Jantzen Beach Center
An outdoor shopping center on Hayden Island in Portland, Oregon, developed on the former site of Jantzen Beach Amusement Park.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Jantzen Beach Center is an outdoor shopping center on Hayden Island in the Columbia River, in Portland, Oregon. The property opened on September 28, 1972, on land previously occupied by Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, which operated from 1928 through 1970. Its location near the Interstate 5 crossing and the Portland–Vancouver metropolitan area made it a regional retail destination rather than a neighborhood-only shopping strip. The center began as an enclosed mall. One of its early major tenants was Liberty House, which opened a 60,000-square-foot store in November 1973 and represented that department-store chain’s first Portland-area location. A large Kmart was added in 1977. Over time, the Liberty House space passed through several department-store operators, including Frederick & Nelson, The Crescent, and Lamonts. The property also incorporated the surviving C. W. Parker carousel from the former amusement park. Built in 1921, the carousel was displayed near the mall’s food court and became an important link to the site’s entertainment history. A major repositioning took place after MBK Northwest acquired the center in 1995. Approximately two-thirds of the original mall was demolished during 1995 and 1996, including the Lamonts wing, a cinema, and roughly 150 smaller stores. The redevelopment shifted the property from a conventional enclosed mall toward a big-box-oriented retail center. New or expanded components included The Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, Toys “R” Us, and other large-format stores. The remaining enclosed section was renovated with a food court and anchor space. The approximately $38 million redevelopment expanded the property to about 800,000 square feet and led to the name Jantzen Beach SuperCenter. MBK Northwest sold the approximately 70-acre property in December 1996 for $76 million to a Michigan-based pension fund, with Compass Retail advising on the transaction. During the following years, the tenant mix continued to change. Montgomery Ward occupied the space later used by Target until Montgomery Ward closed in 2001, while Kmart closed in 2003 and was subsequently replaced by Burlington Coat Factory. The center’s principal anchors in the later enclosed-mall configuration included Target, Ross Dress for Less, and Burlington Coat Factory. Another redevelopment cycle was announced in 2010 and advanced in 2011–2012. The plans called for removing the remaining enclosed portion and redeveloping the area around Barnes & Noble. Barnes & Noble and Starbucks announced in August 2011 that their stores would close by September 2 of that year. A new free-standing Target was planned for the former bookstore site, while the older Target building and adjacent mall wing were scheduled for demolition. In April 2012, center managers announced a renovation program estimated at $50 million. By this period, the property’s name had reverted to Jantzen Beach Center. The new one-story Target opened in October 2012. The historic carousel was expected to be included in the redevelopment, but it had not been returned to public display by June 2015 and remained in storage in a building on the shopping-center property. Ownership later changed again. The State of Michigan Retirement System fund was identified as the owner by 2017, and the property was sold in July of that year to Kimco Realty in a transaction advised by Edens. Jantzen Beach Center remains an active, open-air retail property serving Portland, Vancouver, and surrounding communities, with its identity centered on large-format retail, everyday shopping, restaurants, and its connection to the former amusement park.
