SANFORD, Fla. — City leaders are moving forward with a plan that could mean major changes to Sanford’s mall. 

What You Need To Know

  • City commissioners approved the rezoning of the Seminole Towne Center

  • The change means housing units and a hotel could be part of the property

  • Other entertainment options also could be opened to help revitalize it

At their meeting on Monday night, city commissioners approved a rezoning for the Seminole Towne Center property that allow a major restructuring and the potential for housing units, more entertainment options and even a hotel on the property.

A Sears, Macy’s and several other stores have closed at the mall in the past few years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, part of a nationwide trend. Online shopping and other economic factors have decreased the popularity of the traditional shopping mall.

Marion Stapf said she’s always switching up activities to keep people coming into The Winey Wench inside Seminole Towne Center.

“We wanted to bring people in, and we’re doing (that) by offering something totally different,” Stapf said. “We have the best karaoke people, and we have some great entertainers here.”

Stapf’s business mixes wine and other retail sales with experiences like painting, comedy shows and other entertainment. It’s thriving. 

But not all businesses in the mall have seen the same success in the past few years. Sanford city leaders moved to revitalize the mall by restructuring it to include existing stores but also to add new types of entertainment options and possibly residential units, and even a hotel.

Stapf is sticking around. She closed several other locations as she gradually tries to ease into retirement.  But she’s keeping the Sanford mall location.

“Whether or not there are apartments attached or a hotel or whatever it is they’re doing, I think this mall will come back, I really do, and when it does, I want to be here," Stapf said. "I want to be part of it.”

No matter what the new mall ends up looking like, Stapf focuses on her business. She said she believes keeping what she offers unique and personal will keep customers coming, no matter what the future looks like.

“I think the malls have to change so that there’s a reason to not just order everything online, and you’ve got to offer something that’s interesting for people to come to,” Stapf said.  “And that’s what we do.”

The Winey Wench also hosts forums in which political candidates for community offices, from all political parties, can engage with voters.