Southwest Plaza

Southwest Plaza is an enclosed shopping mall in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, immediately south of Denver. Although the property is located in unincorporated county territory, its postal address commonly uses Littleton because the mall's ZIP code is primarily associated with that city, which is roughly two miles east. The center serves the southwestern Denver metropolitan area and combines department-store anchors, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and services in a two-level enclosed format. The mall opened in 1983 with a large initial anchor lineup: The Denver Dry Goods Company, May-Daniels & Fisher, Montgomery Ward, Sears, and Joslins. Its tenant history reflects the consolidation and restructuring of the American department-store sector. In 1987, The May Department Stores Company acquired The Denver Dry Goods Company. Because May already operated a May D&F location at Southwest Plaza, the Denver Dry Goods space was sold to J. C. Penney. The May D&F store was later converted to Foley's in 1993, and Foley's was converted to Macy's in 2006. Ownership and physical configuration also changed over time. Southwest Properties Venture, a partnership associated with Denver developers Jordon Perlmutter, Samuel Primack, and Michael Cooper, sold the mall to General Growth Properties in 1998 for $64 million. That year, Joslins was converted to Dillard's. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001 when the national chain shut its remaining stores. In 2006, the former Montgomery Ward building was demolished and replaced with a similarly sized Dillard's store, while the earlier Dillard's location was redeveloped for Dick's Sporting Goods and Steve & Barry's. Steve & Barry's subsequently closed in 2009 when the chain ceased operations. A major redevelopment program was completed in November 2015 after an 18-month renovation reported at $75 million. The work refreshed the mall's physical environment and supported a more contemporary retail and dining mix. The Cheesecake Factory opened at the property during the same month, adding a prominent full-service restaurant to the center's offering. The department-store footprint continued to evolve after the renovation. Sears announced in August 2019 that its Southwest Plaza store would close as part of a nationwide round of closures; the store shut in October 2019. In October 2020, Macy's, Inc. announced that the Southwest Plaza Macy's location would be converted into a fulfillment center, ending conventional in-store shopping at that location. The mall's anchor lineup is described as including Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Round1 Entertainment, and JCPenney, alongside two additional anchor spaces: one used as a Macy's fulfillment center and another vacant space formerly occupied by Sears. Southwest Plaza is therefore best understood as a regional shopping-center brand rather than an airline or a standalone merchandise label. Its identity is tied to its physical location, enclosed mall format, established department-store anchors, and adaptation to changing retail patterns. The center has more than 150 stores and a food court, while its entertainment, dining, and fulfillment uses illustrate the broader shift from traditional department-store-led malls toward mixed retail and experiential destinations.

Southwest Plaza opened in 1983 as an enclosed shopping mall in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado, south of Denver and near Littleton. Its original anchor lineup included The Denver Dry Goods Company, May-Daniels & Fisher, Montgomery Ward, Sears, and Joslins. The property was designed as a substantial regional retail destination, with a two-level enclosed layout intended to serve customers from the southwestern Denver metropolitan area. The center's early history was shaped by department-store consolidation. In 1987, The May Department Stores Company acquired The Denver Dry Goods Company. Because May already operated a May D&F store at Southwest Plaza, the Denver Dry Goods location was sold to J. C. Penney. The May D&F store was subsequently converted to Foley's in 1993. Foley's later became part of Macy's broader department-store network and was converted to Macy's in 2006. In 1998, Southwest Properties Venture sold the mall to General Growth Properties for $64 million. Southwest Properties Venture was associated with Denver developers Jordon Perlmutter, Samuel Primack, and Michael Cooper. Also in 1998, the Joslins anchor was converted to Dillard's, adding another major national department-store operator to the property. Montgomery Ward closed in 2001 when the chain shut its remaining stores nationwide. The former Montgomery Ward building was demolished and rebuilt on a similar footprint in 2006 as a Dillard's location. At the same time, the earlier Dillard's space was converted for Dick's Sporting Goods and Steve & Barry's. Steve & Barry's closed in 2009 when the entire chain ceased operations. These changes reduced reliance on the original anchor configuration while preserving large-format retail capacity. The mall underwent an 18-month redevelopment completed in November 2015. The renovation was reported to cost $75 million and updated the center's physical environment and tenant mix. The Cheesecake Factory opened at the mall in the same month, strengthening the property's full-service dining offer alongside its existing food court and specialty retail stores. Sears remained an anchor for several years after the renovation, but on August 6, 2019, the retailer announced that its Southwest Plaza store would close as part of a nationwide program involving 26 stores. The store closed in October 2019, leaving an additional vacant anchor space. The property later adapted another anchor function to changing retail economics: on October 15, 2020, Macy's, Inc. announced that the Southwest Plaza Macy's store would be converted into a fulfillment center, with in-store shopping discontinued at that location. The mall is described as having more than 150 stores and a food court. Its listed anchor and major-use lineup includes Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, Round1 Entertainment, and JCPenney, as well as a Macy's fulfillment center and the vacant former Sears anchor. Southwest Plaza's evolution illustrates the transition of a traditional enclosed regional mall from a department-store-centered model toward a combination of specialty retail, food, entertainment, and logistics uses.

1. 2020Macy's space becomes a fulfillment center

   Macy's, Inc. announced that the Southwest Plaza Macy's store would be converted to a fulfillment center, ending in-store shopping at that location.

