SANFORD, Fla. — The Seminole Towne Center Mall, a long-standing retail destination in Seminole County, is set to close its doors at the end of the month. 

What You Need To Know

  • Seminole Towne Center Mall will close at the end of the month after a deal with the Gilbane Company fell through

  • Many tenants, like Locksmith Escape Games, are being forced to vacate

  • The site will be transformed into a mixed-use development featuring a boutique movie theater, hotel, retail, restaurants, recreational spaces, and residential components, with major anchors like JCPenney and Dillard’s remaining open

The closure comes after a deal with a new developer Gilbane Company fell through, leaving the property in limbo until new ownership is finalized in the coming months.

The announcement has left store owners scrambling to make decisions about their future. Amir Nazari, owner of Locksmith Escape Games, says he was only informed of the closure this week.

“This was my first business,” Nazari said. “We started as a family, and we’re ending it as a family. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Nazari opened his escape room business at the mall five years ago, inspired by his background as a programmer and his work developing escape room software for another company in Orlando. However, the declining foot traffic at the mall, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, made it difficult for businesses to thrive.

“It did come as quite a shock to us,” Nazari said. “Financially, we took on a lot of risks. Relocating at this time just isn’t feasible.”

City officials have expressed optimism about the mall’s future, with plans for redevelopment already in the works. Brady Lessard, Sanford’s Economic Development Director, emphasized the significance of this transformation.

“This revitalization was due 10 years ago,” Lessard said. “We’re going to make it happen this year.”

Plans for the site include a boutique movie theater, a hotel, restaurants, retail, and recreational spaces, as well as a residential component. Major anchors like JC Penney, Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Elevate will remain open and are expected to be part of the redevelopment effort.

However, to make way for these changes, interior tenants must vacate the premises by the end of the month. While some businesses are relocating nearby, others, like Nazari’s, are closing for good.

In the short term, the mall’s interior will be emptied as a condition of the upcoming sale. New signage is expected to go up within two months, signaling the start of the long-awaited redevelopment process.

Attempts to reach the current owner for comment were unsuccessful.