He was ranked third in the state - and still let go.After Herman Renfro was fired from his job selling yellow pages advertising in Wichita, Kansas, in 1975 - despite being in his second year and ranked third in sales volume statewide - he drove around in a daze until finally stopping, numbly watching site work construction on a huge site. What he did not know was that on that site, a million square foot two-level mall was being built - and that seven years later he would manage that very property, or that his career would culminate in developing one of America's most innovative urban malls.Mall Dreams and Second Chances: Rising from the Ashes chronicles a remarkable journey through the golden age and transformation of the American shopping center industry. From a chance encounter at a Phoenix swimming pool that launched his mall management career, to becoming Senior Vice President at Simon Property Group and developer of Indianapolis's groundbreaking Circle Centre Mall, Renfro's story parallels the industry's own evolution - one of ambition, setbacks, and reinvention.The Circle Centre Mall development - a $312 million downtown mall that skeptics said would never work - required unprecedented public-private partnerships, creative financing, and the political will of two mayors. When it opened in 1995 to 5,000 black-tie guests, it proved that innovative urban development could succeed against all odds.But this isn't just a business memoir. It's also a love story, as Renfro's relationship with Sharon grows alongside their careers, with Sharon ultimately leading her own multi-million-dollar downtown redevelopment in Columbus, Indiana. It's about mentorship, second chances, and the resilience required to reinvent yourself - and an entire industry - when the old models fail.With behind-the-scenes insights into major players like the Simon brothers, candid revelations about corporate politics, and hard-won lessons about leadership and perseverance, this book offers both an insider's view of commercial real estate and a deeply human story of transformation.Like the mythical phoenix at the heart of this book, Renfro shows that sometimes the worst failures are simply preparation for the greatest successes - if you're brave enough to embrace the flames.A story of malls, mentors, and the second chances that shape a life - for readers of business memoirs, urban development, and personal reinvention alike.
