Chapel Hill Mall
Chapel Hill Mall was a regional enclosed shopping center in Akron, Ohio, that operated from 1967 until its permanent closure in 2021 and subsequent conversion into a business park.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Chapel Hill Mall was a regional enclosed shopping center in the Chapel Hill neighborhood of Akron, Ohio. Developed by local businessman Richard “R.B.” Buchholzer in partnership with Forest City Enterprises, it opened in October 1967 as Akron’s first indoor mall. The project grew from the Buchholzer family’s ownership of land on the city’s northern edge and from a belief that Akron’s future expansion would move northward. The site was associated with a story about an apparent Native American council circle discovered by a young Richard Buchholzer; he later used the name Chapel Hill because he regarded the circle as analogous to a chapel. The original development occupied roughly 175 acres and was conceived as a broader mixed-use project, with the enclosed shopping center complemented by nearby multifamily housing. Lathrop Douglass designed the weather-protected mall. Several major components opened before the mall’s formal debut, including Sears in 1966, a General Cinema twin theater, O’Neil’s department store, and JCPenney. The mall’s grand opening, held October 12–14, 1967, featured more than 50 tenants and approximately 5,400 parking spaces. At its peak, Chapel Hill Mall contained more than 100 stores and was anchored by Sears, JCPenney, and O’Neil’s, later followed by successor department-store brands including Kaufmann’s and Macy’s. Its early identity emphasized entertainment and spectacle as well as shopping. Opening attractions included the “Discover the New World of Chapel Hill” promotion, musical performances, puppet shows, fountains, a large locally produced mural, and later the interactive holiday character Archie Arctic, a talking snowman who appeared at the mall from 1968 through 2004. The opening of the nearby Rolling Acres Mall in 1975, developed by the same partners and using overlapping anchor stores, created competitive and tenant-cannibalization pressures. Chapel Hill nevertheless remained comparatively successful for many years and was reported to be 97 percent occupied when it was sold in 2004. Forest City and Buchholzer sold the property to CBL & Associates Properties in September 2004 for $77 million. A major renovation completed in 2006 modernized the interior and introduced new tenants. Department-store succession continued as O’Neil’s became part of May Company Ohio’s portfolio, later operated as Kaufmann’s, and was converted to Macy’s in 2006 after Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores. The surrounding retail environment changed substantially as newer multiplex cinemas and competing shopping formats drew activity away from the mall. The property entered a steep decline during the 2010s. Sears’ real-estate interest was transferred to Seritage Growth Properties in 2015, Macy’s closed in March 2016 after weak holiday sales, and Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the mall in July 2016 for $8.6 million. Sears announced a planned closure in 2017, and by 2018 approximately one-quarter of the storefronts were vacant. The property also accumulated unpaid utility bills, taxes, and other obligations, leading to threatened utility shutoffs, litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. JCPenney, the last major anchor, announced its closure in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed the mall in March of that year and complicated the store’s wind-down. Industrial Commercial Properties acquired the property in March 2021 for $7 million and proposed replacing the retail center with Chapel Hill Business Park, a light-industrial and commercial campus. The mall permanently closed on April 18, 2021, and remaining tenants were removed to enable redevelopment. The former mall building was subsequently opened up and renovated for industrial and commercial occupants. The carousel from the food court was relocated to Akron’s Lock 3 Park. By 2023, reported occupants included Craft33, Driverge, OnQ, and Quantix, while additional tenants and parking-lot users arrived during 2024. Chapel Hill Mall therefore survives primarily as a redeveloped property rather than as an operating retail brand.
