Uptons

[truviking05]

Has anyone heard of Uptons Department Store? For about 7-8 years our local one has sat, run down, in an equally run down plaza that, until recently, had a big empty U-Save grocery story COMPLETE with a beautiful label scar! Now the U-Save end has been remodeled into space for several small businesses. But, just down the strip, there's Uptons, with a black labelscar on its white facade, one entrance shuttered, the other not, just dark and dingy. The last time I was in that store I can't have been more than 6 or 7 years old, and I remember it as a Bealls-type chain. I think that until about 1994 or 1995 the store was operating under the name Byrons, or something to that effect. But on another note, I noticed someting particularly disconcerting on the plaza's marquis..."Welcome to our new neighbor, Wal-Mart." Sure, I want someone to make old Uptons look better, especially since it's in a stretch of town that could use some brightening up, but I hope it's not Sprawl-Mart!

[truviking05]

This page shows a pic of an Uptons...complete with plans to redevelop it.


http://www.harveylindsay.com/uptons.htm

[df559]

There was an episode of Cops filmed in Florida where they go into an Uptons someone was trying to shoplift from. You can see the name on the door when they go inside, but they blurred it out on a lot of the shots.

[truviking05]

There was at least one in Southwest Florida. I am not sure of any other locations.

[thedisneystore967]

they had one by me. it was closed in 1999 and ( u aren't going to believe this)was left vacant untill 2004!!!!!!!!

[truviking05]

Oh, I do believe it, as mine closed around 1997-1998 and is STILL vacant in 2005!

[nibbick40]

Uptons started popping up in the Tampa Bay area in the early '90s, if I'm not mistaken ... they replaced the JByrons dept. stores which had been around for seemingly forever.  Uptons closed up shop sometimes in the mid- to late-90s.  The one in Tampa near Busch Gardens was converted to a Big Lots.

[truviking05]

Yes! That's right--Byrons was my Uptons' former name!

[dooneyt63]

Upton's had locations in Georgia (metro Atlanta).  I think they may have originated there.  Their Florida entry did indeed come from a takeover of the former Byron's junior department store chain.  Byron's had been J. Byron's, at one time a division of Eckerd.  The Florida stores closed with the chain which did not last long after the Byron's purchase.

[beachgal26]

Alas, another chain gone for good.  There were several located in the Memphis are the last one to close was in an area called Hickory Hills that has gone rapidly downhill and has alot of crime and gang activity in the area.  The shopping center where the store was located still sits 90% unoccupied and the Uptons store has not been occupied in over 6 years.  It's too bad since it was a nice store with quality merchandise, but the chain went out of business in 1999-2000 as the company was going to move in another direction. :(

[Anonymous]

In the Clayton Plaza in Brandon, Florida, after jBryon/Upton closed it was a flea Market. Now it is a Macy's Furniture Outlet. The old Publix Supermarket is empty. Along with the old Eckerd Drug -- CVS has a store across the street.

[JimSawhill]

In the Clayton Plaza in Brandon, Florida, after jBryon/Upton closed it was a flea Market. Now it is a Macy's Furniture Outlet. The old Publix Supermarket is empty. Along with the old Eckerd Drug -- CVS has a store across the street.

In that plaza now...the JBryon/Upton's is now an Office Depot, the Publix is a Babcock Furniture Store and the old Eckerd is 5/3 Bank...