Palmer Park Mall
An indoor regional shopping mall in Palmer Township serving the Easton area and surrounding communities in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Palmer Park Mall is an indoor, one-story shopping center at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 248, also known as Nazareth Road, and Park Avenue in Palmer Township, Pennsylvania. The mall is located in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania and functions primarily as a shopping destination for Easton and nearby communities, including Bethlehem Township, Forks Township, Palmer Township, and Williams Township, as well as Glendon, West Easton, and Wilson. The property contains approximately 457,734 square feet of retail space and has more than 50 stores. Its principal anchors are Boscov's, occupying approximately 192,110 square feet, and Decor Home Furniture, occupying approximately 122,125 square feet. Boscov's has occupied the former Clover department-store space since 1998. Decor Home Furniture opened in 2022 in the large anchor location previously occupied by The Bon-Ton, following the latter company's liquidation and closure of all its stores in 2018. The mall originated with a development proposal announced by Hess's in 1971. Hess's opened its department store at the site in July 1972, before the remainder of the shopping center was completed. Palmer Park Mall held its formal grand opening from August 16 through August 18, 1973. The original concept called for a substantially smaller center with approximately 300,000 square feet, 35 to 40 stores, and parking for about 2,000 vehicles. Early expansion followed quickly: Hess's enlarged its department store in 1976, and the mall expanded again in 1982 to accommodate Clover, the discount division of Strawbridge & Clothier. During the 1990s, the mall faced pressure from an aging physical design and competition from the larger Phillipsburg Mall, which opened nearby in 1989. Hess's financial difficulties led to the sale of its Palmer Township store to The Bon-Ton Stores in 1994, with the location rebranded the following year. Clover closed in 1996, but the space gained a replacement anchor when Boscov's opened in October 1998. The Boscov's project also added more than 100,000 square feet to the retail complex. A renovation costing approximately $10 million followed in 1999, while Bon-Ton separately invested more than $1 million in its store. Ownership changed several times. PREIT became the mall's sole owner in 2003 after acquiring Crown American, having previously held a 50 percent interest alongside Crown American. PREIT announced plans to sell Palmer Park Mall in 2015 as part of a portfolio repositioning. Cityview Commercial LLC acquired the property from PREIT on February 23, 2016, for $18 million and indicated that it intended to improve the mall. The closure of Bon-Ton in 2018 created a major vacant-anchor challenge. Mall management considered partially demolishing and redeveloping the space for multiple tenants, but that approach was later abandoned. Decor Home Furniture instead opened in the former Bon-Ton location in 2022, restoring an anchor use. In addition to retail and dining functions, Palmer Park Mall serves as a designated transit center for multiple LANta bus routes, allowing passengers to transfer between services. Its current role is therefore both commercial and community-oriented, centered on everyday shopping, department-store retail, furniture, dining, and local transit access.
