Muscatine Mall
Muscatine Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Muscatine, Iowa, whose tenant mix has evolved from traditional department-store anchors to furniture, discount, educational, and local-service uses.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Muscatine Mall is a shopping center in Muscatine, Iowa, originally developed as Muscatine Plaza. Plans for the enclosed mall were announced in March 1970 by General Management, a Des Moines-based shopping-mall developer that later became associated with General Growth Properties. The approximately 287,000-square-foot project was built on Park Avenue, then part of U.S. Route 61, on the north side of the city. Groundbreaking took place on May 17, 1970, and the center opened in 1971. The property initially connected two major department-store anchors, Montgomery Ward and Woolworth. Montgomery Ward opened first, on November 27, 1970, while Woolworth opened in June 1971. The formal mall opening followed on August 5, 1971, with civic ceremonies and family-oriented activities. Early inline tenants included Baskin-Robbins, Kinney Shoes, Karmelkorn, Pizza Hut, Maurices, and Musicland. JCPenney added a 48,000-square-foot store in 1975, giving the center a third major anchor and helping establish the Muscatine Mall name. The mall's history has been marked by repeated anchor substitutions. Woolworth converted to Woolco in 1981, but Woolco closed nationally in 1983. Its Muscatine space then became Iowa's first Walmart, which opened on July 1, 1983. Montgomery Ward closed in 1978; its building subsequently housed Von Maur, Staples, Elder-Beerman, Younkers, and later furniture and discount retailers. Walmart eventually moved to a larger freestanding store in 1997, and its former mall location became Menards in 1998. Menards later relocated in 2007, after which Slumberland Furniture occupied the space. Ownership and management also changed several times. General Growth Properties sold the mall in 1980 to Aetna Life Insurance, with the Rouse Company managing it. Rouse later became the owner, then sold its Iowa properties to Landau & Heyman Real Estate in 1998. Landau & Heyman attempted to convert much of the enclosed center into a more conventional strip-mall format in 1999, but the project was abandoned after Staples closed in 2002 and prospective tenants lost interest. Muscatine Mall Management, LLC acquired the property in July 2006 and remains its owner and manager. The center experienced substantial pressure during the 1990s and 2000s as department stores closed, retailers relocated to larger premises, and competition from newer shopping areas increased. Occupancy was reported at roughly 60 percent in 1998 after the departures of Walmart, Von Maur, and a peripheral Hy-Vee store. Nonetheless, local events, car and motorcycle shows, community-oriented tenants, and replacement anchors periodically supported renewed activity. Elder-Beerman opened in 2003, was renamed Younkers in 2008, and closed in 2018 after the Bon-Ton group's bankruptcy-related store closures. The former space later became Compton's Furniture & More and then Warehouse Bargains. Other notable departures included the mall cinema in 2013 and JCPenney in 2014. In 2022, the former JCPenney space was repurposed as the Lab, a baseball and softball training facility associated with Muscatine High School. Current or recent anchor-scale uses include the Lab, Slumberland Furniture, and Warehouse Bargains. The mall therefore functions less as a conventional department-store destination than it did during its peak, but remains an active, locally oriented commercial property with retail, furniture, discount, service, and community uses.
History
Muscatine Mall began as Muscatine Plaza, a proposed enclosed shopping center announced by General Management in March 1970. The developer planned a roughly 287,000-square-foot center on Park Avenue in northern Muscatine. Construction began on May 17, 1970. Montgomery Ward opened before the completed mall, on November 27, 1970, replacing a downtown catalog store. Woolworth opened in June 1971, and the mall held its formal opening on August 5, 1971. The original layout was a long enclosed corridor linking the two department stores, with small tenants such as Baskin-Robbins, Kinney Shoes, Karmelkorn, Pizza Hut, Maurices, and Musicland. JCPenney expanded the complex in 1975 with a 48,000-square-foot store, becoming a third anchor. Montgomery Ward left in 1978 because its store was considered too small for a complete merchandise assortment. The building was remodeled for Von Maur in 1979. At the same time, the mall received interior improvements including new lighting, planters, brick walkways, and a mirrored ceiling. Ownership shifted in 1980 when General Growth sold the mall and other properties to Aetna Life Insurance; the Rouse Company managed the assets. Woolworth converted its store to Woolco in 1981, but Woolco was later shut down nationally. The Muscatine location became Walmart in July 1983, the retailer's first Iowa store. A former peripheral Hy-Vee area was also reconfigured for a new entrance and smaller tenants. During the late 1980s, the mall added more chain and regional retailers, remodeled several stores, and continued to promote restaurants and specialty shops. Rouse became the sole owner after Aetna sold its interests in 1989. The 1990s brought increasing anchor instability. Spurgeon's closed after its parent chain entered bankruptcy, and Walmart announced a move to a larger location. Von Maur also announced its departure as the company concentrated on larger markets. Walmart left in 1997, followed by a second Hy-Vee relocation, and the combined vacancies reduced mall traffic and occupancy. Menards opened in the former Walmart space in 1998. That same year, Rouse sold its Iowa properties to Landau & Heyman Real Estate. Landau & Heyman began a redevelopment effort in 1999 that would have removed much of the enclosed concourse and added storefronts facing Park Avenue. Staples opened in 2000, but closed in 2002 because of weak sales. The redevelopment concept was then dropped. Several smaller tenants also departed, although Elder-Beerman opened in 2003 in the former Von Maur and Staples area. Menards relocated to a new store in 2007, and Slumberland Furniture subsequently occupied its former mall space. The property was acquired in July 2006 by Muscatine Mall Management, LLC, which became the owner and manager. The mall continued to adjust to the loss of traditional anchors. Elder-Beerman was renamed Younkers in 2008, while the cinema closed in 2013 and JCPenney closed in 2014. Younkers closed in 2018 during the Bon-Ton group's store-closure period. Compton's Furniture & More opened in the former Younkers unit in 2019, and that space was later used by Warehouse Bargains. In 2022, the former JCPenney became the Lab, a baseball and softball training facility. The property's present identity is therefore based on a mixed group of furniture, discount, service, specialty, and community-oriented occupants rather than the department-store model that defined its early decades.
