Arnot Mall
A super-regional shopping mall serving New York's Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Arnot Mall is a super-regional shopping center in Big Flats, New York, in Chemung County. It serves communities across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, including the nearby Elmira and Corning areas. The mall occupies a strategically accessible site at 3300 Chambers Road, along the Southern Tier Expressway, which is also designated Interstate 86 and New York State Route 17, at exit 51A between Elmira and Corning. The property opened in 1967 as The Mall Shopping Center with approximately 40 stores. JCPenney was its original anchor and remains the mall's principal surviving anchor. The name Arnot Mall reflects the role of Arnot Realty, the original developer. A major expansion in 1980 added Bradlees, Hess's, and Sears and increased the complex to slightly more than 1 million square feet, or approximately 93,000 square meters. Over time, the center developed into a broad retail and entertainment destination with more than 100 stores and services. Arnot Mall's tenant history reflects the changing structure of American department-store retail. Former anchors and major tenants included Hess's, which became Kaufmann's in 1995 and Macy's in 2006; Iszard's, which later operated as McCurdy's and then The Bon-Ton; Bradlees, whose former space became a Burlington Coat Factory location; and Sears. Macy's closed in 2016, after which The Bon-Ton moved from a smaller anchor space into the vacated Macy's building in 2017. The Bon-Ton subsequently announced its closure in 2018 following the bankruptcy and liquidation of its parent company. Sears closed in 2020. The center combines conventional shopping with entertainment, fitness, and food-service uses. Its identified major attractions include a JCPenney department store, a 10-screen Regal Cinemas theater, and a Planet Fitness gym, alongside a wider tenant base of more than 100 stores and businesses. In 2006, Burlington Coat Factory opened in the former Bradlees location, although a later relocation announcement indicated that Burlington planned to move from the mall to Southern Tier Crossing in May 2026. If completed as announced, that move would leave JCPenney as the only remaining anchor tenant. The mall has also hosted promotional and community activities. During the 2011 school year, malls owned by PREIT, including Arnot Mall at that time, participated in a back-to-school promotion offering free school supplies with qualifying purchases. The property has received incidental public attention through celebrity and motorsport-related visits connected with nearby Watkins Glen International. Arnot Mall is open seven days a week and continues to function as a regional retail and entertainment complex, although its anchor mix has narrowed substantially from the department-store lineup established during its 1980 expansion.
History
Arnot Mall opened in 1967 in Big Flats, New York, under the name The Mall Shopping Center. The original development contained about 40 stores and was anchored by JCPenney. Its name was later changed to Arnot Mall in recognition of Arnot Realty, the original developer. The mall's location beside the Southern Tier Expressway gave it a regional catchment extending beyond the immediate Elmira area into New York's Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions. A substantial expansion in 1980 transformed the property into a larger regional shopping center. Bradlees, Hess's, and Sears were added as anchors, and the mall grew to just over 1 million square feet. The expansion established a department-store-centered format that was common among large American malls of the period. Subsequent decades brought repeated changes in the identities and ownership of those anchor businesses. Hess's became Kaufmann's in 1995 and later Macy's in 2006. Iszard's was followed by McCurdy's and then The Bon-Ton. Bradlees was eventually replaced by Burlington Coat Factory, which opened in the former Bradlees space in 2006. The property was associated with PREIT during the period when it participated in the company's 2011 back-to-school promotion. That campaign offered free school supplies to shoppers who met a minimum purchase threshold. The mall also attracted occasional public attention through visits by racing figures associated with events at Watkins Glen International, located in the broader regional market. Anchor changes accelerated in the 2010s. Macy's closed in 2016, and The Bon-Ton moved from its smaller location into the vacated Macy's building in 2017. The Bon-Ton then announced its closure in April 2018 after its parent company went out of business. Sears closed in 2020. These departures left JCPenney as the most enduring department-store anchor and increased the importance of non-department-store uses, including entertainment and fitness. The mall's current described offer includes more than 100 stores and services, JCPenney, a 10-screen Regal Cinemas location, and Planet Fitness. It is operated by Spinoso Real Estate Group. A November 2025 announcement stated that Burlington planned to leave the property for a former JoAnn Fabrics location at Southern Tier Crossing on May 15, 2026. Because that relocation was described as a future plan, its completion is not established here. If carried out, it would further narrow Arnot Mall's anchor lineup while leaving the center as an active regional shopping and entertainment destination.
