Cloverleaf Mall: Richmond, Virginia on DeadMalls.com

CLOVERLEAF MALL: RICHMOND, VA

Church offers to buy mall

Nov 2, 2005: http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=11253

Janet Perkins' Commentary:

Posted September 9, 2003 (user submitted)

Cloverleaf Mall is located in Chesterfield County just outside of Richmond City limits. Its anchors when it opened in the 70s were Sears, JC Penney, and Thalhimers. Sears and Penneys both had auto repair shops in front of the mall facing Midlothian Turnpike. There was a two-cinema theater. Smaller stores were Casual Corner, Spencers, Waldenbooks, B. Dalton Bookseller, D.P. Paul Jewelers, Piccadilly Cafeteria, Hardwicke's Restaurant, Ormonds, Worths, a Hallmark store, the Limited, Suzy's Casuals, La Vogue.

The owners did a major renovations sometime during the late 80s/early 90s. The theater moved to an outside building in the back (way back) of the parking lot (I think either 6 or 9, at the time a Cineplex Odeon, then Regal who closed the theaters). Thalhimers became Hechts (May Co.) without the better quality products of Thalhimers in its prime (fur salon, bridal salon, Sword & Kilt restaurant, portrait studio). A Frederick's of Hollywood, Victoria's Secret, a food court (taken from the space vacated by the cinema), several jewelry stores, Sears remaining but only 1 story, Penneys remaining, Waldenbooks, and other small stores.

Now it is a virtual ghost town -- Sears and Penneys have closed their doors because of falling attendance - both have newer stores in Chesterfield Towne Center, further west on Midlothian Tnpk. Hechts closed their doors [in June 2003], to begin their Cloverleaf going-out-of business sale. The theaters of course are closed. Firestone is running the old Penneys auto center; the Sears one is closed.

The Mall had two murders of employees in a dollar store after hours one evening in the early 90s had a woman go missing from the bottom of the parking lot also about the same time, both crimes/mysteries never been solved.

Brandon Willis' Commentary:

Posted September 9, 2003 (user submitted)

This is the one that everyone currently has their eyes on. It is widely speculated that this will be the next mall to be shuttered. It opened in 1972 as Richmond's first regional mall but began to decline when the newer Chesterfield Towne Center, about 5 miles West down Midlothian Turnpike, began to catch on. It took a turn for the worse in 1996 when some people were shot and killed in the stockroom of the mall's All for One dollar store. The JC Penney store and the mall's 8 screen Regal Cinema closed in 2000, and the Sears store closed in January of 2003. The only remaining anchor is Hecht's, which has announced that they do not plan to renew their lease when it expires at the end of May 2003.

I've been here a few times and I think it's not such a bad place. It even has a digital marquee on the Midlothian Turnpike mall sign. The word on the street is that the new Stony Point Fashion Park mall, which will open in September 2003, will finally kill Cloverleaf.

Denny Reyn’s Commentary:

User submitted May 2012

I am a Richmond, VA native and recently returned to Southside Richmond to find that Cloverleaf Mall has been demolished and the area has been made clear for a grocery store and other land developments.

The Firestone and Bank of America is still operating there but everything else is gone.

Nic’s Commentary:

User submitted Oct 2008

The mall has finally closed its door and the last store moved out of the mall on Feb ’08. A new project driven by the Chesterfield County Revitalization Office and a private firm Crosland Consultants will result in:

- The demolition of the mall

- The erection of a new Kroger food store

- Building of a quite a few townhouses

The new name will be StoneBridge shopping center and residence.

See for pictures: http://www.chesterfield.gov/CommunityDevelopment/Revitalization/cloverleaf.asp

The only leftovers will be the Firestone car shop and the Bank of America.

Matt’s Commentary:

User submitted Sep 2008

The old movie theater in the back has been used for several disaster training events for many major government agencies. As for the rest of the mall it has finally closed with the promise of a redevelopment. The current buzz is that it will reopen featuring loft apartments on a new second story with stores in the existing mall. Like before it's closure the parking lot has settled and created a issue for whoever redevelops.

There is a nearby shooting range that hosts practical tactical shooting matches on Monday Nights. Some of those attending before the closure would joke that the match was just a practice and after it the real competition would be a Cloverleaf Mall with the thugs.

Tice’s Commentary:

User submitted Aug 2007

Hey guys, I've been reading for a long time.
Cloverleaf has been sold but they're still in the courts over who will finally get to turn it into condos, etc. While all that's giong on, it's still open with the dozen or so stores that are left. I took some pics Tuesday (thank God for cell phone cameras. Security clearly had nothing to do.)

