Steeplegate Mall interior shops to close next month; 'exciting potential project' planned
Feb. 16—CONCORD — The owner of the Steeplegate Mall says an "exciting potential project" will force the mall's remaining interior shops to close by the end of March.
The shops closing include The Jeweler's Workbench, Mountain Goods, The Arch and Threading Spa, Wireless Zone and Blue Sky Hair Studio, according to a statement from New York-based Namdar Realty Group, which bought the mall in 2016.
"Steeplegate Mall is at a crucial crossroads in its lifecycle, and management did recently ultimately make the decision to close its interiors in pursuit of an exciting potential project that would include the space currently leased to in-line tenants," said Jelson Santos, director of operations at Namdar Realty Group in the statement.
The stores with exterior entrances will continue to operate, including Altitude Trampoline Park, Chinos, Hatbox Theatre, Talbots and Zoo Health Gym.
JCPenney is the mall's only traditional anchor store. The Sears store closed in 2020 and the space remains vacant.
Santos would not disclose the plans Tuesday evening. No plans have been submitted to the city, according to City Planner Heather Shank.
Gregg Mezzapelle, who has owned and operated The Jewelers Workbench for 15 years, said he had not received any notices as of Tuesday afternoon. He said he planned to stay.
"I've built a very good clientele base and I make a living here," he said.
Andrew Pinard had been wondering what to do with Hatbox Theatre after he was told to vacate its performance space in the former Coldwater Creek women's apparel store.
But by Tuesday afternoon, Namdar Realty Group rescinded the notice, allowing the rest of the season to continue because of its location with exterior access. A new agreement will likely be rewritten with more than 30 days notice to vacate, Pinard said.
The 100-seat theater opened in 2016.
Pinard, founder of the theater, said he is cautiously optimistic about its future in the space.
"We've accomplished really great things," he said. "This space has been a wonderful place to build community and to bring people together."
The theater does, however, need to vacate 2,327 square feet of storage and rehearsal space formerly occupied by Radio Shack.
The Capital City Charter School closed last year and Bath & Body Works closed a few weeks ago.
Pinard used to keep track of the businesses that closed in the mall, now "the easiest thing to do is count how many are left."
During a walk through the mall to the Hatbox rehearsal space, Pinard listed off many of the closed stores: Dress Barn, rue21, Charlotte Russe, Spencer's Gifts and Payless Shoesource. The food court, a staple of most malls, is completely closed.
About a dozen people used the mall as a walking track Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm surprised it's still here," said Lori Gagne of Pembroke, who has walked at the mall on cold days for the past year. As for the closings, "it was gradual. It was one store after the next," she said.
Merrie Warren of Concord stopped by Mezzapelle's shop to get some work done on a necklace.
"It is empty," she said of the mall. "I shop at Penney's, but not very many other places because there is nowhere else to shop."
Hatbox Theatre received money from the shuttered venue operator grant and has found success even during the pandemic. Its three-week run of "Holmes and Watson" was one of the most successful ever.
"Every year since we opened was our best year up until the pandemic hit," Pinard said.
Recently, the theater invested $10,000 to upgrade its air and filtration systems.
The theater had been thinking about opening a second location in the mall for comedy and other non-theater shows.
Pinard said many people have "beat down" the mall over the years.
"We were a shining example of what could be done by repurposing a space like this," he said.
The mall opened in 1990.
