Palouse Mall
An enclosed shopping center serving Moscow, Idaho, and the surrounding Palouse region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Palouse Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Moscow, Idaho, near the Washington state border. The property is positioned on the western edge of Moscow along Pullman Road, Idaho State Highway 8, a major route connecting Moscow with Pullman, Washington, approximately seven miles away. Its location gives it a regional role serving communities on both sides of the Palouse, as well as students, residents, and visitors connected with the University of Idaho and Washington State University areas. The development was planned over a long period beginning in the 1960s. Grading started in October 1974 on land that had previously been farmed by the Mix family and was leased from the University of Idaho. The first retail operations at the site opened in 1976: Kmart, Rosauers, and the Pay 'n Save drugstore. The enclosed mall portion followed in October 1979, adding J. C. Penney and The Bon Marché, the latter later becoming Macy's. Lamonts joined the tenant mix in August 1980. The property has repeatedly adapted its tenant roster and physical layout in response to changes in American retailing. During the 1990s, Rosauers became Excell Foods and later left the site, while the former Kmart space was enlarged and converted to Waremart, now WinCo Foods. A major renovation culminated in a grand reopening in November 1997, at which point the property dropped “Empire” from its name and operated as Palouse Mall. J. C. Penney closed in 1998, and its space was subsequently occupied by Troutman's Emporium and later Ross Stores. Other changes affected both mall anchors and outparcels. The former Ernst Home Centers location became Office Depot, while a neighboring space housed Hastings Entertainment. Gottschalks acquired Lamonts in 2000, but the department store later closed in January 2007. Its former location was demolished and redeveloped for Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy. Macy's, which occupied the former Bon Marché location, closed in April 2016. Office Depot was replaced by Staples that year, and the former Hastings space later became home to Marshalls and Petco. A significant recent addition was Target. In September 2020, Target announced plans to occupy the space vacated by Macy's, and the store opened in October 2021. The property also expanded its furniture and home-goods offering when Broad River Retail announced plans in 2025 for a new Ashley HomeStore. The approximately 24,683-square-foot store was renovated during 2025 and opened in January 2026, including furniture and décor departments and a Sleep Shop carrying mattresses from multiple brands. The mall's identity is therefore based less on a single proprietary product line than on its role as a regional retail destination. Its tenant mix combines department, discount, grocery, apparel, home-furnishing, office-supply, pet-supply, and specialty retail. The property is known in current materials as Palouse Place, while “Palouse Mall” remains the authoritative subject name and a longstanding public identity.
History
Palouse Mall developed from a long-running plan to establish a major retail center in Moscow, Idaho. Development had been under consideration since 1964, and the site was assembled on land historically farmed by the Mix family. The property was leased from the University of Idaho, making the project closely connected with the institutional and commercial geography of the Moscow area. Physical grading began in October 1974 under developer Earl D. McCarthy. The first businesses opened in 1976. From the eastern end of the site, these were Kmart, Rosauers, and the Pay 'n Save drugstore. The main enclosed mall was completed in October 1979, when J. C. Penney and The Bon Marché opened as department-store anchors. Lamonts followed in August 1980. The center was initially known as Palouse Empire Mall, reflecting its intended service area across the wider Palouse region. Ownership changed after Earl D. McCarthy died in 1979. His children, Madeline Edgren and Mike McCarthy, assumed ownership of the mall. During the 1990s, the property experienced substantial tenant turnover. Rosauers became Excell Foods in 1990 and then left by 1992; its space later became Price Connection, which closed in 1995. Kmart also departed, and its location was expanded by approximately 13,000 square feet on the eastern side before being converted to Waremart, now WinCo Foods. The mall structure was renovated in the mid-1990s and formally reopened in November 1997. At that point, the property removed “Empire” from its name and became Palouse Mall. J. C. Penney closed in 1998, and the space was occupied by Troutman's Emporium. The former Ernst Home Centers outparcel became Office Depot, while Hastings Entertainment operated in another outparcel beginning in 1999. Gottschalks acquired the Lamonts chain in 2000, continuing the department-store use of that space for several years. Further changes followed in the 2000s. Troutman's Emporium closed in 2003, and its space became Ross Stores in 2005. Gottschalks closed in January 2007. The former store was demolished, allowing the center to add Bed Bath & Beyond and Old Navy. This redevelopment reflected the mall's continuing shift from a traditional department-store configuration toward a broader mix of value, apparel, and home-oriented retailers. The 2010s brought additional closures and substitutions. Macy's closed in April 2016, ending the department store's presence in the former Bon Marché location. In the same year, Staples replaced Office Depot. Hastings Entertainment later went out of business, and its former space was redeveloped for Marshalls and Petco in 2017. The former Macy's space became central to the property's next phase. In September 2020, Target announced plans to open a store there, and the new location opened in October 2021. In 2025, Broad River Retail announced a new Ashley HomeStore project. The space was purchased and renovated during the year, producing an approximately 24,683-square-foot store that opened in January 2026. It offers furniture and décor for bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, and youth spaces, together with a Sleep Shop carrying mattresses from several brands. Through these successive changes, the property has remained an active regional shopping destination. It is currently also referred to as Palouse Place, but the historical and encyclopedic subject is Palouse Mall. Its tenant evolution illustrates the transformation of an Idaho enclosed mall from an anchor-led department-store format into a more diversified center combining grocery, discount, apparel, home furnishings, specialty retail, and general merchandise.
