Millcreek Mall
A regional shopping center and retail complex in Millcreek Township near Erie, Pennsylvania.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Millcreek Mall is a one-level regional shopping center in Millcreek Township, approximately 3.4 miles southwest of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. The complex lies between Peach Street and Interstate 79 and is operated and owned by The Cafaro Company, a Youngstown, Ohio-based shopping-center developer. It opened on November 10, 1975, and became one of the principal retail destinations serving northwestern Pennsylvania and nearby areas of Ohio, New York, and Canada. The mall’s location is central to its commercial identity. Pennsylvania does not impose sales tax on clothing, which has helped Millcreek Mall attract cross-border and regional shoppers seeking apparel and other retail goods. Although the mall proper contains approximately 104 store spaces and 12 kiosks, broader descriptions of the property often refer to roughly 165 stores and restaurants. That larger figure includes businesses in the mall itself as well as peripheral stores, restaurants, hotels, service businesses, and strip-plaza developments on the wider property. Millcreek Mall has historically operated as a multi-anchor department-store center. Its current or recent anchor mix has included Boscov’s, JCPenney, Macy’s, Round One Entertainment, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The tenant composition has changed repeatedly as department-store chains consolidated, closed locations, or transferred ownership. Original or early anchors included Boston Store, Halle’s, JCPenney, Kaufmann’s, Carlisle’s, and Sears. Over the decades, former anchor spaces were occupied by successors including Horne’s, Lazarus, Burlington Coat Factory, HomePlace, Elder-Beerman, The Bon-Ton, and later specialty, entertainment, restaurant, and sporting-goods tenants. The property underwent a major renovation announced in 2008. Improvements included redesigned entrances, a new west-side entrance, skylights, porcelain flooring, upgraded parking-lot lighting, a children’s area, and a renovated food court that opened later that year. The redevelopment reflected the continuing shift from a traditional department-store mall toward a mixed retail and entertainment destination. In 2014, part of the former Burlington Coat Factory space was divided into smaller units for restaurants, entertainment, and specialty retail. Round One Entertainment subsequently joined the center and opened in 2018, adding arcade and recreational uses. The surrounding Millcreek Mall property extends beyond the enclosed mall. The Millcreek Mall Pavilion includes retailers such as Ross Dress for Less, HomeGoods, Michaels, Five Below, Rally House, Carter’s, Ulta Beauty, Vertical Jump Park, and DSW Shoe Warehouse. The site also includes restaurants, hotels, educational and service uses, and buildings adapted from former retail or entertainment facilities. Across the street, the separate Millcreek Marketplace development includes restaurants, a hotel, banking and wireless-service locations, and a Giant Eagle supermarket that opened in 2017. Millcreek Mall has also appeared in popular culture. The shopping center is reported to have provided the inspiration for the mall depicted in the children’s television series Arthur, where it is presented as the Elwood City mall. Today, the complex remains an active regional retail destination whose identity combines department stores, specialty shops, dining, entertainment, services, and surrounding commercial development.
History
Millcreek Mall opened on November 10, 1975, in Millcreek Township near Erie, Pennsylvania. It was developed by The Cafaro Company, which continues to own and operate the property. The center was positioned as a large regional shopping destination serving Erie and surrounding communities, with its location near Peach Street and Interstate 79 providing access from northwestern Pennsylvania and neighboring areas. The original anchor lineup reflected the department-store model common to major American malls of the period. Boston Store, Halle’s, JCPenney, Kaufmann’s, Carlisle’s, and Sears were among the initial anchors. Changes in the department-store sector produced a succession of replacements. Boston Store became Horne’s in 1979 and later Lazarus in 1994; Lazarus closed in 1997. Halle’s was later used as a Dahlkemper’s catalog showroom before becoming a Burlington Coat Factory location. The former Carlisle’s space was occupied by HomePlace after Carlisle’s closed in 1995. The former Lazarus space was taken by Elder-Beerman in 1998 and converted to The Bon-Ton five years later. Kaufmann’s became Macy’s in September 2006. Other anchor and large-store changes also reshaped the complex. After HomePlace closed, its space was divided between Steve & Barry’s and AC Moore. Steve & Barry’s closed in 2009, while AC Moore remained until 2020. Burlington Coat Factory left the mall in late 2012. In 2014, the former Burlington area was divided into six spaces, including locations for Primanti Brothers, Mad Mex, Round One Entertainment, and Guitar Center; the area was also branded The Promenade and given its own entrance. Some portions remained vacant or were used seasonally. The mall announced a multimillion-dollar renovation on March 27, 2008. The work introduced or upgraded a children’s area, food court, entrances, skylights, porcelain floors, the west-side entrance, and parking-lot lighting. The food court opened late in 2008. These changes modernized the physical environment and supported a broader tenant mix beyond traditional department stores. Sears eventually closed its mall location, and Boscov’s opened in the former Sears space on October 5, 2017. Round One Entertainment was announced on October 18, 2017, and opened in the summer of 2018, adding arcade and entertainment uses. The Bon-Ton announced the closure of its Millcreek location on January 31, 2018. In February 2023, Dick’s Sporting Goods was announced as moving from the Millcreek Mall Pavilion into the former Bon-Ton space. Sierra opened next to Boscov’s on November 9, 2024. The wider property includes the Millcreek Mall Pavilion, restaurants, hotels, service businesses, educational uses, and other retail buildings. The Pavilion includes off-price, home, beauty, craft, apparel, footwear, and recreational tenants. A separate development across the street, Millcreek Marketplace, added restaurants, a hotel, banking and telecommunications services, and a Giant Eagle supermarket, which opened on March 23, 2017. Millcreek Mall has benefited from Pennsylvania’s lack of sales tax on clothing, a feature that helps draw visitors from Ohio, New York, and Canada. The complex has also been noted in popular media: the mall depicted in the children’s television series Arthur is reported to be based on Millcreek Mall. In September 2022, a large juvenile altercation near the Macy’s wing and food court escalated when a shot was fired into the ceiling, resulting in a lockdown and criminal charges. The incident became a notable security challenge for the property while it considered measures to reduce similar disturbances.
