Charlestowne Mall
A defunct enclosed shopping mall in St. Charles, Illinois, whose long decline culminated in the closure of most retail operations in 2017.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Charlestowne Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in St. Charles, Illinois, United States. Developed by Wilmorite Properties, it was planned in the late 1980s as a large regional shopping destination serving the growing residential areas of Kane and DuPage counties. The project represented Wilmorite's first development outside New York State and was built along Illinois Route 64 on the eastern side of St. Charles. The mall opened in phases during 1991 and 1992. Sears began trading ahead of the main opening on April 2, 1991, while Carson Pirie Scott held its formal opening ceremony on August 15, 1991. JCPenney opened in early 1992, and Kohl's was added as a fourth anchor. The original complex covered more than one million square feet and included a two-level carousel, a food court, a two-story interior layout, and a broad range of apparel, specialty, footwear, jewelry, entertainment, and family-oriented stores. Charlestowne Mall initially reshaped retail competition in St. Charles. The older St. Charles Mall lost its anchor tenants and was vacated by 1995, although downtown St. Charles retained a different commercial identity centered on shops such as antique stores. Charlestowne's owners explored adding a fifth anchor during the mid-1990s, considering retailers including Jacobson's, Von Maur, Parisian, and Lord & Taylor. Instead, the northwest corner eventually became a cinema site. Regal Cinemas opened a theater in 1999, and Classic Cinemas acquired it two years later. The mall's anchor mix changed materially after JCPenney closed in 2000 because of weak sales. Von Maur acquired the former JCPenney premises and opened after renovation in early 2001, supported in part by a $9 million sales-tax rebate from the city. Other tenants added around this period included Eddie Bauer, Noodle Kidoodle, Whitehall Jewelers, Gymboree, and Athletic Attic. A Target store also opened across from the mall in 2001. Despite periodic leasing successes, the property entered a sustained decline in the 2000s. Geneva Commons, an open-air lifestyle center in nearby Geneva, opened in 2002 and drew retailers and shoppers away. Analysts and local observers also cited Charlestowne's large footprint relative to the market, distance from major freeways, changing retail patterns, and competition from big-box stores. Wilmorite sold most of its portfolio to Macerich in 2004, but Charlestowne Mall was excluded from that transaction. The mall changed ownership and management several times, with repeated proposals to renovate or convert it into a lifestyle-center format. None of the major redevelopment schemes proceeded. Sears closed in March 2011, and Kohl's closed in 2016. By 2010, only slightly more than two dozen stores were reportedly operating. In 2013, The Krausz Companies acquired the property and proposed renaming it The Quad St. Charles, demolishing the Sears wing, and undertaking a major interior and exterior renovation. Construction did not begin. The mall's carousel was later removed and relocated to Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. Most of the mall closed during 2017. The remaining retail and entertainment operations were reduced to Von Maur, Carson's, and the cinema. Carson's disappeared after its parent company, The Bon-Ton, entered bankruptcy in 2018 and closed its retail chains. Subsequent owners proposed mixed-use redevelopment involving demolition, townhouses, a hotel, and preservation of Von Maur and the theater, but the plans were delayed and ultimately rejected by St. Charles officials in 2022. Toyota used the abandoned property as a filming location for a 2022 GR86 commercial. As of January 2025, no redevelopment plan had been approved, and the largely vacant property was reported to remain under private security monitoring.
