Barstow Mall

Barstow Mall is a small shopping mall in Barstow, California. Developed by Ernest Hahn, the center was planned during the mid-1970s as a retail complex serving the local community and travelers in the Mojave Desert region. Its original plan called for approximately 144,600 square feet of space, including two major anchor stores and about 40 interior tenants. Construction began in March 1976 after earlier delays associated with financial difficulties. The mall's anchor history was unusual for the period. A W. T. Grant department store had initially been expected to occupy one of the anchor locations, but the company withdrew from the project after filing for bankruptcy. The space was instead assigned to Kmart. As a result, Barstow Mall became one of the early American malls to operate with both Kmart and Sears as anchors. Sears opened first, on October 20, 1976, and the mall held its formal grand opening on November 19 of the same year. At opening, the interior tenant mix included Rude's Department Store, Karl's Shoes, Kinney Shoes, Hartfield's Dress Shop, a card and gift store, and smaller clothing and food businesses. This combination reflected the conventional enclosed-mall model of the era, combining department-store anchors with specialty apparel, footwear, gift, and convenience retailers. The center experienced significant contraction in the early 1990s. Kmart closed in November 1992, followed by Sears in January 1993. The former Sears building was subsequently reused by Big Lots, a discount retailer, but that operation closed in 2003. In August 2010, renovation work began at the Sears end of the mall to convert part of the space for office use, indicating a shift away from the original anchor-retail format. Publicly documented information about Barstow Mall's current ownership, tenant roster, management, financial performance, and operating status is limited. It is therefore best characterized as a locally significant retail property with a documented history of anchor-store changes and adaptive reuse rather than as a nationally operated consumer brand.

Barstow Mall was developed in Barstow, California, by Ernest Hahn during the retail-construction expansion of the 1970s. The project was initially planned to include a W. T. Grant department store, but Grant withdrew after entering bankruptcy proceedings. Kmart subsequently took the intended anchor position. The change produced an unusual anchor combination: Barstow Mall opened with both Kmart and Sears, at a time when most enclosed shopping centers were organized around traditional department stores and specialty retailers. The project experienced delays related to financial problems before construction finally started in March 1976. The planned center covered approximately 144,600 square feet and was designed to include the two anchors and around 40 interior tenants. Sears opened first on October 20, 1976. The mall's grand opening followed on November 19, with tenants including Rude's Department Store, Karl's Shoes, Kinney Shoes, Hartfield's Dress Shop, a card and gift shop, and several smaller clothing and food businesses. Barstow Mall's initial format combined national anchors with locally oriented specialty retail. Its location in Barstow gave it a role in serving residents as well as visitors passing through the surrounding desert area, although available reference material does not provide detailed sales, traffic, or market-share data. The property encountered the broader difficulties faced by many enclosed malls as anchor retailers and shopping patterns changed. Kmart closed in November 1992, and Sears followed in January 1993. The former Sears structure was later used by Big Lots, extending the building's retail life under a discount-store format. Big Lots closed in 2003. In August 2010, renovation work began at the Sears end of the property to convert the space to offices. This represented a documented adaptive-reuse effort and a departure from the mall's original anchor-centered retail design. Information available in the cited reference does not establish the mall's current tenant mix, ownership, management, or exact operating status, so those details remain unconfirmed.

• 2010

  Office conversion renovation begins

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Renovation began at the Sears end to convert the space for office use.

• 2003

  Big Lots closes

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Big Lots closed its later occupancy in the former Sears building.

• 1993

  Sears closes

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The original Sears anchor closed in January.

• 1992

  Kmart closes

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The original Kmart anchor closed in November.

• 1976

  Construction begins

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Construction started in March after project delays associated with financial difficulties.

• 1976

  Sears opens

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears became the first store to open at the mall on October 20.

• 1976

  Formal grand opening

  [1]Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Barstow Mall held its grand opening on November 19 with two anchors and numerous interior tenants.

A local enclosed shopping center historically positioned around department-store anchors and neighborhood specialty retail, later affected by anchor closures and partial conversion to office use.

• Retail property · 1976

  Enclosed shopping center

  Barstow Mall's principal offering was an enclosed retail environment combining major anchor stores with smaller interior tenants. At opening, the center was planned for approximately 144,600 square feet and about 40 interior businesses, including apparel, footwear, gifts, cards, food, and department-store merchandise.

• Department-store and discount-retail space · 1976

  Former anchor-store facilities

  The mall historically included Sears and Kmart as its principal anchors. After both stores closed in the early 1990s, the former Sears building was occupied by Big Lots until 2003. The space was later the subject of renovation for office use.

• 2010

  Convert part of the former Sears area to officesStrategy

  Background

  Following the closure of Sears and the later departure of Big Lots from the former Sears building, the property required a new use for space at that end of the mall.

  Action taken

  Renovation work began in August to convert the Sears end for office occupancy.

  Aftermath

  The project marked a documented shift from the original anchor-retail model toward adaptive reuse, although the available reference does not specify the completed office tenant or later results.

  Source

• 1976

  Replace the planned W. T. Grant anchor with KmartStrategy

  Background

  W. T. Grant withdrew from the mall project after filing for bankruptcy, creating a need for a replacement anchor tenant.

  Action taken

  Kmart took the position originally intended for W. T. Grant, giving the mall a Kmart-and-Sears anchor combination.

  Aftermath

  The resulting configuration was described as unusual because it made Barstow Mall one of the early U.S. malls with both Kmart and Sears.

  Source

1. 1Barstow Mallen.wikipedia.org