Miller Hill Mall

Miller Hill Mall is a shopping center in Duluth, Minnesota, positioned along U.S. Highway 53 at its intersection with Trinity Road. Opened in 1973, it serves the Duluth area and the wider northern Minnesota retail market. The center combines department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, health and wellness facilities, and customer-oriented mall services in an enclosed shopping-mall format supplemented by exterior-facing shops and restaurants. The property has evolved through several redevelopment cycles and changes in anchor tenancy. An expansion in 1987 increased its retail footprint and supported the mall's role as a major commercial destination in the region. Over time, department-store occupants changed as the U.S. retail sector consolidated. A Glass Block store associated with Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's and later sold to Younkers. Montgomery Ward, formerly a long-standing anchor, was replaced in 2001 by a combination of DSW Shoe Warehouse, Barnes & Noble, and Old Navy. That redevelopment also converted the former movie-theater area into the Great American Bar & Grill, while new architectural treatments improved the mall's highway-facing appearance. A further exterior redevelopment took place in 2007 after the closure and demolition of the Walgreens-facing section. The former Walgreens area and several smaller unsuccessful stores were separated from the interior mall and replaced with a lifestyle-center-style entrance and highway-facing retail and dining. Tenants associated with this phase included Men's Wearhouse, Noodles & Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Five Guys, and AT&T. Additional changes followed in the 2010s, including the opening of an adjacent Culver's restaurant in 2010 and the arrival of Dick's Sporting Goods in 2013. The mall's anchor portfolio was affected by the financial distress of traditional department-store operators. Younkers closed in August 2018 after the bankruptcy and liquidation of its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores. Sears also announced a closure in 2018, with the Miller Hill location shutting in September as part of a nationwide store-reduction program. These closures left Dick's Sporting Goods and JCPenney as the principal traditional retail anchors, alongside specialty, bookstore, footwear, beauty, and health-related tenants. Miller Hill Mall also had a small cinema history. A United Artists theater opened in 1976 and operated for decades as a first-run venue before becoming a second-run theater in the late 1990s. Competition from larger nearby multiplexes and limited reinvestment reduced its role, and the theater section was ultimately demolished. The site was reused for restaurant operations, including concepts associated with Duluth-based Grandma's Restaurants. The Great American Bar & Grill later closed, and the former movie-listing portion of the roadside sign was converted to advertising space. The center's current tenant mix includes approximately 103 stores, a food court, restaurants, and service-oriented facilities. Listed anchor or major occupants include JCPenney, Dick's Sporting Goods, Essentia Health's Health and Wellness Center, Essentia Health Surgery Center & Pharmacy, DSW, Barnes & Noble, and Ulta Beauty. Dining options have included Applebee's, Pizza Ranch, Noodles & Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Chilly Billy's Frozen Yogurt, and other restaurants. In March 2023, a portion of the mall roof collapsed before opening, apparently under the weight of accumulated snow. Employees were evacuated, no injuries were reported, and the mall closed temporarily while the incident was addressed.

Miller Hill Mall opened in 1973 along U.S. Highway 53 in Duluth, Minnesota. Its location at Trinity Road made it a prominent retail site serving the city and surrounding communities. The property was expanded in 1987, reinforcing its position as a major enclosed shopping center in northern Minnesota. The mall's anchor history reflects the changing structure of American department-store retail. A Glass Block location connected with Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's and subsequently sold to Younkers. Montgomery Ward was another long-term anchor, but its space was redeveloped in 2001 after the store's departure. The replacement program introduced DSW Shoe Warehouse, Barnes & Noble, and Old Navy. The same period brought changes to the former cinema area, which was converted into restaurant space occupied by the Great American Bar & Grill. New exterior design elements also improved the highway-facing facade. The mall's cinema had begun in 1976 as a United Artists theater. It initially showed first-run films, but the three-screen facility faced increasing competition from larger multiplexes built nearby during the 1980s and 1990s. By the late 1990s it had become a second-run theater, showing older films at low ticket prices. The theater was eventually demolished, and the space was reused for restaurant operations associated first with a Little Angies concept and later with the Great American Bar & Grill. After the theater's closure, the mall's roadside sign was refurbished, with the former movie-display area repurposed for local radio advertising. A major exterior redevelopment took place in 2007. The facade and surrounding area near a recently vacated Walgreens were removed, and the interior section containing Walgreens and several weaker small-store locations was walled off. The resulting lifestyle-center-style area added a new mall entrance and stores facing U.S. Highway 53. Tenants connected with this phase included Men's Wearhouse, Noodles & Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Five Guys, and AT&T. This change broadened the property beyond a conventional enclosed mall and created more direct highway access for shopping and dining. Further tenant changes occurred in the 2010s. Culver's opened outside the mall in May 2010, while Dick's Sporting Goods opened in September 2013. Health-related facilities also became part of the center's major tenant mix, including Essentia Health's Health and Wellness Center and Surgery Center & Pharmacy. The property is owned by Simon Property Group and has been listed as having approximately 103 stores, together with a food court and numerous dining options. Department-store contraction materially affected the mall in 2018. Younkers announced its closure after The Bon-Ton Stores entered liquidation, and the store closed on August 29. Sears separately announced that its Miller Hill location would close in September as part of a national closure program. Following these exits, Dick's Sporting Goods and JCPenney remained the principal traditional retail anchors, while specialty retailers and service providers continued to support the center. On March 14, 2023, part of the roof collapsed before the mall opened for the day. The collapse was reportedly associated with the weight of snow on the roof. Employees were evacuated, the mall remained closed for several days, and no injuries were reported. Miller Hill Mall continues to function as a regional retail, dining, and services destination, although its tenant mix and physical format reflect the broader transition from department-store-centered malls toward specialty retail, restaurants, services, and mixed-format exterior spaces.

