Kokomo Town Center

Kokomo Town Center is an outdoor shopping center in Kokomo, Indiana. The property began in 1963 as Kokomo Mall, developed by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. Its early anchor tenants included Montgomery Ward, H. P. Wasson and Company, and J. C. Penney. Although the site originally operated as an open-air retail center, it was enclosed later in the 1960s after acquisition by Novil-Novick Associates. The mall experienced substantial tenant turnover from the 1980s onward. National Food and Wasson's closed in 1980, Montgomery Ward left in 1981, and G. C. Murphy and other original tenants also departed. J. C. Penney became the principal remaining anchor. The property changed hands and underwent renovation during the decade: Kokomo Mall Associates acquired it from West-Penn Realty in 1986, the interior was substantially rebuilt, and new marble flooring was installed. Meis occupied the former Montgomery Ward space in 1987 and was later acquired by Elder-Beerman in 1989. Phar-Mor subsequently took over the former Wasson's location. Manulife Real Estate acquired the mall in 1992. By 1993, occupancy had fallen to approximately 60 percent as retailers moved to other developments in Kokomo. Goody's Family Clothing added an anchor presence in 1998 by occupying several smaller spaces in the J. C. Penney wing. The center nevertheless declined again after Goody's closed. Elder-Beerman's parent company, The Bon-Ton, shut its store in 2011 and replaced it with a Carson's location at nearby Markland Mall. The property was renovated and renamed Kokomo Town Center around 2012. Robert Miller & Son Furniture took over the former Elder-Beerman space in 2012. In 2014, much of the former enclosed mall structure was demolished, leaving a smaller open-air configuration centered on surviving storefronts, the J. C. Penney building, the Robert Miller & Son Furniture location, and the long-abandoned Phar-Mor space. The redevelopment marked the center's transition from a traditional enclosed regional mall to a smaller outdoor retail plaza. J. C. Penney announced in June 2020 that its Kokomo location would close as part of a nationwide program involving 154 store closures. The store closed around October 2020, leaving Robert Miller & Son Furniture as the only traditional anchor cited in the property history at that point. In August 2021, Gabe's opened a department store in the former J. C. Penney space. The center's listed tenants include Gabe's, AMC Theatres, Robert Miller & Son Furniture, Momentum Clothing & Accessories, Classy Nails, CosmoProf, and T-Mobile. The property is owned by Veritas Realty.

Kokomo Town Center traces its history to 1963, when the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation developed Kokomo Mall in Kokomo, Indiana. The original center included Montgomery Ward, H. P. Wasson and Company, and J. C. Penney as anchor tenants. It initially operated as an open-air mall, but Novil-Novick Associates acquired the property before the end of the 1960s and enclosed it. The property entered a prolonged period of tenant changes during the 1980s. National Food and Wasson's closed in 1980, Montgomery Ward followed in 1981, and G. C. Murphy and other original tenants also departed. J. C. Penney remained the principal anchor. Kokomo Mall Associates acquired the mall from West-Penn Realty in 1986 and carried out a major interior renovation, including new marble flooring. Meis opened in the former Montgomery Ward space in 1987 and was acquired by Elder-Beerman in 1989. Phar-Mor occupied the former Wasson's location. Manulife Real Estate acquired the mall in 1992. Occupancy had fallen to 60 percent by 1993, reflecting competition from other retail developments in Kokomo. Goody's Family Clothing opened an anchor store in 1998 by combining several smaller spaces in the J. C. Penney wing. That addition did not prevent another period of decline. After Goody's closed, the mall was described as nearly empty by 2010. The Bon-Ton closed the Elder-Beerman store in 2011 and transferred its Kokomo-area operation to a Carson's store at nearby Markland Mall. Robert Miller & Son Furniture moved into the former department-store space in 2012. The same period brought renovations and the change of name from Kokomo Mall to Kokomo Town Center. In 2014, much of the enclosed mall was demolished. The redevelopment retained storefronts on the east side along with the J. C. Penney and Robert Miller locations, while the former Phar-Mor space remained abandoned. The resulting property functioned as a smaller outdoor shopping plaza rather than a conventional enclosed mall. J. C. Penney announced in June 2020 that its Kokomo store would close as part of a nationwide program involving 154 locations. The closure occurred around October 2020 and left Robert Miller & Son Furniture as the remaining traditional anchor identified in the property's documented history. Gabe's opened in the former J. C. Penney building in August 2021, restoring a major department-store tenant to the center. Current or recently documented tenants include Gabe's, AMC Theatres, Robert Miller & Son Furniture, Momentum Clothing & Accessories, Classy Nails, CosmoProf, and T-Mobile. Veritas Realty is identified as the property's owner.

