Victoria’s Secret at Oviedo Mall closes, eight other locations remain open

The Victoria’s Secret store at Oviedo Mall has closed.

L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, confirmed the store’s closure.

“Victoria’s Secret has eight additional locations in the Orlando area, none of which are scheduled to close,” the company wrote in an email.

Nearby locations are at the Waterford Lakes Town Center, Altamonte Mall and the Seminole Towne Center in Sanford.

Sales were down for L Brands during the holiday season. The company reported net sales at $3.906 billion for the nine weeks that ended Jan. 4 compared to $4.072 billion for the nine weeks that ended in January of last year.

In the third quarter of 2019, L Brands reported an operating loss of $151.2 million. The company’s net loss was $252 million.

The retailer’s departure follows Sears closing at Oviedo Mall last year. The Macy’s there closed in 2017, and a developer is aiming to tear down that empty department store and build hundreds of apartments and a hotel.

The mall has filled in storefronts with non-retail uses, such as the entertainment center District Eat and Play as well as coworking space NeoWare.

Oviedo Mall general manager Kevin Hipes said the mall will look to find a traditional mall business for the Victoria’s Secret space, but it may temporarily end up being a regional business.

“This mall will be a home run,” Hipes said. “It’s just going to take time. That’s what I’ve always said.”

The restaurant and music venue inspired by country music star Blake Shelton is slated to open its first Florida spot on April 14.

Ole Red Orlando will have seating for about 500 people in a two-story, $15 million venue in International Drive’s Icon Park, according to a news release.

The destination is home to the Wheel at Icon Park and Madame Tussauds Orlando. Ole Red has restaurants in Nashville, Gatlinburg, Tenn., and Shelton’s hometown of Tishomingo, Okla.

The Nashville restaurant’s menu includes “Champagne of Chicken,” made with chicken, Miller High Life, black pepper gravy and buttermilk biscuits. Other offerings include burgers and a Nashville hot chicken biscuit.

Ole Red also has specialty cocktails, beer and wine.

The venue will have three bars, a large stage with concert-level production and sound capabilities. There will also be private event areas.

It is named after Shelton’s 2002 song “Ol’ Red.” The song peaked at No. 14 on Billboard’s hot country songs chart that year.

The restaurant is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties.

A restaurant chain offering sandwiches named after cannabis strains like “kush” and “Acapulco gold” and offering up “munchies” for weed enthusiasts is set to come to Orlando.

Cheba Hut is expected to open in July in a 2,200-square-foot space at 12100 E. Colonial Drive, not far from the University of Central Florida.

The chain has locations across the country, including in St. Augustine, and a deal is in place for three restaurants to