History
Jantzen Beach Center occupies a historically layered site on Hayden Island in the Columbia River. Before becoming a retail property, the land hosted Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, which operated from 1928 until 1970. The amusement park’s 1921 C. W. Parker carousel is the only surviving ride identified with the former park and later became part of the shopping center’s interior environment. The shopping center opened on September 28, 1972, as an enclosed mall. Its early growth followed the conventional regional-mall model, combining department-store anchors with smaller specialty shops, a cinema, and food-service areas. Liberty House opened a 60,000-square-foot store in November 1973, marking the chain’s first Portland-area location. Kmart followed in 1977 with an approximately 84,000-square-foot store. The Liberty House location subsequently operated under several department-store names: Frederick & Nelson from 1979 to 1984, The Crescent from 1984 to 1988, and Lamonts from 1988 to 1994. The property was fundamentally repositioned in the mid-1990s. MBK Northwest acquired Jantzen Beach Center in 1995 for approximately $18 million and demolished about two-thirds of the existing mall during 1995 and 1996. The removed portion included the Lamonts wing, a cinema, and approximately 150 smaller stores. In their place came a big-box retail configuration that included The Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, and Toys “R” Us. The eastern wing was retained and renovated, including its anchor spaces and a newly organized food court. The approximately $38 million project expanded the overall retail complex to about 800,000 square feet and prompted the name Jantzen Beach SuperCenter. In December 1996, MBK Northwest sold the approximately 70-acre property for $76 million to a Michigan-based pension fund. Compass Retail advised the buyer on the transaction. The property’s tenant structure continued to evolve after the sale. Montgomery Ward occupied the space later used by Target until 2001. Kmart closed in 2003, after which Burlington Coat Factory took over its space. In the later enclosed-mall configuration, Target, Ross Dress for Less, and Burlington Coat Factory served as the main anchors. The center entered another redevelopment phase in the early 2010s. Preliminary plans announced in 2010 proposed demolishing the remaining enclosed portion and rebuilding around the Barnes & Noble area. Barnes & Noble and Starbucks announced store closures in August 2011, with both locations scheduled to shut by September 2. The owner, Jantzen Dynamic Corporation, announced that a new free-standing Target would be constructed at the former Barnes & Noble site. The existing Target and the adjoining mall wing were to be removed. In April 2012, center managers Edens & Avant Realty announced a renovation program estimated at $50 million. By this stage, the property’s name had returned to Jantzen Beach Center. The new Target opened in October 2012, completing a major part of the transition from enclosed mall to open-air retail center. Although the historic carousel was expected to be incorporated into the renovated property, it had not returned to public display by June 2015 and remained in storage in a building on the site. Ownership changed again in 2017. The State of Michigan Retirement System fund, identified as the owner by that time, sold the property to Kimco Realty in July. Edens advised on the transaction. Jantzen Beach Center’s current identity is therefore the result of several transformations: from amusement park, to enclosed regional mall, to a big-box-oriented supercenter, and finally to an open-air shopping center anchored by large-format retail and everyday consumer services.
- 2017
Kimco Realty becomes owner
[1]Kimco Realty acquires the center from the State of Michigan Retirement System fund in July.
- 2012
Center returns to Jantzen Beach Center name
[1]During the redevelopment, the property’s name changes from Jantzen Beach SuperCenter back to Jantzen Beach Center.
- 2012
New Target opens
[1]A new free-standing Target store opens in October on the former Barnes & Noble site.
- 2010
Further redevelopment plans announced
[1]Owners announce preliminary plans to remove the remaining enclosed mall and redevelop the Barnes & Noble area.
- 1996
Big-box redevelopment completed
[1]Most of the original mall is removed, large-format retailers are added, and the property adopts the Jantzen Beach SuperCenter name.
- 1996
MBK Northwest sells the center
[1]The approximately 70-acre property is sold in December to a Michigan-based pension fund.
- 1995
MBK Northwest acquires the property
[1]MBK Northwest acquires Jantzen Beach Center and begins a major conversion to big-box retail.
- 1977
Kmart joins the center
[1]An approximately 84,000-square-foot Kmart store is added.
- 1973
Liberty House opens
[1]Liberty House opens a 60,000-square-foot department store, its first in the Portland area.
- 1972
Enclosed mall opens
[1]Jantzen Beach Center opens on September 28 as an enclosed shopping mall.
Products and positioning
A regional open-air shopping center focused on large-format retailers, practical everyday shopping, dining, and convenient access for the Portland–Vancouver market.
Anchor retail · 1972
Large-format retail stores
The center’s principal offering is access to large-format retailers serving everyday needs. Over its history, anchor and major tenants have included Liberty House, Kmart, Montgomery Ward, Target, Burlington Coat Factory, Ross Dress for Less, The Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, and Toys “R” Us. The exact tenant roster has changed through successive redevelopment phases.
Fashion retail · 1972
Apparel and discount fashion
Apparel and value-oriented fashion have been recurring parts of the center’s tenant mix, represented in later configurations by Ross Dress for Less and Burlington Coat Factory. Earlier department-store anchors also supplied clothing, accessories, and household merchandise.
