Breaking Ground on the Gulf (1963-1971)
The winter air carried salt from the Gulf as construction crews broke ground on December 28, 1962.
This wasn’t just another retail project—it was Mississippi’s first enclosed shopping mall, a place meant to reshape the way people shopped along the Gulf Coast.
Developers Holcomb & Milner had secured 41 acres along Beach Boulevard, just six miles west of downtown Biloxi, in an unincorporated section of Harrison County.
When Edgewater Plaza opened on September 26, 1963, it had 12 stores and 395,000 square feet of leasable retail space.
Godchaux’s, a Louisiana-based department store, took up 31,000 square feet. Gayfers, a larger, 81,000-square-foot anchor, offered everything from high-end fashion to housewares.
Walgreens and J.J. Newberry’s five-and-dime filled in the smaller storefronts, alongside Jitney Jungle supermarket, Gordon’s Jewelers, and Kenny Shoes.
The mall was on prime real estate, with the Gulf of Mexico just across the highway.
But its early years weren’t easy. Sales lagged, and in 1965, the property was sold for back taxes. Two years later, in 1967, it happened again.
Despite these hurdles, Edgewater Plaza found stability by the late 1960s. Its biggest boost came from Biloxi itself.
In September 1964, the city formally annexed the area, bringing the mall inside municipal boundaries.
That meant more infrastructure, better roads, and easier access for shoppers.
By 1971, bigger plans were already in motion. The historic Edgewater Gulf Hotel, a once-grand resort next door, was demolished to clear space for the mall’s first major expansion.
Things to do in Biloxi, Mississippi, were changing fast. A new retail era was on the horizon.
Expansion Brings a New Era (1971-1980)
The wrecking crews arrived in May 1971. The Edgewater Gulf Hotel, once a luxury resort, was coming down.
In its place, bulldozers moved dirt, carving out space for a major expansion. Edgewater Plaza wasn’t just holding steady—it was growing.
By October, construction was underway on a new 200,000-square-foot wing stretching eastward.
At its heart was Sears. The department store, one of the country’s most dominant retailers at the time, was preparing to open its doors.
On August 9, 1972, it did. The store covered 72,000 square feet, bringing hardware, appliances, and clothing under one roof.
More changes followed. J.J. Newberry, one of the mall’s original five-and-dime stores, struggled to keep up with shifting shopping trends.
By 1979, it was out. JCPenney moved into its space, adding another heavyweight name to the mix.
Edgewater Plaza was no longer just a local shopping stop. It was becoming a retail force in the region. The expansion brought nine new stores, including Tom McAn Shoes, Mississippi Music, and The Ranch.
Inside, the layout reflected the enclosed mall concept that was sweeping the countrywide walkways, polished tile floors, and department stores anchoring both ends.
By the late 1970s, Edgewater Mall was shifting. Local shops vanished, national chains took their place, and crowds packed the walkways.
Business was booming, but the biggest transformations were still ahead.
The Boom Years and Retail Shifts (1980-2005)
The 1980s brought more than just foot traffic—they brought reinvention. Edgewater Plaza dropped “Plaza” from its name, rebranding it as Edgewater Mall.
The look changed, too. A renovation updated its interiors with modern finishes, new lighting, and a fresh color scheme.
McRae’s arrived in 1997, taking over a large space that expanded the mall’s footprint.
Meanwhile, existing retailers were growing. JCPenney expanded into a former supermarket, and Sears added a second level, pushing its total space to 120,000 square feet.
Then came another shift. In 1998, Gayfers, one of Edgewater Mall’s original anchors, disappeared. The chain was absorbed by Dillard’s, which brought a new name but kept the same two-story retail space.
The mall was thriving, its stores were busy, and the parking lots were full. But along the Gulf, storms were always a threat.
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The storm surge rolled across Highway 90, slamming into Edgewater Mall.
Rebuilding After the Storm (2005-2017)
The water receded, but the damage remained. Hurricane Katrina had torn through Biloxi in August 2005, leaving Edgewater Mall battered.
The beachfront-facing stores were wrecked—flooded, gutted, and some barely standing.
Inside, ceilings had collapsed, storefronts shattered, and merchandise lay in waterlogged piles.
For weeks, the mall sat empty. Then, in late September, movement. Sears reopened on September 28, 2005, becoming the first store to come back.
