

Kimberly Melton, a retail spokeswoman for Peerless Development, said she knew of no other stores making plans to close or relocate.

Stores that Emory closed in recent weeks include: Boutique Paris, Euro Jean, Bullseye Bargains, Jus' Spoilt Rotten, Sassy'cessories, Wisteria Arbor and Trousseau.

He has closed The Department Store, too, while merchants who rent space in his Blacklion are preparing to leave.

Emory expressed concern about the fate of his 110 employees. "We are now working very hard to find them new jobs."

Emory, based in Charlotte, made a splash at Thanksgiving by opening 16 stores on the eve of the nation's busiest shopping season. He announced plans to open 22 stores but fell short.

"Anybody that was here Thanksgiving night, or the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, has to agree that the people will come if we have the right stores and the right marketing in place," he said Friday.

"It really gave everybody a shot in the arm."

His Blacklion has been at the mall since 2003, in the space once leased by Dillard's.

In March, North Carolina-based Peerless Development announced plans to buy the struggling, 36-acre mall and transform it by adding condominiums and office space.

Officials acknowledged last week, however, that they're entering into a partnership with Whichard, the mall's current owner.

Ultimately, Peerless officials have said the property will be about 40 percent retail use, compared with about 85 percent retail now. The remainder is used by Verizon Wireless, which expanded its call center earlier this year.

© 2005 The State

They left right around the time that Richland Mall became Midtown at Forest Acres.

Blacklion is down to two Charlotte locations and a third in Huntersville, NC.