Meadowbrook Mall

Meadowbrook Mall is a regional enclosed shopping center in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Developed and opened by the Cafaro Company in late 1982, it serves as a major retail and entertainment destination for north-central West Virginia, particularly communities along the Interstate 79 corridor between Fairmont and Weston. The property was conceived as one of the area’s early fully enclosed malls and helped consolidate a broad range of department-store, specialty-retail, dining, cinema, and family-entertainment activity in a single location. The mall’s original anchor lineup reflected the department-store retail model of the early 1980s. It included JCPenney, Murphy’s Mart, Stone & Thomas, The Bon-Ton, and Montgomery Ward. As department-store ownership patterns and consumer preferences changed, Meadowbrook Mall repeatedly adapted its space. In 1990, The Bon-Ton location closed and was substantially reconfigured for Sears and additional mall space. Later changes included the conversion of former cinema space for Marshalls in 2008 and the addition of ULTA Beauty in 2015. A further redevelopment cycle followed the announced closure of Sears in 2017. The Cafaro Company undertook major work in the affected wing, ultimately creating space for Boscov’s. Boscov’s opened at Meadowbrook Mall in 2023, making the location the retailer’s 50th store and its first in West Virginia. During this period, Marshalls moved into the former Elder-Beerman space, while portions of the former department-store footprint were demolished or reconfigured. Temporary or seasonal uses, including Spirit Halloween, have occupied some secondary space. As described in the available reference material, the mall has approximately 849,206 square feet of gross leasable area and 109 tenant spaces. Its principal anchors and major attractions as of 2025 include JCPenney, Target, Marshalls, Boscov’s, Cinemark, and The Hive Entertainment Zone. The center is a single-level public shopping environment with a separate service level used for maintenance and storage. Its positioning is that of a broad-based, convenience-oriented regional center combining national retailers, department stores, off-price merchandise, beauty retail, entertainment, and seasonal activity. Meadowbrook Mall is owned and managed by the Cafaro Company of Youngstown, Ohio. The available material does not identify a separate corporate brand architecture, publicly traded parent, or current named mall executive. The property remains active and continues to serve as a principal enclosed retail center for its regional trade area.

Meadowbrook Mall was developed by the Cafaro Company and opened in late 1982 in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Its original architecture and engineering were completed by the Keeva J. Kekst Company. The enclosed format gave the property an important role in the retail development of north-central West Virginia, where it became a principal shopping destination for communities connected by the Interstate 79 corridor from Fairmont to Weston. The original anchor roster included JCPenney, Murphy’s Mart, Stone & Thomas, The Bon-Ton, and Montgomery Ward. This mix reflected the conventional regional-mall model of the period, in which department stores served as traffic-generating anchors and smaller tenants occupied interior corridors. The property later changed substantially as department-store chains consolidated and mall operators repurposed large-format space. In 1990, The Bon-Ton closed. Its former space was gutted and adapted for Sears as well as additional mall area. The center continued to evolve in response to changing retail demand. In 2008, Marshalls opened in space previously associated with the mall’s cinemas. ULTA Beauty was added in 2015, broadening the property’s beauty and personal-care offer. The next major redevelopment followed Sears’s announcement that it would close in early 2017. Cafaro began a substantial renovation of the affected wing. The work eventually produced a new Boscov’s store, which opened in 2023. The opening was notable because it represented Boscov’s 50th store and its first entry into West Virginia. The redevelopment also involved movement of Marshalls into the former Elder-Beerman space. Parts of the former department-store area were demolished or reconfigured, and secondary areas have at times been used for seasonal tenants such as Spirit Halloween. By 2025, the mall was described as having approximately 849,206 square feet of gross leasable area and 109 tenant spaces, placing it in the super-regional-center category under shopping-center industry classifications. The publicly accessible shopping area is arranged on one level, with a secondary service level supporting maintenance and storage operations. Major anchors and attractions listed for the property include JCPenney, Target, Marshalls, Boscov’s, Cinemark, and The Hive Entertainment Zone. The available reference material also records a December 2025 operational incident. A gas leak was reported on December 19 at approximately 6:51 p.m., prompting the evacuation of customers and staff and a temporary closure while repairs were made. The mall reportedly reopened at 9:00 a.m. on December 20. No further details about injuries, liability, or regulatory findings are provided in the supplied sources. Meadowbrook Mall remains owned and managed by the Cafaro Company, headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio. Its history is characterized less by a single permanent retail identity than by continued adaptation of anchor space and tenant mix. The center combines department stores, general merchandise, off-price retail, specialty shopping, beauty, cinema, and entertainment to maintain a broad regional role.

