North Town Centre

North Town Centre is a shopping centre in northern Edmonton, Alberta, located near the intersection of 137 Avenue and 97 Street and adjacent to Northgate Centre. The property began as North Town Mall, a conventional enclosed shopping mall developed during the 1970s. Its original development was proposed by Triple Five Group in February 1974 for a site between 93 and 97 Street, immediately north of Northgate Centre. The planned centre was intended to provide approximately 200,000 square feet of retail space and was supported by an agreement between the City of Edmonton and the developer. The project encountered financial and administrative difficulties before completion. The city agreed to sell three acres of land to the developer and permitted preliminary work to begin before the land transfer was finalized. Construction activity was subsequently halted after Triple Five failed to satisfy the agreement's financial conditions, including outstanding development fees owed to the city. A requested extension was initially refused and later shortened to 30 days. Further payment problems threatened another work stoppage in early 1975. Construction resumed in June 1975 after the financial issues were resolved and the development was reorganized as a joint venture involving Triple Five and Batoni-Bowlen Enterprises. North Town Mall opened on May 26, 1976. Its initial major tenants included Kmart, Beaver Home Centre, Consumers Distributing, IGA, London Drugs, and McDonald's. A second-floor area containing medical, dental, legal, and other professional offices opened the following month. Although a pedestrian bridge linking North Town with Northgate Centre was proposed in 1977 and later made a condition of approval for an office addition, the connection was not built. The property changed ownership in 1988 when Toronto-based Northtown Mall Investments acquired it. A three-year renovation costing approximately $1.5 million updated the exterior canopies and improved the second-floor areas. Kmart left the centre in August 1994 after relocating to a larger store in Northgate Centre. Anthem Properties purchased the property in May 2006 and initiated a major redevelopment the following year. The project replaced the enclosed-mall format with a power-centre-style layout, added retail buildings and parking-lot pad sites, and increased the centre's area to approximately 270,000 square feet. The redevelopment retained several existing occupants, including CIBC, Rogers Plus, Wendy's, and professional offices. The first phase was completed in April 2008 with the opening of a rebuilt London Drugs store. The property was rebranded North Town Centre as part of the redevelopment. The transformation was completed in summer 2009. Bed Bath & Beyond opened in June 2009 in space formerly occupied by Save-On-Foods, followed in July by Edmonton's second T&T Supermarket location and an Indigo Books and Music store. Bed Bath & Beyond closed in 2023 after its parent company entered bankruptcy protection. Marshalls subsequently relocated from across the street at Northgate Centre into the former Bed Bath & Beyond space, with the move reported as opening on October 6, 2025. The centre's current tenant mix is oriented toward everyday retail, home goods, specialty shopping, grocery, pharmacy, discount merchandise, and services. Northgate Transit Centre is located at the northeast corner of 137 Avenue and 97 Street in front of the property.

North Town Centre originated as a 1970s Edmonton suburban shopping-mall project known as North Town Mall. Triple Five Group proposed the centre in February 1974 on approximately three acres between 93 and 97 Street along 137 Avenue, north of Northgate Centre. The planned development was expected to contain about 200,000 square feet of retail space. In March 1974, the City of Edmonton entered into an agreement with Triple Five under which the city would sell land to the developer, while allowing preliminary site work to begin before the transfer was complete. The agreement also required interest payments and the settlement of development fees. The project was delayed by financial and contractual problems. Preliminary construction began but was stopped when Triple Five did not meet the agreement's terms and owed the city more than $1 million in development fees. The developer sought additional time to make the required payments. Although the city initially rejected a 45-day extension, it later granted a shorter 30-day period. By January 1975, the unpaid amount still threatened another stop-work order. The financial issues were eventually resolved, and construction restarted in June 1975 after the project became a joint venture between Triple Five and Batoni-Bowlen Enterprises. The completed North Town Mall opened on May 26, 1976. Its opening tenant roster included Kmart, Beaver Home Centre, Consumers Distributing, IGA, London Drugs, and McDonald's. The second floor opened in June and was primarily occupied by medical, dental, legal, and other professional offices. A proposed pedestrian overpass across 137 Avenue would have connected the mall to Northgate Centre. The connection was discussed again in connection with a proposed office addition approved in 1979, but the pedway was never built. On April 1, 1988, Toronto-based Northtown Mall Investments acquired the property. The new owner undertook a three-year renovation valued at approximately $1.5 million, including improvements to exterior canopies and the second-floor areas. Kmart closed in August 1994 after moving to a larger store in Northgate Centre, changing the tenant composition of the mall. Anthem Properties bought the centre in May 2006 and began a substantial redevelopment in 2007. The project changed the property from an enclosed mall into a power-centre-style complex, added new buildings on portions of the parking area, and expanded the total area to approximately 270,000 square feet. The redevelopment retained CIBC, Rogers Plus, Wendy's, and the professional offices. Its first phase was completed in April 2008, marked by the opening of a rebuilt London Drugs store. The property was also renamed North Town Centre. The redevelopment was completed during summer 2009. Bed Bath & Beyond opened in June in the former Save-On-Foods space, followed in July by T&T Supermarket and Indigo Books and Music. These additions broadened the centre's offer beyond its earlier enclosed-mall tenant mix and established the current power-centre orientation. Bed Bath & Beyond later closed in 2023 after its parent company entered bankruptcy protection. Marshalls moved from its nearby Northgate Centre location into the former Bed Bath & Beyond premises, with the relocation reported as opening on October 6, 2025. North Town Centre is located near Northgate Transit Centre, which occupies the northeast corner of 137 Avenue and 97 Street in front of the shopping centre. Its documented major tenants include Indigo Books and Music, London Drugs, Marshalls, Dollarama, PetSmart, Miniso, and T&T Supermarket. The available reference material does not identify a current owner, a dedicated official website, financial results, or named executives.

