Manhattan Town Center
A single-level enclosed shopping mall in downtown Manhattan, Kansas, anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, and AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 IMAX.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Manhattan Town Center is a single-level enclosed shopping mall in downtown Manhattan, Kansas. The property serves as a principal regional shopping and entertainment destination for Manhattan and surrounding communities in north-central Kansas. Its tenant mix combines department stores, specialty apparel and accessories retailers, beauty and footwear stores, food-service businesses, and a multiplex cinema. The mall opened in 1987 after several years of discussion about creating a substantial enclosed shopping center in Manhattan. Dillard's began operations on October 7, 1987, and the rest of the center, including JCPenney, opened on October 26 of the same year. The development represented a major downtown retail investment at a time when city officials had cleared part of the central business district for additional parking and had considered the need for a large shopping facility in the area. A third anchor, Sears, was added at the south end of the property and opened on September 17, 1990. Sears later closed in 2014 amid the retailer's broader financial difficulties. Rather than leaving the former department-store space unused, the mall replaced the building with a cinema complex. Carmike Cinemas Town Center 13 opened in December 2016 with 12 standard screens and one IMAX screen. Following AMC Theatres' acquisition of Carmike, the venue became AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 IMAX. The original Dillard's and JCPenney stores remain important anchors. Other documented tenants include Books-A-Million, Buckle, Famous Footwear, Hot Topic, Kay Jewelers, Maurices, Victoria's Secret, and Ulta Beauty. The property also includes full-service restaurants such as HuHot Mongolian Grill, Applebee's, Chili's, and Texas Roadhouse. In 2019, mall officials announced plans for an H&M store, described as the chain's first Kansas location outside the Kansas City and Wichita areas, although the available reference material does not establish its subsequent operating status. Beyond conventional retail, Manhattan Town Center functions as a community venue. The property hosts events and local activities, including Manhattan High School's prom, extending its role beyond shopping and dining. On November 15, 2023, RockStep Capital acquired the mall. The ownership change placed Manhattan Town Center within a new property-management context while preserving its role as a downtown commercial and entertainment center. The mall remains active, although its tenant roster and operating details can change over time.
History
Proposals for a major enclosed shopping center in Manhattan, Kansas, appeared before the present mall was built. In 1971, Topeka developer John Haley proposed the Landmark Mall on the southwest edge of Manhattan near the intersections of K-113 and K-18. The plan encountered opposition from city officials and did not proceed. The proposed area was eventually developed in the early 2000s as Seth Child Commons, an open-air shopping center anchored by Target. The prospect of a downtown mall remained part of Manhattan's development discussion. The city acknowledged the potential for a significant shopping center in the central business district when it condemned and demolished a half-block of buildings and converted the area to off-street parking. This preparatory step helped create the urban setting for the later Manhattan Town Center project. Construction culminated in the mall's opening in 1987. Dillard's opened on October 7, 1987, followed by the broader center and its second anchor, JCPenney, on October 26. The resulting property was a single-level enclosed mall positioned in downtown Manhattan and designed to combine department-store anchors with smaller specialty tenants. The mall expanded its anchor lineup in 1990. Sears opened at the south end of the center on September 17, creating a three-department-store configuration with Dillard's and JCPenney. Sears subsequently closed in 2014 as the company struggled across its store network. The former Sears building was demolished rather than retained as a vacant anchor. A replacement entertainment use was developed on the site, and Carmike Cinemas Town Center 13 opened in December 2016. The cinema provided 12 regular screens and one IMAX screen. After AMC Theatres acquired Carmike, the theater was renamed AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 IMAX. The property continued to operate as a mixed-use retail and entertainment destination. Its documented tenants have included national apparel, footwear, jewelry, beauty, bookstore, and specialty retailers, along with several full-service restaurants. In February 2019, mall officials announced a planned H&M store measuring approximately 18,000 square feet. The announcement positioned the proposed store as H&M's first Kansas location outside the Kansas City and Wichita areas, although the available reference material does not confirm the store's later status. Manhattan Town Center also supports community activity in addition to commercial functions. Local events and gatherings, including Manhattan High School's prom, have used the mall. On November 15, 2023, RockStep Capital acquired the property. The acquisition was the latest documented ownership transition in the mall's history. As an active downtown center, Manhattan Town Center continues to combine shopping, restaurants, cinema entertainment, and local events for Manhattan and nearby communities.
- 2023
RockStep Capital acquisition
[1]RockStep Capital acquired Manhattan Town Center on November 15.
- 2019
H&M store is announced
[1]Mall officials announced a planned 18,000-square-foot H&M location.
- 2016
Cinema replacement opens
[1]Carmike Cinemas Town Center 13 opened in December on the demolished Sears site, with 12 regular screens and one IMAX screen.
- 2014
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store closed amid the department-store chain's broader financial problems.
- 1990
Sears opens as third anchor
[1]Sears opened at the south end of the mall on September 17.
- 1987
Dillard's opens
[1]Dillard's began operations at Manhattan Town Center on October 7, preceding the opening of the rest of the mall.
- 1987
Manhattan Town Center opens
[1]The mall and its JCPenney anchor opened on October 26, establishing the downtown enclosed shopping center.
- 1971
Landmark Mall proposal is announced
[1]Developer John Haley proposed an enclosed shopping center on Manhattan's southwest edge, but the project failed to materialize after opposition from city officials.
Products and positioning
A downtown regional shopping, dining, entertainment, and community destination serving Manhattan and the surrounding north-central Kansas market.
Department store · 1987
Dillard's
Dillard's is one of Manhattan Town Center's original anchors. The store opened on October 7, 1987, and provides department-store merchandise within the mall's core retail lineup.
Department store · 1987
JCPenney
JCPenney opened with the main mall on October 26, 1987. It remains one of the center's original anchor stores and contributes broad department-store coverage to the tenant mix.
Cinema and entertainment · 2016
AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 IMAX
The multiplex occupies the former Sears redevelopment site. It opened in December 2016 as Carmike Cinemas Town Center 13 with 12 standard screens and one IMAX screen, and was later renamed following AMC Theatres' acquisition of Carmike.
Specialty retail
Specialty retail tenant mix
Documented specialty tenants include Books-A-Million, Buckle, Famous Footwear, Hot Topic, Kay Jewelers, Maurices, Victoria's Secret, and Ulta Beauty, covering books, apparel, footwear, jewelry, beauty, and related categories.
Restaurants
Dining venues
The property includes full-service and casual dining options including HuHot Mongolian Grill, Applebee's, Chili's, and Texas Roadhouse.
Brand decisions
2023
RockStep Capital acquires the mallM&ABackground
Manhattan Town Center changed ownership after operating as a downtown retail and entertainment property for more than three decades.
Action taken
RockStep Capital acquired Manhattan Town Center on November 15, 2023.
Aftermath
The acquisition transferred ownership to RockStep Capital. The available reference material does not provide further financial or operational details.
2016
Redevelopment of the former Sears site as a cinemaProduct launchBackground
Sears closed its Manhattan Town Center location in 2014, leaving the mall without its southern department-store anchor.
Action taken
The Sears building was demolished and replaced with Carmike Cinemas Town Center 13, a 13-screen theater including an IMAX auditorium.
Aftermath
The venue later operated under the AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 IMAX name after AMC acquired Carmike.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/manhattan-town-center · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled