Bassett Place
A shopping mall in El Paso, Texas, anchored by major retailers, entertainment venues, and a cinema complex.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Bassett Place is a shopping mall on the east side of El Paso, Texas, United States. The center is positioned at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Geronimo Drive and is owned and operated by Cypress Equities. Its current anchor and major destination tenants include Costco Wholesale, Conn's, Kohl's, Premiere Cinema IMAX, and Target. The property opened in 1962 as Bassett Center. Developed by The Center Companies, it was the first shopping mall in El Paso. The center was named for Charles N. Bassett, the son of El Paso businessman Oscar T. Bassett. At opening, its tenant mix included White House Department Store, Popular Dry Goods, and Kresge, reflecting the department-store and general-merchandise model common to early American shopping centers. Bassett Center was converted into a fully enclosed mall in 1974. Over subsequent decades, its tenant composition changed substantially as department stores closed, were replaced, or gave way to larger-format retailers. Popular Dry Goods became Dillard's in 1995. The former Dillard's building was later demolished, and the site was redeveloped for Costco Wholesale, which opened on November 13, 2003. Mervyn's was replaced by Kohl's after Mervyn's closed in 2008. White House was demolished to make way for a Target Greatland store and an expansion of the mall's western side; that redevelopment opened in 1993 and added further retail space. The center continued to adapt toward a mixed retail-and-entertainment format. Conn's was added in 2012. In 2016, the food court was reconfigured to accommodate Dave & Buster's first El Paso location, which opened on April 11 of that year. Premiere Cinema IMAX provides another entertainment-oriented anchor presence. These changes illustrate Bassett Place's evolution from a traditional enclosed department-store mall into a retail property combining warehouse shopping, discount and general merchandise, specialty retail, dining, and leisure attractions. Bassett Place serves the El Paso market and remains associated with the city's retail history because of its early opening date and its role as El Paso's first shopping mall. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate corporate brand structure, public listing, financial profile, or named executive roster for the property.
History
Bassett Place began in 1962 as Bassett Center, developed by The Center Companies as El Paso's first shopping mall. The property took its name from Charles N. Bassett, whose father, Oscar T. Bassett, was an El Paso businessman. Its initial tenant roster included White House Department Store, Popular Dry Goods, and Kresge, giving the center a conventional early suburban-mall profile built around department stores and general merchandise. In 1974, Bassett Center became a fully enclosed mall. The enclosed format supported a broader range of stores and helped establish the property as a durable retail destination on El Paso's east side. Over time, its original department-store lineup changed. Popular Dry Goods was converted into a Dillard's store in 1995. The former Dillard's building was subsequently removed in 2000 as part of a redevelopment plan for Costco Wholesale. Costco opened at the property on November 13, 2003, introducing a large warehouse-club format to the center. Other anchor changes followed. Mervyn's closed in 2008 and its space was converted for Kohl's. Conn's was added in 2012, expanding the center's mix of consumer-goods and home-related retail. Earlier redevelopment had also affected the western side of the mall: the former White House building was demolished for a Target Greatland store, while the western expansion added additional retail space and opened in 1993. Bassett Place later increased its entertainment component. In 2016, the food court was redesigned to accommodate Dave & Buster's first El Paso venue, which opened on April 11. Premiere Cinema IMAX also forms part of the property's entertainment offering. Together with Costco, Target, Kohl's, and Conn's, these uses reflect the mall's shift from a primarily department-store-centered destination toward a hybrid shopping, dining, cinema, and family-entertainment center. The property is identified in reference material as owned and operated by Cypress Equities. Available sources do not provide a detailed account of ownership transfers, financial performance, executive leadership, or a formal corporate brand strategy. Bassett Place nevertheless retains historical significance in El Paso retail because of its 1962 opening and its status as the city's first shopping mall.
- 2016
Dave & Buster's opens
[1]The food court was reconfigured to accommodate Dave & Buster's first El Paso location, which opened on April 11.
- 2012
Conn's added
[1]Conn's joined the center's anchor and major-tenant mix.
- 2008
Mervyn's space converted for Kohl's
[1]After Mervyn's closed, its space was converted into a Kohl's store.
- 2003
Costco opens
[1]Costco Wholesale opened at Bassett Place on November 13.
- 2000
Former Dillard's building demolished
[1]The former Dillard's structure was demolished to prepare the site for Costco redevelopment.
- 1995
Popular Dry Goods becomes Dillard's
[1]The Popular Dry Goods location was converted into a Dillard's store.
- 1993
Western-side expansion
[1]A western expansion added retail space and opened alongside redevelopment associated with a Target Greatland store.
- 1974
Conversion to an enclosed mall
[1]The property completed its conversion into a fully enclosed shopping mall.
- 1962
Opening as Bassett Center
[1]The Center Companies opened Bassett Center as El Paso's first shopping mall, with White House Department Store, Popular Dry Goods, and Kresge among its initial tenants.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center combining established anchor retailers with warehouse, general-merchandise, dining, cinema, and family-entertainment destinations.
Retail property · 1962
Shopping center retail space
Bassett Place provides a multi-tenant retail environment in El Paso, combining anchor stores, smaller retail units, food-service areas, and entertainment venues. Its tenant mix has changed over time as traditional department stores were replaced or supplemented by warehouse clubs, general-merchandise chains, home-related retailers, and leisure operators.
General merchandise and warehouse retail
Anchor retail offerings
The center's major retail destinations include Costco Wholesale, Target, Kohl's, and Conn's. These stores provide warehouse shopping, general merchandise, apparel, household goods, and consumer products, giving the property several large-format traffic drivers.
Entertainment · 2016
Entertainment and cinema
Bassett Place includes Premiere Cinema IMAX and Dave & Buster's among its entertainment-oriented offerings. The Dave & Buster's venue was introduced through a 2016 food-court reconfiguration and opened as the operator's first El Paso location.
Brand decisions
2016
Food-court reconfiguration for Dave & Buster'sStrategyBackground
The center sought to accommodate a major entertainment tenant within its existing retail and dining layout.
Action taken
Bassett Place reconfigured its food court to make room for Dave & Buster's.
Aftermath
Dave & Buster's first El Paso location opened at the center on April 11, 2016.
2000
Redevelopment for CostcoStrategyBackground
The former Popular Dry Goods location had become a Dillard's store in 1995.
Action taken
The former Dillard's building was demolished to create a site for Costco Wholesale.
Aftermath
Costco opened at the property on November 13, 2003.
1974
Conversion to a fully enclosed mallStrategyBackground
Bassett Center had opened in 1962 as an early El Paso shopping center with department-store and general-merchandise tenants.
Action taken
The property was converted into a fully enclosed mall.
Aftermath
The enclosed format became the basis for the center's later retail evolution.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/bassett-place · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled