Neshaminy Mall
An enclosed shopping mall in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, serving the northeastern Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Neshaminy Mall is an enclosed shopping center at the intersection of U.S. Route 1 and Bristol Road in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1968, it was the sixth interior shopping mall built in the Greater Philadelphia area and became one of the region’s established suburban retail destinations. The property occupies approximately 1,025,297 square feet and is named for nearby Neshaminy Creek, a name derived from the language of the Lenni Lenape. A landscaped fountain incorporating a waterfall, plantings, trees, and a statue identified with Tawanka provides one of the mall’s distinctive visual features. The project was planned in 1966 by The Korman Company and Strouse Greenberg, with an anticipated cost of approximately $24 million. Sears and Strawbridge & Clothier were originally designated as anchor tenants. The mall expanded in 1975 with a new wing and a Lit Brothers department store. Lit Brothers closed its Philadelphia-area stores in 1977, and the space subsequently became Pomeroy’s and later The Bon-Ton. A food court was introduced in 1989, and the property changed ownership several times as the U.S. department-store and shopping-center industries consolidated. Homart Development Company acquired the mall from Mutual of New York in 1990 for more than $50 million. General Growth Properties assumed ownership after acquiring Homart in 1995, the same year that Neshaminy Mall underwent a renovation and food-court expansion. The former Bon-Ton location was replaced by Boscov’s. A major entertainment addition followed in 1998, when a 24-screen AMC Theatres complex opened after receiving local approval. Other later changes included the conversion of Strawbridge’s to Macy’s in 2006 and the addition of a Barnes & Noble store in 2009. The mall’s tenant mix weakened during the 2010s as department stores and specialty retailers faced pressure from changing consumer habits, e-commerce, and store closures. Macy’s announced its closure in January 2017, and Sears announced its closure in October 2018 while the retailer was in bankruptcy proceedings. Sears left in January 2019, leaving Boscov’s as the only traditional department-store anchor. Brookfield Properties obtained the property through its 2018 acquisition of General Growth Properties. Proposals to redevelop the former Sears space as a Round One entertainment venue were later abandoned, with the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to the cancellation. Medical-office use was announced for the former Sears building in 2020, while the former Macy’s property was sold separately to SANT Properties with plans for mixed-use redevelopment. Following the pandemic, the mall experienced lower foot traffic and additional vacancies. Several retailers and restaurants, including Foot Locker, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Chick-fil-A, and Charleys Philly Steaks, departed. The long-running Neshaminy Carnival remained a local attraction for many years but was not scheduled to return in 2024. By 2024, more than half of the mall’s stores were reported vacant, although more than 40 tenants remained. The property was marketed for sale in February 2024, and Paramount Realty Group and Edgewater Properties completed a reported $27.5 million purchase in July 2024. As of 2025, the mall is undergoing a substantial redevelopment. Demolition affecting approximately half of the existing structure is intended to support a mixed-use plan incorporating housing, retail, and medical facilities. Boscov’s, AMC Theatres, Barnes & Noble, and selected restaurants are expected to remain open during the transition. Neshaminy Mall therefore represents a shift from a conventional department-store-anchored suburban mall toward a more diversified property combining shopping, entertainment, healthcare, and residential uses.
History
Neshaminy Mall was conceived in 1966 during the expansion of automobile-oriented suburban retail in the Philadelphia region. The Korman Company and Strouse Greenberg developed the project, which was projected to cost about $24 million and was designed around Sears and Strawbridge & Clothier. The enclosed mall opened in 1968 in Bensalem Township, near U.S. Route 1, Bristol Road, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and Neshaminy Creek. Its location gave it access to both suburban automobile traffic and regional public transportation, including several SEPTA bus routes. The first significant expansion came in 1975, when the mall added a new store wing and a Lit Brothers department store. Lit Brothers exited the Philadelphia market in 1977, and its space was taken by Pomeroy’s. After Pomeroy’s was sold, the store became The Bon-Ton in 1987. A food court was added in 1989, strengthening the mall’s role as a combined shopping and dining destination. In 1990, Homart Development Company acquired the property from Mutual of New York for more than $50 million. General Growth Properties gained control in 1995 through its acquisition of Homart. That year, the mall received a renovation, including an enlarged food court, and Boscov’s replaced the former Bon-Ton department store. Local officials approved a proposed 24-screen cinema in 1997 after initially opposing the project. AMC Theatres opened the multiplex in 1998 at a reported development cost of $11 million, adding a major entertainment use to the property. Department-store changes continued in the following decade. Strawbridge’s became Macy’s in 2006 after Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores. In 2009, a former pet-store location in the Sears court was demolished and replaced by Barnes & Noble. A modest renovation began in 2015, including new entrance and monument signage and an expansion of the Boscov’s store. The property entered a more difficult phase as department stores reduced their physical networks and enclosed malls faced growing competition from online commerce and open-air retail. Macy’s announced in January 2017 that its Neshaminy store would close in the spring, and the location shut in early April. Sears announced its closure in October 2018 during its Chapter 11 bankruptcy process; it closed in January 2019. Brookfield Properties became the mall’s owner through its acquisition of General Growth Properties in 2018. A proposed Round One entertainment conversion for the former Sears space was ultimately cancelled, with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the plans. Medical offices were later proposed for that building. The former Macy’s building was sold to SANT Properties in March 2020, with a mixed-use conversion contemplated. A separate Wawa proposal was associated with the corner of the former Macy’s parking lot. Plans for a Fusion Gyms facility in the former Macy’s space later failed, reportedly because required construction permits could not be obtained. After the pandemic, vacancy and declining visitor numbers became increasingly visible. Foot Locker, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Chick-fil-A, and Charleys Philly Steaks were among the businesses reported to have closed or departed. The Neshaminy Carnival continued as a local event for many years but was not scheduled to return in 2024. By that year, more than half of the mall’s stores were vacant, although Boscov’s, AMC Theatres, Barnes & Noble, and other tenants remained. The mall was put up for sale in February 2024. Paramount Realty Group and Edgewater Properties were announced as purchasers in June, and the transaction reportedly closed on July 15, 2024, for $27.5 million. By May 2025, demolition had begun across approximately half of the property as part of a new mixed-use redevelopment involving housing, retail, and medical space. The redevelopment marks a strategic transition from a predominantly enclosed retail complex to a more varied real-estate project intended to preserve selected anchors while introducing new uses.