The rest of the mall followed in waves, but progress was slow. Some retailers never returned.
Dillard’s hit hardest, sat vacant for nearly three years as insurance disputes dragged on.
Finally, in 2008, the company gutted the building, tore down a section added in the late 1980s, and rebuilt it.
The recovery stretched into the next decade. By 2010, Edgewater Mall was back in full operation, but retail was shifting.
The rise of e-commerce was starting to show. Foot traffic wasn’t what it used to be, and vacant spaces appeared where smaller stores had once thrived.
Sears, which had reopened so quickly after Katrina, struggled in the years that followed.
The retailer was closing locations nationwide, and in June 2017, Edgewater’s Sears was added to the list.
The store shut down in September, leaving anchor space empty.
Reinventing a Mall in the 21st Century (2018-2024)
The old Sears building didn’t stay empty for long. In November 2018, Premiere Cinemas moved in, bringing something Edgewater Mall hadn’t seen before—luxury moviegoing.
The space was transformed into an eight-screen megaplex, complete with a pizza pub.
The shift toward entertainment was a strategy. Malls were struggling across the country, and Edgewater was no exception.
Keeping stores filled meant adapting. In the late 2010s, the food court was modernized, new entrances were added, and common areas were updated.
Belk, which had taken over the old McRae’s spot, remained a steady presence, along with JCPenney and Dillard’s.
But retail trends kept shifting. More department stores downsized, more shoppers moved online, and mall vacancies climbed.
Infrastructure work on Beach Boulevard in 2023 and 2024 made access to the mall more difficult at times, adding another challenge.
Cruisin’ the Coast – When Edgewater Mall Becomes a Classic Car Haven
For one week every October, the steady hum of engines replaces the usual mall chatter.
The west-side parking lot at Edgewater Mall transforms into a makeshift showroom of polished chrome, candy-colored paint jobs, and the deep rumble of vintage muscle cars.
Cruisin’ the Coast isn’t just a car show—it’s a rolling festival, and Edgewater Mall is one of its busiest stops.
In 2024, the scene unfolded much like it had for years. Early in the morning, car enthusiasts arrived, easing their prized machines into rows that stretched across the lot.
By noon, the smell of grilled food drifted from vendor tents, mixing with the distant echoes of an oldies playlist.
Shoppers inside the mall caught glimpses of classic Corvettes and souped-up Camaros through the entrance doors.
Some stopped to watch, others walked out to join the crowds.
Live music pulsed from a stage set up outside. The retro sound matched the setting—a sea of cars built decades ago, their owners sharing stories of restoration projects and road trips long past.
Edgewater Mall had long been a key stop on the Cruisin’ the Coast circuit. Sitting just off Beach Boulevard, it easily pulled in crowds.
Spectators drifted through rows of classic cars, then slipped inside for a blast of cold air.
Outside, drivers wiped down their hoods, engines idling, waiting for the next wave of onlookers.
By late afternoon, the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the pavement.
The cars would move on soon, rolling toward another designated site along the coast.
But for a few days each year, Edgewater Mall wasn’t just a shopping center—it was part of something bigger.
Edgewater Mall in 2024-2025
A quiet Monday at Edgewater Mall turned chaotic when gunfire rang out near the property in February 2025.
Shoppers ducked, security scrambled, and within minutes, Biloxi police swarmed the area.
Witnesses pointed toward a fleeing car, which sparked a multi-city police chase across the Gulf Coast.
Behind the wheel was a 38-year-old man, a suspect now facing multiple charges, including discharging a firearm and failing to stop for law enforcement.
A different scene played out in April 2024. Instead of sirens and roadblocks, the mall was handing out 3,000 eclipse glasses to locals eager to watch the rare celestial event.
Families and visitors lined up at distribution plains, turning a shopping trip into an impromptu science lesson.
Edgewater Mall has always been a survivor. It has outlasted retail trends, economic shifts, and even Hurricane Katrina’s fury.
By early 2025, the mall is still in operation, spanning 840,000 square feet and having about 100 stores and services.
But the fight isn’t over. The question now isn’t how it has survived—it’s how much longer it can.
Malls across the country are vanishing, replaced by mixed-use developments, or left to decay.
Edgewater has dodged that fate—for now. But the retail world doesn’t slow down for nostalgia. Reinvention isn’t a choice. It’s the only way forward.