Apache Mall

Apache Mall is a shopping center in Rochester, Minnesota, serving the city and the broader southeastern Minnesota region. It opened on October 16, 1969, on a 99-acre tract of former farmland purchased from George Baihly. The project emerged during a period when Rochester’s suburban population and automobile-oriented development were expanding, particularly after U.S. Route 52 was extended beyond U.S. Route 14. Its opening helped accelerate the movement of retail activity away from downtown Rochester and toward the city’s growing southwestern commercial areas. The mall originally opened with JCPenney and Montgomery Ward as its principal anchor stores. In 1972, Dayton-Hudson Corporation relocated Rochester’s Dayton’s department store from its downtown site to a newly built approximately 150,000-square-foot location at Apache Mall. That store later changed identity as the Dayton’s chain became part of Marshall Field’s and was subsequently converted to Macy’s. The addition of Dayton’s helped establish Apache Mall as a major regional shopping destination; at the time, it was reported to be Minnesota’s third-largest shopping center. The tenant mix changed substantially as traditional department-store retail evolved. Sears opened at the mall in 1991, but its location closed in 2014. The former Sears space was redeveloped for Scheels All Sports, which opened in 2015 following an expansion. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001, and the space was later occupied by Herberger’s. Herberger’s subsequently closed on August 29, 2018, after its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores, entered liquidation proceedings. Apache Mall’s current anchor lineup includes Scheels All Sports, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, and JCPenney. Smaller anchor or prominent specialty spaces include Boston Shoe & Boot Repair, Orangetheory Fitness, and Men’s Wearhouse. A former Herberger’s anchor space has been designated for redevelopment as a Sky Zone trampoline park. The project was announced in November 2025 and was described as under construction, with an anticipated opening in the middle to latter part of 2026. The property is owned and managed through GGP, which operates as a subsidiary of Brookfield Properties. Apache Mall’s role is primarily regional rather than national: it combines department stores, specialty retail, books, sporting goods, apparel, fitness, repair services, and planned entertainment uses in one automobile-accessible destination. Its history illustrates the transition from traditional department-store anchoring toward a more diversified retail and experiential tenant model.

Apache Mall was developed during Rochester’s postwar suburban expansion and opened on October 16, 1969. The mall occupied a 99-acre former farmland site purchased from George Baihly. Its location reflected the changing geography of Rochester: the extension of U.S. Route 52 beyond U.S. Route 14 improved automobile access to the southwest side of the city and supported new suburban development. Apache Mall became a significant catalyst in the redistribution of commerce, drawing shopping activity away from the historic downtown area. JCPenney and Montgomery Ward were the original anchor stores. In 1972, Dayton-Hudson Corporation moved Rochester’s Dayton’s department store from downtown into a newly constructed store of approximately 150,000 square feet at Apache Mall. The relocation strengthened the mall’s regional role, and the property was described at that time as Minnesota’s third-largest shopping center. The Dayton’s name later changed to Marshall Field’s following corporate developments and was eventually replaced by Macy’s. The mall added Sears as an anchor in 1991. Department-store consolidation and the decline of several traditional chains subsequently reshaped the property. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001 and was later replaced by Herberger’s. The former Dayton’s-to-Macy’s location continued as one of the property’s principal anchors, while JCPenney remained part of the core tenant lineup. Sears closed in 2014. Soon afterward, plans were announced to redevelop the space and expand the property for Scheels All Sports. Scheels opened in 2015, broadening Apache Mall’s appeal through a large sporting-goods and recreation-oriented retail concept. The change represented a move away from relying exclusively on conventional department stores toward more specialized and destination-oriented anchors. Herberger’s closed on August 29, 2018. The closure followed the liquidation of its parent, The Bon-Ton Stores, and left another major anchor space available for reuse. In November 2025, the mall announced plans for a Sky Zone trampoline park in the former Herberger’s location. The space was reported to be under construction, with an expected opening in mid-to-late 2026. Apache Mall is owned and managed by GGP, a subsidiary of Brookfield Properties. Its present tenant profile combines Macy’s, JCPenney, Scheels All Sports, and Barnes & Noble with specialty operators such as Boston Shoe & Boot Repair, Orangetheory Fitness, and Men’s Wearhouse. The planned Sky Zone facility would add a family-entertainment use to the center’s established retail and service mix. Across its history, the mall has adapted to changes in transportation, suburban growth, department-store ownership, retail consolidation, and the increasing importance of experiential destinations.

