Burnsville Center
Enclosed regional shopping center in Burnsville, Minnesota, United States.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Burnsville Center is an enclosed regional shopping center in Burnsville, Minnesota, at the intersection of Interstate 35W and County Road 42. The property was conceived in the early 1970s as a large suburban shopping destination serving the southern Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Sears and Powers Dry Goods announced in 1971 that they had acquired approximately 114 acres for the project, and Sears subsidiary Homart Development Company subsequently planned and developed the center. Early proposals envisioned a development of roughly 1.4 million square feet and about 165 stores when fully leased. Construction took place during a period of economic uncertainty and slower-than-expected population growth, but the developers proceeded with the project and incorporated accessibility features for disabled shoppers well before the Americans with Disabilities Act established national requirements. The center opened on August 3, 1977, with approximately 95 stores and three department-store anchors: Dayton's, Powers Dry Goods, and Sears. Its opening-day celebration included entertainer Pat Paulsen and appearances by Miss USA and Miss Minnesota. The center attracted an estimated 29,000 visitors on its first day, with approximately 10,800 cars using the parking facilities. A fourth anchor, JCPenney, was announced the following year. During its first decade, the mall retained many original tenants and achieved a high occupancy rate, although its sales ranking among Twin Cities malls was less dominant than its size might have suggested. Ownership and anchor identities changed repeatedly. Homart sold the property to Corporate Property Investors by 1983, and Pembrook Management was managing the mall by 1984. Powers Dry Goods was acquired by Donaldson's in 1985, while the same department-store space later became associated with Carson Pirie Scott, Mervyn's, Steve & Barry's, Gordman's, and Dick's Sporting Goods through successive ownership, rebranding, closures, and redevelopment. Dayton's became Marshall Field's in 2001 and Macy's in 2006. Sears operated at the center until closing in September 2017. Macy's announced the closure of its Burnsville Center location in January 2025 and completed the shutdown in March 2025. The mall underwent an important physical renovation in 2001, adding new finishes, improved lighting, skylights, a remodeled food court, and other amenities. Earlier work in 1989 replaced a carpeted interior ramp with stairs and elevators and expanded food-court seating from approximately 180 to 490 places. Following Mervyn's departure in 2004, its former anchor area was divided for new uses, including Steve & Barry's and Dick's Sporting Goods. The project also added an exterior lifestyle-oriented area and a large stone fireplace, while removing the carousel installed during the 2001 renovation. Burnsville Center faced increasing competitive pressure after the opening of the nearby Mall of America in 1992. Management responded partly by changing weekend hours after research indicated that a large share of customers were dual-income families. CBL & Associates acquired the mall in 1998 for $81 million. By the late 2010s, industry observers were questioning whether the property required a broader redevelopment strategy, particularly as competing retail centers added entertainment, mixed-use, and lifestyle components. Sears's former store was separately spun into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 and closed in 2017. The property was severely affected by the 2020 coronavirus-related retail disruption. CBL announced that the mall would enter foreclosure proceedings while approximately $64.5 million in loans were outstanding. Debt associated with the mall was sold at auction for $18 million in October 2020, although certain anchor properties were separately owned and excluded from that transaction. Portions containing Dick's Sporting Goods were sold in February 2022 to Pacific Square Burnsville LLC and Marshall Nguyen. Pacific Square and Wyn Group later acquired the remaining mall portion, excluding the separately owned anchor buildings, and announced redevelopment intentions. In October 2023, the transaction was described as a sale by Kohan Retail Investment Group to Pacifica Burnsville and Wyn Group. The former Sears building remained vacant and deteriorated, and Burnsville officials identified it as a fire hazard in 2023. The center continues to function as a retail and transit destination, but its long-term identity is tied to redevelopment and the repositioning of a traditional enclosed mall.
