compiled by erin thursby, kellie abrahamson, debbie ricks, hilary johnson, morgan henley and rick grant
There are tons of places to shop in our enormous city. Last week, we provided a guide to some of the area’s most popular locally owned shops, but this week we thought we’d focus on the more traditional avenues, places like the Avenues Mall. Of course everyone is talking about Town Center, so we have included them, and there are plenty of spots we didn’t have the room to cover, like the outlet malls in St. Augustine, but we did our best to let you know what you can expect from the area shopping malls within the city limits of Jacksonville (and even a little into Clay County) so dig in and get shopping. Tis the season for maxing out credit cards, so shop away!
The Avenues Mall is a great mall for a rainy day! I am sure that’s exactly what they don’t want to hear people saying about them, with the new outdoor mall taking a lot of the glitz and glam away. But honestly, it’s a great indoor mall. It offers many wonderful shopping opportunities, many of which, can’t be found anywhere else in Jacksonville. And if you’re looking for gifts, this is a great place to go.
Delias, typically known for its catalogue and not for its store, has made a home at the Avenues. They offer a huge selection of edgy T-shirts for the teenagers (or those of us still young at heart) among other nifty items.
The Avenues Mall offers such a wide array of stores to choose from that it’s absolutely impossible to go there and not find something worth giving (or getting). Plus, when the weather isn’t right, they’ve got a great covered parking lot. Just expect a small wait for those choice parking spots and you will be good to go!
A forgotten favorite for many, this mall is a very viable and unique option in your holiday shopping endeavors. Regency Square is the place to go for the hottest sneakers, the cheapest trendy clothes and has the best Old Navy in the city proper. The parking is a relief compared to the St. John’s Town Center and its one story structure is also a benefit.
If you’re looking for sneakers that every average Joe doesn’t have, Regency is at your aid. The Finish Line, Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, World Foot Locker, Champs, Footaction, Journey’s and Underground Station are all bound to offer you some sort of tennis shoe you are interested in. Although the shoe stores are spread from one end of the mall to the other, it is worth your while to check out all of them.
The Finish Line and World Foot Locker normally have a very nice sale selection, offering many styles at very low prices. If you’re the casual sneaker wearer or the first in line for the latest Nikes, Regency is the place to go. Another major appeal of the Regency Square Mall is its various stores that cater to the young and trendy. The popular chains Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe offer stylish and casual clothes that are known for normally lasting as long as the trend it emulates; not very. But at such low prices, this is not a problem for those looking for something stylish to wear for a season. These stores are also complemented by the various women’s shoe stores around the mall that feature cheap trendy shoes.
The Old Navy at the Regency Square Mall can’t be beat. It’s much larger than the St. John’s Town Center store and is way more convenient than the one at the River City Marketplace. It’s a one-stop shop for the family, with offerings for young, old, male, female, and canine. The sale section is normally a little unkempt, but is worth while to browse through on the way to the dressing room. Old Navy also offers almost any clothing one would need, sleepwear, casual wear, business wear, and outerwear.
The region’s newest “lifestyle-oriented town center mall,” River City Marketplace opened last year, off I-95 on the Northside near the Airport and near a proposed Commuter Rail Stop that will ferry people from Downtown Jacksonville to the Northside and Airport. Developer Rambo-Gershenson Properties Trust boosts a portfolio including 84 shopping centers throughout the United States. Rambo-Gershenson won a Master Planning Award from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association for its River City Marketplace design.
Phase I includes large retail chains – Michael’s, Old Navy, Super Wal-Mart, PetSmart, Lowe’s, Office Max, and Circuit City. Like the St. Johns Town Center, the River City Marketplace is set up with a main street shopping area with walkable streets, a traditional power center, and upscale restaurants. The Center serves the Northside quadrant, Amelia Island, and Nassau County residents.
Those seeking the center of the upscale-big brand shopping universe here in Jacksonville should be shopping at the St. Johns Town Center, especially since the oh-so high-end stores of Phase II have opened.
Ladies, it’s time to start hinting about that Coach or Louis Vuitton bag you’ve always wanted. It’s all right there in Phase II. If you’re fan of Betsey Johnson, it’s time to start mentioning that they offer gift certificates. Men who like magnets and lodestones, head over to Sharper Image. Spouses and girlfriends, pay attention to what gadgets they’ve had their eye on.
