Knoxville Center
Defunct shopping mall in eastern Knoxville, Tennessee, originally opened as East Towne Mall.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Knoxville Center was a regional shopping mall in eastern Knoxville, Tennessee, located along Interstate 640. The property opened in 1984 under the name East Towne Mall during a period of population and commercial growth in the eastern part of the Knoxville metropolitan area. Its original tenant mix included several major department-store anchors and large-format retailers, including Miller's, JCPenney, Sears, Proffitt's, Service Merchandise, and a Regal Cinemas theater. The mall also included a central upper-level food court and later accommodated an outlot Sam's Club. The property went through several changes in its anchor lineup and identity. Miller's became Hess's in 1988. After Proffitt's acquired Hess's, the Hess's location was eventually closed rather than retained as a second Proffitt's store. The former anchor space was sold to Dillard's in 1992. Service Merchandise closed in 1999, and its former space was subsequently reused by fitness operators, first Rush Fitness and later Gold's Gym. In 1997, Simon Property Group led a major renovation. The project retained the mall's exterior while updating entrances, flooring, paint, trim, and interior finishes with a Tennessee mountain design theme. Following the work, the property was marketed as Knoxville Center Mall. Ownership and tenant conditions changed substantially in the 2000s and 2010s. Belk acquired Proffitt's in 2005, converting the mall's Proffitt's anchor to a Belk store. Dillard's announced in May 2008 that it would close its Knoxville Center location because of declining sales, with the store ending operations in September of that year. Knoxville Partners LLC acquired the property in 2016. By August 2017, the ownership group had changed the formal name back to East Towne Mall, although the existing signage and much of the public marketing continued to use Knoxville Center Mall. JCPenney closed in September 2017, followed by Sears in September 2018. The mall's decline accelerated in its final years. By October 2019, only a small number of stores remained, alongside a dentist's office, an event center, and two restaurants. Belk, then the largest remaining department store, closed on November 16, 2019. On October 31, 2019, the owners announced that the property would close completely and that all remaining leases would terminate on January 31, 2020. The Regal Cinemas theater closed unexpectedly on the same day as the announcement. Knoxville Center ceased operating on January 31, 2020. Plans for a mixed-use redevelopment incorporating office, retail, dining, and entertainment uses did not proceed as an operating revival of the mall. In September 2020, Hillwood Enterprises sought rezoning for the approximately 78-acre site to support an Amazon e-commerce fulfillment center, with a reported estimated redevelopment cost of $70 million. Demolition began in April 2021 and was completed later that year. An Amazon fulfillment center known as DNA6 opened on the former mall site in August 2024. Knoxville Center therefore survives primarily as the former identity of a demolished shopping property rather than as an active retail destination.
History
Knoxville Center Mall was an enclosed regional shopping center in eastern Knoxville, Tennessee. It opened in 1984 as East Towne Mall along Interstate 640, serving a rapidly developing part of the city. The original anchor lineup included Miller's, JCPenney, Sears, Proffitt's, and Service Merchandise. Regal Cinemas operated as a junior anchor, while the mall's upper-level center court contained a food court. Sam's Club later opened in an outlot at the property's southeast corner. The mall's anchor roster changed repeatedly. Miller's converted to Hess's in 1988. After Proffitt's acquired Hess's, the Hess's location was eventually closed because Proffitt's did not maintain two stores at the property. Dillard's acquired the former anchor space and opened there in 1992. Service Merchandise closed in 1999; its former location was reused by Rush Fitness and later Gold's Gym. Simon Property Group directed a substantial renovation in 1997. The exterior was largely retained, but the project introduced a new entrance and refreshed the interior with new tile, paint, trim, and a Tennessee mountain-inspired design. The renovation accompanied the property's rebranding as Knoxville Center Mall. In 2005, Belk acquired Proffitt's, and the Proffitt's store at the mall became a Belk. Dillard's announced in May 2008 that it would close its location because of declining sales; the store shut in September. The mall was acquired by Knoxville Partners LLC in 2016. By August 2017, that ownership group had restored the East Towne Mall name, although the property continued to display Knoxville Center Mall signage and was still commonly marketed under the Knoxville Center identity. The property lost additional anchors during the late 2010s. JCPenney closed on September 17, 2017, and Sears closed on September 2, 2018. By October 2019, the mall had only 12 stores, a dental office, an event center, and two restaurants. The food court had been reduced to a single Chinese takeout restaurant, with a separate Chinese buffet on the lower level. Belk, the largest remaining store, closed on November 16, 2019. On October 31, 2019, the owners announced the mall's complete closure and termination of all leases effective January 31, 2020. Regal Cinemas closed unexpectedly on the date of the announcement. Although a mixed-use concept involving office space, retail, restaurants, and entertainment had been discussed, the mall did not return to operation. It officially ceased operations on January 31, 2020. Ownership of portions of the property in September 2020 was reported to include corporate entities associated with Dillard's and Belk, along with TF Knoxville TN LLC and Millertown Pavilion LLC. During that month, Hillwood Enterprises pursued rezoning for the roughly 78-acre site for an Amazon e-commerce fulfillment center. The proposed redevelopment was reported to have an estimated cost of $70 million. Demolition began in April 2021 and finished later that year. Amazon's DNA6 fulfillment center opened on the former mall site in August 2024, completing the property's transition from enclosed retail to logistics use.
