Willamette Town Center
An exterior-entrance shopping center in Salem, Oregon, formerly known as Lancaster Mall.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Willamette Town Center is a shopping center in Salem, Oregon, historically known as Lancaster Mall. It occupies a prominent retail location along Lancaster Drive and beside Interstate 5, helping it serve as a major commercial destination for Salem and the surrounding Mid-Willamette Valley. The center's retail complex contains approximately 550,000 square feet of space in its main portion and combines large-format stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and consumer services. The property originated in the late 1960s. Thrifty PayLess initially developed a small enclosed shopping facility that included a PayLess drugstore and an Albertsons supermarket. The remainder of the mall was built approximately two years later, with Montgomery Ward relocating from downtown Salem into the expanded center. This development reflected the broader movement of American retail toward automobile-oriented suburban shopping destinations and helped shift part of Salem's commercial activity away from the traditional downtown core. During its Lancaster Mall period, the property was associated with several retail and operational experiments. In 1972 it was selected as one of the early Oregon locations for an automated teller machine situated away from a bank branch, a format that attracted public controversy at the time. Around 1976, a Taco Time location at the mall reportedly participated in an experiment involving the sale of alcoholic beverages. The center also became the setting for serious crimes, including separate kidnappings in 1977 and 1982 and a 1982 shooting that killed two people before the gunman died by suicide in the parking lot. These incidents form part of the property's documented local history but are not indicative of its retail positioning. The mall pursued environmental improvements during the 2000s. In 2008 it received EarthWISE certification through Marion County Public Works-Environmental Services after committing to recycling, waste reduction, energy conservation, water conservation, and environmentally preferable purchasing. The certification positioned the property as an example of a retail facility adopting structured environmental-management practices. In 2017, the property was renamed Willamette Town Center as part of a repositioning from a conventional enclosed mall toward a more open, exterior-access shopping-center format. HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and Hobby Lobby were added in connection with the redevelopment. Portions of the former interior corridor leading toward the closed Macy's space were closed, while replacement and newly added tenants were configured with outside entrances. The change reflected the continuing evolution of the U.S. shopping-mall sector, in which owners have often converted enclosed corridors into flexible big-box, specialty-retail, and service-oriented space. The center has also experienced the effects of major retail restructurings. Sears announced in October 2018 that its store at the property would close as part of a nationwide program affecting 142 stores. Pier 1 Imports, which operated near the former Sears space, announced in May 2020 that it would close all of its stores as part of its liquidation. Despite these tenant departures, Willamette Town Center remains an active retail property and continues to function as a regional shopping destination under its current name.
History
The property now called Willamette Town Center began development in 1968, when Thrifty PayLess built a small enclosed shopping facility in Salem, Oregon. The initial complex included a PayLess drugstore and an Albertsons supermarket. Approximately two years later, the remainder of the mall was constructed, creating the larger Lancaster Mall complex. Montgomery Ward subsequently moved from downtown Salem into the expanded mall, reinforcing the center's role as an automobile-oriented alternative to downtown retail. Lancaster Mall became part of Salem's changing commercial geography. Its position on Lancaster Drive, immediately west of Interstate 5, gave it strong regional accessibility and helped make the property a retail hub for the city and nearby communities. The principal portion of the center eventually reached approximately 550,000 square feet, supporting department stores, specialty retailers, food outlets, and services. The center was involved in several developments that reflected broader changes in American retail and consumer behavior. In 1972 it was expected to be among the first Oregon locations for an automated teller machine installed away from a bank branch. The idea generated controversy because off-site ATMs were then unfamiliar. Around 1976, the Taco Time restaurant at the mall was used in an experiment involving the sale of alcoholic beverages, illustrating the period's experimentation with restaurant formats and regulation. The property's history also includes serious criminal incidents. A 17-year-old woman was kidnapped from the mall in 1977, and a 19-year-old woman was kidnapped there in 1982. In May 1982, a former Salem police officer shot and killed two people at the mall and then died by suicide in the parking lot. In 1988, the mall prohibited Salvation Army solicitation as part of an effort to apply a uniform ban on solicitation within the property. In the 2000s, Lancaster Mall added an environmental-management dimension to its operations. It received EarthWISE certification in 2008 through Marion County Public Works-Environmental Services. The certification recognized commitments to recycling, waste reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, and environmentally preferable purchasing. A major repositioning occurred in 2017, when Lancaster Mall was renamed Willamette Town Center. The redevelopment introduced HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and Hobby Lobby. It also changed the physical relationship between the indoor mall corridor and the former Macy's area. Part of the corridor leading toward the closed Macy's store was closed, and the new or replacement tenants were designed around exterior entrances. The project shifted the property toward a town-center and open-air retail model, consistent with the transformation of many traditional enclosed malls. Tenant contraction continued after the rebranding. On October 15, 2018, Sears was reported to be closing its store at the property as part of a national program involving 142 store closures. In May 2020, Pier 1 Imports announced that it would close all locations and liquidate its business; the chain's store near the former Sears location was consequently affected. Even with these changes, the property remains an active shopping center serving Salem and the broader region under the Willamette Town Center name.
