Former Edison Mall Sears Building Sells for $5.8M, Will Become Asian Market Hub
A group of investors snapped up the empty Sears building at Edison Mall in Fort Myers for $5.8 million last month. Their plan? Turn the massive space into a lively center for Asian food and shopping.
The building, which has been empty since 2020, will house food vendors, restaurants, and a large Asian marketplace. While designers work on the layout, the investment team is looking for more merchants to join the project.
Gary Tasman of Cushman and Wakefield told Fox4News, “The Asian population in Southwest Florida is growing at a faster rate than overall population growth, so the trend for healthy Asian food is a national trend.”
The property sold for $800,000 more than its original $5 million price tag. The city’s economic director welcomed the new development, saying it should create jobs and help small businesses grow. It kicks off a wave of changes along Cleveland Avenue from Colonial Boulevard down to downtown.
Local resident Greta Campbell told Fox4News she hopes the mall can offer something special that online shopping just can’t deliver. “The saying is, you build it, and they’ll come,” says Campbell. “Well, if they bring something different and affordable, they will come.”
The marketplace is just one piece of the neighborhood’s makeover. Tasman believes the Cleveland Avenue area will look very different in 10 years.
