Champlain Centre
Champlain Centre is an enclosed shopping mall in Plattsburgh, New York.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Champlain Centre is an enclosed shopping mall in Plattsburgh, New York, serving the city and the wider North Country region. The property opened on July 1, 1987, under the name Champlain Centre North and was developed by The Pyramid Companies as a larger, expandable successor to Pyramid Mall, an earlier Plattsburgh shopping center that became known as Champlain Centre South. JCPenney relocated from the older center to the new mall, helping establish Champlain Centre as the principal regional retail destination in the area. At opening, the mall combined department stores, specialty retail, services, and entertainment. Its original anchor and major tenants included JCPenney, Sears, Hills, Steinbach, Hoyts Cinemas, and Service Merchandise. The tenant roster changed substantially over the following decades as department-store chains disappeared, specialty retailers expanded, and large-format discount and off-price operators became more important. Former anchor spaces were successively occupied by businesses including Ames, Target, Dick's Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain, Hobby Lobby, and Ollie's Bargain Outlet. The center also added or hosted Old Navy, Toys "R" Us, Borders Books & Music, Best Buy, DSW, Kohl's, and other national retailers. The mall's entertainment offering evolved alongside its retail mix. Hoyts Cinemas closed temporarily in 2010 for renovation work, including the installation of stadium seating, and returned as a Regal Cinemas theater in 2012. Retail transitions included the replacement of the former Steinbach location by Dick's Sporting Goods in 2003, the conversion of the former Hills store into Ames and later Target, and the conversion of the former Gander Outdoors space into Ollie's Bargain Outlet in 2020. Kohl's opened at the property in September 2019, while Ross Dress for Less opened in a former Best Buy location in October 2023. Champlain Centre has also experienced significant ownership and management changes. In October 2023, Pyramid Malls defaulted on the property's loan, leading to foreclosure proceedings. A public auction was held on March 26, 2024, after which Deutsche Bank National Trust Company became the mall's owner. Pacific Retail Capital Partners was appointed to manage the property in May 2024. The mall remains an active regional shopping center, with its business model centered on national anchor tenants, value-oriented retail, everyday services, and entertainment.
History
Champlain Centre originated in a development strategy by The Pyramid Companies to expand retail capacity in Plattsburgh. Before the present mall was built, Pyramid operated Pyramid Mall, anchored by JCPenney, Montgomery Ward, Price Chopper, and Kmart. Because that property was landlocked and offered limited room for further expansion, Pyramid selected a northern site for a new regional shopping center. The new development was named Champlain Centre North, while the older property was renamed Champlain Centre South. JCPenney transferred its operation to the new center. Champlain Centre South was briefly repositioned as an outlet center before being demolished in the late 1990s. Champlain Centre opened on July 1, 1987. Its initial anchor lineup included JCPenney, Sears, Hills, and Steinbach. Hoyts Cinemas provided an entertainment component, and Service Merchandise joined the center in November of the opening year. The property was designed as a conventional enclosed regional mall, combining department stores with national specialty retailers and a movie theater. As the American department-store and catalog-retail sectors changed, the center underwent repeated tenant rotations. The late 1990s and early 2000s brought several notable changes. Toys "R" Us opened in 1997 and Old Navy arrived in 1998. Steinbach and Service Merchandise both closed in 1999. Toys "R" Us later closed in 2002. Hills was converted to Ames after Ames acquired Hills, but Ames itself closed in 2002 following the chain's bankruptcy. Dick's Sporting Goods took over the former Steinbach space in 2003, while Gander Mountain replaced Service Merchandise in 2004. Borders Books & Music replaced the former Toys "R" Us location in 2005. The former Rex Appliances space became a Best Buy store in 2006, and the former Ames location was ultimately converted into Target in 2008. Entertainment and specialty retail continued to evolve. Hoyts Cinemas closed in 2010 for renovations, including the addition of stadium seating, and the theater later reopened under Regal Cinemas in 2012. Borders left the mall in 2011, followed by the arrival of Wendell's Furniture in that space in 2012. DSW opened in 2014, adding a national footwear specialist. Sears closed its Champlain Centre store in April 2016. Hobby Lobby opened in part of the former Sears building in 2017, providing a large-format arts, crafts, and home décor tenant. Gander Mountain closed in 2017 when its parent company entered bankruptcy-related proceedings. The location reopened in August 2018 as Gander Outdoors but closed again in October 2019. Kohl's opened at the property in late September 2019, strengthening the mall's department-store offering. Ollie's Bargain Outlet subsequently took over the former Gander space and opened in November 2020. Best Buy closed in October 2021, and Ross Dress for Less opened in the former Best Buy space in October 2023. The center underwent a major financial and operational transition in 2023 and 2024. Pyramid Malls defaulted on the loan secured by Champlain Centre in October 2023, leading to foreclosure. A public auction was held on March 26, 2024. Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, which also held the loan, became the owner after the foreclosure process. Pacific Retail Capital Partners assumed management on May 7, 2024. The property continues to operate as Champlain Centre, with a tenant mix focused on national retailers, discount merchandise, apparel, sporting goods, home-related products, services, and cinema entertainment.
