Provo Towne Centre

Provo Towne Centre is an enclosed shopping mall in Provo, Utah, United States. Opened in 1998, it was developed as a major retail and entertainment destination for Provo and the wider Utah Valley area. The property was initially anchored by Sears, Cinemark, JCPenney, and Dillard's, combining department-store retail with a multiplex cinema and the smaller-format stores and services typically found in a regional mall. The mall's development was connected to competition among retail centers in Utah Valley. During construction, developer JP Realty filed a lawsuit against the city of Orem over incentives offered to retain ZCMI at Orem's University Mall. Provo's city council also sought a different name for the project, proposing that it be called Utah Valley Towne Centre. The development ultimately opened under the Provo Towne Centre name, and its arrival prompted JCPenney to relocate from University Mall in Orem. General Growth Properties acquired the property in 2002 as part of its purchase of JP Realty's portfolio. The mall later changed ownership when Brixton Capital purchased it in February 2016. Jones Lang LaSalle, commonly known as JLL, manages the property. The center has adapted to changes in department-store retail and consumer use of enclosed malls through anchor replacements, entertainment uses, transportation access, and business tenants. Several changes have reshaped the anchor lineup. Sears closed its Provo store in July 2017 after the closure was announced as part of a broader national reduction. The former Sears space was subsequently reused for Automotive Addiction, an automobile museum and related attraction that opened in 2020. Automotive Addiction later moved to the lower level of the former Sears space in February 2024. Dillard's also planned to leave the mall after announcing in 2020 that it would open a replacement location at University Place in Orem. Target was announced as the replacement for the former Dillard's location in February 2023 and opened on April 9, 2024, with access from outside rather than through the mall's interior. The property also gained a regional transit connection when the Utah Valley Express bus rapid transit system opened the Towne Centre Boulevard station near JCPenney in August 2018. In addition to retail, cinema, dining, transportation access, and attractions, the former Sears upper floor has been used by technology-oriented businesses. As of the latest supplied reference material, Hypercraft, an electric-powertrain manufacturer, and Atonom, a software company, operate from that part of the property. Provo Towne Centre has also had a role in popular culture: MTV filmed the television movie American Mall at the mall in 2008. Today, Provo Towne Centre remains an active mixed-use shopping and entertainment property rather than a purely department-store-led mall. Its principal listed attractions and tenants include JCPenney, Cinemark, Target, Automotive Addiction Lounge, Hypercraft, and Atonom. The tenant mix and physical configuration may continue to change as the center responds to retail consolidation and the broader evolution of Utah Valley's commercial landscape.

Provo Towne Centre was developed in Provo, Utah, during a period of competition between retail centers in the Utah Valley. JP Realty developed the enclosed mall project. While construction was under way, JP Realty sued the city of Orem over incentives intended to persuade ZCMI to keep its store at University Mall rather than move to the new Provo development. Provo's city council also objected to the proposed name and wanted the project to be called Utah Valley Towne Centre. The property ultimately opened as Provo Towne Centre in 1998. At opening, the mall's principal anchors were Sears, Cinemark, JCPenney, and Dillard's. Its launch altered the local retail pattern, including the relocation of JCPenney from University Mall in Orem. Cinemark supplied a major entertainment component alongside the department stores, while the enclosed format provided space for smaller retailers, food outlets, and services. In 2002, General Growth Properties acquired the mall through its purchase of JP Realty's portfolio. The property later changed hands again when Brixton Capital purchased Provo Towne Centre in February 2016. JLL manages the mall. During this ownership period, the center experienced the broader pressures affecting traditional department-store anchors and enclosed shopping centers. Sears announced the closure of the Provo store in 2017, after the location was added to a national store-reduction program. The store closed in July of that year. Although redevelopment was discussed, no single redevelopment plan was specified in the supplied reference. The former Sears space was eventually repurposed. Automotive Addiction, an automobile museum and attraction, opened on the first floor in 2020 and moved to the lower level in February 2024. The upper floor later accommodated Hypercraft, an electric-powertrain manufacturer, and Atonom, a software company. Transportation access expanded in August 2018, when the Utah Valley Express bus rapid transit system opened the Towne Centre Boulevard station on the east side of the mall near JCPenney. The station is operated by the Utah Transit Authority and forms part of the Orem–Provo UVX corridor. Dillard's became the second major department-store transition. On January 15, 2020, Dillard's announced plans for a new store at University Place in Orem, expected to replace the existing Provo location. On February 7, 2023, Target was announced as the future occupant of the former Dillard's space. Target opened on April 9, 2024, on the second floor of the former anchor area. Its access arrangement is separate from the mall interior, with customers entering from outside. The mall also became a filming location for American Mall, an MTV television movie filmed there in 2008. This gave the property a temporary role in popular culture in addition to its commercial function. As reflected in the supplied material, Provo Towne Centre remains active, with JCPenney, Cinemark, Target, Automotive Addiction Lounge, Hypercraft, and Atonom identified among its principal current or recent occupants. Its evolution illustrates the conversion of a conventional department-store mall into a more varied retail, entertainment, transit-connected, and business property.

