Century Mall

Century Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Merrillville, Indiana, located at the southeast corner of Broadway, also designated Indiana State Road 53, and U.S. Route 30. It served the retail market of Northwest Indiana and opened with two major Chicago-based department-store anchors, Goldblatt's and Montgomery Ward. The property was developed by Bass Financial of Los Angeles and was intended to combine department-store retail with a broad selection of smaller interior tenants. The mall struggled to achieve full occupancy. Between its opening and 1982, only about 70 percent of the available space was leased. Its difficulties reflected a combination of competitive pressure, changes in regional shopping patterns, economic weakness, and the later withdrawal of important national retailers. Goldblatt's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 1982 and closed its Century Mall location shortly afterward. Simon Property Group acquired the mall around that time and reorganized the former Goldblatt's space for Burlington Coat Factory and Service Merchandise. Simon also repositioned the property toward an off-price and discount-oriented format, an approach it had used at other underperforming malls. The mall contained a small food court near the southern part of the enclosed center, along the corridor leading toward Service Merchandise and Burlington Coat Factory. Its tenant mix included local food operators as well as brands such as Schoop's Hamburgers and Subway. Other businesses associated with the surrounding outlots included White Castle, Shakey's Pizza, Checkers Drive-in, and a Shell station. The property also had a drugstore known as R-Way near Montgomery Ward. In 1990, Century Mall began allowing mall walkers to use its interior in cooperation with the Northwest Indiana Walkers, providing a community-oriented use during periods when retail traffic was weaker. The repositioning did not reverse the mall's long-term decline. Service Merchandise left in 1995 for a newer location at the Crossings at Hobart shopping center, and Burlington Coat Factory expanded into the vacated space. Montgomery Ward closed its anchor in June 2001 after the national chain entered bankruptcy. The interior shopping area was also weakened by changes to Montgomery Ward's store configuration and customer access. According to the historical account, the anchor removed its mall entrance and conveyed to customers that no other stores remained, even though roughly a dozen interior tenants were still operating. Tri-Land Properties acquired Century Mall and surrounding land in June 2006 with plans to replace the enclosed mall with a power-center-style development. Under the new ownership, the remaining tenants relocated except for Burlington Coat Factory. Most of the central enclosed structure was demolished in 2007, while the former Burlington and Montgomery Ward buildings were retained. In June 2007, the redeveloped property was renamed Century Plaza. The former Montgomery Ward building later housed Old Time Pottery, and a Staples store opened at the center in January 2012. Burlington eventually moved to the nearby Crossings at Hobart in November 2017, leaving its former anchor building vacant. Century Mall therefore survives primarily as a historical retail property reference rather than an operating mall brand.

Century Mall was developed in Merrillville, Indiana, as an enclosed shopping center serving Northwest Indiana. Bass Financial of Los Angeles developed the property, which was planned around two Chicago-based department-store anchors: Montgomery Ward and Goldblatt's. The supplied historical record gives both a 1975 opening date and a September 1977 groundbreaking reference; because those statements are inconsistent, the precise construction and opening chronology is not treated as a settled founding year here. The mall opened with Goldblatt's and Montgomery Ward as its major anchors, but leasing remained weak. From its opening through 1982, the center was reportedly only about 70 percent leased. In August 1982, Goldblatt's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed its store at the mall. Simon Property Group acquired Century Mall around the same period and responded by changing the property's commercial concept. Rather than continuing to rely primarily on traditional department-store shopping, Simon divided the former Goldblatt's building between Burlington Coat Factory and Service Merchandise and moved the mall toward an off-price and discount-oriented tenant mix. Century Mall included a small food court on the southern side of the interior, near the corridor connecting to the Service Merchandise and Burlington Coat Factory areas. Food operators included local businesses and national or regional names such as Schoop's Hamburgers and Subway. A drugstore called R-Way operated near the north side of the property outside Montgomery Ward. Nearby outlots included businesses identified in the historical account as White Castle, Shakey's Pizza, Checkers Drive-in, and a Shell gas station. In 1990, the mall opened its interior to mall walkers in cooperation with the Northwest Indiana Walkers, adding a recreational and community use to the property. The discount-oriented repositioning provided some initial benefit but did not overcome broader competitive and economic pressures. National retailers continued to leave during the 1990s. Service Merchandise relocated in 1995 to a newer store approximately half a mile away at the Crossings at Hobart, and Burlington Coat Factory subsequently expanded into the vacated area. Montgomery Ward closed in June 2001 after its parent chain filed for bankruptcy. The mall's interior stores were further disadvantaged by changes made to the Montgomery Ward anchor. The store removed its mall entrance and reportedly informed customers that no stores remained, despite the continued presence of approximately a dozen interior tenants. By 2006, the enclosed-mall model was no longer considered viable for the property. Tri-Land Properties purchased Century Mall and the surrounding land in June of that year with a plan to convert the site into a power center. The remaining tenants were relocated except for Burlington Coat Factory. During 2007, the central enclosed portion was demolished, while the former Burlington building and the former Montgomery Ward structure were retained. The property was renamed Century Plaza in June 2007, marking the transition to an open-air, strip-style retail development. The successor center used the retained buildings for large-format retail. Old Time Pottery occupied the former Montgomery Ward building, and Staples opened a 20,400-square-foot store in January 2012. Burlington Coat Factory remained at the site for several years but moved to the nearby Crossings at Hobart in November 2017. Its former anchor space was then vacant. Century Mall is consequently a defunct enclosed-mall brand whose physical site continued under the Century Plaza name after redevelopment.

