Huntington Mall
An enclosed shopping mall in Barboursville, West Virginia, and the largest shopping mall in the state.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Huntington Mall is an enclosed regional shopping center in Barboursville, Cabell County, West Virginia, approximately 12 miles east of downtown Huntington and near Interstate 64. The mall opened to the public on February 18, 1981, after Lazarus began trading at the site on February 5. Its development helped transform what had previously been a lightly developed area, reportedly surrounded mainly by two bars and a gas station, into a major commercial district with hotels, restaurants, big-box retailers, and other services. The center was established with Lazarus, Stone & Thomas, Sears, and JCPenney as its principal anchor stores. JCPenney opened in April 1981, shortly after the mall's public opening. Phar-Mor later became a fifth anchor in 1990. The tenant mix evolved as department-store chains changed ownership or exited the market. Stone & Thomas became Elder-Beerman in 1998 after the chain was acquired, while Borders Books & Music opened its first West Virginia location at Huntington Mall in 1999. Borders was subsequently replaced by Books-A-Million after Borders entered bankruptcy and closed its stores in 2011. The mall has also adapted its large-format spaces for entertainment, sporting goods, education, and off-price retail. After Phar-Mor closed in 2002, its former location became the second Dick's Sporting Goods store in West Virginia. A Cinemark theater opened in 2009, replacing an earlier six-screen cinema that had closed in 2006 and the former Morrison's Cafeteria space. When Elder-Beerman closed in 2016, the former department-store area was divided among Forever 21, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods. Sears closed its Huntington Mall location in 2019, and Forever 21 also later closed. In 2024, Dave & Buster's moved into the former Fun City location, adding a large-scale dining and entertainment tenant. The former Sears space is now occupied on both floors by the Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers, a trade-school and career-training facility. Current or recent major tenants and anchors identified in reference material include Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, Macy's, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Cinemark, the Woody Williams Center, Books-A-Million, and Old Navy. The mall contains more than 150 retailers and remains a major retail destination for the Huntington metropolitan area and surrounding communities. Reference material describes the center as averaging approximately $375 million in retail trade, although no independently verified time period or primary financial source is provided here.
History
Huntington Mall is a regional enclosed shopping center in Barboursville, West Virginia, near Interstate 64 and roughly 12 miles east of downtown Huntington. Its construction introduced a major organized retail destination to an area that was previously only lightly developed. The mall's Lazarus department store opened on February 5, 1981, two weeks before the main center opened on February 18. The initial anchor lineup consisted of Lazarus, Stone & Thomas, Sears, and JCPenney; JCPenney began operations in April 1981. The center expanded its retail offer during the following decade. Phar-Mor joined as a fifth anchor in 1990. The mall also hosted promotional events, including a tennis appearance by Bobby Riggs associated with the opening of a Foot Locker store. As the regional department-store sector consolidated, Stone & Thomas was converted to Elder-Beerman in 1998. In 1999, Borders Books & Music opened its first West Virginia store at the property, adding a prominent books and media tenant to the center's lineup. The mall continued to repurpose large spaces as individual chains changed direction or ceased operations. Phar-Mor closed in 2002, and its former anchor space became the second Dick's Sporting Goods store in West Virginia. A pre-existing six-screen movie theater closed in 2006, and a replacement Cinemark theater opened in 2009. Borders left in 2011 as its parent company went through bankruptcy and closed stores; Books-A-Million subsequently occupied the space. In 2016, the Bon-Ton closed the Elder-Beerman operation. Rather than leave the entire anchor space vacant, the mall divided it among Forever 21, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods. Sears remained an anchor until its closure in 2019, while Forever 21 also later departed. The former Sears space has since been used by the Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers, a trade school occupying both floors. This conversion broadened the property's role beyond conventional retail. Entertainment has remained part of the mall's repositioning. In 2024, Dave & Buster's moved into the former Fun City location. Current or recent major occupants include Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, Macy's, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Cinemark, Books-A-Million, Old Navy, Dave & Buster's, and the Woody Williams Center. With more than 150 retailers, Huntington Mall is described as West Virginia's largest shopping mall. It is owned by Cafaro Company, based in Youngstown, Ohio, and functions as a regional commercial hub for Huntington, Barboursville, Cabell County, and nearby communities.
