Paul Bunyan Mall

Paul Bunyan Mall is a regional shopping center in Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. It is located along Paul Bunyan Drive, south of the Ridgeway development, and serves as one of the principal enclosed retail destinations in the Bemidji area. The mall takes its name from Paul Bunyan, the legendary lumberjack associated with northern Minnesota and the wider Great Lakes region. The project was first proposed in 1976 and opened in 1977. Cleveland-based Developers Diversified, Inc. developed the mall, while the Twin Cities-based Rauenhorst Corporation—then known as Rauenhorst Construction Company—designed the property and acted as its general contractor. At opening, the center's principal anchor tenants were JCPenney, Kmart, and Bostwick's, a Minnesota-based department-store chain. Bostwick's later became Herberger's in the mid-1990s, reflecting a change in the department-store landscape while preserving the mall's role as a multi-anchor shopping destination. The property has undergone several major tenant transitions. Kmart closed its Paul Bunyan Mall location in 2012. In 2016, the former Kmart space was divided to accommodate Hobby Lobby and Kohl's, adding a craft and home-goods retailer and a national department store to the tenant mix. Herberger's subsequently left the center after its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores, entered liquidation proceedings. The closure was announced in April 2018, and the store shut on August 29 of that year. The former Herberger's space was later subdivided for Dunham's Sports and Harbor Freight Tools. The mall's current anchor lineup includes Hobby Lobby, Kohl's, JCPenney, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Dunham's Sports, and Harbor Freight Tools. Together, these tenants cover department-store merchandise, arts and crafts, fabric and sewing supplies, sporting goods, tools, and home-improvement products. This mix gives the center a broad, practical retail profile suited to a regional market rather than a luxury or highly specialized positioning. Paul Bunyan Mall's history illustrates the evolution of a mid-sized American regional mall. Its original department-store configuration depended on traditional anchors, while later redevelopment responded to store closures and changes in national retail ownership. The subdivision of former Kmart and Herberger's spaces allowed the property to replace departing anchors with several specialized operators. The mall remains an active retail center, although detailed information about its current ownership, management structure, sales performance, and tenant-level operations is not established in the supplied reference material.

Paul Bunyan Mall was proposed in 1976 as a regional shopping project for Bemidji, Minnesota, and opened in 1977. Developers Diversified, Inc., based in Cleveland, developed the center. The Twin Cities-based Rauenhorst Corporation, originally operating as Rauenhorst Construction Company, designed the mall and served as its general contractor. Its location on Paul Bunyan Drive, just south of the Ridgeway development, placed it near an important commercial corridor in Bemidji. The original anchor lineup consisted of JCPenney, Kmart, and Bostwick's. Bostwick's was a Minnesota department-store chain and later became Herberger's in the mid-1990s. This configuration reflected the traditional regional-mall model, in which a small number of large department stores attracted customers who then visited smaller specialty tenants within the enclosed center. Kmart closed its location in 2012. Rather than leaving the entire former anchor box vacant, the space was subdivided in 2016 for Hobby Lobby and Kohl's. This redevelopment broadened the mall's retail mix: Hobby Lobby brought arts, crafts, home décor, and seasonal merchandise, while Kohl's added a national department-store format. The change also illustrates the adaptation of older mall properties to smaller or differently configured anchor requirements. A second major change occurred with Herberger's. On April 18, 2018, the closure of the store was announced as The Bon-Ton Stores, Herberger's parent company, moved toward liquidation. The Paul Bunyan Mall location closed on August 29, 2018. The former department-store space was later divided between Dunham's Sports and Harbor Freight Tools, replacing a traditional department-store anchor with two specialty retailers focused on sporting goods, tools, and related practical merchandise. The mall's documented anchor tenants now include Hobby Lobby, Kohl's, JCPenney, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Dunham's Sports, and Harbor Freight Tools. Its tenant evolution shows a shift from a department-store-led model toward a diversified combination of national specialty retailers. The available reference material does not identify the mall's current owner, operator, general manager, financial performance, or any formal rebranding. It therefore remains best characterized as an active regional shopping mall serving Bemidji and the surrounding area.

