South Sound Center
A shopping center in Lacey, Washington, that opened in 1966 as the Olympia area's first major shopping center.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
South Sound Center is a retail complex in Lacey, Washington, United States. It opened in 1966 and was promoted as the fourth regional shopping center in Washington state, becoming the first major shopping center serving the Olympia area. The original development contained approximately 500,000 square feet of enclosed retail space and operated for decades as a traditional regional mall. The center's tenant history reflects several major phases of American retail. Its former anchors and major occupants included Nordstrom Place Two, Peoples, Mervyns, Sears, Pay 'n Save, Woolworth, and Safeway. Peoples operated at the center from its opening until 1983 before the space became Mervyns in 1984. Nordstrom Place Two closed in 1994, Pay 'n Save ended its presence in 1992, and Woolworth closed in 1997; that closure was reported as the last Woolworth store in Washington state. Sears, whose Lacey operation had begun in 1943 and moved to South Sound Center in 1966, remained one of the site's best-known anchors until its closure in 2020. The property changed substantially as enclosed-mall retail weakened and open-air formats became more prominent. The indoor mall sections were demolished in 2000. A Target store was built between the former Sears and Mervyns locations, and the site was reconfigured as a retail plaza centered on larger-format stores. After Mervyn's closed in December 2006, the space reopened as Kohl's in early 2007. The contemporary center includes or has included Target, Kohl's, Michaels, Marshalls, and PetSmart, along with other specialty and service tenants. A former Verizon Wireless location was damaged by heavy snow in 2017, remained closed, and was eventually relocated across the street in 2019. South Sound Center has also functioned as a local gathering place. From the 1980s into the early 1990s, it hosted a seasonal Christmas Island display in the rear parking area. An annual July 3 fireworks event was held for approximately 45 years before moving elsewhere in 2012. The property and its surroundings contain several notable civic and public-art landmarks, including the Kluh Clock, donated to the City of Lacey in 2001, and the nearby Kite Boy bronze sculpture, which reached its permanent location in 2008. In 2023, the Lacey Civic Plaza next to the center became the site of a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument honoring service members killed in combat and their families. Although the original enclosed mall no longer exists, South Sound Center continues as a recognizable retail destination and commercial landmark in the Lacey area.
History
South Sound Center opened in Lacey, Washington, in 1966 as the first major shopping center in the Olympia area. It was presented as the fourth regional shopping center in Washington state and originally contained about 500,000 square feet of enclosed retail space. The development introduced a conventional regional-mall format to the area, combining department-store anchors, specialty shops, and nearby outlot uses. The center's original and later tenant roster included several prominent American retail chains. Peoples operated from the center's opening in 1966 through 1983, after which the location became Mervyns in 1984. Nordstrom Place Two was another former anchor and closed in 1994. Other major occupants included Sears, Pay 'n Save, and Woolworth. Woolworth's closure in 1997 was notable because it was identified as the chain's final store in Washington state. A Safeway grocery store operated in an outlot from the 1960s until the mid-1970s, while a Joann Fabrics building behind the mall was later converted into office space. During the 1980s and early 1990s, South Sound Center hosted a holiday attraction known as Christmas Island in the rear parking area. The center also became associated with a July 3 fireworks program that continued for about 45 years. That event moved away from the property in 2012. These activities helped give the shopping center a civic and seasonal role beyond ordinary retailing. By the end of the twentieth century, the traditional enclosed-mall model was under pressure from changing shopping patterns and large-format retail. After multiple stores closed or relocated, the enclosed sections of South Sound Center were demolished in 2000. The redevelopment produced a retail plaza rather than a replacement enclosed mall. Target was added between the Sears and Mervyns buildings, and the property increasingly operated as a cluster of large-format and specialty stores. Mervyn's closed its South Sound Center store in December 2006. The space reopened as Kohl's in early 2007, preserving a department-store presence while changing the tenant mix. The surrounding retail area came to include Michaels, Marshalls, and PetSmart in addition to Target and Kohl's. The center therefore transitioned from a department-store-led enclosed mall to a more flexible plaza serving general merchandise, apparel, crafts, home-related shopping, and pet retail. The property also experienced isolated operational changes. In 2017, heavy snow crushed the center's Verizon Wireless store. The location remained closed until further notice and the retailer later moved across the street in 2019. Sears announced in November 2019 that its Lacey store would close as part of a nationwide closure program; the store ended operations in February 2020. The Sears building was subsequently reported as unoccupied, apart from seasonal Halloween uses, while its sign remained in place. Several public landmarks are connected with the site and its immediate surroundings. The historic Kluh Clock was donated to the City of Lacey in 2001 and became a recognizable landmark at the center. The nearby Kite Boy bronze sculpture, located near Sleater-Kinney Road and the Interstate 5 entrance to the city, was ultimately installed in its permanent position in May 2008 after attempts to identify a suitable location. In March 2023, the Lacey Civic Plaza next to South Sound Center became the setting for a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. The monument was developed through volunteer efforts involving the City of Lacey, the Gold Star Memorial Foundation, and the Woody Williams Foundation, with land contributed by the city and the Washington State Department of Transportation. South Sound Center remains active as a retail plaza, although its physical form and tenant mix differ substantially from the enclosed mall that opened in 1966. Its history illustrates the redevelopment of a mid-century regional shopping center into a contemporary open-air retail complex while retaining a visible place in Lacey's commercial and civic landscape.