History
Burnsville Center originated with a 1971 land acquisition by Sears and Powers Dry Goods. The companies purchased roughly 114 acres at the southwest corner of Interstate 35W and County Road 42 in Burnsville, Minnesota, intending to create a regional shopping center. Sears's Homart Development Company announced detailed plans in 1973. The original concept called for approximately 1.4 million square feet, about 165 stores at full occupancy, and an estimated construction cost of $30 million. Early reports used the prospective name Burnhaven Shopping Center and anticipated an opening in 1975 or 1976. Construction began amid a recession and concerns about relatively slow local population growth, but Homart continued to support the project. The design included accommodations for disabled shoppers that preceded federal accessibility legislation by many years. The mall opened on August 3, 1977, with Dayton's, Powers Dry Goods, and Sears as its three anchor stores. About 95 retailers were operating at opening, and the opening celebration drew an estimated 29,000 visitors and 10,800 cars. JCPenney was announced as a fourth anchor in 1978. The first decade produced a mixed but generally stable record: Burnsville Center was large and retained many original tenants, yet it ranked only seventh among listed Twin Cities malls by sales volume in 1985. By its tenth anniversary in 1987, 66 opening-day tenants reportedly remained, and occupancy was in the high ninety-percent range. Ownership changed during the 1980s. Homart sold the mall to Corporate Property Investors by 1983, while Pembrook Management assumed management responsibilities by the following year. Anchor succession became a defining feature of the property. Donaldson's acquired Powers Dry Goods in 1985; the space later passed through Carson Pirie Scott and Mervyn's identities before being divided for subsequent tenants. Interior improvements in 1989 removed a broad carpeted ramp and replaced it with stairs and elevators. This released space and enabled a major increase in food-court seating, while restroom upgrades added changing stations and infant seats. The opening of Mall of America in nearby Bloomington in 1992 created a major competitive challenge. Burnsville Center and other established malls adjusted hours and amenities to defend their customer bases. Research indicated that 69 percent of the center's shoppers belonged to dual-income families, leading management to emphasize longer weekend shopping hours. CBL & Associates acquired the property from Corporate Property Investors in February 1998 for $81 million. A major renovation in 2001 introduced new carpeting, lighting, skylights, a remodeled food court, and additional amenities. The same period brought an anchor-name transition when Dayton's became Marshall Field's. After Mervyn's closed in 2004, the former anchor was divided: Steve & Barry's occupied the lower level from 2006, while Dick's Sporting Goods used the upper level from 2009. The center also gained an exterior lifestyle area and a prominent stone fireplace; the carousel added during the 2001 renovation was later removed. Marshall Field's became Macy's in 2006. The center's traditional model became increasingly difficult to sustain during the 2010s. Sears Holdings separated 235 properties, including the Burnsville Sears, into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015. Sears then closed its Burnsville location in September 2017. Observers noted in 2017 that the property had not added a significant new development in roughly a decade while competing retail destinations invested in broader lifestyle and mixed-use concepts. In February 2016, the first At Home store in Minnesota opened outside the mall, adding a nearby retail competitor and destination. By 2020, the property had been affected by pandemic shutdowns, anchor vacancies, and the bankruptcy-related closure of Gordman's. CBL announced foreclosure proceedings while loans totaling approximately $64.5 million were associated with the property. The mall's debt sold for $18 million at auction in October 2020, excluding separately owned anchor parcels. Ownership was subsequently divided further. Pacific Square Burnsville LLC and Marshall Nguyen acquired the portion containing Dick's Sporting Goods in February 2022. Pacific Square and Wyn Group acquired the remaining mall portion in 2023, and the ownership was reported in October 2023 as Pacifica Burnsville and Wyn Group. Redevelopment plans were associated with the new ownership. The former Sears building remained vacant and deteriorated, with the city identifying it as a fire hazard in 2023. Macy's closed its remaining store in March 2025. The center remains a retail property and regional transit stop, but its future is increasingly defined by redevelopment rather than the department-store format that shaped its first decades.
- 2025
Macy's closes
[1]The Macy's anchor closed in March after the retailer announced the location's shutdown in January.