- 2025
Mixed-use redevelopment begins
[1]Demolition began as part of a redevelopment plan combining housing, retail, and medical facilities.
- 2024
Ownership changes
[1]Paramount Realty Group and Edgewater Properties completed the reported purchase of the mall in July.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closed in January, leaving Boscov’s as the mall’s only traditional department-store anchor.
- 2017
Macy's closes
[1]Macy’s closed its Neshaminy Mall store in early April as part of a national closure program.
- 2015
Signage and Boscov's improvements
[1]A small renovation began, including entrance signage, the main monument sign, and an expansion of Boscov’s.
- 2009
Barnes & Noble added
[1]A former pet-store site in the Sears court was replaced by a Barnes & Noble store.
- 2006
Strawbridge's becomes Macy's
[1]The Strawbridge’s department store was converted to Macy’s following a national retail merger.
- 1998
AMC multiplex opens
[1]A 24-screen AMC Theatres complex opened at the mall.
- 1995
Renovation and Boscov's arrival
[1]The mall expanded its food court, underwent renovation, and replaced The Bon-Ton with Boscov’s.
- 1990
Homart acquires the property
[1]Homart Development Company purchased the mall from Mutual of New York.
Products and positioning
A long-established suburban shopping and entertainment center serving Bensalem and the northeastern Philadelphia region, increasingly repositioning itself as a mixed-use property as traditional enclosed-mall retail declines.
Department store · 1995
Boscov's
Boscov’s is the mall’s remaining traditional department-store anchor. Its merchandise mix typically spans apparel, accessories, cosmetics, home goods, seasonal products, and other general merchandise. The store replaced the former Bon-Ton location in 1995 and has remained one of the principal retail destinations during the mall’s transition.
Cinema and entertainment · 1998
AMC Theatres
AMC’s 24-screen multiplex opened at Neshaminy Mall in 1998. It added a substantial entertainment component to the property and helped diversify the mall beyond department stores and specialty retail. The theater is among the major tenants expected to continue operating during redevelopment.
Books and media retail · 2009
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble occupies a former pet-store site in the mall’s Sears court. Added in 2009, the store provides books, media, gifts, stationery, and related products and is one of the established tenants expected to remain open during the redevelopment.
Food and beverage · 1989
Food court and dining offer
The mall’s food court opened in 1989 and was enlarged during the 1995 renovation. It forms part of a broader dining mix that has included quick-service restaurants, specialty food operators, and nearby restaurants serving mall visitors and the surrounding retail district.
Marketing campaigns
- Neshaminy Carnival
Bensalem Township · Greater Philadelphia
The Neshaminy Carnival was a recurring local attraction associated with the mall and helped bring seasonal entertainment traffic to the property.
Outcome. The event remained popular for years but was announced as not returning in 2024.
Brand decisions
2024
Sell the mall to new real-estate ownersM&ABackground
The property was placed on the market amid high vacancy, reduced foot traffic, and the decline of its traditional department-store model.
Action taken
Paramount Realty Group and Edgewater Properties acquired the mall and began pursuing a broader redevelopment approach.
Aftermath
The new ownership initiated a mixed-use redevelopment involving housing, retail, and medical facilities while retaining selected operating tenants.
Reported purchase price. $27.5 million (Transaction closed July 15, 2024)
2020
Pursue mixed-use reuse of former Macy's propertyStrategyBackground
The former Macy’s anchor had been vacant since 2017, reflecting the mall’s need to replace lost department-store activity with other uses.
Action taken
The former Macy’s property was sold to SANT Properties, which planned a mixed-use conversion. A Wawa was also proposed for part of the associated parking area.
Aftermath
A later Fusion Gyms proposal for the former Macy’s space did not proceed, reportedly because of construction-permit difficulties.
2018
Redevelop former Sears space for entertainment useStrategyBackground
After Sears announced its closure, plans were developed to reuse the vacant anchor space as a Round One Entertainment venue.
Action taken
The proposed Round One conversion was later cancelled, with the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to the abandonment of the plan.
Aftermath
Medical-office use was subsequently announced for the former Sears building.
1998
Open a 24-screen AMC Theatres complexProduct launchBackground
The mall sought to add a large entertainment attraction and diversify its tenant base. Bensalem Township initially opposed the project but later approved it.
Action taken
AMC opened a 24-screen multiplex at the mall.
Aftermath
The cinema became one of the property’s principal anchors and remains a key operating tenant.
Reported construction cost. $11 million (1998)
Sources2 sources
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