- 2024
Ownership and management change
[1]Following a March foreclosure auction, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company became owner and Pacific Retail Capital Partners became manager.
- 2023
Ross Dress for Less opens
[1]Ross Dress for Less opened in the former Best Buy space in October.
- 2020
Ollie's Bargain Outlet opens
[1]Ollie's Bargain Outlet opened in the former Gander Outdoors location in November.
- 2019
Kohl's opens
[1]Kohl's opened at the mall in late September.
- 2017
Hobby Lobby opens in former Sears building
[1]Hobby Lobby opened in part of the space vacated by Sears.
- 2014
DSW opens
[1]DSW added a national footwear-focused retail offering to the mall.
- 2012
Renovated cinema reopens as Regal Cinemas
[1]The former Hoyts theater reopened after renovations and operated as a Regal Cinemas location.
- 2008
Target occupies former Ames space
[1]The former Hills and Ames anchor location was converted into a Target store.
- 2004
Gander Mountain replaces Service Merchandise
[1]Gander Mountain moved into the former Service Merchandise location.
- 2003
Dick's Sporting Goods replaces Steinbach
[1]Dick's Sporting Goods took over the former Steinbach anchor space.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping mall serving Plattsburgh and surrounding communities, positioned around convenient access to national retailers, value-oriented shopping, essential merchandise, and entertainment.
Retail property · 1987
Regional enclosed shopping mall
Champlain Centre provides an enclosed retail environment with department stores, specialty shops, discount retailers, services, dining, and entertainment. Its tenant composition has changed repeatedly as national chains have entered, exited, or repurposed former anchor spaces.
Entertainment · 1987
Regal Cinemas theater
The mall's cinema originated as Hoyts Cinemas, closed for renovation in 2010, and reopened in 2012 under the Regal Cinemas name with upgraded features including stadium seating.
Department and value retail · 1987
National retail anchor mix
The center's major retail offering has included JCPenney, Target, Kohl's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Hobby Lobby, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, Ross Dress for Less, Old Navy, Five Below, DSW, and other national operators. Individual tenants have changed over time.
Brand decisions
2024
Foreclosure-related ownership transferM&ABackground
Pyramid Malls defaulted on the loan secured by the property in October 2023, leading to foreclosure proceedings and a public auction.
Action taken
A public auction was held on March 26, 2024, after which Deutsche Bank National Trust Company became the mall's owner. Pacific Retail Capital Partners assumed management on May 7, 2024.
Aftermath
The property continued operating under new ownership and management.
2020
Conversion of former Gander space to Ollie's Bargain OutletOtherBackground
Gander Outdoors closed in October 2019 after the earlier Gander Mountain bankruptcy and subsequent rebranding.
Action taken
The vacant large-format space was converted for Ollie's Bargain Outlet, which opened in November 2020.
Aftermath
The change maintained a value-oriented retail presence in a former anchor location.
2010
Cinema renovation and modernizationStrategyBackground
The mall's Hoyts Cinemas theater closed for renovations as the property sought to maintain an entertainment component within its regional shopping-center offer.
Action taken
The theater was renovated, including the addition of stadium seating, and later reopened under the Regal Cinemas name.
Aftermath
The cinema returned to operation in 2012 as a Regal Cinemas location.
Sources2 sources
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