Orange Park Mall cut the ribbon Tuesday on a new brand identity and a round of interior upgrades, marking 51 years since the Wells Road shopping center first opened its doors.

General Manager Randy Bowman and Clay County Chamber of Commerce President Jon Cantrell led the ceremony outside the food court entrance at 1910 Wells Road, where mall staff, business partners and community members gathered, News4Jax reported.

New logo, fresh paint and brighter lighting

The centerpiece is a redesigned logo that updates the mall's longtime orange-tree icon with a green, orange and blue color palette. New signage carrying the logo is already up throughout the center.

Inside, the changes are physical. Fresh paint and new LED lighting brighten the common areas. The food court has new seating, replacing what Bowman called dated furniture.

"When you walk in, it feels bigger and brighter, more friendly," Bowman said at the ceremony.

A year after a $60.5 million sale

The refresh comes roughly a year after Boca Raton-based Second Horizon Capital purchased the 950,000-square-foot mall for $60.5 million in August 2025, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. Second Horizon, which describes itself as an investment firm that buys and upgrades neglected shopping centers, handles ownership, while CBRE manages leasing and day-to-day operations.

The mall opened Sept. 24, 1975, with Sears as one of its original anchors. It now houses more than 120 national and local retailers, a 24-screen AMC movie theater and more than 20 eateries.

Cantrell said the mall's performance is notable at a time when shopping centers nationwide are struggling. "It's just crazy how well they're doing," he said. "They're full. They're growing."

A 2023 report by the Urban Land Institute's Technical Assistance Panel found the mall was Clay County's third-largest taxpayer, drew about 90,000 visits a week and employed roughly 3,000 people. Those figures predate the ownership change.

Plans for the former Sears space

Separately, the former Sears space is the subject of a redevelopment proposal called Orange Park Place, led by CORTA Development. Bowman and CORTA principal Cory Presnick are scheduled to discuss both the mall refresh and plans for the Sears parcel at a Clay County Chamber of Commerce Bridge to Bridge luncheon Oct. 14 at Baptist Medical Center Clay in Fleming Island.