Bellis Fair

Bellis Fair is an enclosed shopping mall located north of downtown Bellingham, Washington, near the interchange of Interstate 5 and State Route 539, also known as Guide Meridian Road. The property opened on August 4, 1988, as a major regional retail development intended to serve Bellingham and surrounding communities. Its development was associated with the Trillium Corporation, which had announced plans in 1980 for a much larger retail and office project on approximately 1,200 acres acquired north of the city. The mall was built on the former site of a United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service plant-materials center. The opening of Bellis Fair changed the retail geography of Bellingham by drawing several prominent merchants away from downtown. Sears, Cineplex Odeon, JCPenney, and The Bon Marché became important early occupants, while Mervyn's and Target served as additional anchor tenants. Target's presence formed part of the retailer's early expansion into the Pacific Northwest. The mall also benefited from cross-border shopping by residents of the Vancouver, British Columbia, area during the early 1990s. That traffic weakened later in the decade as the Canadian dollar lost value relative to the U.S. dollar. Bellis Fair's tenant mix changed repeatedly as department-store retailing evolved. A Nordstrom Place Two store opened in 1990 after relocating from downtown Bellingham. It was converted into a Nordstrom Rack in 1994, closed in 1999, and subsequently became an auxiliary location for The Bon Marché. Old Navy joined the center in 1999. The Bon Marché stores were rebranded as Bon-Macy's in 2003 and Macy's in 2005. When Mervyn's withdrew from the Pacific Northwest in 2006, its Bellis Fair location was among those acquired or converted for Kohl's. The mall's large anchor spaces continued to be repurposed. Sears closed in January 2013, and the former Sears space was initially occupied by Sports Authority later that year. The mall cinema closed in 2014, with the former entertainment area subsequently used for restaurants and other food-oriented tenants. A 2015 renovation refreshed portions of the common areas, food court, and entryways. Sports Authority closed in 2016, and Dick's Sporting Goods opened in the space in 2017. Ashley Furniture took part of the former Sears footprint in 2018. The current or recently reported tenant profile has included JCPenney, Kohl's, Macy's, Macy's Home Store, Dick's Sporting Goods, H&M, Ashley Furniture, and Target, alongside smaller retailers, restaurants, services, and community uses. Bellis Fair also has a connection to the unresolved disappearance of North Carolina student Leah Roberts. The mall was reported as the last known place where Roberts was seen in March 2000; she purchased a cinema ticket and ate at a café there. Her vehicle was later found crashed nearby, but she has not been located. This association concerns an individual disappearance linked to the location and is not presented as wrongdoing by the mall. The property experienced a significant ownership and financing change in 2022. Brookfield Property Partners defaulted on a reported $77 million loan secured by the mall, leading to an auction. 4th Dimension Properties acquired Bellis Fair at auction in December 2022 for a reported $44 million. The buyer described plans to improve occupancy, which had been reported at nearly 80 percent, partly by pursuing nontraditional tenants. A Bellingham Public Library branch opened inside the mall on April 26, 2023, adding a civic and community-service function to the retail complex. In 2023, reports also discussed a proposed Chick-fil-A development in part of the parking lot, with a possible opening discussed for 2026 and earlier reporting pointing to 2027. Bellis Fair therefore remains an active retail property whose identity combines regional shopping, department-store merchandising, dining, services, and community-oriented uses.

