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Mall has $60-million makeover

By MARK ALBRIGHT
Published March 1, 2007

Brandon Westfield mall
	[Westfield Brandon (westfield.com/brandon)]

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Skip O'Rourke] Last-minute touches were taking place Wednesday for the opening of 13 retailers today in the new wing of Westfield Brandon. When all is complete, the mall will have 160 stores, up from 136. It will be the area's sixth-largest mall.

Westfield Brandon, a 12-year-old regional mall at I-75 and State Road 60, opens a 150,000-square-foot wing with 13 stores today. And more grand openings will follow.

What's new?

Stores in the mall's new wing include mall newcomers Coldwater Creek, Sephora and Swarovski. Part of a $60-million upgrade, the new stores will get more company with the grand openings of Dick's Sporting Goods on March 16, Books-a-Million April15 and Cheesecake Factory April23.

More news to come

Mall officials said they are close to deals for most of the remaining space, including two more signature sit-down restaurants. Last month, Panera Bread took over a space vacated last year by American Cafe. When it's all done, the mall will have 160 stores, up from 136, and cover 1.1-million square feet, just a tad smaller than all five of its larger Tampa Bay area rivals.

'More upmarket'

New Westfield Brandon tenants disclosed Wednesday were Lucky Brand Jeans, White House/Black Market, Gymboree, Abercrombie and Crush Tan Spa. "We're taking the property more upmarket to reflect the changing demographics of Brandon, but we will remain a family mall," said mall general manager Dave Hibberd. Westfield Brandon ranked in the top tier of bay area malls with sales of $525 per square foot in 2006.

[Last modified March 1, 2007, 06:28:51]