Courtland Center
Courtland Center is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Burton, Michigan.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Courtland Center is an enclosed regional shopping mall at the intersection of East Court Street and Center Road in Burton, Michigan, in the Flint metropolitan area. The property began as a planned commercial development on land that Burton Township rezoned from single-family residential use in September 1964. Forest City Enterprises started early development work with the intention of opening a shopping center in the mid-1960s, but the completed enclosed mall did not open until late October 1968. The mall originally opened as Eastland Mall under the ownership of Forest City Enterprises and Jack Shifron. Its first tenant mix included 47 stores and three principal anchors: Woolco, The Fair, and Federal's. A 1,000-seat cinema was also part of the early complex; its first screen opened in 1967 as Eastland Mall Theatre, before the mall's formal 1968 opening. Eastland Mall preceded the larger Genesee Valley Center by approximately two years and served as one of the principal enclosed retail destinations in the Flint area. The property underwent repeated tenant and format changes as department-store chains and mall-based retail evolved. Federal's closed and the space was briefly used by Robert Hall Village, which ended operations after bankruptcy in 1977; JCPenney later occupied the location. Woolco exited the United States in 1983, after which its eastern anchor space was divided among other users, including Crowley's. The western anchor, The Fair, closed in 1987 and was replaced by Mervyn's. In August 1986, the mall adopted the Courtland Center name. By 1994, the center had approximately 80 stores. The cinema also changed operators and configurations. National Amusements closed the theaters in 1991. The venue reopened in 1998 under Silver Cinemas with six screens, was subsequently acquired by National Amusements, and returned to the Courtland Center Cinema identity. A further theater expansion took place in November 1998. After another closure in 2009, NCG Cinemas reopened the venue in May 2011 as NCG Courtland Cinemas. That cinema permanently closed on September 27, 2021. Tucker Development acquired the mall from Forest City Enterprises in the early 2000s and undertook a redevelopment program. Store relocations and adaptive reuse reshaped the former department-store areas: Old Navy occupied part of the former Crowley's space, Staples later moved into the former Old Navy area, and the remainder of the former Crowley's was divided between Jo-Ann Etc. and Dunham's Sports. Mervyn's left the property in early 2006 when the chain withdrew from Michigan. JCPenney then consolidated its presence into an enlarged store in the former Mervyn's building, opening the new location on March 1, 2008, with expanded departments and an inline Sephora operation. The mall has also hosted community and institutional uses. Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan operated a seasonal store there in late 2015 and opened a 15,000-square-foot permanent store in January 2016. The Sloan Museum temporarily used the former Steve & Barry's space from 2018 until May 2022 while its permanent facility was renovated. After Tucker Development sold the property in 2013 to a Delaware limited liability company, the center continued operating with a smaller, service-oriented tenant base. The current anchor lineup identified in reference material consists of JCPenney, Dunham's Sports, and Ross. Staples closed in June 2023 and Ross opened in its former space in March 2024. Jo-Ann closed during the chain's liquidation in April 2025.