- 2022
The Lab opens in former JCPenney space
[1]A baseball and softball training facility replaced the former JCPenney anchor space.
- 2018
Younkers closes
[1]The department store closed during the Bon-Ton group's national store reductions.
- 2006
Local ownership begins
[1]Muscatine Mall Management, LLC purchased the property.
- 2003
Elder-Beerman opens
[1]Elder-Beerman took over the former Von Maur and Staples area.
- 1998
Menards replaces Walmart
[1]Menards opened in the former Walmart space during a period of low occupancy.
- 1983
Walmart opens in former Woolco space
[1]The former Woolco unit became Walmart's first Iowa location.
- 1975
JCPenney joins as a third anchor
[1]JCPenney added a substantial store on the mall's east side.
- 1971
Formal mall opening
[1]Muscatine Plaza formally opened on August 5 with Montgomery Ward and Woolworth as its principal anchors.
- 1970
Development announced and construction begins
[1]General Management announced plans for an enclosed shopping mall and began construction on May 17.
Products and positioning
A locally oriented community shopping center that has adapted its tenant mix and physical spaces in response to department-store closures, retail relocation, and changing shopping patterns.
Sports training facility · 2022
The Lab
The Lab occupies the former JCPenney location and provides baseball and softball training. It represents the mall's shift toward community, educational, and activity-oriented uses in large spaces formerly occupied by department stores.
Furniture retailer · 2010
Slumberland Furniture
Slumberland Furniture occupies the former Menards unit and provides furniture and related home-furnishing merchandise. Its presence gives the mall a large-format retail anchor after the departure of Menards.
Discount furniture and appliance retailer · 2021
Warehouse Bargains
Warehouse Bargains uses the former Younkers department-store space to sell discount and overstock furniture and appliances. The unit previously operated as Compton's Furniture & More and, before that, Younkers.
Brand decisions
2006
Acquisition by Muscatine Mall Management, LLCM&ABackground
The property changed hands after a period of declining occupancy and anchor turnover.
Action taken
Muscatine Mall Management, LLC purchased the mall from Landau & Heyman Real Estate in July 2006.
Aftermath
The mall continued under local ownership and management while pursuing a more locally focused tenant mix and event programming.
1999
Attempted conversion to an open-air strip-mall formatStrategyBackground
Landau & Heyman sought to improve traffic and competitiveness by removing much of the enclosed concourse and creating storefronts oriented toward Park Avenue.
Action taken
The owner began renovation work and recruited Staples as an occupant, but the broader conversion plan was later abandoned after Staples closed and prospective tenant interest declined.
Aftermath
The mall retained its enclosed configuration while continuing to replace traditional department stores with smaller retailers, furniture businesses, and community uses.
Recent events
- 2022
Former JCPenney space becomes the Lab[1]
Product launch
The former department-store building was repurposed as a baseball and softball training facility.
- 2019
Compton's Furniture & More opens[1]
Product launch
A furniture retailer from Macon, Missouri, opened in the former Younkers space.
- 2018
Younkers closes[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Younkers closed during the Bon-Ton group's broad store-closure program, leaving another large anchor vacancy.
- 2017
Mall closure rumor rejected[1]
Other
The mall manager publicly rejected a social-media rumor claiming that the property would close within two months, explaining that the circulating article came from a satirical website.
- 2014
JCPenney closes its Muscatine Mall store[1]
Other
JCPenney included the Muscatine location among stores it closed as part of a nationwide reduction of underperforming locations.
- 2013
Mall cinema closes[1]
Other
Fridley Theatres closed the mall cinema and opened a larger ten-screen complex elsewhere in Muscatine.
- 2010
Slumberland Furniture opens in former Menards space[1]
Product launch
Slumberland Furniture became a major tenant in the space vacated by Menards.
- 2008
Elder-Beerman store is renamed Younkers[1]
Other
The Bon-Ton organization changed the store's name to Younkers as part of a broader brand-consolidation effort.
- 2007
Menards relocates[1]
Other
Menards moved to a new store east of Muscatine, vacating its mall location.
- 2006
Muscatine Mall Management acquires the property[1]
M&A
A locally connected limited liability company purchased the mall from Landau & Heyman Real Estate in July 2006.
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