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2. 2019Sears anchor closes

   Sears announced the store closure in August, and the Southwest Plaza location shut in October.

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3. 2015Major renovation is completed

   An 18-month renovation reported at $75 million was completed in November, with The Cheesecake Factory opening at the property during the same month.

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4. 2009Steve & Barry's closes

   Steve & Barry's closed after the entire chain ceased operations.

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5. 2006Anchor buildings are reconfigured

   The former Montgomery Ward building was demolished and rebuilt for Dillard's, while the previous Dillard's building was converted for Dick's Sporting Goods and Steve & Barry's. Foley's also became Macy's.

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6. 2001Montgomery Ward closes

   Montgomery Ward closed its Southwest Plaza store as the retailer shut its remaining stores nationwide.

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7. 1998Mall sold to General Growth Properties

   Southwest Properties Venture sold the property to General Growth Properties for $64 million; the Joslins store was also converted to Dillard's.

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8. 1993May D&F becomes Foley's

   The mall's May-Daniels & Fisher anchor was converted to Foley's.

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9. 1987Denver Dry Goods location transfers to J. C. Penney

   After May Department Stores acquired The Denver Dry Goods Company, the Southwest Plaza Denver Dry Goods store was sold to J. C. Penney because May already operated a May D&F store at the mall.

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10. 1983Southwest Plaza opens

    The enclosed mall opens in unincorporated Jefferson County with The Denver Dry Goods Company, May-Daniels & Fisher, Montgomery Ward, Sears, and Joslins as its principal anchors.

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A large enclosed regional shopping center serving the southwestern Denver metropolitan area through department stores, specialty retail, dining, and entertainment.

• Enclosed regional shopping mallRetail property1983

  Southwest Plaza is a two-level enclosed shopping center with more than 150 stores and a food court. Its tenant mix combines department stores, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and service businesses for customers in the southwestern Denver metropolitan area.

• Department-store anchor networkAnchor retail1983

  The property has hosted a succession of major department-store anchors, including May-Daniels & Fisher, The Denver Dry Goods Company, Montgomery Ward, Joslins, Foley's, Macy's, Dillard's, Sears, and JCPenney. The changes reflect mergers, conversions, closures, and the redevelopment of anchor spaces.

• Dining and entertainment mixFood and entertainment2015

  In addition to its food court, Southwest Plaza's offering includes prominent dining and entertainment uses. The Cheesecake Factory opened in 2015, while Round1 Entertainment is identified among the property's current major anchors or anchor-scale attractions.

• Macy's fulfillment centerRetail logistics2020

  The former Macy's shopping location was converted into a fulfillment center after Macy's, Inc. announced the change in 2020. This use represents the mall's adaptation of traditional retail space for order fulfillment and distribution rather than conventional customer shopping.

• 2020Conversion of Macy's store to fulfillment centerStrategy

  Macy's, Inc. was adapting selected department-store locations to support its fulfillment and distribution needs as conventional store economics changed.

  What changed. Macy's announced that the Southwest Plaza store would become a fulfillment center and that in-store shopping would end at the location.

  Aftermath. The mall retained a Macy's-related use while losing a conventional department-store shopping destination.

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• 2015Major mall renovationStrategy

  The property undertook a substantial physical and tenant-mix refresh to maintain its appeal as regional retail competition and consumer habits changed.

  What changed. An 18-month renovation was completed in November 2015, with reported investment of $75 million. The Cheesecake Factory opened at the mall during the same month.

  Aftermath. The renovated center expanded its dining proposition and continued operating as a large enclosed regional mall.

  Renovation investment. $75 million (18-month project completed in 2015)

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• 2006Redevelopment of former Montgomery Ward and Dillard's spacesGeneration change

  Montgomery Ward had closed in 2001, creating an opportunity to reconfigure large anchor space and reposition the adjacent former Dillard's location.

  What changed. The former Montgomery Ward building was demolished and rebuilt for Dillard's, while the former Dillard's location was converted for Dick's Sporting Goods and Steve & Barry's. Foley's was also converted to Macy's.

  Aftermath. The changes refreshed the anchor lineup and introduced new retail operators while preserving large-format uses within the mall.

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• 1998Sale to General Growth PropertiesM&A

  Southwest Properties Venture owned and operated the mall before selling it during a period of continuing consolidation in the U.S. regional shopping-center industry.

  What changed. The property was sold to General Growth Properties for $64 million.

  Aftermath. The transaction transferred the mall to a major shopping-center owner; the same year, the Joslins anchor was converted to Dillard's.

  Property sale price. $64 million (1998)

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• 2020Macy's announces conversion of Southwest Plaza store to a fulfillment center

  Macy's, Inc. announced on October 15, 2020 that the Southwest Plaza Macy's store would be converted into a fulfillment center, ending conventional in-store shopping at that location.

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• 2019Sears announces the closure of its Southwest Plaza store

  Sears announced on August 6, 2019 that the Southwest Plaza location would close in a nationwide group of 26 store closures. The store closed in October 2019.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2015Southwest Plaza completes an extensive renovation

  An 18-month renovation reported at $75 million was completed in November 2015, coinciding with the opening of The Cheesecake Factory at the mall.

  OtherProduct launch
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• 2015The Cheesecake Factory opens at Southwest Plaza

  The restaurant opened at the mall in November 2015 as part of the property's refreshed dining and retail mix.

  Product launch
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1. Southwest Plaza
2. Southwest Plaza official website