History
Courtland Center originated in a 1960s effort to establish a major enclosed retail center in Burton Township. In September 1964, local authorities rezoned the southeastern corner of East Court Street and Center Road from residential to commercial use. Forest City Enterprises began preparing the site for a project initially referred to as Court Mall Center, with an opening once anticipated for the second quarter of 1965. The completed center opened in late October 1968 as Eastland Mall. Forest City Enterprises and Jack Shifron were associated with the original ownership. The mall opened with 47 stores and three anchors: Woolco on the east side, The Fair on the west side, and Detroit-based Federal's in the central portion. Its entertainment facilities were part of the development's early appeal. A single-screen theater opened in 1967 as Eastland Mall Theatre, and the complex was described as having a 1,000-seat theater. The mall opened before Genesee Valley Center, which became a larger competing regional center elsewhere in the Flint area. Tenant turnover began to reshape the property during the following decades. Federal's closed, and its premises briefly became Robert Hall Village before that retailer's bankruptcy-related closure in 1977. JCPenney eventually took over the location. Woolco shut all of its American stores in 1983, leaving Courtland with another large vacant space. That area was subdivided and later included Crowley's. The Fair departed in 1987 and was replaced by Mervyn's. In August 1986, the mall was renamed Courtland Center, marking a new phase in its development. The center reached approximately 80 stores by 1994. The cinema experienced several operating changes. National Amusements closed the theaters in 1991. Silver Cinemas reopened the site in 1998 with six screens, after which National Amusements acquired Silver's business and restored the Courtland Center Cinema name. The theater operation was expanded in November 1998. It closed again in 2009, but NCG Cinemas brought it back on May 20, 2011, as NCG Courtland Cinemas. That final cinema operation ended permanently on September 27, 2021. Tucker Development acquired the mall from Forest City Enterprises in the early 2000s and began renovating and reconfiguring its retail space. The former Crowley's area became a focus of this work. Old Navy used part of the space from 2000 and relocated within the mall in 2005. Staples subsequently moved from a nearby strip center into the former Old Navy location. The rest of the former Crowley's area was divided between Jo-Ann Etc. and Dunham's Sports; both brands had connections to existing nearby or in-mall locations that were closed, relocated, or consolidated. Mervyn's closed in early 2006 when the chain left Michigan. In late 2007, JCPenney announced that it would move from its existing mall locations into a larger store created from the former Mervyn's building. During redevelopment, a roof fire in September 2007 caused the mall to close for one day. The new JCPenney opened on March 1, 2008, with additional departments and an inline Sephora. Its former main store was then occupied by Steve & Barry's, which opened on May 15, 2008. Steve & Barry's closed in December of that year, and the cinema closed again in 2009. Planet Fitness later replaced the Old Navy space, opening there in February 2011. Ownership changed again in 2013, when Tucker Development sold the property to a Delaware limited liability company. The mall subsequently accommodated a mix of retail, services, nonprofit activity, and cultural programming. Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan ran a holiday pop-up shop in November and December 2015, then opened a 15,000-square-foot permanent store in January 2016. Sloan Museum used the former Steve & Barry's space temporarily from 2018 until May 2022 while its permanent facility was renovated; the permanent museum reopened the following month. The later history reflects the continuing contraction and replacement of traditional mall tenants. Staples closed in June 2023, followed by Ross's opening in the space in March 2024. Jo-Ann closed during the chain's liquidation in April 2025. The center remains an active enclosed mall, with JCPenney, Dunham's Sports, and Ross identified as its current principal anchors in the reference material.
- 2025
Jo-Ann closes
[1]The Jo-Ann location closed during the chain's liquidation in April.
- 2024
Ross opens in former Staples space
[1]Ross opened in March after Staples had closed the previous June.
- 2022
Temporary Sloan Museum closes
[1]The museum's temporary Courtland Center location closed in May before its permanent building reopened.
- 2021
Cinema closes permanently
[1]NCG Courtland Cinemas ended operations on September 27.
- 2016
Goodwill opens permanent store
[1]Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan opened a 15,000-square-foot store in January.
- 2013
Property sold by Tucker Development
[1]Tucker Development sold the mall to a Delaware limited liability company.
- 2011
NCG Courtland Cinemas opens
[1]NCG Cinemas reopened the theater on May 20.
- 2008
JCPenney opens consolidated replacement store
[1]A larger JCPenney opened in the former Mervyn's building on March 1.
- 2004
Tucker Development begins ownership and redevelopment period
[1]Tucker Development acquired the property from Forest City Enterprises in the early 2000s and initiated renovations.
- 1998
Cinema reopens and expands
[1]Silver Cinemas reopened the theater with six screens, and a further expansion followed in November under National Amusements.
Products and positioning
A community-serving enclosed shopping center combining department-store, off-price, sporting-goods, service, and institutional tenants in the Burton and greater Flint market.
Department store · 2008
JCPenney
JCPenney is a principal current anchor at Courtland Center. The retailer consolidated its earlier mall locations into a larger store created in the former Mervyn's space, opening the replacement location on March 1, 2008. The expanded store included departments not present in the previous locations and an inline Sephora operation.
Sporting-goods store · 2005
Dunham's Sports
Dunham's Sports is one of the mall's current principal anchors. Its Courtland Center presence was created through the redevelopment and subdivision of former department-store space. The retailer sells sporting goods and related equipment and had previously operated from a nearby strip-mall location before moving into the center.