- 2026
Ashley HomeStore opens
[1]A new Ashley HomeStore opened in January following renovation of a roughly 24,683-square-foot space.
- 2021
Target opens
[1]Target opened in October in the former Macy's space.
- 2017
Marshalls and Petco open
[1]Marshalls and Petco took over the former Hastings Entertainment space.
- 2016
Macy's and Office Depot leave
[1]Macy's closed in April, while Staples replaced Office Depot during the year.
- 2007
Gottschalks closes
[1]Gottschalks closed in January, after which the building was demolished for redevelopment.
- 2005
Ross Stores occupies former Emporium space
[1]The space vacated by Troutman's Emporium became a Ross Stores location.
- 1997
Renovation and renaming
[1]A major renovation ended with a November grand reopening, and the property dropped “Empire” from its name.
- 1995
Former Kmart space converted to Waremart
[1]After Kmart closed, its space was enlarged and converted to Waremart, which later became WinCo Foods.
- 1980
Lamonts joins the anchor roster
[1]Lamonts opened at the property in August.
- 1979
Enclosed mall opens
[1]The enclosed portion opened in October with J. C. Penney and The Bon Marché.
Products and positioning
A regional enclosed shopping center and mixed-use retail destination serving the Moscow, Idaho, and Pullman-area market.
Retail property · 1979
Enclosed shopping center
Palouse Mall's core offering is a regional enclosed retail environment with mall corridors, anchor spaces, outparcels, and convenient road access. Rather than selling a single proprietary product, it provides a platform for multiple national and regional retailers serving the Moscow and Pullman-area market.
Home retail · 2026
Furniture and home furnishings
The Ashley HomeStore addition broadens the center's home category with bedroom, dining-room, living-room, and youth furniture and décor. Its associated Sleep Shop adds mattresses from multiple brands, giving the property a dedicated furniture and sleep-product destination.
Everyday retail · 1976
General merchandise and grocery retail
Major tenants such as Target and WinCo Foods provide general merchandise, household necessities, food, and other everyday products. Their presence gives the center a practical shopping function beyond conventional apparel and specialty-mall categories.
Brand decisions
2025
Develop Ashley HomeStoreProduct launchBackground
The property pursued an additional home-furnishings anchor after years of tenant turnover and redevelopment.
Action taken
Broad River Retail announced an Ashley HomeStore, purchased and renovated the space during 2025, and prepared it for opening.
Aftermath
The store opened in January 2026 with furniture, décor, and a multi-brand mattress Sleep Shop.
2020
Approve Target redevelopmentProduct launchBackground
Macy's had vacated a major anchor space in 2016, leaving an opportunity for a replacement use.
Action taken
Target announced plans to open a store in the former Macy's location.
Aftermath
The Target store opened in October 2021 and became a major component of the center's current tenant mix.
1997
Renovate and simplify the mall identityStrategyBackground
The property had experienced anchor and tenant changes during the 1990s and underwent a substantial physical renovation.
Action taken
The mall held a grand reopening in November 1997 and removed “Empire” from its name, adopting Palouse Mall.
Aftermath
The renamed and renovated center continued operating with a changing mix of national retailers and grocery operators.
Recent events
- 2026
Ashley HomeStore opened[1]
Product launch
The new Ashley HomeStore opened in January 2026 with furniture, décor, and a Sleep Shop offering mattresses from several brands.
- 2025
Broad River Retail announced Ashley HomeStore development[1]
Product launch · Other
Broad River Retail announced plans for a new Ashley HomeStore at the mall and undertook renovation of the approximately 24,683-square-foot space.
- 2021
Target store opened at Palouse Mall[1]
Product launch · Other
The planned Target store opened in October 2021, replacing the former Macy's presence as a major anchor.
- 2020
Target announced for former Macy's space[1]
Product launch · Other
Target announced plans to open a store in the space vacated by Macy's at Palouse Mall.
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