• 2025

  Marshalls takes former Bed Bath & Beyond space

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Marshalls relocated from Northgate Centre into the former Bed Bath & Beyond unit, reportedly opening on October 6.

• 2023

  Bed Bath & Beyond closes

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The store closed following its parent's bankruptcy protection filing.

• 2009

  Power-centre redevelopment is completed

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The project concluded in summer after the openings of Bed Bath & Beyond, T&T Supermarket, and Indigo Books and Music. The property was branded North Town Centre.

• 2008

  First redevelopment phase opens

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The first phase was completed in April with the opening of a rebuilt London Drugs store.

• 2006

  Anthem Properties acquires North Town

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Anthem Properties purchased the property and prepared a comprehensive redevelopment.

• 1994

  Kmart leaves the centre

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Kmart closed its North Town location after relocating to a larger store in Northgate Centre.

• 1988

  Northtown Mall Investments acquires the property

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The property was purchased on April 1 and subsequently received a three-year renovation focused on exterior and second-floor improvements.

• 1977

  Pedestrian connection is proposed

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A pedestrian overpass linking North Town Mall with neighbouring Northgate Centre was proposed but was not ultimately constructed.

• 1976

  North Town Mall opens

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping mall opened on May 26 with Kmart, Beaver Home Centre, Consumers Distributing, IGA, London Drugs, and McDonald's among its major tenants.

• 1975

  Construction resumes after financial difficulties

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Construction restarted in June after disputes over development fees and project financing were resolved and the development became a joint venture involving Triple Five and Batoni-Bowlen Enterprises.

• 1974

  Triple Five proposes North Town Mall

  [1]North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Triple Five Group proposed a roughly 200,000-square-foot shopping centre on 137 Avenue between 93 and 97 Street in northern Edmonton.

A convenient, neighbourhood-oriented power centre serving northern Edmonton with a broad mix of grocery, pharmacy, household, apparel, specialty, discount, and service tenants.

• Books and cultural retail · 2009

  Indigo Books and Music

  A major bookstore tenant added during the 2009 redevelopment, offering books and related cultural and lifestyle merchandise.

• Pharmacy and general retail · 1976

  London Drugs

  A longstanding North Town tenant combining pharmacy services with health, beauty, household, electronics, and convenience merchandise. Its rebuilt store opened during the first phase of the 2007–2009 redevelopment.

• Off-price apparel and home retail · 2025

  Marshalls

  An off-price retailer that moved from the nearby Northgate Centre location into the former Bed Bath & Beyond space at North Town Centre.

• Grocery retail · 2009

  T&T Supermarket

  An Asian supermarket location added in July 2009 as part of the centre's redevelopment, expanding the property's grocery and food offering.

• Pet supplies

  PetSmart

  A documented major tenant focused on pet food, supplies, accessories, and related services.

• Discount retail

  Dollarama

  A discount retailer offering low-priced household, seasonal, convenience, and general merchandise.

• Lifestyle and general merchandise

  Miniso

  A documented major tenant associated with lifestyle accessories, household items, gifts, and general merchandise.

• Home goods · 2009

  Bed Bath & Beyond

  A former home-goods anchor that opened in June 2009 in space previously occupied by Save-On-Foods and closed in 2023 after its parent company entered bankruptcy protection.

• 2025

  Replace the former Bed Bath & Beyond anchorOther

  Background

  Bed Bath & Beyond's North Town Centre store closed in 2023 following its parent's bankruptcy protection filing.

  Action taken

  Marshalls relocated from across the street at Northgate Centre into the former Bed Bath & Beyond premises.

  Aftermath

  The Marshalls location was reported as opening on October 6, 2025.

  Source

• 2009

  Open new redevelopment-era retail tenantsProduct launch

  Background

  The final stage of the redevelopment created space for larger-format and specialty retailers.

  Action taken

  Bed Bath & Beyond opened in June, followed by T&T Supermarket and Indigo Books and Music in July.

  Aftermath

  The openings broadened North Town Centre's tenant mix and completed its transition from an enclosed mall to a power-centre-style property.

  Source

• 2007

  Convert the enclosed mall into a power centreStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring the property in 2006, Anthem Properties pursued a redevelopment to update the centre's format, expand its retail area, and add new buildings on portions of the parking lot.

  Action taken

  The enclosed shopping mall was converted into a power-centre-style complex, with the total area expanded to approximately 270,000 square feet and the property rebranded North Town Centre.

  Aftermath

  The project was completed in summer 2009 and introduced new tenants including Bed Bath & Beyond, T&T Supermarket, and Indigo Books and Music while retaining selected existing occupants.

  Source

1. 1North Town Centreen.wikipedia.org