- 2023
Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is dedicated
[1]A memorial monument is dedicated at the neighboring Lacey Civic Plaza.
- 2020
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor closes in February as part of a nationwide store-closure program.
- 2019
Verizon relocates and Sears closure is announced
[1]The snow-damaged Verizon store relocates across the street, while Sears announces the closure of its Lacey store.
- 2012
Annual fireworks event moves
[1]The center's long-running July 3 fireworks display moves to another location after approximately 45 years.
- 2008
Kite Boy reaches its permanent location
[1]The nearby Kite Boy bronze sculpture is installed at its permanent location after several placement efforts.
- 2007
Kohl's replaces Mervyn's
[1]The former Mervyn's space reopens as Kohl's after Mervyn's closes in December 2006.
- 2001
Kluh Clock donated to Lacey
[1]The historic Kluh Clock is donated to the City of Lacey and becomes a landmark at the center.
- 2000
Enclosed mall is demolished
[1]The indoor mall sections are removed and the property begins its conversion into a retail plaza anchored by large-format stores.
- 1997
Woolworth closes
[1]The Woolworth store closes and is identified as the chain's last location in Washington state.
- 1994
Nordstrom Place Two closes
[1]Nordstrom Place Two, formerly one of the center's anchors, closes.
Products and positioning
A community-serving retail center that evolved from a traditional enclosed regional mall into an open-air, large-format shopping plaza.
General merchandise retail
Target
Target became a central large-format tenant during the post-2000 redevelopment, when the enclosed mall was replaced with a retail plaza. Its assortment typically spans household goods, apparel, groceries, electronics, beauty products, and seasonal merchandise, giving the center a broad everyday-shopping anchor.
Department store · 2007
Kohl's
Kohl's occupies the former Mervyn's space. It opened at South Sound Center in early 2007 after Mervyn's closed in December 2006, bringing department-store apparel, footwear, home goods, accessories, and seasonal merchandise to the redeveloped plaza.
Arts and crafts retail
Michaels
Michaels is a specialty tenant associated with the current retail-plaza configuration. Its product range centers on arts and crafts materials, framing, hobby supplies, seasonal décor, and project-oriented merchandise.
Off-price department store
Marshalls
Marshalls forms part of the center's post-mall specialty and large-format tenant mix. The off-price retailer offers discounted apparel, footwear, accessories, home furnishings, and related goods through a changing assortment.
Pet retail
PetSmart
PetSmart is a specialty retail component of the plaza, serving pet owners with food, supplies, accessories, and related services. Its presence broadens the center beyond apparel and general merchandise shopping.
Marketing campaigns
- Christmas Island
Lacey, Washington
A seasonal Christmas display hosted in the rear parking area during the 1980s and into the early 1990s.
Outcome. The attraction was a historical seasonal feature; the source does not identify a later continuation.
- July 3 fireworks display
Lacey, Washington
South Sound Center hosted an annual fireworks event on July 3 for approximately 45 years.
Outcome. The event moved away from the center in 2012.
Brand decisions
2019
Sears closure decisionOtherBackground
Sears announced a nationwide program affecting 96 stores, including its Lacey location.
Action taken
The South Sound Center Sears store was closed in February 2020.
Aftermath
The former Sears building was reported as unoccupied as of August 2022, aside from seasonal Halloween-store use, with the Sears sign still visible.
2007
Mervyn's space transitions to Kohl'sM&ABackground
Mervyn's closed its South Sound Center store in December 2006.
Action taken
The former Mervyn's location reopened as a Kohl's store in early 2007.
Aftermath
A department-store anchor remained at the property under a different retail chain.
2000
Redevelopment from enclosed mall to retail plazaStrategyBackground
The enclosed mall had lost stores and experienced closures, reducing the viability of the original regional-mall format.
Action taken
The indoor sections were demolished and replaced with a plaza configuration that included a new Target store between Sears and Mervyn's.
Aftermath
South Sound Center continued as a large-format and specialty retail complex rather than an enclosed mall.
Sources1 sources
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