OVIEDO, Fla. – There were hints on social media, then the signs appeared, and now it’s official: the newest tenant at the Oviedo Mall is Crazy Hot Buys.
News 6 confirmed the liquidation outlet would be opening in the former Sears location, six years after the anchor store shuttered its doors.
It’s set to open to the public Nov. 28, on Black Friday, but on Wednesday, our crew got a peek inside the new store.
The owner, Majdi Salem, said it will be their largest launch yet, and the Oviedo store will be their largest location at 122,500 square feet.
“This, when completed, will have hundreds of thousands of items,” said Salem.
Salem explained how the store sells return or surplus items from major retailers like Target, Amazon, Kohl’s and Best Buy, at ridiculously low prices.
“This just came off a pallet,” Salem said as he showed us a 65-inch TV. “It retails for about $300, $400. Someone will get this for $17 this Black Friday.”
We walked around the store as Salem and his team were setting up. While we spoke, deliveries were coming in to fill the old Sears store with home goods, clothing, electronics, car seats, toys, and more.
“We’re bringing in 140 loads to this location for the grand opening,” Salem said. “For this opening, because we are so close to Christmas, there are 40 containers of designated toys.”
Salem has already opened other Crazy Hot Buys locations in Florida and other states, including one on Sand Lake Road in Orlando. He told News 6 he chose Oviedo because the mall is “unique.”
“It has a lot of potential, and I think this mall needs a draw,” said Salem. “I think we can be the best draw they can have. The market is underserved for good retail. So, we’re here to change that.”
The Oviedo Mall has seen changes through the years, as stores have opened and closed. In February, the Oviedo Brewing Company closed its doors after five years in business.
A post on Facebook credited the closure to “ongoing economic challenges, rising costs, and the lasting impacts of the pandemic.” Oyishi, a Japanese steakhouse, soon followed.
The mall’s management has worked to bring in more foot traffic with events, and new concepts like “medical main street.” Most of the retail stores are located at the Dillard’s end, while other spaces, like Catalyst - an autistic treatment center - have opened at the other end.
“This used to be a retailer called Justice,” Kevin Hipes told our News 6 team earlier this year.
Hipes has been leading the effort to transform the mall into a mixed-use space.
“It had to be changed,” said Hipes. “It doesn’t happen overnight. Turning around old malls is not easy to do, especially this mall. This mall is in a beautiful area, but we’re in between. We’ve got Sanford up there, and we’ve got Waterford Lakes down there. We’re kind of in the middle. We never had enough density in this market to drive traffic into a million square foot regional mall.”
Hipes has made several announcements on social media about new tenants. Soon, Yuji Sushi will be moving into the Oyishi space, and Bruder Latin Restaurant and Brewery signed a long-term lease for the space that was occupied by Oviedo Brewing Company. In October, “The Dog Stop,” a pet care chain opened in the old Sears Tire and Battery building.
There has also been talk through the years of apartments being built where the mall’s former Macy’s department store was located. It’s been closed since 2017.
Wednesday, a spokesperson for the city of Oviedo told News 6 the application is still under review. City staff did have a meeting with the developer of the Oasis at Oviedo Marketplace on Nov. 13, and they are waiting on a resubmittal, which is expected to be the last one.