Founded in 1962. Shaped by vision, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to doing things right.
The Sembler Legacy
Shaping Communities Across Generations
60
+
Years in Business
400
+
Properties
30
M+
SF Developed
2
M+
SF In Development
“In an industry in which change is the only constant, success is earned by the agile. Decisive and determined teams must be nimble, seamless, and relentless. Sembler was built this way. We founded the company based on investing in the success of everyone, coworkers, tenants, partners, shopping centers, communities. Not just their financial success, but with our passion, our skills, and above all, our word. At Sembler, we do what we say we will do. And we do it right.”
Ambassador Mel SemblerFounding Principal, In Memoriam
Generations of Family Leadership
The Sembler Company was founded in 1962 by Ambassador Mel Sembler, a visionary entrepreneur who built a shopping center empire from the ground up, served as ICSC President, and was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Australia and Italy by two presidents. What began as a single development in Dyersburg, Tennessee grew into one of the most respected retail real estate firms in the Southeast, built on a foundation of integrity, lasting relationships, and an unwavering commitment to community.
Today, that legacy continues through decades of family leadership. Greg Sembler has guided the company with a steady, entrepreneurial vision, working hand in hand with his brother Brent to carry forward the values and relationships that have shaped Sembler for more than six decades. As the third generation of family leadership, Eve Sembler represents the future of the company through a continued commitment to excellence, thoughtful growth, and the enduring legacy of the Sembler name.
1962
Mel Sembler Associates (MSA) founded in Dyersburg, TN by Mel Sembler
1965
MSA opens its first shopping center in Dyersburg, TN, Green Village Shopping Center
1967
MSA opens third shopping center – Jackson Plaza, Jackson, TN
1968
MSA relocates to St. Petersburg, FL
1978
MSA completes 1,000,000 sf of development
1980
MSA delivers its first Publix-anchored shopping center – Millcreek Mall, Kissimmee, FL
1981
Brent Sembler joins MSA
1983
Greg Sembler joins MSA
1984
Sembler exhibits first booth at ICSC Spring Convention in Las Vegas
1984
MSA incorporates and becomes The Sembler Company (TSC)
1984
Dolphin Village Shopping Center in St. Petersburg, FL is redeveloped, an innovative design for its time
1986
TSC begins third party management
1986
Mel Sembler serves as ICSC President
1989
Mel Sembler is appointed U.S. Ambassador to Australia by President George H.W. Bush
1991
TSC’s Atlanta office is opened
1991
Sembler completes its third mixed use project
1993
TSC’s Puerto Rico office is opened
1993
Sembler reaches 5,000,000 sf of development milestone
2000
Mel Sembler named Honorary Officer in the order of Australia
2000
100th Build-to-Suit project completed
2001
President George W. Bush names Mel Sembler U.S. Ambassador to Italy
2002
Sembler reaches 10,000,000 sf of development milestone
2002
BayWalk opens and serves as the catalyst for the rebirth of downtown St. Petersburg, FL
2003
Sembler redevelops Clearwater Mall from an enclosed regional mall to an open-air center
2005
Perimeter Place named Top Mixed-Use Deal of 2005 by Atlanta Property News
2005
Sembler surpasses 15,000,000 sf of development and completes its 100th shopping center and 150th Build-to-Suit
2006
Sembler breaks ground on largest project to date – Winter Garden Village, with over 1,100,000 sf
2006
Sembler named fastest growing Retail Developer by Chain Store Age Magazine
2006
Tangerine Plaza wins Best Redevelopment in the state of Florida
2006
Sembler surpasses 20,000,000 sf of development
2007
Sembler completes its 25th Target shopping center — Deerfield Place in Alpharetta, GA
2010
Sembler completes Town Brookhaven, a 460,000 sf mixed-use development
2012
Sembler partners with Forge Capital Partners (FCP) to co-invest in four Puerto Rican shopping centers
2013
Sembler and FCP co-sponsor a private equity fund, Forge Real Estate Partners III, to acquire value-add shopping centers throughout the southeast
2016
Sembler completes its 200th Build-to-Suit project
2018
Sembler completes its 50th Publix-anchored shopping center – Disston Plaza, St. Petersburg, FL
2019
Sembler surpasses 25,000,000 sf of development
2021
Eve Sembler joins The Sembler Co.
2022
Sembler and FCP acquire their 20th shopping center together
2022
Sembler completes its 150th shopping center, Marketplace at the Mill in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2023
Sembler co-sponsors its third fund with FCP, Forge Real Estate Partners V
A Tradition of Excellence
Landmark developments that define six decades of retail real estate across the Southeast.