History
Chapel Hill Mall developed from land owned by the Buchholzer family on Akron’s northern side. Richard Buchholzer later associated the property’s name with an apparent Native American council circle he noticed there as a teenager, describing the circle as comparable to a chapel. The family initially considered placing another Hower’s department store on the land. After Julius Johannes Buchholzer died in 1960, Richard became more involved in the family business and joined Forest City Enterprises to pursue an enclosed shopping center instead. Planning was substantially complete by 1963. The approximately 175-acre proposal included the mall, parking, and adjacent multifamily housing. New York architect Lathrop Douglass designed a climate-controlled, fully enclosed center intended to protect shoppers from Northeast Ohio weather. Construction began in late 1965 under an overall project budget reported at $75 million. Sears opened as a freestanding component in September 1966, and General Cinema opened a twin theater the following month. O’Neil’s opened a large department store in February 1967, followed by JCPenney in August. The mall held its formal opening October 12–14, 1967, with more than 50 tenants. Its opening program combined retail promotion with entertainment, including a “Discover the New World of Chapel Hill” theme, displays of purportedly recovered maritime treasure, local music, puppet shows, twin musical fountains, and a large mural titled “The Four Seasons.” Gray Drug Stores joined the tenant roster shortly afterward. Archie Arctic, a mechanically operated talking snowman controlled by an unseen performer, became a recurring holiday attraction from 1968 until 2004. Competition increased when the Buchholzer and Forest City partnership opened Rolling Acres Mall in 1975. Rolling Acres used many of the same anchor brands, and some specialty retailers were encouraged to open duplicate locations there. This weakened the older center’s tenant base, although Chapel Hill remained more stable than Rolling Acres for a considerable period. The mall also faced changing entertainment patterns. General Cinema opened a larger multiplex nearby in 1987, while Regal opened a modern ten-screen theater south of the mall in 1996. The mall’s smaller cinema then closed. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, owners considered adding a Higbee’s department store and other retail space. A substantial expansion eventually opened in 1994, adding a food court with a carousel, new retail area, updated floors and ceilings, a center fountain, and improved lighting. O’Neil’s changed identity through the May Company and Kaufmann’s systems; the department store later became Dillard’s in related regional changes, while Chapel Hill’s own former O’Neil’s location operated as Kaufmann’s before becoming Macy’s in 2006. The original owners sold the mall to CBL & Associates Properties in 2004 for $77 million. CBL completed a major renovation in 2006, adding contemporary interior finishes and tenants such as Charlotte Russe and Man Alive. The mall subsequently suffered from department-store contraction, new retail competition, and declining customer traffic. Sears’ property interest was spun into Seritage Growth Properties in 2015. Macy’s closed in March 2016, citing weak holiday performance, and Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the mall several months later for $8.6 million. The attempted revitalization under Kohan did not reverse the decline. Sears announced a closure in 2017, vacancies increased, and by 2018 roughly one-quarter of the storefronts were empty. In 2019 and 2020, unpaid water, electricity, property-related taxes, and other obligations produced threatened utility interruptions and legal action. Ohio Edison filed a claim concerning more than $195,000 in alleged overdue bills, while Summit County pursued foreclosure-related action involving more than $750,000 in reported obligations. JCPenney announced a closure in January 2020; the pandemic temporarily shut the mall in March and affected the timing of the store’s final closure. Industrial Commercial Properties purchased the property in March 2021 for $7 million, with a portion of the transaction proceeds directed toward county debts. ICP proposed investing approximately $20 million, supported by a $1.5 million Akron incentive package, to convert the roughly 829,000-square-foot structure into Chapel Hill Business Park. The mall closed permanently on April 18, 2021, and remaining retail tenants were evicted for construction. The food-court carousel moved to Lock 3 Park. Renovation removed or repurposed interior walls and refreshed the building exterior and landscaping. By 2023 and 2024, the property had gained industrial, logistics, automotive, and storage-related occupants, marking its transition from regional mall to commercial campus.
- 2021
Retail closure and redevelopment
[1]ICP acquired the property, permanently closed the mall, and began conversion into Chapel Hill Business Park.
- 2016
Kohan acquisition
[1]Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the mall for $8.6 million.
- 2006
Renovation and Macy’s conversion
[1]A major renovation was completed, and Kaufmann’s later became Macy’s following Federated’s acquisition of May Department Stores.
- 2004
Sold to CBL & Associates
[1]Buchholzer and Forest City sold the mall to CBL for $77 million.
- 1994
Major expansion completed
[1]The mall added a food court, carousel, retail space, updated finishes, lighting, and a center fountain.
- 1975
Rolling Acres Mall opens
[1]The same development partners opened a larger nearby mall with overlapping anchors, intensifying competition.
- 1967
Grand opening
[1]Chapel Hill Mall opened in October with more than 50 tenants and about 5,400 parking spaces.
- 1966
Sears and twin cinema open
[1]A Sears store and General Cinema’s Cinema I & II opened before the enclosed mall’s formal debut.
- 1965
Construction begins
[1]Physical construction started on the mixed-use Chapel Hill development.