History
Wilmorite Properties announced Charlestowne Mall in 1989, selecting a site on Illinois Route 64 east of St. Charles. The developer expected residential growth in Kane and DuPage counties and designed a two-story complex exceeding one million square feet. The project was Wilmorite's first mall development outside New York State. Sears was the first tenant to open, beginning business on April 2, 1991. Wilmorite delayed the main mall and Carson's opening until August because of concerns about the national economy after the Gulf War and the opportunity to capture back-to-school spending. Carson Pirie Scott held its opening ceremony on August 15, 1991, and JCPenney joined the project in early 1992. Kohl's was also present as a fourth anchor by the time the mall opened fully. A food court and a two-level carousel were among its principal public amenities. The mall quickly affected the existing retail structure of St. Charles. The older St. Charles Mall lost its major tenants and was vacated in 1995 before being demolished in 2002. Charlestowne's owners explored adding another anchor and considered several department-store chains during the mid-1990s. They also proposed a freestanding Toys "R" Us and a Carson's expansion. In 1997, nine mall businesses attempted to sue Wilmorite, alleging that they had been induced to lease space by representations about upscale tenants that did not materialize. The case was not finalized. Regal Cinemas opened a theater in 1999 in the location originally considered for a fifth anchor. JCPenney closed in 2000 because of low sales, and Von Maur acquired and renovated the space, opening in early 2001. The transaction was supported by a $9 million sales-tax rebate from St. Charles. Eddie Bauer, Noodle Kidoodle, Whitehall Jewelers, Gymboree, and Athletic Attic were among the other retailers associated with the expansion period. Target opened across from the mall in 2001. Classic Cinemas acquired the theater in 2001 and renovated it between July and October of that year. New specialty tenants arrived in 2002, including Zumiez, Champs Sports, Zales, Sam Goody, and Hollister. American Eagle Outfitters expanded, Claire's relocated, and a children's play area was later added. These additions did not reverse the mall's structural problems. Geneva Commons, a nearby lifestyle center, opened in 2002 and attracted shoppers and retailers. Observers also blamed the mall's large size, its distance from major highways, and growing competition from big-box stores. Wilmorite sold most of its malls to Macerich in December 2004, but Charlestowne Mall was excluded. The property was sold to Midland Loan Services in 2005, with Urban Retail Properties handling management. Management rights passed to McKinley Properties in 2007. McKinley considered converting the site into a lifestyle center, but no construction occurred. Occupancy deteriorated, and by 2010 the mall reportedly had only slightly more than two dozen stores. Charlestowne Investments LLC acquired the property in 2010 and promised revitalization. Sears closed in March 2011 after negotiations with mall management broke down. St. Charles commissioned a study in 2012 to assess the site's options, but the study did not lead to a redevelopment project. In November 2013, The Krausz Companies acquired the mall and announced The Quad St. Charles, a plan involving demolition of the Sears wing and extensive remodeling. The project never advanced to demolition or construction. The mall carousel was sold and later relocated to Chapultepec Park in Mexico City. Kohl's closed in 2016. During 2017, sections of the mall were barricaded and permanently closed, and the remaining interior shut on December 1, apart from Von Maur, Carson's, and Classic Cinemas. Carson's closed after The Bon-Ton entered bankruptcy in 2018. Plans for redevelopment in 2019 or 2020 were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Lormax Stern and S. R. Jacobson acquired the property from Krausz. Their proposal called for demolishing most of the mall, retaining Von Maur and the cinema, and adding townhouses and a hotel. The city rejected the plan in 2022, partly because officials wanted stronger entertainment uses. Toyota later used the abandoned complex in a 2022 GR86 commercial. No approved redevelopment plan had emerged by January 2025, and the property remained vacant or substantially vacant under private security monitoring.
- 2022
City rejects redevelopment proposal
[1]St. Charles officials reject the proposed plan and call for a concept with more suitable entertainment elements.
- 2021
New mixed-use redevelopment proposal
[1]Lormax Stern and S. R. Jacobson propose replacing most of the mall with housing and a hotel while retaining selected uses.
- 2018
Carson's closes after Bon-Ton bankruptcy
[1]The Bon-Ton's bankruptcy leads to the closure of Carson's and the end of another original anchor.
- 2017
Most mall operations end
[1]The mall interior closes on December 1, except for selected tenants and the cinema.
- 2013
The Quad St. Charles plan is announced
[1]The Krausz Companies proposes a major renovation and partial demolition.
- 2011
Sears closes
[1]The original anchor closes on March 20 after negotiations with management fail.
- 2002
Geneva Commons opens nearby
[1]The nearby lifestyle center intensifies competition for tenants and customers.
- 2001
Von Maur opens
[1]Von Maur opens in the renovated former JCPenney space.
- 2000
JCPenney closes
[1]JCPenney leaves the mall because of low sales; Von Maur later takes over the location.
- 1999
Regal Cinemas opens a theater
[1]A cinema occupies the site originally considered for a fifth anchor.
Products and positioning
A large suburban regional mall intended to serve St. Charles and surrounding Kane and DuPage County communities. Its original positioning combined department-store anchors with specialty retail, family amenities, and indoor entertainment. Over time, its scale and enclosed-mall format became less competitive against nearby lifestyle centers, big-box retail, and changing shopping habits.
Department store · 2001
Von Maur
Von Maur replaced JCPenney in a renovated and slightly expanded space. It became one of the final major retail occupants of Charlestowne Mall and was retained in later redevelopment concepts.
Department store · 1991
Carson's
Originally opened as Carson Pirie Scott, the department store was one of the mall's original anchors. It remained after most of the complex closed but shut following the bankruptcy and liquidation of parent company The Bon-Ton.
