Decline
The JCPenney, when open, was a 207,000-square-foot (19,200 m2), two-story store. JCPenney converted to an outlet store format in October 1998, but closed in January 2001 due to falling sales. Dillard's closed its Randall Park Mall Store in 2002, shortly after, but not related to an incident in which a suspected shoplifter died from injuries related to his apprehension within the store after being released from the hospital. During the incident, an off-duty police officer who was moonlighting as a security guard apprehended a suspected shoplifter and injured him. The suspected shoplifter was treated in a hospital for injuries from the incident and later died after he was released . By 2003, about half the mall remained vacant, including the former Dillard's and JCPenney. In June 2007, it was announced that Cleveland-based trade school Ohio Technical College would acquire more than 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of space at the mall. The school's Power Sports Institute would occupy the former JCPenney and Firestone Complete Auto Care areas. Macy's shuttered its Randall Park Mall store in February 2008 due to poor sales.
On May 21, 2008, North Randall mayor David Smith announced that Whichard Real Estate had decided to close the mall by June 12, 2008. The few dozen small stores inside the sprawling, mostly empty mall had until June 12 to close or move into empty storefronts on nearby roads. Burlington Coat Factory and Sears, which could be accessed from outside the mall, would stay open, as would the movie theater and Ohio Technical College's PowerSport Institute.
County records showed the company owed more than $200,000 in unpaid property taxes and had taken out multiple mortgages on the mall. On June 5, 2008, it was announced that Randall Park Mall was being sold for an undisclosed sum to United Church Builders. The deal was expected to be finalized in the next 30 to 90 days. Ken Geis, CEO of UCB, felt it could be best suited for housing, education, research, and medical operations. As of May, 2009, UCB had not finalized the deal for the mall.
On February 26, 2009, Sears announced that it would close its Randall Park location, as part of an effort to close 24 underperfoming Sears and Kmart locations across the country. This would be the last traditional anchor store to shutter its location at Randall Park. The store's last day of business was Sunday, June 14, 2009.
The last of the remaining small inside stores closed or moved out in March, 2009, leaving the mall empty aside from Burlington Coat Factory, Ohio Technical College's satellite campus, and Furniture Mattress Liquidators, all of which have direct external access. All power to the mall was turned off in May, 2009.
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