[2] The anchor stores are Burlington, SuperNova Furniture, America Cinemas, La Sorella, Gold Factory & Imports, and Clarewood Supermercado.
[4][5] A 1970 Houston Chronicle article stated that Frank Sharp decided not to delay the opening; therefore the morale of Houstonians would be increased.
[citation needed] Early on, transportation concerns became a threat to the mall's success, and consequently Frank Sharp decided to donate a 300 ft (91 m)[6] wide strip of land to build the Southwest Freeway (Interstate 69/U.S.
These developments included countless new apartment complexes home to young professionals in Houston's energy industry, residential developments as far south as Missouri City, the construction of Houston Baptist University, Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, numerous car dealerships, and a new studio complex for the city's NBC television affiliate, KPRC-TV and its sister radio station KPRC-AM.
[citation needed] While the Galleria was unique in its strong focus on upscale retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Westwood was a more direct competitor to Sharpstown with anchor stores Joske's and Sears, which complemented Sharpstown's aforementioned anchors, and a closer location to rapidly growing Fort Bend County, home to a growing base of upper-middle class suburban shoppers.
[9] In 1993, the mall underwent a $50 million renovation,[5] with the largest addition being a new ten-screen Cineplex Odeon movie theater.
The mall's decline began as many of the nearby apartment complexes, once dominated by young professionals and single adults, became notorious as residential arrangements for low-income dwellers, which in turn resulted in an increase in criminal activity.
Tom Estus, a shopping center broker of the Shelby/Estus Realty Group, said "It's a classic case of being passed up by newer, better malls.
Finally, Sharpstown also had to compete with a redeveloped Meyerland Plaza, whose remodeled JCPenney location would serve as an anchor for the reborn shopping center.
[12] In addition to the loss of businesses and customers to the Sugar Land area, further compounded by many big box retailers opening new locations in and around said area,[4] such aforementioned big box stores as well as discounters including Walmart and Target have grown on the loyalties of customers who used to frequent shopping malls.
Burlington Coat Factory would move from an adjacent shopping center to fill the former Montgomery Ward space.
[15] On December 28, 2007, Macy's announced that it would close its location in Sharpstown, the last remaining original anchor from the mall's 1961 opening.
[21] The property would include an 83,000 square feet (7,700 m2) "mercado" (marketplace) that would have many smaller businesses, a large family lounge, live entertainment stages, and a children's play area.
[23] But on December 21, 2018, Houston-based Baker Katz LLC, would purchase the main portion of the mall,[24] as the anchors have different owners.