- 1963
Mall plans completed
[1]Plans were prepared for an enclosed shopping center on a large Buchholzer family property in northern Akron.
Products and positioning
A regional, family-oriented enclosed shopping mall serving Akron and surrounding Northeast Ohio communities, later repositioned as a commercial and light-industrial business campus.
Regional shopping mall · 1967
Chapel Hill Mall enclosed shopping center
The core offering was a climate-controlled regional mall serving Akron and nearby communities. It combined department-store anchors, specialty retail, restaurants, entertainment, seasonal programming, and extensive surface parking. At its height, the center housed more than 100 stores and functioned as a major suburban retail destination.
Dining and entertainment · 1994
Food court and carousel
Added during the 1994 expansion, the food court included a full-size operating carousel at its center. The carousel became one of the mall’s recognizable family attractions and was later relocated to Akron’s Lock 3 Park after the mall closed.
Seasonal attraction · 1968
Archie Arctic
Archie Arctic was a tall interactive talking snowman installed as a holiday attraction. A performer hidden elsewhere in the mall viewed and answered children through a microphone system, creating the impression that the snowman was speaking. The attraction appeared at Chapel Hill from 1968 through 2004.
Marketing campaigns
- 1967Discover the New World of Chapel Hill
Akron · Northeast Ohio
The grand-opening promotion presented Chapel Hill as a novel destination through themed displays, entertainment, celebrity appearances, music, puppet shows, and decorative attractions.
Outcome. The campaign supported the mall’s launch and helped establish an entertainment-focused identity.
Brand decisions
2021
Conversion into Chapel Hill Business ParkStrategyBackground
Only about 20 of 75 available storefronts were occupied, and the retail property had accumulated substantial obligations.
Action taken
Industrial Commercial Properties acquired the site, closed the mall, and began converting the building into a light-industrial and commercial campus.
Aftermath
The former mall was renovated for industrial, logistics, automotive, and storage-related users.
Acquisition price. 7000000 (March 2021)
2016
Sale to Kohan Retail Investment GroupM&ABackground
The mall was losing major tenants and Macy’s had announced its closure.
Action taken
Kohan Retail Investment Group purchased the mall and proposed a revitalization aimed partly at younger consumers.
Aftermath
Vacancies and financial problems continued, followed by utility disputes, tax claims, and the loss of the remaining anchors.
Acquisition price. 8600000 (July 2016)
2004
Sale to CBL & Associates PropertiesM&ABackground
Chapel Hill was comparatively well occupied while nearby Rolling Acres was deteriorating.
Action taken
Buchholzer and Forest City sold the property to CBL for $77 million.
Aftermath
CBL undertook a major renovation completed in 2006.
Acquisition price. 77000000 (September 2004)
1994
Expand the mall and add a food courtStrategyBackground
Owners had considered adding additional department-store and retail capacity during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Action taken
The owners opened an expanded retail area and food court and modernized portions of the existing interior.
Aftermath
The project refreshed the center and added the carousel attraction, but did not prevent later long-term decline.
Recent events
- 2021
Industrial Commercial Properties buys Chapel Hill Mall for redevelopment[1]
M&A
Industrial Commercial Properties acquired the property and announced plans for Chapel Hill Business Park, a light-industrial and commercial redevelopment.
- 2021
Chapel Hill Mall permanently closes[1]
Other
The enclosed mall closed on April 18, ending its retail operations and allowing redevelopment work to proceed.
- 2020
Chapel Hill Mall faces utility and tax-payment problems[1]
Lawsuit · Regulation
The City of Akron warned of possible utility shutoffs, while Ohio Edison and Summit County pursued claims related to unpaid bills, taxes, interest, and fees.
- 2020
JCPenney announces closure of its Chapel Hill location[1]
Other
JCPenney included the store in a nationwide closure program, leaving the mall without a major anchor after the store’s eventual shutdown.
- 2016
Chapel Hill Mall is sold to Kohan Retail Investment Group[1]
M&A
Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the Akron mall for $8.6 million and stated that it intended to revitalize the property and attract younger shoppers.
- 2016
Macy’s closes its Chapel Hill Mall store[1]
Other
Macy’s permanently closed its location after citing disappointing holiday sales, removing one of the mall’s principal anchors.
Sources2 sources
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