• 2023

  Roof collapse causes temporary closure

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A roof section collapses on March 14 before opening, apparently because of snow accumulation. No injuries are reported.

• 2018

  Younkers closes

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Younkers closes on August 29 after the liquidation of The Bon-Ton Stores.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears location closes in September as part of the chain's national store-reduction program.

• 2013

  Dick's Sporting Goods opens

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Dick's Sporting Goods opens at the mall in September.

• 2010

  Culver's opens outside the mall

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An adjacent Culver's restaurant opens on May 24.

• 2007

  Lifestyle-center redevelopment

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A former Walgreens-facing section is demolished and replaced with a new mall entrance and highway-facing retail and dining space.

• 2001

  Montgomery Ward space is redeveloped

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Montgomery Ward anchor is replaced by DSW Shoe Warehouse, Barnes & Noble, and Old Navy, while the cinema area is converted to restaurant use.

• 1987

  Mall expansion

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property undergoes an expansion that increases its retail capacity.

• 1976

  United Artists theater opens

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A three-screen United Artists movie theater begins operating at the mall.

• 1973

  Miller Hill Mall opens

  [1]Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center opens in Duluth along U.S. Highway 53 at Trinity Road.

A broad regional retail and services destination for Duluth and northern Minnesota, combining conventional mall anchors with specialty retail, restaurants, exterior-facing lifestyle-center tenants, and health-related facilities.

• Retail real estate · 1973

  Enclosed shopping mall

  The core offering is an enclosed regional shopping environment with approximately 103 stores, indoor circulation, a food court, customer amenities, and a mix of national and local tenants.

• Retail · 1973

  Specialty retail

  Specialty retail categories represented at the center include footwear, books, beauty, apparel, sporting goods, electronics and communications, and home or lifestyle merchandise. Major listed tenants include DSW, Barnes & Noble, Ulta Beauty, and Dick's Sporting Goods.

• Food service · 1973

  Dining and food court

  Miller Hill Mall provides food-court and restaurant options, including listed locations or concepts such as Applebee's, Pizza Ranch, Noodles & Company, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Chilly Billy's Frozen Yogurt.

• Health services

  Health and wellness facilities

  The property includes Essentia Health facilities, including a Health and Wellness Center and a Surgery Center & Pharmacy, adding medical and wellness services to the mall's conventional retail offer.

• Mixed-format retail · 2007

  Lifestyle-center retail frontage

  The 2007 redevelopment created an exterior-facing retail and dining area with a new mall entrance, allowing selected tenants to address U.S. Highway 53 directly and extending the property beyond a purely enclosed-mall format.

• 2023

  Temporary closure after roof collapseOther

  Background

  A portion of the roof collapsed before opening during a period of heavy snow accumulation.

  Action taken

  Employees were evacuated and the mall was closed for several days while the incident was addressed.

  Aftermath

  No injuries were reported. The event temporarily interrupted mall operations.

  Source

• 2018

  Response to department-store closuresOther

  Background

  Younkers closed after The Bon-Ton Stores entered liquidation, and Sears announced a separate closure as part of a nationwide reduction program.

  Action taken

  The two department-store locations exited the property during 2018.

  Aftermath

  Dick's Sporting Goods and JCPenney remained the principal traditional retail anchors, while specialty retail, dining, and service tenants continued to define the center.

  Source

• 2007

  Creation of a lifestyle-center-style frontageStrategy

  Background

  A Walgreens-facing portion of the property and several underperforming small-store spaces had been vacated.

  Action taken

  The exterior facade and surrounding space were demolished, the interior section was walled off, and a new mall entrance with highway-facing stores and restaurants was developed.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment introduced tenants such as Men's Wearhouse, Noodles & Company, Chipotle, Five Guys, and AT&T and added a mixed-format component to the mall.

  Source

• 2001

  Redevelopment of the former Montgomery Ward and cinema areasStrategy

  Background

  The mall needed to replace a departed traditional anchor and improve an aging movie-theater area facing competition from larger nearby multiplexes.

  Action taken

  The former Montgomery Ward space was divided among DSW Shoe Warehouse, Barnes & Noble, and Old Navy, while the theater area was converted to restaurant use.

  Aftermath

  The changes diversified the tenant mix and improved the property's highway-facing presentation.

  Source

1. 1Miller Hill Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Miller Hill Mall official websitesimon.com