Southern Hills Mall
An enclosed regional shopping mall serving Sioux City and the wider Siouxland area.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Southern Hills Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Sioux City, Iowa, serving consumers across the Siouxland area of northwestern Iowa, northeastern Nebraska, and southeastern South Dakota. The property is positioned as a broad-based shopping, dining, entertainment, and leisure destination rather than a specialist retail center. Its tenant mix combines department-store and sporting-goods anchors with home furnishings, books, cinema, restaurants, and family entertainment. The mall opened on March 5, 1980, following more than a decade of debate over the location and role of a major enclosed shopping center in Sioux City. Earlier proposals had placed a mall near the Sioux Gateway Airport or in the downtown area. Downtown advocates and some city council members initially resisted the suburban project, preferring urban renewal and central-city development. After a change in the composition of the city council in 1977, political support shifted toward the Southern Hills proposal, and construction proceeded on the southern edge of the Morningside neighborhood. The original development cost was reported as $21 million. At opening, the center was anchored by Target and Sears, with Younkers joining the tenant mix later. Its regional role was strengthened by transportation patterns around Sioux City, including increased traffic associated with the nearby Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge when the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge was closed for much of 1982 because of structural defects. The mall also developed surrounding retail and restaurant uses, including a Red Lobster location that opened nearby in 1991. Over time, Southern Hills Mall experienced several ownership, management, and tenant changes. General Growth initially managed the property. The Macerich Company assumed management responsibilities in 1998 while ownership was shared by Macerich and Simon Property Group. In January 2012, Simon became the mall's sole owner and manager. Major additions to the tenant profile included Scheels All Sports in 2003 and Barnes & Noble in 2004. J.C. Penney moved from downtown Sioux City into the former Target anchor space in 2004 after Target relocated to a free-standing Target Greatland store. The mall has also used cultural programming and public art to distinguish itself from a purely transactional retail environment. In 2003, the National Park Service designated Southern Hills Mall as a national trail site after the mall commissioned 38 paintings commemorating the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A carousel installed in 1990 added another family-oriented attraction. Like many established American malls, Southern Hills has adapted to department-store closures and changing retail patterns. Younkers closed in 2018, and Sears closed in March 2019 after its parent company announced a nationwide store-closure program. The former Younkers space was divided between Ashley HomeStore on the upper level and Furniture Mart on the lower level, with both stores opening in the early 2020s. The former Sears space was later redeveloped for Tilt Studio, which opened there in 2022. The mall's reported anchor and major-tenant lineup includes JCPenney, Scheels All Sports, Tilt Studio, Ashley HomeStore, Furniture Mart, Barnes & Noble, and AMC Southern Hills 12. With approximately six million annual visitors reported in reference material, Southern Hills Mall remains a significant commercial and social destination for the Siouxland region.
History
Plans for a major enclosed shopping center in Sioux City were discussed as early as 1969. The proposal became part of a broader civic dispute about whether the city's retail growth should be concentrated in a suburban development or directed toward downtown redevelopment. Downtown supporters, including members of the city council, initially opposed the project and favored urban renewal in the central business district. The proposed site also changed during the planning process. A zoning change prevented development at an industrial location north of Sioux Gateway Airport, prompting the developer to move the mall proposal to the southern edge of the Morningside neighborhood. During the mid-1970s, local developers separately promoted two downtown mall concepts, including a three-story project at Fourth and Nebraska streets intended to be anchored by Omaha-based Brandeis. Both downtown proposals were ultimately abandoned. The excavated site associated with the Brandeis proposal became informally known as Lake Brandeis until the Terra Plaza office tower was completed in 1983. Sioux City Journal writer Marcia Poole later described the civic conflict as the Great Sioux City Shopping Center Battle. A newly elected city council in 1977 provided greater support for the suburban mall proposal. Construction followed, and the $21 million Southern Hills Mall opened on March 5, 1980. Target and Sears were the original anchor stores, while Younkers was added later. The center benefited from regional road traffic and from changes in bridge access. In particular, the nearby Sergeant Floyd Memorial Bridge carried additional traffic while the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge remained closed for most of 1982 because of structural problems. The mall's surrounding commercial district expanded during the following decade. A Red Lobster restaurant opened nearby on February 25, 1991. In 1990, a carousel was installed inside the mall, reinforcing its family-oriented positioning. In 2003, Scheels All Sports opened, followed by Barnes & Noble in 2004. The mall also commissioned 38 paintings commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In recognition of that project, the National Park Service named Southern Hills Mall a national trail site in 2003. Management and ownership changed several times. General Growth managed the property during its earlier years. The Macerich Company took over management in March 1998 while the mall was owned by a joint venture involving Macerich and Simon Property Group. Simon Property Group became the sole owner and manager in January 2012. The anchor lineup changed substantially as department-store retail contracted. Target moved out of the mall in favor of a free-standing Target Greatland store, and J.C. Penney relocated from downtown Sioux City into Target's former mall space in mid-2004. Younkers closed in 2018. Sears announced in December 2018 that its mall store would close as part of a nationwide closure plan, and the location shut in March 2019. Redevelopment of the former department-store spaces produced a more diversified tenant base. The former Younkers space was subdivided, with Ashley HomeStore occupying the upper level and Furniture Mart opening on the lower level in the early 2020s. Tilt Studio opened in the former Sears anchor space in 2022. The resulting major-tenant mix includes JCPenney, Scheels All Sports, Tilt Studio, Ashley HomeStore, Furniture Mart, Barnes & Noble, and AMC Southern Hills 12. The mall continues to serve as a regional retail and entertainment center for Sioux City and surrounding communities in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
- 2022
Tilt Studio opens
[1]Tilt Studio opens in the former Sears anchor space, expanding the mall's entertainment offering.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]The Sears anchor store closes in March following a nationwide store-closure announcement.
