The interior of Santa Rosa Mall will close at the end of September as Radiant Partners advances plans to transform the 50-year-old shopping center into a mixed-use development, the company announced Monday.
- Radiant Partners, working with NBI Properties, said the closure represents “the most practical and forward-looking step” as progress continues toward reimagining the property into what it calls a vibrant, mixed-use redevelopment.
“This is an emotional but necessary milestone,” said a spokesperson for Radiant Partners. “We’re not just closing a chapter — we’re writing a new one, one that aims to create a connected, modern space for living, shopping, and gathering that reflects the future of Mary Esther and Okaloosa County.”
The mall has served the Mary Esther community for more than five decades, and Radiant Partners said it is committed to honoring the mall’s legacy through thoughtful redevelopment that builds on its historic significance.
While final plans are still being refined, the company’s vision for the property includes a dynamic redevelopment adjacent to Mary Esther Boulevard featuring a full-service grocery store, restaurants, retailers and diverse residential housing options to meet growing regional needs.
Several key businesses at Santa Rosa Mall will remain open during the transition, including:
- Surge Adventure Park
- Regal Cinemas
- Planet Fitness
- Wentz Bros. Festival of Fears
The company encouraged the community to continue supporting these establishments as redevelopment efforts move forward.
Radiant Partners said it remains committed to open communication with tenants, partners and community members throughout the process and will share more details as planning progresses.
The announcement continues Radiant Partners’ multi-year redevelopment of the mall property. In March, the company began partial demolition of the old Dillard’s building and former food court area.
- The firm previously completed Phase 1 of the Renaissance Santa Rosa Apartment complex in the former Belk section and has approval for a 206-unit Phase 2 development.
11 Responses
It’s so sad. That mall was once the business and community center of south Okaloosa County,
Christmastime especially. All we have left for shopping is Target, Walmart and Kohl’s. And Target and Kohl’s are having their own financial difficulties………………
I owned a store, Athletic on opening day in 1976. What an exciting time for the area.
Athletic Attic
Trader Joe’s please!!
What a disappointment to see this. If only the owners had chosen some better anchors, the mall might be able to stay open. My family and I will miss Crackers the MOST! Goodbye, Mr. and Mrs. B, you will be sorely missed and so will your food!
Will Planet Fitness have to close? Sad to see this..
Some of us like to shop in retail stores.
Need to remove U-Haul from the old Sears also! Only grocer I can see going in would be a neighborhood Walmart.
Where’s Crackers going??
I was there over 50 years ago for the grand opening of our Mall…no more driving to Pensacola to shop! Now we have to drive to Destin for quality shops! Why can’t we have a good department store here in FWB! All we get are more gas stations!
I came from Atlanta to manage the B. Dalton Bookseller in 1977-78. I moved back to Atlanta in early 1979 but returned to FWB regularly to visit friends and see my old store and former fellow employees. The last 2 years my wife (she worked at Sears before getting a teaching job at FWB High School) and I spent some time in Destin and made our usual pilgrimage to see our old house in FWB as well as visit the mall. We’d seen it decline over the years and were really saddened by that. Imagine our surprise when today we visited and saw that half of it has been demolished. I have good memories of working there and living in FWB. Unfortunately time marches on. Hopefully the new development will do justice to the area and those who experienced the mall will have fond memories of what it was like in its heyday.
Maybe could utilize temporarily as an indoor flea market ?