- 2020
Pier 1 Imports closure announced
[1]Pier 1 Imports announces the closure of all stores, affecting its location near the former Sears space.
- 2018
Sears closure announced
[1]Sears announces that its store at the property will close in a nationwide round of store reductions.
- 2017
Property renamed Willamette Town Center
[1]The mall adopts a new name and adds HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and Hobby Lobby as part of a format and tenant repositioning.
- 2008
EarthWISE certification
[1]Lancaster Mall receives EarthWISE certification for environmental operating practices.
- 1988
Solicitation policy is tightened
[1]The mall bans Salvation Army solicitation as part of a uniform prohibition on solicitation at the property.
- 1972
Early off-bank ATM installation planned
[1]The property is identified as one of the early Oregon locations for an automated teller machine located away from a bank branch, prompting controversy.
- 1971
Lancaster Mall opens in expanded form
[1]The remainder of the mall is built, establishing the larger shopping complex generally associated with Lancaster Mall.
- 1968
Initial Lancaster Mall development begins
[1]Thrifty PayLess develops a small enclosed shopping facility in Salem with a PayLess drugstore and an Albertsons supermarket.
Products and positioning
A regional, automobile-oriented shopping center serving Salem and the surrounding Mid-Willamette Valley, with a tenant mix spanning home goods, specialty retail, discount merchandise, food, and services. Its 2017 renaming and physical changes emphasized an exterior-access town-center format rather than a fully enclosed traditional mall.
Shopping center · 1971
Regional shopping-center services
Willamette Town Center provides a multi-tenant retail environment rather than a single branded product. Its principal offering is convenient access to a broad mix of stores, restaurants, and everyday services in one regional destination. The center's location beside Interstate 5 and along Lancaster Drive supports automobile-based visits from Salem and surrounding communities.
Home furnishings and specialty retail · 2017
Home and lifestyle retail
The center's repositioned tenant mix includes home-oriented and lifestyle retail, including HomeGoods and Hobby Lobby. These formats broaden the property beyond traditional department-store shopping by offering home décor, furnishings, craft materials, seasonal goods, and related specialty merchandise through exterior-access stores.
Discount and off-price retail · 2017
Off-price and value-oriented retail
Sierra Trading Post was added during the 2017 redevelopment, contributing an off-price and value-oriented component to the center. This type of retail typically emphasizes discounted apparel, footwear, outdoor goods, and general merchandise, helping the property maintain a destination-oriented mix after the decline of several traditional department-store anchors.
Department-store retail · 1971
Former department-store and anchor retail
Historically, the property accommodated major anchor formats, including Montgomery Ward, Macy's, and Sears. These stores provided broad assortments of apparel, household goods, electronics, and general merchandise. The closure of Macy's and Sears contributed to the later conversion of parts of the enclosed mall into exterior-access specialty and large-format retail space.
Controversies
1982
Second kidnapping at Lancaster Mall
A 19-year-old woman was kidnapped from the mall in 1982.
1982
Fatal shooting at the mall
In May 1982, a former Salem police officer shot and killed two people at the mall before dying by suicide in the parking lot.
1977
Kidnapping at Lancaster Mall
A 17-year-old woman was kidnapped from the mall in 1977. The incident is recorded in accounts of the property's history.
Brand decisions
2017
Repositioning as Willamette Town CenterStrategyBackground
The traditional enclosed-mall model was being challenged by changing retail patterns, anchor closures, and demand for flexible large-format stores.
Action taken
The property changed its name from Lancaster Mall to Willamette Town Center, added HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and Hobby Lobby, and closed part of the interior corridor leading toward the former Macy's space.
Aftermath
The center moved toward an exterior-access town-center format and replaced part of its former enclosed-mall configuration with new specialty and large-format retail space.
2008
Environmental operations programStrategyBackground
The property pursued formal environmental improvements in retail-center operations.
Action taken
Lancaster Mall adopted recycling, waste-reduction, energy-conservation, water-conservation, and environmentally preferable purchasing practices and received EarthWISE certification.
Aftermath
The center was recognized through Marion County's EarthWISE program for its environmental operating practices.
Recent events
- 2020
Pier 1 Imports announces nationwide liquidation[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Pier 1 Imports, which operated a store near the former Sears location, announced that it would close all of its stores and go out of business.
- 2018
Sears announces closure at the shopping center[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Sears announced that its store at the property would close as part of a nationwide plan to shut 142 locations.
- 2017
Lancaster Mall is renamed Willamette Town Center[1]
Product launch
The Salem shopping property adopted the Willamette Town Center name during a repositioning that added HomeGoods, Sierra Trading Post, and Hobby Lobby and converted portions of the former enclosed-mall layout to exterior-access retail space.
- 2008
EarthWISE environmental certification[1]
Other
Lancaster Mall received EarthWISE certification after adopting documented practices covering recycling, waste reduction, energy and water conservation, and environmentally preferable purchasing.
Sources1 sources
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