• 2025

  Temporary closure after gas leak

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A reported gas leak leads to evacuation and an overnight closure; the mall reportedly reopens the next morning.

• 2023

  Boscov's opens

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Boscov's opens in the redeveloped former Sears area as its 50th store and first West Virginia location.

• 2017

  Sears closure triggers wing redevelopment

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Following Sears's announced closure, Cafaro begins major renovation and redevelopment work in the affected mall wing.

• 2015

  ULTA Beauty added

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  ULTA Beauty joins the mall's specialty-retail tenant mix.

• 2008

  Marshalls added

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Marshalls opens in space formerly occupied by the mall cinemas.

• 1990

  Former Bon-Ton space is redeveloped

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  After The Bon-Ton closes, its former space is substantially reworked for Sears and additional mall area.

• 1982

  Mall opens

  [1]Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Cafaro Company opens Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport as an enclosed regional shopping center serving north-central West Virginia.

A large regional enclosed shopping center combining department stores, mass-market and off-price retail, specialty stores, beauty products, cinema, and family entertainment for north-central West Virginia.

• Department stores · 1982

  Department-store retail

  Meadowbrook Mall's department-store offer includes JCPenney and Boscov's. These stores provide broad assortments spanning apparel, accessories, home goods, seasonal merchandise, and other general retail categories. Boscov's occupies space created through the redevelopment of the former Sears wing and represents a significant recent anchor addition.

• Mass-market and off-price retail · 2008

  General and off-price merchandise

  Target and Marshalls extend the mall's everyday shopping proposition beyond traditional department stores. Target contributes general merchandise and household categories, while Marshalls offers off-price apparel, accessories, home products, and related goods. Marshalls has occupied different mall spaces as the property has been redeveloped.

• Beauty and personal care · 2015

  Beauty retail

  ULTA Beauty adds cosmetics, skincare, haircare, fragrance, and beauty-accessory retail to the center. Its addition in 2015 diversified Meadowbrook Mall's specialty offer and complemented the broader apparel and department-store categories.

• Entertainment

  Cinema and entertainment

  Cinemark and The Hive Entertainment Zone provide leisure uses alongside the mall's retail tenants. These attractions support the center's role as a regional destination rather than solely a collection of stores, encouraging visits for movies, activities, and family-oriented entertainment.

• 2023

  Launch of Boscov's Meadowbrook Mall storeProduct launch

  Background

  The redevelopment of the former Sears area created an opportunity for a replacement department-store anchor.

  Action taken

  Boscov's opened a new store at the mall, identified as its 50th store and first in West Virginia.

  Aftermath

  The opening restored a major department-store presence to the redeveloped wing and expanded Boscov's geographic footprint.

  Source

• 2017

  Redevelop former Sears wingStrategy

  Background

  Sears announced that it would close its Meadowbrook Mall store, creating another major vacant anchor space.

  Action taken

  Cafaro initiated major renovations and ultimately redeveloped the wing for Boscov's and related mall space.

  Aftermath

  Boscov's opened in 2023 as the mall's new department-store anchor and the retailer's first West Virginia location.

  Source

• 1990

  Convert former Bon-Ton spaceStrategy

  Background

  The Bon-Ton closed, leaving a large department-store footprint within the mall.

  Action taken

  The space was gutted and adapted for Sears together with additional mall area.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment replaced a departing anchor and changed the configuration of the property.

  Source

1. 1Meadowbrook Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Meadowbrook Mall official websitemeadowbrookmall.com