My pics are on: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8503162@N02/sets/72157601182956548/

Thanks,

Tice.

Gene Savage’s Commentary:

User submitted May 2007

I was reading this story about a carnival, and by golly if they didn't go INSIDE the dead mall!

http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/cloverleaf-carnival/carnival2.php

Unfortunately I can't find any date on the story and pics, or any verification that this is the mall in Virginia, but the stories from his site and yours seem to match up.

I hope this helps! If it IS the same mall, I notice you don't have any pics... so this might be a real useful addition if you can get permission for them.

Chad’s Commentary:

User submitted Apr 2007

i heard from my g/f who lives in Largo that the Crossroads mall is now closed. nothing there but the signs. maybe someone can go there personally and confirm. thanks!

if deadmalls is every around Hattiesburg,MS we have turtle creek mall and what was once a great mall called Cloverleaf Mall is practically dead. i havent been in there but its mostly empty. its located on HWY 49 across from a Super-Walmart -- no surprise really there. anyway let me know if you need more info! thanks!

chad

John Murden’s Commentary:

User submitted Jan 2007

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I'm in the process of uploading a set of pictures to flickr that'll have bunch from the very empty Cloverleaf Mall. Feel free to use any of that you'd like.

aj belongia’s Commentary:

User submitted Jan 2007

Cloverleaf Mall to be Razed
High-end housing, offices planned at mall site

BY JULIAN WALKER AND MEREDITH BONNY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITERS

Jan 18, 2007

Cloverleaf Mall opened in 1972 but has fallen on hard times in recent years.

A developer based in Charlotte, N.C., wants to purchase Cloverleaf Mall from Chesterfield County for $9.2 million, tear it down and replace it with high-end housing, stores and offices.

Crosland Inc. entered into an agreement yesterday with the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority to buy much of the mall property. The firm will reveal its redevelopment plan to the county's Board of Supervisors at its Wednesday meeting, and the board is expected to approve the sale.

Chesterfield officials have said they expect rezoning on the property to be completed by fall, but they have not said when construction is expected to begin.

But even before the sale is finalized, county leaders and business owners agree that Crosland's proposals for Cloverleaf could revitalize and reshape the eastern corridor of Midlothian Turnpike.

"This corridor represents the gateway to Chesterfield County and with this new venture, we should be able to see real progress for business growth," said Supervisor Arthur S. Warren.

Crosland has been in talks with the county about Cloverleaf -- located at Chippenham Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike -- since May. Two other developers had been interested in the mostly vacant mall, but those talks fell through.

"We wanted to find the right developer, and they are the right developer," said Thomas E. Jacobson, Chesterfield revitalization director.

Planning Commissioner Dan Gecker expressed excitement at news of a Cloverleaf deal.

"I pushed very hard for the county to acquire the property, and I am glad to see some results from that effort," said Gecker, whose Midlothian District includes the mall site.

Crosland's purchase price will be roughly what the county paid when it purchased the site in 2004.

"We have been anxiously awaiting this news," added Jay B. Lafler, vice president of Commercial Properties Management, which owns Beaufont Center, a retail center on the opposite side of Midlothian Turnpike from the mall. "It will be a catalyst for all of eastern Midlothian."

The Cloverleaf plan was presented to the development authority yesterday by Crosland Vice President James F. Downs.

"We are very encouraged and excited about moving forward with the county in the redevelopment of the mall property," said Downs, who will be the project manager.

The mall opened in 1972 but has fallen on hard economic times in recent years. Today, about 20 tenants remain. The county spends roughly $400,000 annually to operate the mall, though officials say tenant rents offset much of those costs.

At Wednesday's supervisors meeting, the board is expected to finalize the sale and initiate a rezoning of the mall property, which is now zoned for commercial use. Crosland officials will likely announce who the anchor tenant will be.

"Although we don't have a rezoning application yet, I would expect it to be zoned to allow limited retail, office and higher-density residential uses," said Kirkland Turner, Chesterfield planning director.

While the details of the proposal were not available, a previous Crosland proposal called for 382 residential units, 120,000 square feet of office space and 195,000 square feet of retail space. Jacobson said those numbers are subject to change.

Jay Veer’s Commentary:

User submitted May 2006

To whomever it concerns --

I have photos for Cloverleaf Mall, a "dead mall" in Richmond, Virginia. If you give me an e-mail address, I can send you the photos for this mall.

Thanks,

Jay Veer

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Church offers to buy mall

Janet Perkins' Commentary:

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