East Towne Mall

East Towne Mall is an enclosed shopping center on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin, near the junction of U.S. Route 151 and Interstate 90/94. It opened on October 14, 1971, following the opening of its sister property, West Towne Mall, on Madison's west side the previous year. Developed by Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs Company of Cleveland, the center was built on more than 80 acres of farmland and was initially the largest enclosed mall in Madison. At opening, East Towne had four major anchor stores: Sears, J. C. Penney, H. C. Prange Co., and Gimbel's. The mall's early design was unusually elaborate for the period. It included water pools, sunken seating areas, a large central space with a high ceiling, contemporary sculptures, a multilevel pool, waterfalls, a fountain, and lighting effects synchronized to music. Artwork commissioned for the project included a large steel rhinoceros sculpture and a suspended chandelier-like installation. Most of the water features and sunken lounges were removed during a late-1980s redesign, when the main entrance was reworked and a food court was added. The mall's tenant mix changed substantially as department-store chains consolidated or disappeared. Gimbel's became Boston Store after the collapse of the Gimbels chain, while Prange's became Younkers after its acquisition in 1992. In 2003, southern Wisconsin stores were consolidated under the Boston Store banner, resulting in the closure of the former Gimbel's location. That structure was later demolished and replaced by a Dick's Sporting Goods store, additional mall space, and a Gordmans location. The mall also developed a history of entertainment uses: its original six-screen cinema operated under several names, including Budget Cinemas, before the space was converted for other tenants. A former Steve & Barry's location eventually became Flix Brewhouse, combining a multiplex cinema with a brewery and restaurant. CBL Properties acquired East Towne Mall, West Towne Mall, and West Towne Crossing from the Richard E. Jacobs Group in a transaction involving 23 properties. The deal was completed on February 1, 2001. CBL subsequently invested in renovations to both Madison malls. East Towne's 2003 refurbishment introduced skylights, updated flooring and interior finishes, improved seating and family facilities, and new tenants. A Barnes & Noble store opened near the food court in March 2003, while the Dick's Sporting Goods redevelopment was completed in 2004. The property is integrated into a much larger commercial district that developed around the mall after its construction. Nearby retail, restaurant, banking, and big-box development transformed what had originally been an isolated site into one component of a broad northeast Madison shopping area. The mall's parking system originally covered about 2.1 million square feet and accommodated approximately 6,000 vehicles, although later construction reduced capacity to fewer than 5,000 spaces. As of 2023, East Towne Mall contained more than 100 shops and services, a food court with roughly a dozen eateries, and a small-format Barnes & Noble adjacent to the food court. Its principal tenants included JCPenney, Shoe Carnival, Barnes & Noble, Planet Fitness, Flix Brewhouse, Thrill Factory, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Former Sears and Boston Store anchor spaces remained vacant. Thrill Factory replaced Gordmans on December 31, 2024, continuing the mall's long-running transition from a traditional department-store-led format toward a mixed retail, dining, fitness, and entertainment destination.

Construction of East Towne Mall began on September 18, 1970, under Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs Company, a Cleveland-based developer later known as the Richard E. Jacobs Group. The mall opened on October 14, 1971, one year after West Towne Mall opened on Madison's west side. Its location near major highways was initially surrounded largely by farmland, but subsequent commercial development made it the center of a large northeast Madison retail district. The original mall was designed as a substantial enclosed complex with four department-store anchors: Sears, J. C. Penney, H. C. Prange Co., and Gimbel's. Its interior architecture emphasized public spectacle. Eight pools, sunken lounge areas, a tall central court, sculptural columns, waterfalls, a fountain, and synchronized lighting and music created a distinctive environment. Clarence Van Duzer and Joseph McDonnell were commissioned to contribute artwork, including several large sculptures and a suspended multicolored installation. These features reflected the design ambitions of early-1970s enclosed malls, which sought to function as civic gathering places as well as retail facilities. The late 1980s brought a major interior change. The water features and sunken lounges were removed, the principal entrance was redesigned, and a food court was added. The department-store landscape also evolved. Gimbel's became Boston Store in 1987 after the Gimbels chain failed. Prange's became Younkers following its acquisition in 1992, and Prange Way's former area allowed the Younkers operation to expand. In 2003, the owner of the regional department-store banners consolidated southern Wisconsin locations under Boston Store. The Boston Store occupying the former Gimbel's space was then closed, and the original Gimbel's building was eventually demolished. The former Gimbel's site was redeveloped with a Dick's Sporting Goods store and new mall space. Gordmans opened in September 2004, while Dick's Sporting Goods held its grand opening later that October. East Towne also had a six-screen movie theater from its opening until approximately 2003. During part of its life the theater was known as Budget Cinemas and was associated with Silver Cinemas. The cinema wing was closed as nearby space was redeveloped for Steve & Barry's. After Steve & Barry's closed in December 2008, the space was used by Steinhafels and later became the home of Flix Brewhouse. CBL Properties acquired East Towne Mall, West Towne Mall, and West Towne Crossing from the Richard E. Jacobs Group in a transaction covering 23 properties. The acquisition was completed February 1, 2001. CBL undertook a modernization program that was unveiled in November 2003. Work included additional skylights, revised interior decoration, new flooring and seating, improved family restrooms, and a broader tenant-recruitment effort intended to give East Towne a more distinct identity from West Towne. A Barnes & Noble store of approximately 26,000 square feet opened in March 2003 near the food court, and the Dick's Sporting Goods project formed part of a larger investment across the two Madison malls. The mall has also been associated with important legal and criminal-history events. In 1977, Alphonce Manning Jr. and Toni Schwenn were murdered in a vehicle in the front parking lot. The crime remained unsolved until Joseph Paul Franklin, who was imprisoned for another racially motivated killing, confessed in 1984. Franklin was convicted in connection with the East Towne murders in 1986 and received two life sentences. Separately, East Towne and West Towne were involved in the Wisconsin Supreme Court case Jacobs v. Major. The case concerned whether the Nu Parable dance group could use privately owned mall property for a performance ending in a symbolic die-in. In 1987, the court ruled narrowly in favor of the mall owner's right to exclude the group. Department-store contraction accelerated in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Boston Store closed in August 2018 following The Bon-Ton's liquidation. Gordmans was announced for closure in February 2020, and Sears was included in a nationwide closure plan announced in June of that year. In July 2020, JCPenney placed the mall's store among locations offered for sale during its restructuring. Despite these losses, the property retained a broad mix of retail, dining, fitness, and entertainment uses. By 2023 it had more than 100 shops and services, a food court, and a small-format Barnes & Noble. Thrill Factory replaced Gordmans at the end of 2024, reinforcing the property's shift toward experience-oriented uses.