Department store · 1991
Sears
Sears was the first store to open at Charlestowne Mall and served as an original anchor. Its location closed in March 2011 after sales and negotiations with mall management failed to support continued operation.
Department store · 1991
Kohl's
Kohl's operated as a fourth anchor after being added to the original three-anchor plan. It closed in 2016 as part of the chain's closures of unprofitable stores.
Cinema · 2001
Classic Cinemas
Classic Cinemas acquired the mall's Regal theater in 2001 and renovated it. The cinema was one of the few uses allowed to continue after most mall interiors closed.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Toyota GR86 commercial
United States
Toyota filmed a commercial inside and outside the abandoned mall to showcase the 2022 GR86 sports car.
Outcome. The vacant property became a recognizable filming location rather than a functioning retail destination.
- 1991Sears opening promotion
St. Charles area
Sears promoted its early opening by mailing flyers to more than 61,000 local Sears cardholders.
Outcome. The store opened before the main mall and became one of the original anchors.
Brand decisions
2021
Propose mixed-use redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The mall was substantially vacant after the closure of most retail operations and the loss of Carson's.
Action taken
Lormax Stern and S. R. Jacobson proposed demolishing most of the property, retaining Von Maur and the movie theater, and adding townhouses and a hotel.
Aftermath
St. Charles rejected the plan in 2022, citing concerns about suitability and the need for stronger entertainment uses.
2013
Propose The Quad St. Charles conversionStrategyBackground
Declining tenancy and the failure of earlier renovation concepts prompted a new ownership group to reposition the mall.
Action taken
The Krausz Companies proposed a new name, demolition of the Sears wing, and comprehensive interior and exterior remodeling.
Aftermath
No demolition or construction began, and the proposed conversion was abandoned.
2004
Exclude Charlestowne Mall from Wilmorite's Macerich saleM&ABackground
Wilmorite sold most of its shopping-mall portfolio to Macerich while refocusing on properties closer to its Rochester base.
Action taken
Charlestowne Mall was left outside the transaction and subsequently followed a separate ownership and management path.
Aftermath
The property changed hands and management multiple times while occupancy continued to weaken.
2000
Replace JCPenney with Von MaurOtherBackground
JCPenney closed its Charlestowne location after weak sales, leaving a major anchor vacancy.
Action taken
Wilmorite sold the former JCPenney premises to Von Maur and enlarged the space by incorporating adjacent mall areas.
Aftermath
Von Maur opened in early 2001 and became one of the property's longest-lasting anchors.
Sales-tax rebate. $9 million (Around the 2000-2001 Von Maur opening)
Recent events
- 2022
Toyota films a GR86 commercial at the abandoned mall[1]
Campaign
Toyota used the vacant mall and its surrounding property as a location for a commercial promoting the 2022 Toyota GR86 sports car.
- 2022
St. Charles rejects proposed mall redevelopment[1]
Regulation
City officials rejected the Lormax Stern and S. R. Jacobson proposal, expressing concerns about the suitability of the plan and indicating that a future project should provide more entertainment options.
- 2021
Lormax Stern and S. R. Jacobson announce a new redevelopment concept[1]
M&A
The partnership acquired the mall from Krausz and proposed demolishing most of the property while retaining Von Maur and the movie theater and adding townhouses and a hotel.
- 2018
Carson's parent company files for bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Bon-Ton filed for bankruptcy and announced the closure of the chains it operated, including Carson's. The Charlestowne Mall Carson's store subsequently closed.
- 2017
Charlestowne Mall largely closes to the public[1]
Other
The mall's interior was progressively closed during 2017. Most operations ended on December 1, leaving Von Maur, Carson's, and the cinema as the principal remaining occupants.
- 2016
Kohl's closes its Charlestowne Mall location[1]
Other
Kohl's closed the St. Charles store as part of a group of unprofitable store closures, further reducing the mall's anchor base.
- 2013
The Krausz Companies announce The Quad St. Charles redevelopment[1]
Other
The Krausz Companies acquired the property and proposed renaming it The Quad St. Charles, removing the Sears wing, and carrying out a comprehensive renovation. The announced construction schedule was not realized.
- 2011
Sears announces closure of its Charlestowne Mall store[1]
Other
Sears announced that its Charlestowne Mall location would close after negotiations between the retailer and mall management failed to produce an agreement. The store shut on March 20, 2011.
Sources2 sources
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