• 2021

  Gabe's opens at the center

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Gabe's opens a department store in the former J. C. Penney location.

• 2020

  J. C. Penney closes

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The J. C. Penney store closes as part of the retailer's nationwide store-closure program.

• 2014

  Enclosed mall structure is largely demolished

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Much of the former mall structure is removed, leaving an outdoor plaza configuration.

• 2012

  The property is renamed Kokomo Town Center

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Renovations accompany the transition from Kokomo Mall to the Kokomo Town Center name, while Robert Miller & Son Furniture occupies the former Elder-Beerman space.

• 1998

  Goody's opens an anchor store

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Goody's Family Clothing opens in several consolidated spaces within the J. C. Penney wing.

• 1992

  Manulife Real Estate acquires the mall

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Manulife Real Estate becomes the property's owner.

• 1986

  Kokomo Mall Associates acquires and renovates the property

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Kokomo Mall Associates purchases the mall from West-Penn Realty and undertakes a substantial interior rebuild.

• 1969

  The mall is enclosed

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  After acquisition by Novil-Novick Associates, the formerly open-air mall is converted into an enclosed shopping center.

• 1963

  Kokomo Mall opens

  [1]Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation opens Kokomo Mall in Kokomo, Indiana, with Montgomery Ward, H. P. Wasson and Company, and J. C. Penney among the anchor tenants.

A locally oriented outdoor shopping center serving Kokomo and surrounding communities, with a tenant mix spanning value retail, furniture, apparel, personal services, telecommunications, and entertainment.

• Shopping center retail space · 1963

  Retail storefronts

  Kokomo Town Center provides an outdoor retail environment for multiple independent and national tenants. The documented tenant mix includes value-oriented department-store retail, apparel and accessories, furniture, beauty services and supplies, wireless services, and entertainment.

• Department store · 2021

  Gabe's

  Gabe's operates a department store in the former J. C. Penney location. Its opening in August 2021 reintroduced a large-format department-store tenant to the center after J. C. Penney's closure.

• Cinema

  AMC Theatres

  AMC Theatres is a documented entertainment tenant at Kokomo Town Center, providing cinema programming alongside the center's retail and service businesses.

• Furniture retail · 2012

  Robert Miller & Son Furniture

  Robert Miller & Son Furniture occupies the former Elder-Beerman space and has been a major tenant since moving into the property in 2012.

• 2021

  Gabe's opens in the former J. C. Penney spaceProduct launch

  Background

  J. C. Penney had closed its Kokomo store around October 2020.

  Action taken

  Gabe's opened a department store in the vacated anchor location.

  Aftermath

  The opening restored a large-format retail presence to the former department-store building.

  Source

• 2014

  Demolition and outdoor-plaza redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The property had experienced substantial vacancies and competition from other Kokomo retail developments.

  Action taken

  Much of the former enclosed mall was demolished, retaining selected storefronts and anchor buildings in an outdoor configuration.

  Aftermath

  Kokomo Town Center operated as a smaller outdoor shopping plaza with a reduced physical footprint.

  Source

• 2012

  Conversion from Kokomo Mall to Kokomo Town CenterStrategy

  Background

  The enclosed mall had suffered prolonged tenant losses and declining occupancy, including the closure of major department-store tenants.

  Action taken

  The property was renovated and renamed Kokomo Town Center, beginning its repositioning as a smaller, more open retail center.

  Aftermath

  The repositioning was followed by the demolition of much of the enclosed structure in 2014.

  Source

1. 1Kokomo Town Centeren.wikipedia.org