Bellis Fair was developed as a regional retail center north of Bellingham, Washington. In 1980, the Trillium Corporation announced plans for a large retail and office project after acquiring roughly 1,200 acres north of the city. The eventual mall site had previously been occupied by a USDA Soil Conservation Service plant-materials center. Bellis Fair opened on August 4, 1988, and quickly became a major alternative to downtown shopping. The original tenant roster included Sears, Cineplex Odeon, JCPenney, The Bon Marché, Mervyn's, and Target. Several of these merchants had previously been associated with unsuccessful efforts to develop a downtown Bellingham mall. Target's opening formed part of the company's early Pacific Northwest expansion. Bellis Fair also benefited from its location beside Interstate 5 and near Guide Meridian Road, making it accessible to residents throughout Whatcom County and to visitors from Canada. Cross-border shopping was particularly significant in the early 1990s, although that traffic declined as the Canadian dollar weakened against the U.S. dollar by the middle of the decade. The property expanded and reconfigured its tenants during the 1990s. Nordstrom Place Two opened in 1990 after relocating from downtown Bellingham. It became Nordstrom Rack in 1994, closed in 1999, and was later used as auxiliary space for The Bon Marché. Old Navy was added in 1999. The Bon Marché stores changed names to Bon-Macy's in 2003 and Macy's in 2005. Mervyn's left the Pacific Northwest in 2006, and its Bellis Fair space became a Kohl's location. Further changes followed the decline of traditional department-store and multiplex operations. Sears closed in January 2013, with Sports Authority taking over the space later that year. The cinema closed in 2014, after which the former cinema area was converted for multiple restaurant uses. In 2015, the mall renovated sections of its common areas, food court, and entrances. Sports Authority closed in 2016, and Dick's Sporting Goods replaced it in 2017. Ashley Furniture opened in part of the former Sears footprint in 2018. Bellis Fair was the last reported location where Leah Roberts, a student from North Carolina, was seen before her disappearance in March 2000. She purchased a ticket for the film American Beauty and ate at a mall café. Her crashed automobile was later found nearby, but she has never been located. The event remains an unresolved disappearance associated with the property. The mall entered a new ownership phase in 2022. Brookfield Property Partners defaulted on a reported $77 million loan, and Bellis Fair was put up for auction. In December 2022, 4th Dimension Properties bought the property at auction for a reported $44 million. The new owner said it wanted to improve occupancy, then reported at approximately 80 percent, through a combination of conventional and nontraditional tenants. A Bellingham Public Library branch opened at the mall on April 26, 2023. That same year, reporting described a possible Chick-fil-A project using a portion of the parking lot, with projected timing discussed for 2026 or 2027. The mall's current identity reflects the continuing adaptation of enclosed retail properties through anchor replacement, dining, public services, and mixed community uses.

• 2023

  Bellingham Public Library branch opens

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A Bellingham Public Library branch opened inside Bellis Fair on April 26.

• 2022

  Property enters auction process

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Brookfield Property Partners defaulted on a reported $77 million loan, and the mall was offered at auction.

• 2022

  4th Dimension Properties acquires the mall

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  4th Dimension Properties purchased Bellis Fair at auction in December for a reported $44 million.

• 2018

  Ashley Furniture opens in former Sears space

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ashley Furniture occupied part of the former Sears footprint.

• 2017

  Dick's Sporting Goods opens

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's Sporting Goods replaced Sports Authority after the latter closed in 2016.

• 2015

  Common areas and food court are renovated

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Renovations updated portions of the mall's common areas, food court, and entrances.

• 2014

  Mall cinema closes

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The cinema closed, and the former entertainment area was later used for multiple restaurant spaces.

• 2013

  Sears closes and Sports Authority takes over the space

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Sears closed in January, and Sports Authority subsequently opened in the former anchor space.

• 2006

  Kohl's replaces Mervyn's

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  After Mervyn's exited the Pacific Northwest, Kohl's took over the Bellis Fair location.

• 2005

  Bon-Macy's becomes Macy's

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Bon-Macy's stores were renamed Macy's.

• 2003

  The Bon Marché stores become Bon-Macy's

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall's Bon Marché locations were rebranded as Bon-Macy's.

• 2000

  Leah Roberts disappearance becomes associated with the mall

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Bellis Fair was reported as the last known location where Leah Roberts was seen before her unresolved disappearance.

• 1999

  Old Navy joins the tenant mix

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Old Navy opened at Bellis Fair, adding a national value-oriented apparel retailer.

• 1994

  Nordstrom Place Two becomes Nordstrom Rack

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Nordstrom Place Two location was converted to a Nordstrom Rack store.

• 1990

  Nordstrom Place Two opens

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A Nordstrom Place Two store opened after relocating from downtown Bellingham.

• 1988

  Bellis Fair opens

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed regional mall opened on August 4, 1988, north of downtown Bellingham near Interstate 5 and State Route 539.

• 1980

  Trillium announces regional development plans

  [1]Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Trillium Corporation announced plans for a major retail and office project north of Bellingham after assembling approximately 1,200 acres.