• 2025

  Sky Zone redevelopment announced

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Plans were announced to convert the former Herberger’s space into a Sky Zone trampoline park, with opening expected in mid-to-late 2026.

• 2018

  Herberger's closes

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Herberger’s closed on August 29 following the liquidation of parent company The Bon-Ton Stores.

• 2015

  Scheels All Sports opens

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Scheels All Sports opened after redevelopment and expansion of the former Sears-related anchor space.

• 2014

  Sears closes

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears store closed, creating space for a subsequent sporting-goods redevelopment.

• 2001

  Montgomery Ward closes

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Montgomery Ward ceased operations at the mall and its space was later occupied by Herberger’s.

• 1991

  Sears opens

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears opened a new store at Apache Mall, adding another major department-store anchor.

• 1972

  Dayton's relocates from downtown Rochester

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dayton-Hudson moved Rochester’s Dayton’s department store into a new approximately 150,000-square-foot mall location.

• 1969

  Apache Mall opens

  [1]Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Apache Mall opened on October 16 on a 99-acre former farmland site in Rochester, with JCPenney and Montgomery Ward as its original anchors.

A regional, multi-anchor shopping destination serving Rochester and southeastern Minnesota, combining conventional department stores with sporting goods, books, apparel, services, fitness, and planned experiential entertainment.

• Shopping mall · 1969

  Regional shopping center

  Apache Mall provides an enclosed regional retail environment in Rochester, Minnesota. Its offering is organized around major anchor stores and a supporting mix of specialty retailers and service businesses, allowing customers to shop for apparel, footwear, books, sporting goods, department-store merchandise, fitness services, and repairs in one destination.

• Sporting-goods anchor · 2015

  Scheels All Sports

  Scheels All Sports is Apache Mall’s principal sporting-goods anchor. It occupies space developed after the closure of Sears and adds a destination-oriented retail component focused on athletic equipment, sports apparel, footwear, and outdoor-related merchandise.

• Department-store anchor · 1972

  Macy's

  Macy’s occupies the department-store location that originated as Dayton’s in 1972. The store passed through the Marshall Field’s nameplate before becoming Macy’s and remains one of Apache Mall’s principal conventional retail anchors.

• Department-store anchor · 1969

  JCPenney

  JCPenney was one of Apache Mall’s original anchors when the center opened in 1969. Its department-store assortment contributes apparel, accessories, home merchandise, and other general retail categories to the mall’s core offering.

• Bookseller anchor

  Barnes & Noble

  Barnes & Noble is one of Apache Mall’s current anchor tenants. It provides books and related media and supports the mall’s broader mix of destination and specialty retail uses.

• Family entertainment · 2026

  Sky Zone

  Sky Zone is planned for the former Herberger’s anchor space. The proposed trampoline-park conversion would introduce an experiential family-entertainment use into a location previously occupied by a department store.

• 2025

  Convert the former Herberger's space into Sky ZoneStrategy

  Background

  Herberger’s closed in 2018 after The Bon-Ton Stores entered liquidation, leaving a large former department-store space available for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  Apache Mall announced a planned Sky Zone trampoline park for the former Herberger’s location; construction was reported to be underway.

  Aftermath

  The facility was expected to open in mid-to-late 2026, subject to completion of the redevelopment.

  Source

• 2014

  Redevelop the former Sears space for ScheelsStrategy

  Background

  Sears closed its Apache Mall store, leaving a large anchor location available for a new use.

  Action taken

  The mall announced plans for a Scheels All Sports store together with an expansion of the building.

  Aftermath

  Scheels opened in 2015 and became a major sporting-goods anchor, diversifying the mall beyond traditional department stores.

  Source

1. 1Apache Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Apache Mall official websiteapachemall.com