- 2024
Sierra opens
[1]Sierra opens next to Boscov's on November 9.
- 2018
Round One opens
[1]Round One Entertainment opens at the center during the summer.
- 2017
Boscov's opens in former Sears space
[1]Boscov's opens on October 5 in the former Sears anchor location.
- 2008
Major renovation announced
[1]The mall announces a multimillion-dollar modernization program, with the renovated food court opening later in the year.
- 2006
Kaufmann's converts to Macy's
[1]The Kaufmann's anchor is converted to Macy's in September.
- 1994
Horne's becomes Lazarus
[1]The former Boston Store/Horne's anchor is converted to Lazarus.
- 1979
Boston Store becomes Horne's
[1]One of the original anchors changes identity from Boston Store to Horne's.
- 1975
Millcreek Mall opens
[1]The Cafaro Company opens the one-level shopping center in Millcreek Township on November 10.
Products and positioning
A broad-based regional shopping and entertainment destination serving Erie and attracting shoppers from neighboring states and Canada, with additional appeal from Pennsylvania's clothing-tax policy.
Retail real estate · 1975
Enclosed shopping mall
The primary offering is a one-level enclosed shopping center with department stores, specialty retailers, kiosks, dining venues, and entertainment uses. The mall proper has approximately 104 store spaces and 12 kiosks, while the broader complex is commonly described as containing about 165 stores and restaurants when peripheral properties are included.
Open-air retail cluster
Millcreek Mall Pavilion
The Pavilion is the surrounding retail component of the property. Its tenant mix has included off-price apparel, home goods, crafts, beauty, footwear, children's merchandise, sporting and fan apparel, and recreational businesses, giving the overall complex a larger and more diversified shopping offer than the enclosed mall alone.
Adjacent commercial development
Millcreek Marketplace
Located across the street from the mall, Millcreek Marketplace extends the retail and service ecosystem with restaurants, lodging, financial services, wireless retail, and a Giant Eagle supermarket. It functions as a related commercial area rather than as part of the enclosed mall interior.
Controversies
2022
Juvenile fight and shooting at the mall
On September 18, 2022, a large fight involving juveniles occurred near the Macy's wing and food court. A shot was fired into the ceiling, the mall was placed under lockdown, and the individuals involved were charged. The incident prompted discussion of additional measures to prevent similar crimes.
Brand decisions
2023
Dick's Sporting Goods relocationGeneration changeBackground
The former Bon-Ton space became available after the department-store chain announced the closure of its Millcreek location.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods was announced as moving from the Millcreek Mall Pavilion into the former Bon-Ton space.
Aftermath
The planned move was intended to place the sporting-goods retailer in a larger former-anchor location within the enclosed mall.
2017
Boscov's replaces Sears as an anchorProduct launchBackground
The closure of Sears created an available anchor position within the mall.
Action taken
Boscov's opened in the former Sears space on October 5.
Aftermath
The move preserved a major department-store use in the mall's anchor lineup.
2014
Subdivision of former Burlington spaceStrategyBackground
After Burlington Coat Factory left in late 2012, the mall had a large vacant area that could support multiple smaller users.
Action taken
The former Burlington space was divided into six units and branded as The Promenade, with a separate entrance.
Aftermath
The reconfigured area accommodated restaurants, entertainment, and specialty retail, including Primanti Brothers, Mad Mex, Round One, and Guitar Center.
2008
Modernization and amenity renovationStrategyBackground
The center sought to update its physical environment and improve the customer experience through changes to entrances, flooring, lighting, skylights, children's facilities, and the food court.
Action taken
The mall announced and carried out a multimillion-dollar renovation, including a new west-side entrance and a refurbished food court.
Aftermath
The food court opened late in 2008 and the project broadened the mall's appeal beyond department-store shopping.
Recent events
- 2024
Sierra opens near Boscov's[1]
Product launch
Sierra, an outdoor apparel and sporting-goods retailer, opened next to Boscov's on November 9, 2024.
- 2023
Dick's Sporting Goods plans move into the former Bon-Ton space[1]
Product generation
Dick's Sporting Goods was announced as moving from the Millcreek Mall Pavilion into the former Bon-Ton location.
- 2019
Sonic Drive-In opens at the former Sears Auto Center site[1]
Product launch
A Sonic Drive-In opened on July 3, 2019, in the former Sears Auto Center lot on the mall property.
- 2018
The Bon-Ton announces closure of its Millcreek Mall location[1]
Leadership change · Other
The Bon-Ton announced in January 2018 that its regional store at the mall would close, creating a large former-anchor vacancy later associated with a Dick's Sporting Goods relocation.
- 2017
Boscov's opens in the former Sears space[1]
Product launch
Boscov's opened in the former Sears anchor location on October 5, expanding the mall's department-store offering.
- 2017
Round One Entertainment announced for Millcreek Mall[1]
Product launch
Round One Entertainment was announced as a new tenant in October 2017 and opened during the summer of 2018.
- 2008
Millcreek Mall announces a multimillion-dollar renovation[1]
Other
The mall announced a substantial renovation involving entrances, flooring, skylights, parking-lot lighting, a children's area, and a redesigned food court.
Sources2 sources
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