Body Central has vacated its space at the Landing.
The women's clothing and accessories store opened as "Body Shop" when the Downtown riverfront mall debuted more than 25 years ago.
"It was a very small store. It was hard to merchandise the way we do today and didn't fit our concept going forward," Tom Stoltz, Body Central Corp. chief financial officer and chief operating officer, said Friday.
Stoltz said Body Central has stores in 26 states and plans to continue operations locally at its larger stores at The Avenues mall, Orange Park Mall and at Jacksonville Beach.
Landing General Manager Janice Lowe said it was sad to see an original tenant move out of the building, but tenants arrive and depart in the retail property business.
"Their lease was up and they had the option to move," she said.
As of Friday afternoon, the retailer's Landing website page was no longer available.
Coastal Cookies, Hooters and The Toy Factory are the remaining original tenants.
Lowe said the location near the escalators is one of the best at the Landing and she's confident the 3,316-square-foot space won't be empty for long.
"It's a prime location and new tenants are already interested," she said.
Body Central has been making news in recent weeks.
City Council unanimously approved an economic incentives deal Jan. 22 for the Jacksonville-based company to relocate and expand its headquarters and distribution operations from the Southside to North Jacksonville.
The deal was the first to use a new fast-track policy for such deals and the company was approved for $1.39 million in City and state funds for the relocation, expansion and creation of 52 full-time jobs. It will move from 6225 Powers Ave. to 1 Imeson Park Blvd.
The City's combined contribution is $244,600, which is a Revenue Enhanced Value grant and a portion of a Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund.
The company also named 40-year industry veteran Brian Woolf as its new CEO after a more than six-month search. He most recently was group president for Lane Bryant stores and previously served as CEO of Cache Inc., a women's specialty retailer.
Stoltz served as the interim CEO but remains CFO and COO.
(904) 356-2466
Facebook.com/jaxdailyrecord