Off-price department store · 2024
Ross
Ross occupies space formerly used by Staples and is identified as a current Courtland Center anchor. It opened in March 2024 after Staples closed in June 2023, adding an off-price apparel and general-merchandise format to the mall's current tenant mix.
Cinema · 1967
Courtland Center cinema
The mall's cinema began as Eastland Mall Theatre in 1967, later operated under National Amusements and Silver Cinemas, and was expanded to six screens in the late 1990s. NCG Cinemas reopened it as NCG Courtland Cinemas in 2011, but the venue permanently closed on September 27, 2021.
Museum and cultural facility · 2018
Sloan Museum temporary location
Sloan Museum used the former Steve & Barry's space as a temporary exhibition and visitor location from 2018 until May 2022 while its permanent building was renovated. The temporary operation ended before the museum's permanent facility reopened.
Nonprofit retail store · 2016
Goodwill Industries store
Goodwill Industries of Mid-Michigan first operated a holiday pop-up shop at the mall in late 2015 and then opened a 15,000-square-foot permanent store in January 2016. The store replaced an existing Goodwill location in Burton.
Brand decisions
2024
Replace Staples with RossProduct launchBackground
Staples closed its Courtland Center store in June 2023, leaving retail space available for a new anchor-format tenant.
Action taken
Ross opened in the former Staples location in March 2024.
Aftermath
Ross became one of the mall's identified current principal anchors.
2011
Reopen the cinema under NCGProduct launchBackground
The theater had closed in 2009 after earlier operating periods under National Amusements and Silver Cinemas.
Action taken
NCG Cinemas reopened the venue on May 20 as NCG Courtland Cinemas.
Aftermath
The cinema operated for another period before permanently closing in September 2021.
2008
Consolidate JCPenney operationsGeneration changeBackground
JCPenney operated three former locations within the mall, while the former Mervyn's anchor became available after Mervyn's left Michigan.
Action taken
JCPenney redeveloped the former Mervyn's space into a larger store and opened it on March 1.
Aftermath
The three former JCPenney locations closed, and the replacement store added departments and an inline Sephora.
2004
Transfer ownership to Tucker DevelopmentM&ABackground
Forest City Enterprises had owned the mall through its earlier development and operating history.
Action taken
Tucker Development acquired the property and began a renovation and tenant-reconfiguration program.
Aftermath
Former department-store areas were subdivided and reused by retailers including Old Navy, Staples, Jo-Ann Etc., and Dunham's Sports.
1986
Adopt the Courtland Center identityStrategyBackground
The property had operated as Eastland Mall since its 1968 opening while its department-store and cinema tenant base changed over time.
Action taken
The mall was renamed Courtland Center in August 1986.
Aftermath
The new name became the property's continuing identity.
Recent events
- 2025
Jo-Ann closes during liquidation[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Jo-Ann store at Courtland Center closed during the chain's liquidation in April.
- 2024
Ross replaces Staples[1]
Product launch · Other
Staples closed in June 2023, and Ross opened in the former Staples space in March 2024.
- 2021
NCG Courtland Cinemas closes permanently[1]
Other
The mall's cinema operation permanently closed on September 27.
- 2018
Sloan Museum begins temporary mall operation[1]
Other
Sloan Museum temporarily moved into the former Steve & Barry's space while its permanent building underwent renovation.
- 2011
NCG reopens the mall cinema[1]
Product launch
NCG Cinemas reopened the theater on May 20 as NCG Courtland Cinemas, replacing the company's former Clio location.
- 2008
JCPenney opens a larger consolidated store[1]
Product launch
JCPenney opened its enlarged replacement store on March 1 in the former Mervyn's space, closing its three previous locations within the mall.
- 2004
Tucker Development acquires and renovates the mall[1]
M&A
Tucker Development acquired the property from Forest City Enterprises in the early 2000s and pursued a redevelopment program involving tenant relocations and the reuse of former anchor space.
- 1986
Eastland Mall adopts the Courtland Center name[1]
Other
The shopping center was renamed Courtland Center in August as its tenant and department-store composition continued to change.
- 1968
Eastland Mall opens in Burton[1]
Other
The enclosed shopping center opened in late October as Eastland Mall with Forest City Enterprises and Jack Shifron associated with its ownership. The initial complex included 47 stores and three department-store anchors.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/courtland-center · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled