Big Changes For Spencer’s As They Leave The Central Mall Behind

Another store has parted ways from the old mall in downtown Lawton, Oklahoma and instead set up shop on the west side of town at 2136 SW 82nd Street. Instead of the small outlet spot that they once had for around 17 years, Spencer's now has an entire building dedicated to, well... Spencer's stuff.

Store Manager Megan Robinson told us that the move seemed to be the best choice for the store overall. "It was a bigger location that had more business opportunity," she said.

With the new location being so much larger, they were able to expand their stock of "pretty much everything they already had," Robinson said.

When Spencer's opened in 2008, it was located in what was previously known as the Central Mall in Lawton.

Spencer's was one of several businesses that kept the mall alive, giving families and teenagers a place to hang out and spend their allowances.

Now, only a handful of businesses are left and some speculate that mall will never see the same success it once did years ago.

Mixed reviews about the mall losing yet again another business.

Some Lawtonians have been sharing the news about Spencer's moving and most are not surprised that the mall has lost yet another business. But one comment in particular piqued our interest, from Anonymous Participant 427, saying:

"The plan is for FISTA to have the majority of the "mall". The only vendors left will be ones that the people working at FISTA might need, like food places. There will never be a "mall" in that location again. As their leases come to an end, the city isn't offering them the option to renew or are increasing the new rental fee to an extraordinary amount. FISTA now has the Old Navy, the space behind Old Navy, Jewelry Exchange and, of course, the old Sears."

Since many folks weren't sure what the future plans for the Central Plaza were, we reached out to property managers for a response regarding the comment above. Unfortunately, we have not yet heard back from them.

What is FISTA and how do they affect the only mall in southwest Oklahoma?

FISTA stands for Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator. The United States Army was able to transform parts of the Central Mall into the perfect space for "supporting the warfighter and empowering partners in the aerospace, defense, and related industries," according to their website.

Since FISTA was built into the mall, several of the old stores have been renovated into office spaces and rooms dedicated to the FISTA purpose.

So maybe there could be some truth to the comment above? As soon as we hear back, we'll have an updated post to follow.

Get our free mobile app