The Brevard Mall was Brevard County's first enclosed shopping mall- built from a nondescript shopping center in the 60s, effectively a hallway between a Montgomery Wards (later Jefferson Wards and then Montgomery Wards again) and a J.C. Penney. However, by the early 1980s, the mall had become outmoded by the Merritt Square Mall in Merritt Island, FL. Particularly scary was DeBartolo's newly announced Melbourne Square Mall- a mall to rival the size of Merritt Square, and this time right next door. In 1981 it was announced that Wilson & Associates, in a joint venture with Homart Development Corp and Mel Sembler Associates of St Petersburg, would expand the mall with 125 new stores in a new wing that connected it to an existing Sears store up the road, and would also add an Ivey's anchor.
Plans fell apart however that same year, when J.C. Penney announced it was jumping ship to anchor Melbourne Square, with plans to simply let it's current lease at the Brevard Mall run out in 1963. J.C. Penney was seemingly the linchpin, with plans grinding to a halt following that announcement. Ivey's followed right behind, and became another new anchor for Melbourne Square.
Today, Brevard Mall is long dead, and converted to a business complex. Merritt Square is a dead mall, and Melbourne Square is the strongest in the region.
Hogan, Dave Florida Today (February 7, 1981) Two malls may battle for Melbourne Retrieved March 13, 2020
Cone, Marla Florida Today (March 12, 1981) J.C. Penney move ends 2-mall battle Retrieved March 13, 2020