- 2025
Burlington announces a planned relocation
[1]Burlington is reported to have announced a move to Southern Tier Crossing scheduled for May 15, 2026.
- 2020
Sears closes
[1]Sears ends its operation at Arnot Mall.
- 2018
The Bon-Ton closure is announced
[1]The Bon-Ton announces its closure after the failure and liquidation of its parent company.
- 2017
The Bon-Ton takes over the former Macy's building
[1]The Bon-Ton moves from a smaller anchor space into the former Macy's location.
- 2016
Macy's closes
[1]Macy's leaves the mall, creating a vacant large-anchor building.
- 2006
Burlington opens and Kaufmann's becomes Macy's
[1]Burlington Coat Factory opens in the former Bradlees space, while the Kaufmann's anchor is rebranded as Macy's.
- 1995
Hess's becomes Kaufmann's
[1]The Hess's anchor is rebranded as Kaufmann's.
- 1980
Major expansion adds department-store anchors
[1]An expansion adds Bradlees, Hess's, and Sears and brings the property to slightly more than 1 million square feet.
- 1967
The Mall Shopping Center opens
[1]The original center opens with approximately 40 stores and JCPenney as its initial anchor.
Products and positioning
A highway-accessible super-regional shopping and entertainment destination for the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York.
Department store · 1967
JCPenney
JCPenney is Arnot Mall's original and continuing principal anchor. Its department-store assortment traditionally spans apparel, footwear, accessories, home merchandise, beauty, and related consumer goods. The store provides a broad general-merchandise offer within a property otherwise composed of specialty retail, services, entertainment, and food-oriented tenants.
Cinema entertainment
Regal Cinemas
The mall includes a 10-screen Regal Cinemas location, adding first-run film exhibition and evening entertainment to its retail mix. The theater broadens the property's role beyond shopping and helps support visits outside conventional department-store hours.
Fitness services
Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness operates a fitness club at the mall. Its membership-based exercise offering represents the shift toward service, leisure, and recurring-visit tenants in regional shopping centers.
Off-price apparel and home retailer · 2006
Burlington
Burlington occupied the former Bradlees anchor space beginning in 2006 and offered off-price apparel, accessories, and home-related merchandise. A 2025 announcement stated that the retailer planned to relocate away from Arnot Mall in May 2026; the completion of that move is not established in the supplied material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Back-to-school school-supplies promotion
United States
Arnot Mall participated in a PREIT-wide back-to-school promotion under which shoppers meeting a $75 purchase threshold received free school supplies.
Outcome. The source describes the offer but does not provide participation figures or a measured business outcome.
Brand decisions
2025
Planned Burlington relocationStrategyBackground
Burlington had operated at Arnot Mall since opening in the former Bradlees space in 2006.
Action taken
Burlington was announced as planning to relocate to the former JoAnn Fabrics site at Southern Tier Crossing on May 15, 2026.
Aftermath
The announcement indicated that JCPenney would become the mall's only remaining anchor tenant if the relocation occurred.
2017
Relocation of The Bon-Ton into the former Macy's anchorStrategyBackground
Macy's had closed its store in 2016, leaving a substantially larger former anchor building available.
Action taken
The Bon-Ton moved from a smaller anchor location into the vacant Macy's building.
Aftermath
The Bon-Ton later announced its closure in 2018 after its parent company went out of business.
Recent events
- 2025
Burlington announces planned relocation from Arnot Mall[1]
Other
Burlington was reported to be relocating from Arnot Mall to the former JoAnn Fabrics site at Southern Tier Crossing on May 15, 2026. The planned move would leave JCPenney as the mall's only remaining anchor tenant.
- 2020
Sears closes at Arnot Mall[1]
Other
Sears ended its tenancy, further reducing the mall's traditional department-store anchor base.
- 2018
The Bon-Ton announces closure after parent-company bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
The Bon-Ton announced that its Arnot Mall store would close after its parent company ceased operations and entered liquidation.
- 2017
The Bon-Ton moves into the former Macy's location[1]
Other
The Bon-Ton relocated from a smaller anchor area into the former Macy's building.
- 2016
Macy's closes at Arnot Mall[1]
Other
Macy's ended its operation at the mall, creating a major vacant anchor space.
- 2011
Arnot Mall participates in a back-to-school supply promotion[1]
Campaign
As part of a promotion at PREIT-owned malls, qualifying shoppers received free school supplies with a purchase of at least $75.
Sources2 sources
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