So far my favorite store in the Town Center this holiday season has been Urban Outfitters, a hip but well priced store in the new Phase. You’ll find stuff there you won’t find anywhere else—a screen printer, books on cooking with Mary Jay, nostalgic coffee table books featuring Audrey Hepburn, kitschy-but-cool ornaments, nifty jewelry, graphic art and fisheye cameras. It’s a gifting bonanza!
Another new store worth checking out, for your stocking stuffer needs and beyond, is Mori Luggage. While they do carry full sets of well appointed luggage, it’s the other items that might catch your eye, such as their Monte Blanc pens (they sell refills as well), a table top billiards table, a marshmallow roaster and other unique items. The strangest was a minute teddy bear seated at a piano. He comes with a hat rack filled with various hats. Each hat you place on the bear’s head causes him to play a different song.
If you’ve only been as far as the DSW or the PetsMart in the Town Center, then you’re missing a whole other section: St. John’s Town Center North, which is made up of mostly local retailers. Anchors in this lot include Publix and Total Wine & More. Most of the places in this section of the Town Center aren’t part of a franchise or a chain, despite the presence of a Publix and yet another Starbucks.
The majority of the stores are like Villa Vita, a longtime retailer in the San Marco area, which relocated to the Town Center. The store sells home décor items, among other things, most of which come from Italy. From beautiful Salvati handblown Venetian glass, to Vietri pottery, the store has plenty of items to give your home rich Italian flair. They sell high-end espresso machines, as well as small gift items, such as whimsical wine cork stoppers. I love their Italian glass jewelry. They also sell Vatican jewelry. Each year artists are allowed to take a limited peak into the Vatican’s treasures. The artists copy the precious jewelry and bric-a-brac in costume jewelry form. It’s a great gift for the kids to get Grandma or Mom, because they’re so reasonably priced.
Villa Vita is just one of 10 local boutique style stores in the Town Center that are run and owned by Jacksonville women. Serendipity, another local retailer, sells all sorts of gift worthy items such as Jim Shore figures, small prints by local artists and paper goods. I bought four of their hand-painted tiny martini glass ornaments as a gift. The Town Center North fits the needs of moms and moms-to-be with a maternity clothing store called Incognito, a kid/baby furniture store named Baby Emma and a children’s clothing boutique called Kyds.
St. John’s Town Center North is the 4th light down on the Town Center Road.
Although not sexy or new, Argyle is a small hub of stores just inside of Orange Park where Blanding meets I-295. Stores include Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Micheal’s, TJ Max, Jo Ann’s arts and crafts, Babies R Us, Sun Gallery Tanning, Merle Norman, and Beauty Outlet, a full service salon. There is also some good shopping across Blanding from the Argyle Village. The traffic can get nasty, but there is plenty of parking and it’s still better than the traffic around the Orange Park Mall.
The newest shopping center in town is designed much like St. Johns Town Center and River City Marketplace. Most of the shops are still under construction. Stores open and ready for business are Kohls, Home Depot, Target and Famous Foot Wear.
The Orange Park Mall, located on the corner of Wells Road and Blanding Boulevard, is like any other suburban shopping arena you may come across. The usual big-name department stores stand proudly at each end and a 400-seat food court serves mall food somewhere in the middle. In between, stores like American Eagle Outfitters and Bath & Body Works have stood the test of time while chains like Aeropostale are just now taking hold.
While Core used to rule the day, now Hot Topic is the big draw for teens looking to buy band shirts. NASCAR fans can get the latest apparel, fridge magnets, beer coozies, clocks, parking signs, and mugs at RiverCity RaceFans while those who prefer the NFL can go buy a new jersey at Football Fanatics. Prefer something sparkly? Over a dozen jewelry stores, from Claire’s to Kay, found throughout the floor plan. The only toy store in the Orange Park Mall is Animal Factory, but children’s apparel can be found at GapKids, Old Navy and The Children’s Place. A nice, but usually crowded play area is a good place for kids to unwind after a long day of shopping. The mall also features an AMC 24, in case Mom and Dad need a time out from checking out too.
The Orange Park Mall has all the standard offerings you might expect and one or two unique stores to explore. Still, with over 120 shops, this classic shopping destination is bound to keep you busy for at least an afternoon, two if you walk really slow.
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