The Beginning: Myrtle Beach Mall Opens
Myrtle Beach Mall opened in 1986 as Briarcliffe Mall, developed by Shopco Advisory Group at 10177 North Kings Highway in Briarcliffe Acres. The center had 523,400 square feet.
The mall debuted as the region's second enclosed shopping center, following Myrtle Square Mall, with Belk, Kmart, and JCPenney serving as its anchor tenants.
Built near the interchange of Highway 22 and Highway 17, the climate-controlled concourse drew both residents and tourists into one of the new things to do in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Inside, the layout followed the standard enclosed mall design of the 1980s. Belk's department store stood at one end, Kmart at another, with JCPenney filling between them.
Inline tenants filled the connecting hallways, providing national retailers alongside smaller regional shops.
Early tenants included chain clothing stores, card shops, and specialty retailers that reflected the mall's mid-1980s opening roster.
From the start, Briarcliffe Mall offered year-round shopping in a resort market that had previously leaned on strip plazas.
Myrtle Square Mall, built in the 1970s, remained active, but Briarcliffe added a second option.
Its scale and new anchors meant that by the late 1980s, Horry County residents and visitors were splitting trips between the two enclosed centers.
The location at the N Kings Highway corridor tied the property directly to tourist routes, ensuring steady traffic through its early years.
By the close of the decade, Briarcliffe Mall had settled into its role as a retail hub with three national department store anchors and dozens of supporting tenants.
Early Expansion and Changing Anchors (1990s)
By the early 1990s, Briarcliffe Mall had begun adjusting its layout to meet new retail demands. The most notable change came in 1994, when a second Belk was added.
Known as Belk North, the 57,600 square foot store was built because the first Belk was unable to expand in its existing footprint.
The new location allowed the chain to separate departments between two anchors within the same enclosed mall.
The addition of Belk North gave the center four anchors operating at once: Belk East, JCPenney, Kmart, and the new Belk North.
Each carried a different mix of merchandise, and together they increased the draw of the property compared with its original lineup from 1986.
Few enclosed malls of its size housed two full anchors from the same department store brand, making Briarcliffe Mall stand out in the Grand Strand market.
During the same decade, the mall's smaller store base shifted as new tenants filled available inline spaces.
Retailers like Foot Locker, Bath & Body Works, and Hallmark established presences, offering categories that department stores did not cover.
These stores, alongside local businesses, created variety for customers who came from across Horry County and surrounding coastal towns.
By the late 1990s, Briarcliffe Mall had solidified itself as a stop on Highway 17 shopping trips.
The Arrival of Bass Pro Shops (2004–2006)
In 2004, Briarcliffe Mall underwent one of its largest changes when Kmart, an original anchor, was demolished.
The vacant space cleared the way for Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, which opened that year as the first and only Bass Pro Shops location in South Carolina.
At 108,000 square feet, the new store quickly became a steady draw for both residents and vacationers.
The presence of Bass Pro Shops reshaped the mall's retail mix.
Its hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear appealed to a broad customer base, pulling traffic from across the Grand Strand.
The arrival also gave the property a fresh identity at a time when enclosed centers in the region were beginning to face pressure from newer formats.
The entertainment side of the mall also shifted during this period. Briarcliff Cinemas, a smaller theater located behind the main building, closed on August 18, 2005.
The closure was followed by the demolition of the old theater structure.
In its place, construction began on a larger movie complex that would carry the name Colonial Cinemas 12. By spring 2006, the new theater opened to the public.
With twelve screens and updated facilities, it offered a modern replacement for the single-site cinema that had served shoppers for nearly two decades.
The pairing of Bass Pro Shops and Colonial Cinemas gave the mall new anchors on both the retail and entertainment fronts.
Ownership Changes and Rebranding (2007–2013)
In July 2007, Jones Lang LaSalle bought the mall from Colonial Properties Trust. The purchase ended Colonial's twenty-one-year run as owner and manager.
Soon after, the property was renamed Myrtle Beach Mall, dropping the Briarcliffe and Colonial titles it had carried since opening.
The new branding rolled out quickly on building signs and in advertising. It was meant to tie the center to Myrtle Beach itself, even as competition shifted around it.
Just three years earlier, Coastal Grand Mall had opened with over one million square feet of retail space, giving national chains a newer and larger option in the same market.
Through this period, the anchor stores stayed in place. Belk North, Belk East, JCPenney, and Bass Pro Shops remained the strongest draws.
The Colonial Cinemas 12, which had opened in 2006, still carried its original name under the new ownership.
Smaller tenants changed more often. By the early 2010s, fewer than 40 inline stores were left, showing the effect of steady turnover even as the anchors continued to keep the mall active.
New Owners and Redevelopment Proposals (2014–2019)
On May 17, 2014, Myrtle Beach Mall was purchased by Peak Financial Partners and Msuma Holdings Corp for $45 million.
The sale transferred ownership from Jones Lang LaSalle, which had managed the property since 2007.
With the new acquisition, the investment firms announced plans to reposition the aging shopping center.
By May 22, 2014, the owners disclosed that architects had already drawn up redevelopment concepts.
Early reports described a phased approach, beginning with a redesigned food court.
Plans also called for altering the central concourse, updating the theater area, and reworking the front façade to create a more open and inviting layout.
The broader vision for the project was branded as The District. Renderings showed ideas for an outdoor courtyard, restaurants with exterior entrances, and improved access to nearby waterways.
Mixed-use elements, such as hotel space and residential units, were included in some proposals.
Anchors like Belk, Bass Pro Shops, JCPenney, and Colonial Cinemas 12 were expected to remain part of the redevelopment.
In 2017, Colonial Cinemas 12 was rebranded as AMC Colonial Mall 12. Between 2014 and 2019, no large-scale demolition or new construction was completed inside the mall.
Closures and Transition (2020–2023)
On January 17, 2020, it was announced that JCPenney would close its Myrtle Beach Mall store as part of a national downsizing plan affecting six locations.
The 50,500 square foot anchor shut its doors on July 26, 2020, leaving the property with four anchors instead of five.
Its closure created one of the largest vacancies in the building since the demolition of Kmart more than a decade earlier.
The loss of JCPenney came at a time when the retail sector was already strained. Anchors continued to trade, but the shrinking list of smaller shops altered the mall's overall mix.
Between 2020 and 2023, Myrtle Beach Mall operated without major redevelopment.
The vacant JCPenney space was later used as Overstock Furniture, while national chains avoided opening new stores in the center.
Local businesses, including specialty shops and smaller independents, occupied some inline units.
Still, the overall footprint of the mall remained underused. These transitional years left the property waiting for the next step in its redevelopment cycle.
Demolition and Downtown Flavortown (2024–2025)
On October 29, 2024, FACE Amusement Group announced that Guy Fieri's Downtown Flavortown would expand into the Myrtle Beach Mall.
The concept, already known in other markets for combining dining with arcade-style entertainment, was planned for the former JCPenney anchor space that had been vacant since 2020.
Renderings showed a large-scale restaurant paired with games and attractions, signaling a change from traditional retail use.
Demolition of the old JCPenney building began on February 14, 2025, clearing the way for Downtown Flavortown.
By February 20, 2025, local reports confirmed that the site preparation was underway. However, no opening date had been given for the new restaurant.
In 2025, Myrtle Beach Mall feels pulled in two directions. Belk, Bass Pro Shops, AMC theater, and the arcade still generate traffic, and those wings of the property remain in use.
But once you move away from the anchors, the mood shifts. Corridors are lined with empty storefronts, and much of the floor space sits quietly.
The contrast makes the mall feel unbalanced - part functioning center, part shell of what it used to be.