• 2024

  Thrill Factory opens in former Gordmans space

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Thrill Factory replaced Gordmans on December 31.

• 2020

  Gordmans and Sears closures announced

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Gordmans and Sears were both identified for closure during a period of major department-store contraction.

• 2018

  Boston Store closes

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Boston Store location closed on August 29 after The Bon-Ton's liquidation.

• 2004

  Dick's Sporting Goods redevelopment opens

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped former Gimbel's area gained Dick's Sporting Goods and related new mall space; the store's grand opening took place in October.

• 2003

  Major renovation unveiled

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  CBL unveiled renovations including skylights, updated finishes, improved seating and restrooms, and new tenants.

• 2003

  Barnes & Noble opens

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A Barnes & Noble store opened near the food court and main entrance in March.

• 2001

  CBL Properties acquisition completed

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  CBL Properties completed its acquisition of East Towne, West Towne, and West Towne Crossing from the Richard E. Jacobs Group on February 1.

• 1987

  Gimbel's becomes Boston Store

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Gimbel's anchor was converted to Boston Store after the Gimbels chain collapsed.

• 1987

  Wisconsin Supreme Court property-rights ruling

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  In Jacobs v. Major, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the mall owner's ability to exclude the Nu Parable performers from the private mall property.

• 1977

  Parking-lot murders

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Alphonce Manning Jr. and Toni Schwenn were killed in a vehicle in the mall's front parking lot.

• 1971

  East Towne Mall opens

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed mall opened on October 14 with Sears, J. C. Penney, H. C. Prange Co., and Gimbel's as its principal anchors.

• 1970

  Construction begins

  [1]East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of East Towne Mall began on September 18 under Jacobs, Visconsi, and Jacobs Company.

A regional enclosed shopping and entertainment center serving Madison and surrounding communities, with a tenant mix spanning department-store retail, specialty shopping, dining, fitness, and cinema-based entertainment.

• Shopping · 1971

  Retail stores

  East Towne Mall provides a broad collection of apparel, footwear, books, sporting goods, specialty merchandise, gifts, and other consumer retail categories through department stores, national chains, and smaller specialty tenants. Current and recent principal tenants include JCPenney, Shoe Carnival, Barnes & Noble, and Dick's Sporting Goods.

• Food and beverage · 1989

  Dining and food court

  The property includes a food court with approximately a dozen eateries, along with other dining uses. Its food-and-beverage offer complements the mall's retail stores and helps support longer visits.

• Entertainment · 1971

  Entertainment and leisure

  Entertainment uses have included the original six-screen cinema, Flix Brewhouse, Planet Fitness, and Thrill Factory. These operators represent the mall's movement from a conventional retail-only model toward a mix of cinema, recreation, fitness, and experiential attractions.

• 1977

  East Towne Mall parking-lot murders

  On August 7, Alphonce Manning Jr. and Toni Schwenn were shot and killed in a vehicle in the mall's front parking lot. The case was initially unsolved and was later linked to serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin through his 1984 confession. Franklin was convicted in 1986 and received two life sentences.

  Source

Read more

• 2024

  Thrill Factory replaces GordmansProduct launch

  Background

  The former Gordmans space became available after the retailer's closure.

  Action taken

  Thrill Factory opened in the space on December 31, 2024.

  Aftermath

  The change added an experience-oriented attraction to the mall's tenant mix.

  Source

• 2004

  Dick's Sporting Goods redevelopmentProduct launch

  Background

  The former Gimbel's anchor structure was no longer suited to the mall's revised department-store lineup.

  Action taken

  The original structure was demolished and replaced with a Dick's Sporting Goods store and additional mall space.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment added a large-format sporting-goods tenant and reshaped the former anchor area.

  Source

• 2003

  Renovation and tenant repositioningStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the mall, CBL Properties sought to modernize East Towne and give it a more distinct tenant identity rather than duplicate West Towne Mall's mix.

  Action taken

  CBL renovated the interior and exterior, added skylights and improved amenities, and recruited regional names, gift shops, and selected national retailers. Barnes & Noble also opened near the food court.

  Aftermath

  The project refreshed the property and expanded its mix beyond traditional department-store anchoring.

  Source

• 1987

  Exclusion of Nu Parable performers upheldOther

  Background

  The Nu Parable dance group sought to perform on the privately owned property of East Towne and West Towne malls, ending with a symbolic die-in. The dispute reached the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

  Action taken

  The court ruled 4–3 that the mall owner could exclude the group from the properties.

  Aftermath

  The decision affirmed the owner's property rights against this proposed expressive use of the shopping-center premises.

  Source

1. 1East Towne Mallen.wikipedia.org