Bashford Manor Mall
A former enclosed shopping mall in Louisville, Kentucky, that operated from 1973 until its permanent closure and demolition in 2003.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Bashford Manor Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Named for the surrounding Bashford Manor neighborhood, it opened in 1973 with approximately 560,000 square feet of retail space and eventually accommodated about 85 stores. Its original department-store anchors included Bacon's, Ayr-Way, and Ben Snyder's, reflecting the conventional suburban mall model of the period. The center also contained specialty retailers and restaurants, including Chi-Chi's and Arby's. Unlike many contemporary enclosed malls, it did not have a conventional food court, although it provided dining options and, during the 1970s, included a TV Den area where visitors could sit and watch several televisions. The mall's anchor lineup changed as department-store businesses were acquired or rebranded. Ayr-Way's stores were acquired by Dayton-Hudson Corporation in 1981 and subsequently operated under the Target name. Ben Snyder's became Hess's in February 1987. The former Ben Snyder's location later became a Home Store associated with Bacon's in 1995. Bacon's itself was acquired and rebranded by Dillard's in 1998. These changes connected the mall to several major American retail chains, but they did not reverse its longer-term competitive difficulties. By the late 1990s, Bashford Manor Mall was experiencing declining traffic and tenant departures. Rubloff Developments of Detroit purchased the property in 1999 and began a renovation program in 2001. The proposed work was expected to be completed by the 2001 Christmas shopping season, but progress was slow. A major setback came when Target left the enclosed mall and moved to a standalone location one block west; the relocation was completed in October 2002. A Burlington Coat Factory replacement store was proposed for the former Target space, but the transaction did not proceed. As customer traffic weakened, other tenants either closed or relocated. Reported concerns about crime and vandalism further damaged the mall's attractiveness and contributed to the erosion of its tenant base. By mid-2003, only a dry-cleaning business reportedly remained. The mall permanently closed in the middle of that year, and demolition began later in 2003. The former Dillard's building, which was not owned by the mall, survived for several additional years before being demolished in 2008. A Burlington Coat Factory was subsequently built on part of that site and opened in March 2009. The redevelopment of the property shifted the area from an enclosed-mall format to a broader open retail district. A relocated Target and a strip of stores occupied nearby space, while Walmart and Lowe's were constructed on portions of the former mall footprint and completed in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Bashford Manor Lane was also widened and landscaped. Bashford Manor Mall therefore represents both the decline of an older Louisville shopping center and the replacement of enclosed regional retail with standalone big-box stores and a more dispersed commercial environment.
History
Bashford Manor Mall opened in 1973 in Louisville, Kentucky, and took its name from the surrounding Bashford Manor neighborhood. The enclosed center measured approximately 560,000 square feet and was designed around a group of department-store anchors: Bacon's, Ayr-Way, and Ben Snyder's. At its height, it contained roughly 85 stores. The mall represented the dominant American retail development pattern of the 1970s, combining large department stores with smaller specialty shops in a climate-controlled indoor setting. The center's facilities included restaurants such as Chi-Chi's and Arby's. It did not operate a standard enclosed-mall food court, but it provided several dining choices. A distinctive feature during the 1970s was a TV Den with multiple televisions and seating for shoppers. Over time, the anchor stores changed ownership and identity. Dayton-Hudson Corporation acquired Ayr-Way stores in 1981 and converted them to Target operations. Ben Snyder's became Hess's in February 1987 and later became a Home Store for Bacon's in 1995. Bacon's stores were acquired and rebranded by Dillard's in 1998. The mall's competitive position weakened during the 1990s. The property was purchased by Detroit-based Rubloff Developments in 1999, and the new owner began renovation work in 2001. The planned modernization was expected to be ready for the 2001 Christmas shopping season, but construction moved slowly. Meanwhile, consumers increasingly favored nearby standalone stores and other retail formats. Target left the mall for a new standalone location one block west in October 2002. A Burlington Coat Factory replacement was proposed for the former Target space, but the plan fell through. As traffic declined, tenants closed or moved elsewhere. Accounts of the mall's final years also cite crime and vandalism as factors that discouraged shoppers and retailers. By the middle of 2003, a dry cleaner was reportedly the only remaining tenant. The mall closed permanently in mid-2003, and demolition started later that year. The Dillard's building, which was separately owned, remained after the mall's demolition but was eventually razed in 2008. The site was subsequently absorbed into a retail revitalization project based on standalone and strip-retail formats. Target's nearby relocation was accompanied by additional strip stores. Walmart and Lowe's were built on the former mall footprint and completed in 2005 and 2006. Bashford Manor Lane was widened to three lanes and received trees and other landscaping. A Burlington Coat Factory opened on part of the former Dillard's footprint in March 2009. The site's evolution illustrates the replacement of a traditional enclosed mall with a mixed big-box and open-air retail environment. Bashford Manor Mall also appeared in national news coverage because of the disappearance of twelve-year-old Ann Gotlib from the mall on June 1, 1983. Her body was never found. A later development in 2008 connected investigators with convicted offender Gregory L. Oakley Jr., who had died six years earlier after release from prison.