• 2017

  Burlington relocates

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington Coat Factory moved to the nearby Crossings at Hobart, leaving its former Century Mall anchor space vacant.

• 2012

  Staples opens

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A 20,400-square-foot Staples store opened at the successor retail center.

• 2007

  Century Mall becomes Century Plaza

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed center was largely demolished and the site was renamed Century Plaza after conversion to an open-air retail format.

• 2006

  Redevelopment acquisition

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Tri-Land Properties acquired the mall and surrounding land to pursue a power-center redevelopment.

• 2001

  Montgomery Ward closes

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Montgomery Ward anchor closed in June after the national chain entered bankruptcy.

• 1995

  Service Merchandise relocates

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Service Merchandise moved to the Crossings at Hobart, allowing Burlington Coat Factory to enlarge its presence at Century Mall.

• 1990

  Mall walking program begins

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Century Mall opened its interior to mall walkers in cooperation with the Northwest Indiana Walkers.

• 1982

  Simon restructures the mall

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Goldblatt's bankruptcy and closure, Simon Property Group acquired the mall and replaced the former anchor's use with Burlington Coat Factory and Service Merchandise.

• 1977

  Groundbreaking reference

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The historical account records a September groundbreaking date, although it conflicts with the separately reported 1975 opening date.

• 1975

  Century Mall opens

  [1]Century Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall is identified as opening in Merrillville with Goldblatt's and Montgomery Ward as its anchor stores.

Originally positioned as a conventional enclosed regional shopping mall anchored by department stores, Century Mall was later repositioned as an off-price and discount-oriented center. Its final redevelopment abandoned the enclosed-mall format in favor of a power-center and big-box retail configuration.

• Retail property

  Enclosed shopping mall

  Century Mall's principal offering was a climate-controlled indoor shopping environment combining department-store anchors, specialty stores, restaurants, and a small food court. Its retail mix changed over time from conventional department-store shopping toward discount and off-price retail.

• Retail format · 1982

  Off-price and discount retail format

  After Simon Property Group acquired the property, the former Goldblatt's space was divided between Burlington Coat Factory and Service Merchandise. This repositioning emphasized value-oriented and large-format retail rather than a traditional department-store-led mall model.

• Food service

  Food court

  A small food court operated near the southern side of the enclosed mall. It included local restaurants and named tenants such as Schoop's Hamburgers and Subway, alongside the broader food-service businesses associated with the property.

• 2006

  Conversion to a power-center formatStrategy

  Background

  The enclosed mall had lost major anchors and continued to experience tenant departures.

  Action taken

  Tri-Land Properties purchased the property and surrounding land with plans to replace the enclosed mall with a big-box-oriented power center.

  Aftermath

  Most of the enclosed structure was demolished, the property was renamed Century Plaza, and selected former anchor buildings were reused.

  Source

• 1990

  Introduction of mall walkingOther

  Background

  The mall faced the need to support community use and maintain activity beyond ordinary shopping traffic.

  Action taken

  Century Mall opened its interior to mall walkers in cooperation with the Northwest Indiana Walkers.

  Aftermath

  The program added a recreational use to the center, although it did not alter the property's eventual commercial decline.

  Source

• 1982

  Repositioning toward discount retailStrategy

  Background

  Century Mall had low occupancy and lost Goldblatt's after the department store filed for bankruptcy.

  Action taken

  Simon Property Group divided the former Goldblatt's building between Burlington Coat Factory and Service Merchandise and adopted an off-price and discount-oriented concept.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning initially helped the property but did not stop its longer-term decline or the departure of later national tenants.

  Source

1. 1Century Mallen.wikipedia.org