• 2018

  Herberger's closes

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Herberger's closure was announced in April following The Bon-Ton Stores' liquidation process, and the store closed on August 29.

• 2016

  Former Kmart space subdivided

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The former Kmart space was divided for Hobby Lobby and Kohl's.

• 2012

  Kmart closes

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Kmart anchor store closed, leaving a large space available for later redevelopment.

• 1990

  Bostwick's becomes Herberger's

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Bostwick's was converted to or became known as Herberger's in the mid-1990s.

• 1977

  Mall opens

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Paul Bunyan Mall opened with JCPenney, Kmart, and Bostwick's as its principal anchor stores.

• 1976

  Shopping mall project proposed

  [1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Paul Bunyan Mall was first proposed as a regional shopping center in Bemidji, Minnesota.

A regional, convenience-oriented enclosed shopping center offering department-store, craft, fabric, sporting-goods, tool, and home-improvement retail in Bemidji and the surrounding north-central Minnesota market.

• Arts, crafts, and home décor · 2016

  Hobby Lobby

  A craft and home-decoration anchor occupying part of the former Kmart space. Its typical assortment includes arts and crafts materials, seasonal décor, fabric-related goods, and home accents.

• Department store · 2016

  Kohl's

  A national department-store anchor introduced through the subdivision of the former Kmart premises. The format generally combines apparel, accessories, home goods, and other general merchandise.

• Department store · 1977

  JCPenney

  An original anchor that remained part of the mall's documented anchor lineup. It provides broad department-store merchandise, including apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home-related products.

• Fabric and crafts

  Jo-Ann Fabrics

  A specialty retailer focused on fabric, sewing, crafts, and related creative supplies. It complements the mall's broader arts-and-crafts offer and serves both hobbyists and practical sewing customers.

• Sporting goods

  Dunham's Sports

  A sporting-goods anchor that later occupied part of the former Herberger's space. Its retail category includes sporting equipment, athletic apparel, footwear, and outdoor-oriented merchandise.

• Tools and hardware

  Harbor Freight Tools

  A tool and hardware retailer that later occupied part of the former Herberger's space. Its assortment is centered on hand tools, power tools, equipment, automotive tools, and workshop supplies.

• 2018

  Replacement of the Herberger's anchorStrategy

  Background

  Herberger's was scheduled to close after parent company The Bon-Ton Stores entered a liquidation process.

  Action taken

  After Herberger's closed on August 29, 2018, the former department-store space was subdivided for Dunham's Sports and Harbor Freight Tools.

  Aftermath

  The former department-store footprint was converted into specialty sporting-goods and tool retail space.

  Source

• 2016

  Redevelopment of the former Kmart anchorStrategy

  Background

  Kmart had closed its Paul Bunyan Mall store in 2012, leaving a large anchor space without a tenant.

  Action taken

  The space was subdivided to create premises for Hobby Lobby and Kohl's.

  Aftermath

  The mall replaced one large-format discount anchor with two retailers serving crafts, home goods, apparel, and general merchandise.

  Source

• 2018

  Herberger's closure announced following Bon-Ton liquidation[1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Leadership change

  Herberger's was scheduled to close after its parent company, The Bon-Ton Stores, entered a going-out-of-business process. The store closed on August 29, 2018.

• 2016

  Former Kmart space divided for Hobby Lobby and Kohl's[1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Product launch

  The former Kmart premises were subdivided to accommodate Hobby Lobby and Kohl's, changing the mall's anchor configuration.

• 2012

  Kmart location closes at Paul Bunyan Mall[1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Kmart anchor store at Paul Bunyan Mall closed, creating a large vacant space that was later redeveloped for new tenants.

• Former Herberger's space redeveloped for Dunham's Sports and Harbor Freight Tools[1]Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The former Herberger's premises were subsequently divided between Dunham's Sports and Harbor Freight Tools.

1. 1Paul Bunyan Mallen.wikipedia.org