Southroads Mall
Southroads Mall is an enclosed shopping center in Bellevue, Nebraska, whose retail space has increasingly been adapted for offices, schools, and other non-retail uses.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Southroads Mall is an enclosed shopping center at 1001 Fort Crook Road in Bellevue, Nebraska, within the Omaha metropolitan area. Developed by Brandeis Investment Corp., the mall opened in 1966 with Omaha-based Brandeis and JCPenney as its principal department-store anchors. Its approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space was modeled in part on the commercial success of Crossroads Mall in Omaha, another Brandeis development. The project formed part of a broader Southroads commercial complex that also included a Sears store opened before the mall, as well as neighboring retail and grocery operations. The mall was built during the expansion of suburban enclosed shopping centers in the United States. Its location on Fort Crook Road, formerly part of U.S. Route 75 until the early 1990s, connected it with an established commercial corridor in Bellevue. Southroads initially operated as a single-level mall. A later redevelopment added a lower level, a food court, a cinema, expanded anchor spaces, an elevator, two escalators, and stairs at both ends of the mall. The remodeling also substantially changed the interior and exterior appearance and reconfigured the main entrance by excavating part of the parking area so that the principal entrance could be reached from the lower level. During its stronger retail period, Southroads housed a mixture of national chains and local businesses. Documented tenants included Musicland, GNC, Deb, Kay-Bee Toys, B. Dalton, Zales, Radio Shack, Claire’s, and John’s Grecian Delight, a local restaurant that had operated at the mall since 1983. The mall’s department-store structure weakened as anchor companies changed or withdrew. Brandeis was acquired by Younkers in 1987 and the store was subsequently rebranded, but the Younkers location closed in 1996. JCPenney converted its anchor to a clearance center in 1999 before closing it in 2003. Nearby Venture Stores appears to have closed around the late 1990s during the chain’s liquidation period; the adjacent Sears store remained longer but closed in 2008. As retail vacancies increased, parts of the former mall were repurposed for office and institutional use. TD Ameritrade, an Omaha-based financial-services company, began leasing space in 1998 and eventually occupied the former Brandeis/Younkers area. PayPal and CoSentry later used space associated with the former JCPenney location. TD Ameritrade began moving employees away from Southroads in 2011 as it consolidated operations in West Omaha. By 2015, the nearby No Frills supermarket had also closed, while the former Venture space next to the mall was occupied by Marathon Ventures Inc. Cornerstone Christian School became a tenant of the former mall property in 2016, and Omaha Public Schools leased upper-floor space. These changes illustrate Southroads' transition from a conventional department-store-anchored mall toward a mixed retail, office, and institutional property. The available reference material does not establish a current ownership structure, operating status, or official consumer-facing website.
History
Southroads Mall was developed by Brandeis Investment Corp. and opened in 1966 in Bellevue, Nebraska. The enclosed mall was part of the Southroads commercial complex on Fort Crook Road, a corridor that had previously carried U.S. Route 75 before the road was superseded locally by the Kennedy Freeway in the early 1990s. Its roughly 500,000 square feet of retail area reflected the period's department-store-led suburban shopping-center model and was influenced by the performance of Omaha's Crossroads Mall, another Brandeis project. At opening, Brandeis and JCPenney served as the principal anchors. A separate Sears store in the surrounding complex had opened in 1964. Other nearby businesses included a Venture Stores location and a No Frills supermarket. Southroads originally consisted of one level, but a later expansion created a lower level and added a food court, movie theater, larger anchor areas, an elevator, two escalators, and stairs at both ends of the mall. The renovation also brought substantial changes to the exterior and interior and altered the approach to the main entrance by lowering part of the parking area. The mall's tenant mix during its established retail era combined national chains, specialty stores, and local food operators. Listed retailers included Musicland, GNC, Deb, Kay-Bee Toys, B. Dalton, Zales, Radio Shack, and Claire's. John's Grecian Delight became a notable local business at the mall and was reported as a community fixture from 1983 onward. Southroads later experienced the anchor-store contractions that affected many American malls. Younkers acquired Brandeis in 1987 and changed the mall's Brandeis store to the Younkers format; that store closed in 1996. JCPenney converted its anchor to a clearance center in 1999 and closed it in 2003. Venture appears to have disappeared from the neighboring retail area around 1998, consistent with the chain's liquidation period, while Sears remained until 2008. The source material does not definitively identify whether the former Venture premises later became a Kmart, so that possibility is not treated as established here. Vacant retail space increasingly found non-retail occupants. TD Ameritrade began leasing at Southroads in 1998 and eventually used the former Brandeis/Younkers area. PayPal and CoSentry occupied space associated with the former JCPenney location. TD Ameritrade began moving staff from Southroads in 2011 as it consolidated in West Omaha. The adjacent No Frills supermarket had closed by 2015, and the former Venture space was occupied by Marathon Ventures Inc. from around that period. Cornerstone Christian School entered the former mall property in 2016, while Omaha Public Schools leased space on an upper floor. Southroads is therefore best understood historically as a retail mall whose property footprint evolved toward office and educational uses after the departure of its traditional anchors. Current ownership, a definitive operating classification, and a surviving official website are not established by the available sources.