- 2024
DNA6 fulfillment center opens
[1]An Amazon fulfillment center begins service on the former mall site in August.
- 2021
Demolition is completed
[1]The former mall is demolished after work begins in April.
- 2020
Mall operations end
[1]All remaining leases terminate and Knoxville Center ceases operations on January 31.
- 2019
Belk closes
[1]Belk, the mall's largest remaining store, closes on November 16.
- 2018
Sears closes
[1]Sears closes its Knoxville Center location on September 2.
- 2017
Property name returns to East Towne Mall
[1]The ownership group changes the name back to East Towne Mall, although Knoxville Center Mall signage and marketing remain in use.
- 2017
JCPenney closes
[1]JCPenney ends operations at the mall on September 17.
- 2016
Knoxville Partners LLC acquires the mall
[1]Ownership of the property changes to Knoxville Partners LLC.
- 2008
Dillard's announces closure
[1]Dillard's announces that its Knoxville Center store will close because of declining sales; the closure occurs in September.
- 2005
Belk acquires Proffitt's
[1]The Proffitt's anchor becomes a Belk store following Belk's acquisition of Proffitt's.
Products and positioning
A traditional enclosed regional shopping mall serving eastern Knoxville, with department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, cinema entertainment, and service tenants.
Retail · 1984
Department-store retail
Department stores were the mall's principal anchors and supplied apparel, home goods, general merchandise, and other mainstream retail categories. The anchor roster included Miller's, Hess's, Proffitt's, Dillard's, Belk, JCPenney, and Sears at different points in the property's history.
Entertainment · 1984
Regal Cinemas
Regal Cinemas operated a 10-screen theater beside the mall's food court. It functioned as an entertainment anchor and closed when the mall's broader decline culminated in the 2019–2020 shutdown.
Food service · 1984
Food court and dining
The mall opened with a central upper-level food court located in Center Court, next to the cinema. By October 2019, the food court had been reduced to one Chinese takeout restaurant, while a separate Chinese buffet operated on the lower level.
Health and fitness services · 1999
Fitness facilities
Space formerly occupied by Service Merchandise was reused by fitness businesses, including Rush Fitness and later Gold's Gym, illustrating the mall's efforts to repurpose declining retail area.
Brand decisions
2020
Pursue logistics redevelopmentStrategyBackground
After the mall closed, the approximately 78-acre site required a new economic use. Earlier mixed-use ideas involving offices, retail, dining, and entertainment had not revived the property.
Action taken
Hillwood Enterprises sought rezoning to allow an Amazon e-commerce fulfillment center on the former mall site.
Aftermath
The mall was demolished in 2021, and Amazon's DNA6 fulfillment center opened on the site in August 2024.
Estimated redevelopment cost. $70 million (2020 proposal)
2019
Announce complete mall closureStrategyBackground
By October 2019, the property had only 12 stores, a dentist's office, an event center, and two restaurants. Belk subsequently closed in November.
Action taken
The owners announced on October 31 that the mall would close and that all leases would terminate on January 31, 2020.
Aftermath
Knoxville Center ended retail operations on January 31, 2020, and the property moved toward redevelopment rather than a renewed mall format.
2016
Transfer ownership to Knoxville Partners LLCM&ABackground
The property changed ownership after years of anchor turnover and weakening mall traffic.
Action taken
Knoxville Partners LLC acquired the mall property.
Aftermath
The ownership group later restored the East Towne Mall name, while Knoxville Center branding continued to appear on signage and in marketing.
1997
Renovate and rebrand the propertyStrategyBackground
The mall required a refreshed environment as competition and changing consumer expectations affected enclosed retail centers.
Action taken
Simon Property Group retained much of the exterior, added a new entrance, renovated interior finishes, and introduced a Tennessee mountain design theme while changing the public identity to Knoxville Center Mall.
Aftermath
The renovation modernized the property and established the Knoxville Center name that remained in common use for most of the mall's later operating life.
Recent events
- 2024
Amazon fulfillment center opens on the former mall site[1]
Product launch · Other
The Amazon fulfillment center identified as DNA6 began service on the former Knoxville Center property in August 2024.
- 2021
Demolition of Knoxville Center begins[1]
Other
Demolition started in April 2021 and was completed later that year as the property transitioned from a shopping mall site to a logistics development site.
- 2020
Knoxville Center closes after decades of operation[1]
Other
The mall ceased operations on January 31, 2020, after the owners announced that all remaining leases would terminate. The Regal Cinemas location had already closed when the full closure was announced.
- 2020
Hillwood proposes an Amazon fulfillment center for the former mall site[1]
M&A
Hillwood Enterprises sought rezoning for the approximately 78-acre property to enable construction of an e-commerce fulfillment center, replacing the former enclosed mall.
- 2019
Belk becomes the mall's last major department-store anchor[1]
Other
Belk, which had inherited the former Proffitt's location after acquiring Proffitt's, closed on November 16, 2019, leaving the property with very few remaining retail tenants.
- 2018
JCPenney and Sears depart during the mall's decline[1]
Other
JCPenney closed its store in September 2017, and Sears followed in September 2018, removing two of the property's long-standing anchor retailers.
Sources1 sources
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