Home retail · 1996
Home improvement and household goods
The big-box redevelopment added home-improvement and household-oriented shopping to the property’s role. The Home Depot was among the retailers introduced during the 1995–1996 transformation, while general merchandise anchors have also served household and everyday-consumer needs.
Food and beverage · 1972
Dining and food services
Food-service uses have been part of the center since its enclosed-mall period, including a food court retained during the 1990s renovation. Restaurants and other food operators have continued to complement the open-air retail format, although a complete current tenant list is not established by the supplied sources.
Heritage feature · 1972
Historic C. W. Parker carousel
The 1921 C. W. Parker carousel is the only surviving ride from the former Jantzen Beach Amusement Park. It was displayed inside the shopping center near the food court until the 2012 redevelopment, after which it remained in storage on the property rather than returning to public display.
Brand decisions
2017
Transfer ownership to Kimco RealtyM&ABackground
The center was owned by a fund associated with the State of Michigan Retirement System.
Action taken
The property was sold to Kimco Realty in July, with Edens advising on the transaction.
Aftermath
Kimco Realty became the identified owner of the active shopping center.
2012
Open a new free-standing TargetProduct launchBackground
The existing Target building and adjacent enclosed mall wing were scheduled for removal during the center’s redevelopment.
Action taken
A new one-story Target was constructed on the former Barnes & Noble and restaurant site and opened in October.
Aftermath
The project reinforced the center’s transition from an enclosed mall to an open-air, large-format retail center.
2010
Plan a second major redevelopmentStrategyBackground
The remaining enclosed portion and the area around Barnes & Noble were targeted for further modernization.
Action taken
Owners proposed demolishing the remaining enclosed section and reorganizing the property around open-air and free-standing retail buildings.
Aftermath
The redevelopment proceeded in 2012, including demolition of the existing Target wing and construction of a new Target store.
1995
Convert most of the enclosed mall to big-box retailStrategyBackground
MBK Northwest acquired the center and pursued a major repositioning of the aging enclosed mall.
Action taken
Approximately two-thirds of the mall, including a department-store wing, cinema, and many small stores, was demolished and replaced or supplemented with large-format retail uses.
Aftermath
The property expanded to approximately 800,000 square feet and was renamed Jantzen Beach SuperCenter.
Recent events
- 2017
Kimco Realty acquires Jantzen Beach Center[1]
M&A
The State of Michigan Retirement System fund sold the center to Kimco Realty in July, with Edens advising on the transaction.
- 2015
Jantzen Beach carousel remains in storage[1]
Other
The historic carousel had not been returned to display after the redevelopment and was reported to remain in storage on the property.
- 2012
Major renovation program announced[1]
Other
Managers announced a substantial renovation involving demolition of the remaining enclosed wing and construction of a new free-standing Target.
- 2012
New Target store opens[1]
Product launch
A new one-story Target opened in October on the former Barnes & Noble and restaurant site.
- 2011
Barnes & Noble and Starbucks announce closures[1]
Other
Both retailers announced that their Jantzen Beach stores would close by September 2 as part of the next redevelopment cycle.
- 1996
Property sold to a Michigan pension fund[1]
M&A
MBK Northwest sold the approximately 70-acre center to a Michigan-based pension fund in December.
- 1996
Jantzen Beach SuperCenter redevelopment completed[1]
Other
The redevelopment created a largely big-box-oriented retail property of approximately 800,000 square feet and established the SuperCenter name.
- 1995
MBK Northwest begins large-scale mall redevelopment[1]
Other
After acquiring the property, MBK Northwest began demolishing most of the original enclosed mall to make way for big-box retail development.
- 1977
Kmart added as a major anchor[1]
Other
An approximately 84,000-square-foot Kmart store was added to the property.
- 1973
Liberty House opens first Portland-area store at the center[1]
Other
A 60,000-square-foot Liberty House department store opened in November as one of the center’s early anchors.
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Sources1 sources
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