How Governor’s Square Mall in Clarksville continues to thrive amid change in Middle TN
Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle October 15, 2025
- Governor’s Square Mall continues to thrive and change with the times as many malls across Middle Tennessee find challenges competing with online shopping.
- “We believe very strongly in helping our shopping centers evolve with those times, evolve with the needs of the community,” said Bell Joe, Director of Corporate Communications at Cafaro Company.
- Community engagement and a multi-million dollar upgrade provide Governor’s Square Mall with what it needs to continue to move forward.
As online shopping continues to dominate, malls across the country are trying to stay relevant and keep up as stores close and the threat of malls becomes obsolete.
In Middle Tennessee, several malls have closed or been forced to reinvent themselves to stay current.
At Governor’s Square Mall, the answer is easy: provide a reason to come and invest in the community.
A new look
A few years ago, Governors Square Mall previous marketing director Thomas Locke was making a video for the mall’s social media when he noticed the mall hadn’t changed much from when the doors opened in 1986.
Locke, along with other mall leadership, began finding ways to update the mall, bringing it into the 2020s.
A couple of years and several meetings later, Governors Square Mall announced its multi-million dollar renovation plan.
Governor’s Square Mall has been a staple in the Clarksville community for decades after changing with the times. People stroll the mall on Oct. 7, 2025. Tony Centonze/Special to The Leaf-Chronicle
Joe Bell, Director of Corporate Communications at Cafaro Company, which owns Governor’s Square Mall, said questioning the malls are not new, but the company is committed to adapting with the times.
“People have been asking the question ‘are malls a thing of the past?’ for more than 15 years,” Bell said. “And it’s true, there are some shopping malls across America that are going out of business because they really didn’t keep up with the times. We believe very strongly in helping our shopping centers evolve with those times, evolve with the needs of the community.”
On the inside, gone were the carpets, lighting and signage that had been there for customers for a few decades. On the outside, customers and people passing by were welcomed with new landscaping, paving and an upgraded LED sign sitting on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard.
The changes didn’t stop there.
Governor’s Square welcomed new entertainment options, including the arrival of the “Eat, Drink, Play and Watch” entertainment destination, Dave & Busters opened its doors. A few months later, the former AMC Theatres underwent a $5 million renovation and reopened as Phoenix Theatres.
Along with entertainment, new retailers joined the mall, including Pandora and Bath and Body Works, both of which opened in the past few months.
Governor’s Square Mall is a success story in Clarksville, Tenn. As other malls across the country are failing, Clarksville’s mall is still drawing crowds. Denny Simmons/The Tennessean
Governor’s Square Mall has noticed the difference since adding entertainment with retailers.
Mall leadership has seen an increase in sales, foot traffic and time spent in the mall by adding reasons for consumers to be in the mall.
“The mall has become more than a place to purchase merchandise,” Bell said. “We want to create a place where people come to get a great meal or to be entertained. If they have a reason to stay a while longer, which benefits our merchants in the form of increased sales.”
Top spot for tourism
The changes seem to be working for visitors, too. Visit Clarksville named Governor’s Square Mall as the second most visited stop for tourism, coming right after Fort Campbell.
Governor’s Square Mall appears to be tackling the challenge of too many empty spaces after a store closes.
Of course, there are those few spots that can take a little longer to find a new tenant, but mall leadership works to make sure spaces are filled promptly.
“Our leasing team is always searching for those businesses that would create new interest among consumers and complement the retail mix already in place,” said Bell.
While stores do have a leasing term, a conversation about what’s next, or if a store will stay, helps fill the retail spaces in the mall that appeal to the community.
Joe Bell, Director of Corporate Communications at Cafaro company, highlights how Governor’s Square Mall continues to thrive by providing shoppers with a reason to visit and stay, despite the rise of online shopping. Provided by Cafaro Company
Beyond the physical upgrades and new tenants, mall leadership knows that a key to long-term success is also about connecting with the people who walk through the doors every day.
‘Being a part of the community,’ showcasing military heroes
For Governor’s Square Mall, it’s more than just stores; it’s about being a part of the community.
Part of the renovations include a Medal of Honor wall to honor the Fort Campbell heroes.
In August, Vietnam veteran and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Kenneth David visited the mall before heading to Fort Campbell, where he was inducted into the Medal of Honor Rotunda.
“We wanted to pay tribute to those warriors who trained locally and truly proved that they were the bravest of the brave,” Bell said.
But what’s a mall without shoppers being interested in what’s happening?
While visitors are walking the mall or going to their next stop, the mall leadership team has made it a point to be in the mall, interacting with visitors to hear their opinions on what’s working, what they like and what they’d like to see.
Additionally, the Governor’s Mall team are proactive in making sure voices are heard by people already inside the mall and by bringing more in for visibility.
This year, Governor’s Square Mall has hosted multiple events, from autism awareness and foster care to Black sororities and fraternities and charity fundraising.
“People are beginning to realize that Governor’s Square has a lot to offer, not just for shopping but as a destination they can make part of their everyday lives.” Bell said.
Events still to come
Governor’s Square Mall is partnering with the Montgomery County Community Advisory Board and Department of Children’s Services to host a Spookacular Costume contest on Oct. 18 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Children from infants to 17 years old are invited to wear their best costumes and join in the contest. The free event is open to the public, and all Clarksville families are encouraged to attend.
The Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 16th annual Home Show with more than 50 vendors with home-related products.
Santa makes his grand arrival from the North Pole on Nov. 1 for photos, festive fun and a chance for kids to share their holiday wishes.
Malls across Middle Tennessee
Several malls across Middle Tennessee have had to learn to evolve with the times or have closed down.
Goodlettsville’s Rivergate Mall has become the next mall in Middle Tennessee to reinvent itself as a deal has been made to redevelop the 57-acre site.
According to an economic impact plan, the redevelopment could bring upwards of $4.6 million in tax revenue every year for Davidson County.
“We can take the lessons we’ve learned from the Global Mall redevelopment in Antioch and the Bellevue mall to revitalize another space that is no longer serving the community well,” said Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell in a release. “With a development partner in place, we can reimagine this space to be a community asset that brings neighbors together and enlivens the neighborhood.”
Hickory Hollow Mall was once a booming mall in Antioch before closing its doors in 2012 and becoming Global Mall. In 2024, demolition for the interior of the mall was set after Nashville bought it with plans for redevelopment.
The Bellevue mall in Nashville, which first opened its doors in 1990, closed its doors in 2008 and was demolished in 2015. A few years later, One Bellevue Place, a $268 million development, opened at the site in West Nashville.
In October 1967, One Hundred Oaks Mall opened its doors with J.C. Penney, Jaccard’s, Giant Foods of America, Harveys, Woolco and more. In 1995, One Hundred Oaks Mall was renovated into an outlet before Vanderbilt University Medical Center leased more than half the mall in 2007.
After years of declining stores and visitors, the Columbia mall was demolished and plans to rebuild began. The site was then sold to Nashville-based Highland Capital in December 2024.
Plans include an Ulta cosmetics, Wing Stop restaurant, an America’s Best eyewear store, Bath & Body Works and Tropical Smoothie Cafe went in front of the Columbia Planning Commission in April, revitalizing the space that once held the mall.
In Murfreesboro, the Stones River Town Centre has struggled with store closures, while bringing entertainment.
In November 2024, Dillard‘s announced it would be closing its doors for good. On the other side of the mall, AMC Theatres and the Strike and Spare bowling center moved into the space that was once Sears and AMC Theatres.
Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. Story ideas and tips are always welcome and can be sent to kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com.