- 2023
Redevelopment ownership established
[1]Pacific Square and Wyn Group acquired the remaining mall portion excluding certain anchor buildings and planned redevelopment.
- 2022
Dick's portion sold
[1]Pacific Square Burnsville LLC and Marshall Nguyen purchased the mall portion containing Dick's Sporting Goods.
- 2020
Foreclosure and debt auction
[1]CBL announced foreclosure proceedings, and the mall's associated debt was sold at auction later that year.
- 2017
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store closed in September as part of a broader Sears store-closure program.
- 2015
Sears property spun into Seritage
[1]The Sears location was among properties separated from Sears Holdings into Seritage Growth Properties.
- 2006
Marshall Field's becomes Macy's
[1]The department-store anchor adopted the Macy's name.
- 2001
Major renovation completed
[1]The center received new finishes, lighting, skylights, food-court improvements, and other amenities; Dayton's also became Marshall Field's.
- 1998
CBL acquires the mall
[1]CBL & Associates purchased the approximately 20-year-old property from Corporate Property Investors.
- 1992
Mall of America opens nearby
[1]The opening of Mall of America in Bloomington increased competitive pressure on Burnsville Center.
Products and positioning
A large suburban enclosed mall serving Burnsville and the southern Twin Cities region, historically positioned as a regional shopping destination and increasingly focused on adaptation and redevelopment as traditional department-store retail declines.
Retail real estate · 1977
Enclosed regional shopping center
Burnsville Center provides an enclosed, multi-level retail environment serving the southern Minneapolis–Saint Paul area. At various points in its history, the center accommodated approximately 165 stores at full leasing capacity and included department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, a food court, entertainment uses, and family services. The property also functions as a regional bus stop through Minnesota Valley Transit Authority service.
Department stores · 1977
Department-store anchor space
The center's anchor strategy historically relied on large department stores. Opening anchors were Dayton's, Powers Dry Goods, and Sears, later joined by JCPenney. Anchor buildings subsequently carried the names Marshall Field's, Macy's, Donaldson's, Carson Pirie Scott, Mervyn's, Steve & Barry's, Gordman's, and Dick's Sporting Goods through successive retail changes.
Food and beverage · 1977
Food court and dining facilities
Food and beverage space has been a recurring component of the center. The 1989 circulation renovation increased food-court seating substantially, and the 2001 renovation remodeled the food court as part of a wider effort to refresh the mall's interior environment.
Marketing campaigns
- 2025Ryan Trahan temporary-store feature
United States · Online
Burnsville Center was featured in a Ryan Trahan YouTube video in which he attempted to draw public attention to the mall by operating a temporary shop selling personal items.
Outcome. The feature generated online attention for the property, although no broader commercial outcome is documented in the supplied sources.
- 1977Grand opening celebration
Burnsville · Minnesota · United States
Burnsville Center promoted its opening with a public celebration featuring Pat Paulsen, Miss USA, and Miss Minnesota. The event helped establish the center as a major new regional shopping destination.
Outcome. The opening attracted an estimated 29,000 visitors and 10,800 cars, with about 95 stores operating on the first day.
Brand decisions
2023
Pursue ownership-led redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The traditional enclosed-mall format was under pressure from anchor closures, vacant buildings, and competition from newer retail destinations.
Action taken
Pacific Square and Wyn Group acquired the remaining mall portion excluding certain separately owned anchor buildings and associated the acquisition with redevelopment plans.
Aftermath
The property entered a new phase focused on repositioning and redevelopment, while the former Sears building remained vacant and was identified as a fire hazard.
2020
Proceed with foreclosure and debt saleOtherBackground
The mall faced pandemic-related disruption, vacant anchor space, and approximately $64.5 million in associated loans.
Action taken
CBL announced foreclosure proceedings, and the mall's debt was later sold at auction for $18 million.
Aftermath
The transaction separated the debt and mall ownership situation from several anchor parcels that were owned independently and were not included in the auction.
Outstanding loans and auction debt sale. $64.5 million in loans → $18 million auction sale (2020)
Sources1 sources
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