- 2018
Younkers closes
[1]The Younkers anchor store closes, later making way for a subdivided home-furnishings space.
- 2012
Simon becomes sole owner and manager
[1]Simon Property Group takes complete ownership and management control of Southern Hills Mall.
- 2004
J.C. Penney relocates into the former Target space
[1]J.C. Penney moves from downtown Sioux City to the mall after Target relocates to a free-standing store.
- 2003
Scheels All Sports opens
[1]Scheels All Sports joins the mall's anchor lineup.
- 2003
Lewis and Clark art project receives recognition
[1]The National Park Service names the mall a national trail site after the mall commissions 38 paintings related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial.
- 1998
Macerich takes over management
[1]The Macerich Company assumes management duties while ownership remains shared by Macerich and Simon Property Group.
- 1990
Carousel installed
[1]A carousel is installed as a family-oriented attraction within the mall.
- 1980
Mall opens
[1]Southern Hills Mall opens on March 5 as a $21 million enclosed regional shopping center anchored by Target and Sears.
Products and positioning
A regional, family-oriented enclosed shopping and entertainment destination for the Siouxland trade area, combining traditional department-store retail with sporting goods, home furnishings, books, cinema, dining, and indoor leisure attractions.
Department store · 2004
JCPenney
A department-store anchor offering apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty products, household merchandise, and seasonal goods. J.C. Penney moved from downtown Sioux City into the former Target anchor space in 2004.
Sporting-goods retailer · 2003
Scheels All Sports
A large sporting-goods anchor focused on athletic equipment, outdoor recreation, sportswear, footwear, and related lifestyle merchandise. The Sioux City location opened at Southern Hills Mall in 2003.
Family entertainment · 2022
Tilt Studio
An entertainment anchor occupying the former Sears space. Its offering is centered on arcade games, amusement activities, and family leisure rather than conventional merchandise retail.
Home furnishings
Ashley HomeStore
A home-furnishings anchor selling furniture and related products for living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, and other residential spaces. It occupies the upper level of the former Younkers space.
Furniture retailer
Furniture Mart
A furniture-focused tenant occupying the lower level of the former Younkers anchor space. Its presence helps replace some of the mall's former department-store floor area with home-related retail.
Books and media · 2004
Barnes & Noble
A major bookstore offering books, periodicals, gifts, educational items, and related media products. The Southern Hills Mall store opened in 2004.
Cinema
AMC Southern Hills 12
A multiplex cinema providing movie exhibition and entertainment within the mall's broader leisure-oriented tenant mix.
Marketing campaigns
- 2003Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial art project
Sioux City · Siouxland region
Southern Hills Mall commissioned 38 paintings commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The project connected the commercial property with regional history and public cultural interpretation.
Outcome. The National Park Service designated Southern Hills Mall a national trail site.
Brand decisions
2022
Introduce Tilt Studio in the former Sears spaceProduct launchBackground
Sears closed its Southern Hills Mall store in March 2019 after a nationwide closure program, leaving another substantial anchor vacancy.
Action taken
Tilt Studio opened in the former Sears anchor space in 2022.
Aftermath
The redevelopment added a large entertainment component and supported the mall's shift toward a mixed retail and leisure model.
2018
Redevelop the former Younkers anchor spaceStrategyBackground
Younkers closed its mall store in 2018, leaving a large department-store footprint that required a new tenant strategy.
Action taken
The former anchor space was subdivided for Ashley HomeStore on the upper level and Furniture Mart on the lower level.
Aftermath
The mall replaced one department-store anchor with two home-furnishings operators, diversifying the use of the space.
2012
Simon Property Group consolidates ownershipM&ABackground
The mall had previously been owned through a joint venture involving Macerich and Simon Property Group, with management also changing between major mall operators.
Action taken
Simon Property Group became the complete owner and manager of Southern Hills Mall in January 2012.
Aftermath
The property entered a fully Simon-controlled operating structure.
2004
Replace the former Target anchor with J.C. PenneyStrategyBackground
Target moved from the mall to a free-standing Target Greatland store, creating a large vacant anchor space. J.C. Penney was operating downtown and had an opportunity to consolidate its regional presence within the mall.
Action taken
J.C. Penney relocated from downtown Sioux City into Target's former mall space in mid-2004.
Aftermath
The move preserved a major department-store anchor at Southern Hills Mall while Target continued serving the market from a separate location.
Recent events
- 2022
Tilt Studio opens in the former Sears space[1]
Product launch
Tilt Studio opened in the former Sears anchor location, adding a large-scale entertainment tenant to the mall.
- 2018
Younkers closes its Southern Hills Mall location[1]
Other
The Younkers department-store location closed, leaving an anchor space that was later divided for home-furnishings retailers.
- 2018
Sears announces closure of its Southern Hills Mall store[1]
Bankruptcy
Sears was identified for closure as part of a nationwide program announced on December 28; the store ceased operations in March 2019.
- 2012
Simon Property Group assumes complete ownership and management[1]
M&A
Simon Property Group became the mall's sole owner and manager after the property had previously been associated with a Macerich and Simon joint venture.
- 2004
J.C. Penney relocates from downtown Sioux City to the mall[1]
Other
J.C. Penney moved into the former Target anchor space after Target relocated to a free-standing Greatland store.
- 2003
Southern Hills Mall receives national trail-site designation[1]
Campaign
The National Park Service recognized the mall as a national trail site after the property commissioned 38 paintings about the Lewis and Clark Expedition's bicentennial.
- 1980
Southern Hills Mall opens in Sioux City[1]
Other
The enclosed regional mall opened on March 5 with Target and Sears as its initial anchor stores.
Sources2 sources
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