Starbucks, AutoZone and Public Storage are coming to Southland Mall in Whitehaven

Public Storage, Starbucks and AutoZone are coming to Southland Mall.

Public Storage is expected to open Aug. 1, while Starbucks and AutoZone are expected to open in early 2023.

Global Building, LLC purchased the Sears building at Southland Mall to convert it to a Public Storage self-storage facility. The Shopping Mall Group is the commercial real estate agency developing the abandoned Sears Auto Center at the corner of East Shelby Drive and Elvis Presley Boulevard and building a Starbucks and AutoZone in its place.

"You have a tremendous traffic count on both Shelby Drive and Elvis Presley Boulevard. All those things go well for corporate interests in the Whitehaven area," said Shawn Massey, partner at The Shopping Center Group. "We finally have got people that are looking at Whitehaven. Let's tear stuff down. Let's build new."

Massey said the reason why international chains haven't been building is because of a lack of infrastructure.

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"There's always the opinion that retailers don't want to go to these communities," Massey said. "These retailers would love to come to this community and many other communities in the inner-city, but they need new property or property that is developed around other new users. They can't just fit in next to a dilapidated building that's owned by some somebody who's not taking care of the properties. They have an image that they have to maintain."

But he hopes that will change with the new developments.

The busy intersection of East Shelby Drive and Elvis Presley Boulevard is also expected to see some infrastructural improvements under the Memphis 3.0 Comprehensive Plan.

"The residents of Whitehaven are starting to get what people in Germantown and Collierville and Cordova and Arlington and Lakeland are seeing. They're getting those same type retailers," Massey said. "Whitehaven 36 months from now is gonna be very different than it was."

Joe Zummo, president of Global Building, LLC — developers of the Public Storage project, credits their interest in the property to a redevelopment and an increase of multifamily homes.

"It just looks like the Memphis area overall is going through a revitalization right now," Zummo said.

When the Mid-South's first enclosed mall opened in the 1960s, it was home to major anchor department stores including Macy's and Sears, both of which shuttered in the last decade, leaving more than 30,000 square feet vacant. The Mid-South's first enclosed mall will soon be home to some familiar stores.

The mall, operating at 66% occupancy, is home to many independently owned stores. Muhammad Awad, manager of iCON clothing store in the mall, has operated the store for nine years and said the bigger stores, like Macy's and Sears allowed his store to benefit from foot traffic. Now, he's hoping the Starbucks will do the same.

"It will get better," Awad said about business coming back into the mall. "They're going to bring good business, and they're gonna bring good companies here. The mall is going to get better."

Residents have been concerned about the appearance and condition of the mall.

"It pains me to drive by Southland Mall and see the condition it's in. No lights. Trash everywhere..." Jason Sharif, executive director of Respect the Haven Community Development Corporation, said in a Facebook post. The site is a frequent spot for community clean-ups because of trash accumulation in the area.

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Sharif said he's excited about the hundreds of jobs the new businesses will bring to the community. He hopes the new businesses will boost community pride and incentivize residents and landowners alike to "make sure that these businesses come and stay and prosper." He also hopes the businesses will attract more national chains to the area.

Mike Harris, Greater Whitehaven Economic Redevelopment Corporation executive director, has been working with developers to ensure the businesses meet the needs of the community.

"I'm super excited to see it's getting as far along as it is... This time last year, we were doing interviews and segments about the blighted property at the Southland Mall," Harris said about the new construction at the site. "Just to see that movement is phenomenal, and I think it speaks to that momentum that we've been saying was happening in Whitehaven. This is just a clear, tangible example of that momentum."

Astrid Kayembe covers South Memphis, Whitehaven and Westwood. She can be reached at astrid.kayembe@commercialappeal.com, (901) 304-7929 or on Twitter @astridkayembe_.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Starbucks, AutoZone, Public Storage coming to Southland Mall