River Valley Mall
River Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping mall serving Lancaster and the surrounding Fairfield County market in Ohio.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
River Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping mall on Memorial Drive west of Lancaster, Ohio. The property was developed by Glimcher Realty Trust during the expansion of suburban retail in central Ohio and opened on October 1, 1987. It was planned as a regional shopping destination for Lancaster and nearby communities, with almost 500,000 square feet of retail space, approximately 80 stores and restaurants, and a movie theater. Its original department-store lineup included Lazarus, JCPenney, Hills, and Elder-Beerman, giving the mall a broad mix of national and regional anchors for a market the size of Lancaster. The mall grew during its first several years. A roughly 100,000-square-foot expansion added a movie theater and a Sears department store, which opened in 1989 after relocating from Lancaster's Plaza Shopping Center. Target opened near the mall in 1995, strengthening the surrounding retail district. Over time, however, the property experienced the same anchor turnover and structural pressures affecting many traditional enclosed malls. Hills was acquired by Ames and subsequently closed in 2001. The former Hills space was later occupied by Steve & Barry's, which closed in 2009 when that chain ceased operations. Lazarus was converted to Macy's in 2005, but Macy's closed the location in 2007; Dick's Sporting Goods later occupied the former Lazarus/Macy's anchor in 2010. Elder-Beerman closed in 2018 after the collapse of its parent company, The Bon-Ton. The mall's cinema operation also changed. Regal Cinemas closed the mall theater in 2014, while a separate Cinemark project was announced involving demolition of the former Steve & Barry's building. The surrounding road network affected the property as well: the opening of the US 33 bypass around Lancaster in 2005 raised concerns about traffic and visibility, although additions such as IHOP and Old Navy helped offset some of the resulting pressure on mall visits. Ownership became unsettled in the 2010s. Glimcher Realty Trust placed River Valley Mall and Indian Mound Mall on the market, later forfeiting River Valley Mall to the Woodmont Company in 2016 to avoid foreclosure. Woodmont sold the property to RVM LLC in 2017. The mall's Sears anchor closed in April 2017 as part of Sears Holdings' nationwide store-closing program, leaving a large vacant space that has periodically been used for community events, including Toys for Tots drives and Spirit Halloween pop-up stores. Elder-Beerman's closure in August 2018 created another vacant anchor space. By 2021, the mall's reported occupancy rate was approximately 50 percent, reflecting the challenges facing the property and many comparable enclosed malls. A later redevelopment effort was planned for the former Elder-Beerman space: Rural King was reported to be preparing a move into that area, with a 2026 opening described in the available reference material. The mall's current anchor lineup is identified as Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Rural King, alongside the vacant former Sears anchor. River Valley Mall remains an active retail property whose identity has evolved from a traditional four-department-store mall into a smaller, changing commercial center anchored partly by sporting-goods, department-store, and farm-and-rural retail tenants.
History
Planning for River Valley Mall began in the mid-1980s. In 1985, Fairfield County commissioners approved a contract submitted by Glimcher Realty Trust to develop a major enclosed shopping center along Memorial Drive, then associated with US 33, west of Lancaster. Initial construction estimates were approximately four million dollars, excluding surrounding infrastructure improvements. Construction began in June 1986, after Glimcher had established that the project would contain nearly 500,000 square feet of retail space, about 80 shops and restaurants, and a cinema. Lazarus and JCPenney were the first confirmed department-store anchors; JCPenney was expected to relocate from the Plaza Shopping Center. Hills was confirmed as a third anchor in August 1986, and Elder-Beerman became the fourth in March 1987. Developers cited the performance of Glimcher's Indian Mound Mall as a reason for adding a fourth department store. River Valley Mall opened on October 1, 1987, with more than 50 leased spaces. The property expanded by 1989, adding roughly 100,000 square feet, a movie theater, and Sears as a fifth anchor. Sears also relocated from the Plaza Shopping Center. The mall and its surrounding retail area continued to develop, and Target opened nearby on July 23, 1995. The property later