Books a Million, Moved September 2008, Staunton, VA

Ok, so you know last week I visited Staunton Mall for the first time? Well, the girl across the hall from me wanted to find a bookstore, and I told her there was a Books a Million in Staunton Mall, so I drove her there.

THE BOOKSTORE PACKED UP AND WENT AWAY. It was perfectly normal last Friday when we went in there. I thought it had closed down completely, but turns out it just moved to Waynesboro.

Ok, this place is officially a dead mall. I mean its mostly mom and pop places, two of the anchors are closed/in the process of closing, I’m sending my pictures to Brian over at deadmalls.com tonight.

//edit, September 25 2008//

Article from the News Leader’s website:

eptember 23, 2008

Mall looks ahead as bookstore leaves

By Nicole Barbano/staff
nbarbano@newsleader.com

STAUNTON — Staunton Mall is looking with a hopeful eye toward the future following the recent departure of longtime resident Books-A-Million. The bookstore had occupied a space on the mall’s north end since August 1997 when it opened under the Wills Bookstore name and was later purchased by the Books-A-Million chain in March 1999.

The retailer opened its new location Thursday at the Waynesboro Town Center beside Target, in a 15,500 square-foot location.

“Books-A-Million has been a good tenant at our mall for many years now,” said Kim Sprouse, the mall’s general manager.

“Of course, it was a disappointment,” she said of the loss. “However, we do view this as an opportunity to enhance our offerings at the mall to better serve our customers.”

Sprouse was quick to add there was opportunity for growth in finding a replacement tenant. Earlier this month, when anchor store Steve & Barry’s announced their closure at the Staunton Mall location, Sprouse was similarly positive of the mall’s future outlook.

Although new retail locations such as the Waynesboro Town Center and the proposed Centre at Staunton, which would be at the corner of Richmond Road and Frontier Drive, might potentially draw retailers away from more established shopping destinations such as the Staunton Mall, Sprouse said the competition was beneficial in creating more retail diversity in the region.

“The new developments in the area has had a positive effect on us,” she said. “Competition can be a very good thing. It brings a different number, a variety of retailers that has not been in our area before. Whether they come to the mall or another market, it helps our development just having that growth. Whenever you can show your market is growing in the retail segment that’s always a huge plus.”

Michael Smith, with Collett & Associates, the firm behind Waynesboro Town Center, said Books-A-Million was a good fit for the property.

“I think that they will be successful there and still provide, certainly, to Staunton and all the surrounding communities, but with a broader-format store,” Smith said.