- 2016
Cornerstone Christian School becomes a tenant
[1]Cornerstone Christian School began using space in the former mall property.
- 2015
Nearby No Frills store closes
[1]The No Frills supermarket in the adjacent commercial area had closed by this year; the former Venture space was occupied by Marathon Ventures Inc.
- 2011
TD Ameritrade begins relocating employees
[1]TD Ameritrade started shifting employees from Southroads while consolidating offices elsewhere in West Omaha.
- 2008
Sears closes
[1]The Sears store serving the surrounding complex closed.
- 2003
JCPenney closes
[1]JCPenney left the mall after its clearance-center phase.
- 1999
JCPenney becomes a clearance center
[1]JCPenney changed its anchor operation to a clearance center before closing several years later.
- 1998
TD Ameritrade begins leasing mall space
[1]TD Ameritrade began leasing space at Southroads, eventually taking over the former Brandeis/Younkers area.
- 1996
Younkers closes
[1]The former Brandeis/Younkers department-store anchor shut down.
- 1987
Brandeis becomes Younkers
[1]Younkers acquired Brandeis and converted the mall's Brandeis anchor to the Younkers banner.
- 1983
John's Grecian Delight becomes a long-term local fixture
[1]John's Grecian Delight was established as a notable local restaurant presence at the mall.
Products and positioning
A suburban enclosed shopping center serving Bellevue and the Omaha metropolitan area, originally positioned around department-store anchors and later adapted into a mixed-use retail, office, and institutional property.
Shopping center · 1966
Enclosed retail mall
Southroads' core offering was enclosed shopping-center space serving Bellevue and the Omaha metropolitan area. The property was designed around department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, and pedestrian circulation within a climate-controlled mall environment.
Retail real estate · 1966
Department-store anchor space
The property originally provided large anchor premises for Brandeis and JCPenney, with the Brandeis space later converted to Younkers. After those retailers departed, the anchor areas were adapted for office and other institutional occupancy.
Food service
Food court and dining
A later redevelopment added a food court and expanded the mall's dining function. John's Grecian Delight was a documented local restaurant tenant and became one of the property's recognizable community businesses.
Entertainment
Cinema and entertainment space
The mall's redevelopment included a movie theater, complementing retail stores and food service with an entertainment use intended to increase visitor traffic.
Commercial and institutional real estate · 1998
Office and institutional space
As department-store and specialty-retail occupancy declined, parts of the property were used for offices and education. Documented users included TD Ameritrade, PayPal, CoSentry, Cornerstone Christian School, and Omaha Public Schools.
Brand decisions
1998
Accept office tenants in former retail areasStrategyBackground
Retail vacancies began to increase as major stores closed or reduced their presence at the property.
Action taken
Southroads leased space to TD Ameritrade, which eventually occupied the former Brandeis/Younkers premises; PayPal and CoSentry also used space associated with the former JCPenney area.
Aftermath
The property developed a mixed-use character, with office and institutional users occupying areas formerly dedicated to department-store retail.
1966
Develop a department-store-anchored enclosed mallStrategyBackground
Brandeis Investment Corp. developed Southroads in the era of rapidly expanding suburban enclosed shopping centers, using the established Crossroads Mall model as a reference point.
Action taken
The developer created an approximately 500,000-square-foot enclosed center anchored by Brandeis and JCPenney and connected it with the broader Southroads commercial complex.
Aftermath
The format established Southroads as a major retail destination in Bellevue, although the original anchor-led model weakened as department stores and neighboring retailers later closed.
- Expand and reconfigure the mallOther
Background
The original property operated as a single-level mall and was later modernized to broaden its retail and entertainment offer.
Action taken
The redevelopment added a lower level, food court, movie theater, expanded anchor spaces, vertical circulation, and a reworked lower-level main entrance.
Aftermath
The project increased the property's physical capacity and amenity mix, but the available source does not provide a precise completion date or measured commercial outcome.
Recent events
- 2016
Cornerstone Christian School occupies former mall property[1]
Other
Cornerstone Christian School became a tenant of the former mall property, reflecting the site's shift toward institutional use.
- 2011
TD Ameritrade shifts employees away from Southroads[1]
Other
TD Ameritrade began transferring employees from its Southroads offices and consolidated operations in West Omaha.
- 2008
Sears closes its Southroads-area store[1]
Other
The Sears store in the surrounding Southroads commercial complex closed, removing another major retail presence from the area.
- 2003
JCPenney closes at Southroads Mall[1]
Other
JCPenney closed its Southroads location after operating the space as a clearance center.
- 1999
JCPenney converts anchor to clearance center[1]
Other
JCPenney changed its Southroads anchor into a clearance center before ultimately leaving the property.
- 1996
Younkers anchor closes[1]
Other
The former Brandeis location, operating under the Younkers name, closed at Southroads Mall.
- 1987
Brandeis is converted to Younkers[1]
M&A · Other
Following Younkers' purchase of Brandeis, the mall's Brandeis anchor was converted to the Younkers name.
- 1966
Southroads Mall opens with Brandeis and JCPenney anchors[1]
Other
Brandeis Investment Corp. opened Southroads Mall in Bellevue with Brandeis and JCPenney as the principal department-store anchors.
Sources2 sources
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