entered a period of substantial anchor turnover. Ames acquired Hills in 1999 but closed the Lancaster location in 2001 as part of its withdrawal from Ohio. Steve & Barry's occupied the former Hills space in 2003, but left in 2009 when its chain ceased operations. Lazarus was converted to Macy's in 2005, although Macy's closed the store in 2007. Dick's Sporting Goods took over that former anchor location in 2010. Elder-Beerman remained part of the mall's traditional department-store lineup until August 29, 2018, when it closed following the failure of The Bon-Ton. The mall's cinema and traffic context also changed. Regal Cinemas closed its theater in 2014, at a time when a Cinemark proposal involved demolishing the former Steve & Barry's building for a new theater. The US 33 bypass around Lancaster, completed in 2005, was cited as a source of concern because it altered traffic patterns and reduced the visibility or convenience that the older road alignment had provided. Nevertheless, additions including IHOP and Old Navy were reported as helping counter concerns about falling mall traffic. Ownership became increasingly complicated. Glimcher Realty Trust offered River Valley Mall and Indian Mound Mall for sale and ultimately forfeited River Valley Mall to the Woodmont Company in 2016 to avoid foreclosure. Woodmont sold the mall to RVM LLC in 2017. Sears closed in April 2017 as part of a broader program to close 150 stores nationwide. The former Sears premises subsequently served intermittent community and seasonal purposes, including Toys for Tots activities and Spirit Halloween stores. By 2021, the mall's occupancy rate was reported at about 50 percent, illustrating the consequences of anchor departures and broader changes in enclosed-mall retail. The available reference material identifies Namdar Realty Group as the current owner and lists Dick's Sporting Goods, JCPenney, and Rural King as anchors, with the former Sears space still vacant. A Rural King relocation into the former Elder-Beerman space was reported in 2025, with a soft opening and grand-opening events described for July 2026. River Valley Mall therefore represents both the traditional department-store mall model of the late twentieth century and the adaptive-reuse, tenant-replacement, and lower-occupancy pressures affecting many regional enclosed shopping centers.
- 2026
Rural King opening in former Elder-Beerman space
[1]Reference material describes a Rural King soft opening on July 9 and grand-opening events on July 17.
- 2021
Occupancy reported at approximately 50 percent
[1]The mall was reported to have an occupancy rate of about 50 percent.
- 2018
Elder-Beerman closes
[1]The Elder-Beerman anchor closed after The Bon-Ton went out of business.
- 2017
Sale to RVM LLC and Sears closure
[1]Woodmont sold the property to RVM LLC, while Sears closed its store in April.
- 2016
Woodmont receives the property
[1]Glimcher forfeited the mall to Woodmont Company in an effort to avoid foreclosure.
- 2010
Dick's Sporting Goods becomes an anchor
[1]Dick's Sporting Goods moved into the former Lazarus/Macy's anchor space.
- 2005
Lazarus converts to Macy's
[1]The Lazarus anchor changed its branding to Macy's.
- 2001
Former Hills anchor closes
[1]Ames closed the former Hills location while withdrawing from Ohio.
- 1995
Target opens nearby
[1]Target opened near the mall, adding a major discount and general-merchandise draw to the retail district.
- 1989
Expansion and Sears opening
[1]An approximately 100,000-square-foot expansion added a movie theater and Sears.
Products and positioning
A local and regional enclosed shopping center serving Lancaster and Fairfield County, with a tenant mix built around department stores, sporting goods, rural merchandise, restaurants, and everyday retail.
Shopping center · 1987
Enclosed retail mall
River Valley Mall provides an enclosed shopping environment with inline stores, anchor spaces, restaurants, and community-oriented uses. It was originally designed as a regional center of nearly 500,000 square feet serving Lancaster and surrounding Fairfield County communities. Its retail offer has changed substantially as department-store tenants closed or were replaced.
Sporting goods anchor · 2010
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods occupies the former Lazarus/Macy's anchor location and provides sporting equipment, athletic apparel, footwear, and outdoor-oriented merchandise. Its presence gives the mall a destination retailer beyond conventional apparel and department-store shopping.
Department store anchor · 1987
JCPenney
JCPenney is one of River Valley Mall's original anchors. Its department-store format provides apparel, footwear, home goods, beauty products, and other general merchandise, retaining a connection to the mall's original late-1980s tenant model.