History
Palmer Park Mall developed from a Hess's department-store initiative in Palmer Township. In October 1971, Hess's announced plans for a shopping center on the site of John Raub's farm. The proposed project was initially described as a roughly 300,000-square-foot mall with 35 to 40 stores and parking for approximately 2,000 vehicles. Hess's opened its department store at the site in July 1972, ahead of the completed mall. The shopping center held its grand opening from August 16 through August 18, 1973, with Hess's as its only anchor. The property expanded during its first decade. In early 1976, Hess's announced a 15,000-square-foot addition to its store; the work was completed by the end of that spring and brought the department store to approximately 122,125 square feet. In 1982, the mall expanded to roughly 349,000 square feet to accommodate an 80,000-square-foot Clover department store. Clover was the discount-store division of Strawbridge & Clothier and became the center's second major anchor. Palmer Park Mall encountered increased competitive pressure during the 1990s. Its aging design affected its appeal, while the opening of the larger Phillipsburg Mall in 1989 created a nearby alternative for shoppers. Hess's, which was experiencing financial difficulties, was sold in 1994. Nineteen Hess's stores, including the Palmer Township location, were acquired by The Bon-Ton Stores, and the Palmer store was rebranded under the Bon-Ton name in 1995. Clover closed in 1996, leaving the mall without one of its major anchors. The center began to recover its anchor lineup when Boscov's opened in October 1998 in the former Clover space. The project added more than 100,000 square feet of retail area, bringing the mall to approximately its current size. The property also underwent a renovation reported at approximately $10 million in 1999. Bon-Ton invested more than $1 million in improvements to its own store during the same period. These projects updated the mall's appearance and strengthened its department-store offering. Ownership evolved alongside the mall's redevelopment. Before 2003, PREIT and Crown American each held a 50 percent interest. PREIT became the sole owner after acquiring Crown American in 2003. In January 2015, PREIT announced that it intended to sell Palmer Park Mall along with four other properties. The mall's reported sales productivity was below the portfolio average PREIT was seeking, contributing to the decision to dispose of the asset. Cityview Commercial LLC completed its purchase from PREIT on February 23, 2016, for $18 million and stated plans to improve the property. A major vacancy emerged when Bon-Ton entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February 2018. The company ceased operations that year, and the Palmer Park Mall store closed by the end of August. Mall management considered partially demolishing the former department-store building and adapting the site for several tenants. That plan was later reversed. In 2022, Decor Home Furniture opened a furniture store in the former Bon-Ton space, giving the mall a new large-format anchor. The mall remains an active indoor shopping center with more than 50 stores and approximately 457,734 square feet of retail space. Boscov's and Decor Home Furniture are its principal anchors. Beyond commercial activity, Palmer Park Mall has a transportation function: it is a designated metro transit center for several LANta routes, enabling transfers between bus services. The mall's continuing role is consequently tied to both regional retail and everyday community access in the Easton area.
- 2022
Decor Home Furniture opens
[1]Decor Home Furniture opened in the former Bon-Ton anchor space.
- 2018
Bon-Ton anchor closes
[1]Bon-Ton stores, including the Palmer Park Mall location, closed following the company's Chapter 11 bankruptcy and liquidation.
- 2016
Cityview Commercial acquires the property
[1]Cityview Commercial LLC purchased Palmer Park Mall from PREIT for $18 million and announced plans to improve it.
- 2003
PREIT becomes sole owner
[1]PREIT acquired Crown American and thereby became the sole owner of Palmer Park Mall after previously holding a 50 percent interest.
- 1999
Major renovation
[1]The mall received a renovation reported at approximately $10 million, while Bon-Ton separately invested more than $1 million in its store.
- 1998
Boscov's opens
[1]Boscov's opened in the former Clover location, supported by an expansion of more than 100,000 square feet.
- 1996
Clover closes
[1]Clover closed its Palmer Park Mall department store, creating a vacant anchor space later occupied by Boscov's.
- 1994
Bon-Ton acquires the Hess's location
[1]The financially troubled Hess's chain was sold, and The Bon-Ton Stores acquired the Palmer Township store among a group of Hess's locations.
- 1982
Clover becomes a second anchor
[1]The mall expanded to approximately 349,000 square feet to accommodate an 80,000-square-foot Clover department store.
- 1976
Hess's expands
[1]A 15,000-square-foot addition increased the Hess's department store to approximately 122,125 square feet.
Products and positioning
Community-oriented indoor shopping mall serving Easton and surrounding Lehigh Valley communities
Department store · 1998
Boscov's
Boscov's is Palmer Park Mall's larger current anchor, occupying approximately 192,110 square feet. The store opened in October 1998 in the former Clover department-store space after the mall expanded its retail area by more than 100,000 square feet. Its presence provides the center with a broad department-store offering and anchors one side of the indoor shopping complex.
Furniture and home furnishings · 2022
Decor Home Furniture
Decor Home Furniture occupies approximately 122,125 square feet in the former Bon-Ton anchor location. It opened in 2022 after the mall elected not to proceed with an earlier concept involving partial demolition and conversion of the vacant department-store space into multiple smaller tenants. The furniture use preserves a large-format anchor role while adding a home-goods focus to the mall's tenant mix.