• 2024

  Target opens in the former Dillard's location

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Target opens on the second floor of the former Dillard's space with exterior access.

• 2020

  Automotive Addiction opens

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Automotive Addiction opens in part of the former Sears space as an automobile museum and attraction.

• 2018

  UVX Towne Centre Boulevard station opens

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  A Utah Valley Express bus rapid transit station begins service near the mall's JCPenney entrance area.

• 2017

  Sears closes

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears anchor closes in July after being included in a national store-closing program.

• 2016

  Brixton Capital purchases Provo Towne Centre

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Brixton Capital acquires the mall in February, with JLL serving as property manager.

• 2008

  American Mall is filmed at the mall

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  MTV films the television movie American Mall at Provo Towne Centre.

• 2002

  General Growth Properties acquires the property

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  General Growth Properties acquires Provo Towne Centre as part of its purchase of JP Realty's portfolio.

• 1998

  Provo Towne Centre opens

  [1]Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed shopping mall opens in Provo with Sears, Cinemark, JCPenney, and Dillard's as its principal anchors.

A regional enclosed shopping, entertainment, and commercial property serving Provo and the broader Utah Valley area, with a tenant mix spanning department stores, cinema, attractions, transportation access, and technology businesses.

• Department store · 1998

  JCPenney

  JCPenney is one of the mall's continuing major anchors. Its department-store assortment traditionally includes apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, home goods, and seasonal merchandise. The store was significant to the center's opening because JCPenney relocated from University Mall to Provo Towne Centre in 1998.

• General merchandise retailer · 2024

  Target

  Target occupies the former Dillard's space. The store provides general merchandise, including household products, apparel, electronics, groceries, health and beauty items, and seasonal goods. It opened on April 9, 2024, and is accessed from outside rather than through the interior of the enclosed mall.

• Cinema and entertainment · 1998

  Cinemark

  Cinemark is the mall's cinema anchor and has been part of the property since its opening. It contributes a movie-theater and entertainment function that complements the shopping tenants and helps position the center as a destination for leisure as well as retail.

• Automotive museum and attraction · 2020

  Automotive Addiction Lounge

  Automotive Addiction is an automobile museum and attraction established in the former Sears area. It opened in 2020 and moved to the lower level of that former anchor space in February 2024. The attraction adds an experiential use to a portion of the mall formerly devoted to department-store retail.

• Electric powertrain manufacturing

  Hypercraft

  Hypercraft is identified in the supplied reference as an electric-powertrain manufacturer operating from the upper floor of the former Sears area. It represents the mall's use as a location for technology and industrial businesses in addition to consumer-facing tenants.

• Software

  Atonom

  Atonom is identified as a software company operating from the upper floor of the former Sears space. Its presence illustrates the conversion of part of the former department-store anchor into commercial business space.

• 2023

  Target selected for the former Dillard's spaceProduct launch

  Background

  Dillard's had announced plans to replace its Provo location with a store at University Place in Orem, creating a future vacancy at Provo Towne Centre.

  Action taken

  Target was announced as the replacement occupant for the former Dillard's location.

  Aftermath

  Target opened in April 2024 with exterior access, adding a major general-merchandise tenant while retaining a separate relationship to the mall's internal circulation.

  Source

• 2017

  Reuse of the former Sears anchorStrategy

  Background

  Sears closed the Provo Towne Centre store in July 2017 as part of a wider national reduction in stores, leaving a large former anchor space available for redevelopment.

  Action taken

  The property subsequently introduced new uses in the former Sears area, including Automotive Addiction and later technology-oriented business tenants.

  Aftermath

  The former department-store footprint became a mixed-use portion of the mall rather than remaining solely a traditional retail anchor.

  Source

1. 1Provo Towne Centreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Provo Towne Centre official websiteprovotownecentre.com