Historic Charleston Town Center Chick-fil-A Closing After 34 Years Inside the Mall

In his message to customers, Smith thanked the Charleston community for over 30 years of support. He made it clear that the decision to close was not his to make, though he believes it was a considered one. Most importantly, he confirmed that the franchise has no intention of moving.

Logistical Challenges and Mall Closure Plans

The closure of the much-loved fast food chain is directly linked to the very uncertain future of the Charleston Town Center itself.

Late last month, Hull Property Group (the mall's owner) announced that the mall will permanently close its interior corridors at some point next year because of a serious lack of tenants. The timing is still a little fluid, but the closure is currently expected to be late spring/early summer 2027.

According to Smith, the logistical challenges of trying to continue operations into the first and second quarters of 2027made it impractical for the Chick-fil-A location to remain open any longer.

A Changing Downtown Landscape

Charleston Town Center has been in a real state of decline over the past few years, with a host of retail and dining tenants having left. Both of the mall's two major destination restaurants (Tidewater Grill and The Chop House) closed in April 2024.

The mall's closure will affect interior tenants (Chick-fil-A being a prime example), but tenants with exterior access(Chili's and Outback Steakhouse) are expected to stay open.

For many locals, a trip to the Charleston Town Center wasn't complete without grabbing a sandwich and waffle fries. Customers looking to enjoy one last meal and say goodbye to the staff have until New Year's Eve to visit the historic mall location.