- 2024
Dave & Buster's enters the mall
[1]Dave & Buster's moved into the previous Fun City location.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor at Huntington Mall closed.
- 2016
Former Elder-Beerman space is divided
[1]The closure of Elder-Beerman led to a multi-tenant redevelopment featuring Forever 21, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods.
- 2011
Books-A-Million replaces Borders
[1]Books-A-Million took over the former Borders space after Borders' bankruptcy-related closures.
- 2009
New Cinemark theater opens
[1]A new Cinemark theater replaced the mall's earlier six-screen cinema.
- 2002
Dick's Sporting Goods occupies former Phar-Mor space
[1]The closed Phar-Mor anchor area was repurposed for Dick's Sporting Goods.
- 1999
Borders opens its first West Virginia store
[1]Borders Books & Music opened at Huntington Mall, its first location in West Virginia.
- 1998
Stone & Thomas becomes Elder-Beerman
[1]The Stone & Thomas store was converted after the chain was acquired by Elder-Beerman.
- 1990
Phar-Mor is added as a fifth anchor
[1]The discount pharmacy chain Phar-Mor joined the mall's anchor lineup.
- 1981
Lazarus opens before the mall
[1]The Lazarus anchor began trading on February 5, two weeks before the main shopping center opened.
Products and positioning
A large regional enclosed mall serving Huntington, Barboursville, and surrounding areas in West Virginia, with a tenant mix spanning department stores, specialty retail, off-price merchandise, sporting goods, dining, entertainment, and career education.
Retail real estate and shopping-center services · 1981
Regional enclosed shopping center
Huntington Mall provides an enclosed, multi-tenant retail environment serving shoppers from the Huntington area and surrounding parts of West Virginia. Its offer combines department stores, specialty shops, off-price retailers, sporting goods, books, dining, entertainment, and service businesses. The property is described as containing more than 150 retailers and as being the largest mall in West Virginia.
Entertainment · 2009
Cinemark theater
The Cinemark theater is the mall's principal cinema offering. It opened in 2009 as a replacement for an earlier six-screen movie theater that had closed in 2006, adding a contemporary entertainment use to the shopping center.
Dining and entertainment · 2024
Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's moved into the former Fun City location in 2024. Its presence adds a combined restaurant, arcade, and social entertainment concept to Huntington Mall's tenant mix.
Career and trade education
Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers
The Woody Williams Center for Advanced Learning and Careers occupies both floors of the former Sears space. Its use of a former department-store anchor demonstrates the mall's adaptation of large retail premises for vocational and career-focused education.
Brand decisions
2024
Add Dave & Buster'sProduct launchBackground
The former Fun City location became available for a new entertainment tenant.
Action taken
Dave & Buster's moved into the location.
Aftermath
The move strengthened the mall's dining and entertainment offer.
2016
Subdivide the former Elder-Beerman anchorStrategyBackground
The Bon-Ton closed the Elder-Beerman store, creating a large vacant department-store area.
Action taken
The former anchor space was divided among Forever 21, TJ Maxx, and HomeGoods.
Aftermath
The redevelopment replaced one department-store tenant with several apparel and home-goods retailers.
2011
Replace Borders with Books-A-MillionStrategyBackground
Borders closed its Huntington Mall store during the company's bankruptcy-related store closures.
Action taken
Books-A-Million took over the former Borders location.
Aftermath
The mall retained a major bookseller after the departure of Borders.
2009
Open a replacement Cinemark theaterProduct launchBackground
The mall's earlier six-screen movie theater had closed in 2006.
Action taken
A new Cinemark theater opened at the mall, replacing the former cinema-related use and the Morrison's Cafeteria space.
Aftermath
The project restored a cinema-based entertainment component to the property.
2002
Repurpose the former Phar-Mor anchorStrategyBackground
Phar-Mor had closed, leaving a large anchor-sized retail space within the mall.
Action taken
The space was converted for Dick's Sporting Goods, which became the chain's second West Virginia location.
Aftermath
The conversion replaced a vacant discount-pharmacy anchor with a major sporting-goods retailer.
Sources2 sources
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