Farm and rural merchandise anchor · 2026
Rural King
Rural King was planned for the former Elder-Beerman space. The store broadens the mall's anchor mix toward farm supplies, rural-lifestyle merchandise, outdoor goods, workwear, and general merchandise, while also requiring consideration of outdoor-sales operations.
Vacant anchor space · 1989
Former Sears anchor
The former Sears space became vacant after the store closed in 2017. It has subsequently supported temporary and community uses, including Toys for Tots drives and Spirit Halloween pop-up stores.
Brand decisions
2025
Plan Rural King redevelopment of former anchor spaceStrategyBackground
The former Elder-Beerman space had been vacant since the department store closed in 2018.
Action taken
Rural King obtained a city permit connected with a planned move into the former Elder-Beerman space and its outdoor-sales requirements.
Aftermath
The project was described as leading to a 2026 soft opening and grand-opening program.
2016
Transfer the property to avoid foreclosureOtherBackground
Glimcher Realty Trust had placed the mall on the market amid ownership and financial pressure.
Action taken
Glimcher forfeited River Valley Mall to the Woodmont Company.
Aftermath
Woodmont later sold the property to RVM LLC in 2017.
2014
Change the cinema strategyStrategyBackground
The mall's existing Regal Cinemas operation closed amid a proposal involving a new Cinemark theater.
Action taken
Regal closed the mall theater, while a Cinemark redevelopment plan called for demolition of the former Steve & Barry's building.
Aftermath
The change marked the end of the original mall cinema operation and reflected an attempt to reposition entertainment uses.
- Cinemark — Cinemark was associated with the proposed replacement theater project.
2010
Replace a failed department-store anchor with sporting goodsStrategyBackground
The former Lazarus/Macy's anchor had become available after Macy's closed in 2007.
Action taken
Dick's Sporting Goods took over the former department-store space.
Aftermath
The mall shifted part of its anchor strategy from traditional department stores toward sporting goods and outdoor-oriented retail.
1989
Expand the mall and add a fifth anchorStrategyBackground
The developers expanded the property after its initial development and the perceived success of Glimcher's Indian Mound Mall.
Action taken
Approximately 100,000 square feet, a movie theater, and a Sears department store were added.
Aftermath
The expansion broadened the mall's regional draw and increased its anchor count to five.
Recent events
- 2026
Rural King opens at River Valley Mall[1]
Product launch
The available reference material states that Rural King held a soft opening on July 9 and planned grand-opening festivities for July 17 in the former Elder-Beerman space.
- 2025
Rural King plans River Valley Mall location[1]
Product launch
The Lancaster Eagle-Gazette reported that Rural King planned to move into the former Elder-Beerman space after receiving a city permit connected with outdoor sales requirements.
- 2018
Elder-Beerman closes after Bon-Ton failure[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Elder-Beerman closed on August 29 after its parent company, The Bon-Ton, went out of business.
- 2017
Woodmont sells River Valley Mall to RVM LLC[1]
M&A · Other
Woodmont Company sold the property to RVM LLC. Sears also closed its mall store in April as part of a nationwide closure plan.
- 2016
Glimcher forfeits mall ownership to Woodmont[1]
M&A · Other
Glimcher Realty Trust forfeited the mall to the Woodmont Company in an effort to avoid foreclosure.
- 2014
Regal cinema closes and ownership changes begin[1]
Other
Regal Cinemas closed the mall's movie theater as a separate Cinemark redevelopment proposal was discussed. Glimcher also placed River Valley Mall and Indian Mound Mall on the market.
- 2010
Dick's Sporting Goods takes former Lazarus/Macy's space[1]
Other
Dick's Sporting Goods occupied the former Lazarus and Macy's anchor location.
- 2009
Steve & Barry's closes as the chain exits business[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Steve & Barry's vacated the former Hills/Ames space when the chain went out of business. The mall also added IHOP and Old Navy around this period.
- 2007
Macy's closes its River Valley Mall store[1]
Other
Macy's closed the former Lazarus anchor after a period described as affected by declining sales.
- 2005
Lazarus becomes Macy's[1]
Other
The Lazarus department-store anchor was converted to a Macy's location.
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