- 2009
Burlington Coat Factory opens
[1]A Burlington Coat Factory store opens in March on part of the former Dillard's site.
- 2008
Former Dillard's building is demolished
[1]The separately owned former Dillard's building is razed.
- 2006
Lowe's is completed on the former mall footprint
[1]A Lowe's store is added as part of the site's post-mall retail redevelopment.
- 2005
Walmart is completed on the former mall footprint
[1]A Walmart store forms part of the redevelopment of the former mall site.
- 2003
Mall closes and demolition begins
[1]The center closes permanently in mid-2003, with demolition commencing later in the year.
- 2002
Target relocates to a standalone store
[1]Target leaves the enclosed mall and opens a nearby standalone location in October.
- 2001
Renovation program begins
[1]Rubloff starts a major renovation effort, but progress is slower than planned.
- 1999
Rubloff Developments purchases the property
[1]Rubloff Developments of Detroit acquires Bashford Manor Mall.
- 1998
Bacon's is rebranded as Dillard's
[1]Dillard's acquires and rebrands both Bacon's stores associated with the mall.
- 1995
Former Hess's space becomes a Bacon's Home Store
[1]The former Ben Snyder's/Hess's location is repurposed as a Home Store associated with Bacon's.
Products and positioning
A mid-sized suburban enclosed shopping mall serving Louisville-area consumers through department-store anchors, specialty retailers, and restaurants. Its later history was defined by tenant attrition, competition from standalone big-box stores, and unsuccessful renovation efforts.
Department stores · 1973
Department-store retail
The mall's principal commercial offering was department-store retail. Bacon's, Ayr-Way, and Ben Snyder's served as original anchors, while later ownership and rebranding connected the center with Target, Hess's, and Dillard's. These stores provided apparel, home goods, general merchandise, and other broad categories typical of suburban department stores.
Specialty stores · 1973
Specialty retail
The approximately 85-store tenant mix included smaller specialty retailers serving shoppers visiting the department-store anchors. Specific individual specialty-store names are not comprehensively documented in the available source material.
Food and services · 1973
Dining and services
Bashford Manor Mall offered restaurants including Chi-Chi's and Arby's, along with other services. It did not have a conventional food court. A dry cleaner was reportedly the final remaining tenant before the mall closed.
Brand decisions
2003
Permanent closure and demolitionOtherBackground
Tenant departures, weak customer traffic, slow renovation work, and reported crime and vandalism left the center with only a dry cleaner by mid-2003.
Action taken
Bashford Manor Mall closed permanently in mid-2003, and demolition began later that year.
Aftermath
The property was redeveloped with standalone and strip-format retail, including Walmart and Lowe's.
2002
Target relocates outside the mallStrategyBackground
Target was one of the property's principal anchors, but standalone big-box retail was becoming more competitive than the enclosed-mall format.
Action taken
Target moved one block west to a standalone store in October 2002.
Aftermath
The mall lost a major traffic generator. A proposed Burlington Coat Factory replacement for the former Target space did not materialize.
2001
Attempted comprehensive mall renovationStrategyBackground
Rubloff Developments sought to address declining traffic and tenant losses after acquiring the mall in 1999.
Action taken
The owner began a major renovation program intended for completion by the 2001 holiday shopping season.
Aftermath
Work progressed slowly, Target relocated to a nearby standalone store, and the renovation did not prevent continued tenant departures.
Sources1 sources
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