A regional enclosed shopping center serving Bellingham and northwestern Washington, with additional historical appeal to cross-border shoppers from southwestern British Columbia. Its positioning combines department stores, large-format retailers, specialty shops, restaurants, services, and increasingly nontraditional community uses.

• Department store · 1988

  JCPenney

  JCPenney is one of Bellis Fair's longstanding department-store anchors. Its assortment traditionally spans apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, household merchandise, and seasonal goods, giving the mall a broad family-oriented retail draw.

• Department store · 2005

  Macy's

  Macy's occupies the former Bon Marché department-store lineage at Bellis Fair. The store provides a broad department-store assortment, including clothing, accessories, beauty products, home goods, and seasonal merchandise.

• Home furnishings

  Macy's Home Store

  Macy's Home Store represents the property's home-focused department-store offering. Its role is to provide furniture, bedding, housewares, decorative goods, and related household merchandise within the mall's anchor mix.

• Department store · 2006

  Kohl's

  Kohl's took over the former Mervyn's location after Mervyn's withdrew from the Pacific Northwest. The store adds value-oriented apparel, footwear, accessories, home goods, and seasonal merchandise to Bellis Fair.

• General merchandise · 1988

  Target

  Target was an original Bellis Fair anchor and part of the retailer's early Pacific Northwest expansion. Its general-merchandise format covers apparel, household products, electronics, groceries, health and beauty items, and seasonal goods.

• Sporting goods · 2017

  Dick's Sporting Goods

  Dick's Sporting Goods replaced Sports Authority in 2017. The large-format store provides sporting equipment, athletic apparel, footwear, outdoor products, and related accessories.

• Apparel

  H&M

  H&M contributes international fast-fashion apparel retail to Bellis Fair. Its typical range includes clothing, accessories, and seasonal collections for women, men, and children.

• Furniture and home furnishings · 2018

  Ashley Furniture

  Ashley Furniture opened in part of the former Sears footprint in 2018. It adds a dedicated furniture and home-furnishings destination covering living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, mattresses, and decorative products.

• Public library and community service · 2023

  Bellingham Public Library branch

  The Bellingham Public Library branch opened inside the mall in 2023. It broadens Bellis Fair's role beyond retail by providing library materials, public access, and community-oriented services within the shopping center.

• 2023

  Addition of a public library branchStrategy

  Background

  The property's new ownership emphasized improving occupancy and attracting uses beyond conventional retail.

  Action taken

  A Bellingham Public Library branch opened inside Bellis Fair on April 26, 2023.

  Aftermath

  The mall gained a civic and community-service use that diversified its tenant and visitor base.

  Source

• 2023

  Proposed Chick-fil-A developmentProduct launch

  Background

  Reports described a possible Chick-fil-A return to Bellingham through a project using part of the Bellis Fair parking area.

  Action taken

  The proposed development was discussed publicly, with possible opening timing later described as 2026 after earlier reporting indicated 2027.

  Aftermath

  The project was reported as planned or potential rather than a confirmed completed opening.

  Source

• 2022

  Auction sale to 4th Dimension PropertiesM&A

  Background

  Brookfield Property Partners defaulted on a reported $77 million loan secured by the mall, leading to an auction.

  Action taken

  4th Dimension Properties acquired Bellis Fair at auction in December 2022.

  Aftermath

  The new owner said it intended to raise occupancy, reported at nearly 80 percent, and attract nontraditional tenants.

  Reported auction acquisition price. $44 million (December 2022)

  Source

• 2017

  Dick's Sporting Goods replaces Sports AuthorityGeneration change

  Background

  Sports Authority closed in 2016, leaving a large sporting-goods anchor space available.

  Action taken

  Dick's Sporting Goods opened in the former Sports Authority space in 2017.

  Aftermath

  The replacement preserved a major sporting-goods use within Bellis Fair's anchor portfolio.

  Source

• 2015

  Renovation of public-facing mall areasStrategy

  Background

  The mall updated portions of its common areas, food court, and entryways as enclosed shopping centers competed for visitors and sought to modernize shared spaces.

  Action taken

  Bellis Fair renovated the identified common areas and refreshed visitor-facing parts of the property.

  Aftermath

  The renovation improved selected public areas, while later tenant changes continued to reshape the mall's overall offer.

  Source

1. 1Bellis Fair Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Bellis Fair official websitebellisfair.com