Former department-store anchor · 1972
Former Hess's department store
Hess's was the mall's original and sole anchor at its 1973 opening. The department store opened at the site in 1972 and expanded in 1976 to approximately 122,125 square feet. The location was sold to The Bon-Ton Stores in 1994 and rebranded under the Bon-Ton name in 1995.
Former discount department-store anchor · 1982
Former Clover department store
Clover, the discount division of Strawbridge & Clothier, became Palmer Park Mall's second anchor after the mall expanded in 1982. The approximately 80,000-square-foot store closed in 1996. Its space was subsequently redeveloped and occupied by Boscov's beginning in 1998.
Former department-store anchor · 1994
Former Bon-Ton department store
The Bon-Ton location operated from 1994 until 2018 in the former Hess's anchor space. It closed after The Bon-Ton Stores entered bankruptcy protection and liquidated its stores. The building was later reused by Decor Home Furniture.
Public transit facility
LANta transit center
Palmer Park Mall also functions as a designated metro transit center for several LANta bus routes. The facility allows riders to transfer between routes and extends the property's role beyond retail shopping to local transportation access.
Brand decisions
2022
Decor Home Furniture takes over the former Bon-Ton spaceProduct launchBackground
The mall needed a productive use for the large anchor location vacated by Bon-Ton in 2018.
Action taken
Decor Home Furniture opened a furniture store in the former Bon-Ton anchor space.
Aftermath
The property retained a large-format anchor use while adding furniture and home furnishings to its current retail mix.
2018
Mall evaluates reuse of former Bon-Ton anchorStrategyBackground
The Bon-Ton store closed after the retailer's bankruptcy and liquidation, leaving a large vacant anchor space.
Action taken
Management considered partially demolishing the former anchor and retrofitting the remaining space for multiple tenants.
Aftermath
The demolition concept was reversed, and the space was ultimately reused by Decor Home Furniture in 2022.
2015
PREIT decides to sell Palmer Park MallStrategyBackground
PREIT announced that Palmer Park Mall would be sold together with four other properties. The mall's reported sales productivity was below the portfolio average PREIT sought to achieve.
Action taken
PREIT placed the property into its planned disposition portfolio and pursued a sale.
Aftermath
Cityview Commercial LLC acquired the mall in February 2016 and indicated that it planned improvements.
Reported sale price. $18 million (February 23, 2016)
Recent events
- 2022
Decor Home Furniture opens in former Bon-Ton space[1]
Product launch
Decor Home Furniture opened a store in the former Bon-Ton anchor, replacing a proposed demolition-and-redevelopment approach with a new large-format retail use.
- 2018
Bon-Ton closes its Palmer Park Mall store[1]
Bankruptcy
The Bon-Ton Stores entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and subsequently liquidated its stores, including the Palmer Park Mall location, by the end of August.
- 2016
Cityview Commercial acquires Palmer Park Mall[1]
M&A
Cityview Commercial LLC purchased the mall from PREIT and planned improvements for the property.
- 2015
PREIT announces planned sale of Palmer Park Mall[1]
M&A
PREIT identified Palmer Park Mall for sale as part of a portfolio strategy focused on improving its average property sales productivity.
- 1998
Boscov's opens at Palmer Park Mall[1]
Product launch
Boscov's replaced the former Clover anchor after the mall expanded its retail footprint by more than 100,000 square feet.
- 1973
Palmer Park Mall opens[1]
Other
The mall held its grand opening from August 16 through August 18, with Hess's serving as its original anchor.
- 1971
Hess's announces Palmer Park Mall development[1]
Other
Hess's announced plans for a shopping mall in Palmer Township, initially describing a center of approximately 300,000 square feet with 35 to 40 stores and parking for about 2,000 cars.
Sources1 sources
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