Springfield Mall
A regional shopping mall in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, serving the southwestern Philadelphia suburbs.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Springfield Mall is a regional shopping center in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, approximately 10 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The mall occupies about 589,000 square feet and is positioned along Baltimore Pike near the intersection with Pennsylvania Route 320, with direct regional access from Interstate 476, also known as the Blue Route. Its transportation connections are unusually strong for a suburban Philadelphia mall: in addition to several SEPTA bus services, the property is served by the Springfield Mall station on SEPTA's D1 route, formerly the Media Line. The center opened on September 19, 1974, under the development of Springfield Associates. Its original department-store anchors were Bamberger's and John Wanamaker, giving the mall a conventional multi-anchor department-store format for the period. Over time, the anchor roster changed as department-store chains consolidated or rebranded. Bamberger's became Macy's in 1986. John Wanamaker closed in 1995 and was replaced by Hecht's, which itself became Strawbridge's in 1997. Springfield Mall's history also includes a major violent incident. On October 30, 1985, a shooting at the mall killed three people and injured seven others before the attacker was disarmed by shoppers. The event became one of the significant incidents in the property's public history and is treated separately from the mall's retail-development history. Ownership changed in 2005, when PREIT and Kravco Simon acquired the property from Springfield Associates LP for $103.5 million. Kravco Simon was subsequently associated with Simon Property Group, and the mall is described as jointly owned by Simon Property Group and PREIT, with each holding half of the ownership. Spinoso Real Estate Group manages the property. The mall's later anchor strategy reflected the continuing transformation of American department-store real estate. Strawbridge's closed in 2006 after its parent company was sold to the same corporate group associated with Macy's. The former Strawbridge's building was sold to Target in 2008, demolished in the fall of that year, and replaced by a new Target store. The replacement opened on October 11, 2009, and became one of the mall's principal anchors alongside Macy's. The property is therefore anchored by Macy's, which has occupied the former Bamberger's location since 1986, and Target, which has operated in the replacement anchor space since 2009. Springfield Mall's role is primarily that of a suburban regional retail destination rather than an internationally recognized consumer brand. Its offer is organized around department-store and mass-market anchor shopping, in-line retail, dining, and services, supported by its location on a heavily traveled suburban corridor and its SEPTA access. The available reference material does not establish a broader corporate brand portfolio, a separate parent consumer brand, or a distinct national marketing platform. Its continuing identity is tied to the physical property, its anchor tenants, and its position within the Philadelphia-area retail network.
History
Springfield Mall opened on September 19, 1974, in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It was developed by Springfield Associates and began with two traditional department-store anchors: Bamberger's and John Wanamaker. The mall was built as a regional shopping destination for communities southwest of Philadelphia, with a location along Baltimore Pike close to Pennsylvania Route 320 and the future importance of Interstate 476's Blue Route corridor. The property's transportation profile distinguished it from many suburban malls in the Philadelphia region. It is served by SEPTA bus routes and by the Springfield Mall station on SEPTA's D1 service, formerly known as the Media Line. This rail connection gave the center an unusual degree of public-transit accessibility in a market where many suburban shopping centers primarily depend on automobile and bus access. On October 30, 1985, the mall was the site of a shooting in which three people were killed and seven were wounded. The attacker was eventually disarmed by other shoppers. This incident remains one of the most prominent non-retail events associated with the property. The anchor lineup changed as department-store companies and banners evolved. Bamberger's was converted to Macy's in 1986, preserving the department-store space under a new national banner. John Wanamaker closed in 1995 and was replaced by Hecht's later that year. In 1997, the Hecht's store was converted to Strawbridge's. These changes reflected broader consolidation and repositioning in the American department-store sector rather than a change in the mall's basic regional-retail function. Ownership shifted in 2005, when PREIT and Kravco Simon bought Springfield Mall from Springfield Associates LP for $103.5 million. The property is subsequently described as jointly owned by Simon Property Group and PREIT, each with a 50 percent stake, and managed by Spinoso Real Estate Group. The ownership transition placed the center within the portfolios of major shopping-center operators while retaining its established suburban location and tenant infrastructure. Strawbridge's closed in 2006 after the sale of its parent company to the corporate group associated with Macy's. The former anchor building was sold to Target in 2008, demolished in the fall of that year, and replaced by a new Target store. That store opened on October 11, 2009. The redevelopment produced a new mass-market anchor while Macy's remained in the former Bamberger's building. A Target store had also operated nearby in a former Strawbridge's location since 1997, making Target a particularly prominent part of the local retail landscape. The mall's documented current anchor stores are Macy's and Target. Its present identity is that of a mid-sized regional shopping center serving the Philadelphia suburbs, with its competitive attributes based on anchor tenants, access to Baltimore Pike and Interstate 476, and SEPTA connectivity. The available material does not document a separate national loyalty program, major rebranding campaign, or broader chain of properties under the Springfield Mall name.
- 2009
Replacement Target opens
[1]A new Target store opened on October 11 after the former Strawbridge's building was demolished and redeveloped.
- 2006
Strawbridge's closes
[1]The Strawbridge's anchor closed following the sale of its parent company to the corporate group associated with Macy's.
- 2005
Ownership changes
[1]PREIT and Kravco Simon acquired Springfield Mall from Springfield Associates LP for $103.5 million.
- 1997
Hecht's becomes Strawbridge's
[1]The Hecht's anchor was converted to Strawbridge's.
- 1995
John Wanamaker closes and Hecht's arrives
[1]John Wanamaker closed, and the former anchor space reopened as Hecht's later the same year.
- 1986
Bamberger's becomes Macy's
[1]The Bamberger's anchor was converted to Macy's.
- 1985
Mall shooting
[1]A shooting on October 30 killed three people and injured seven before the attacker was disarmed by shoppers.
- 1974
Springfield Mall opens
[1]Springfield Mall opened on September 19 under Springfield Associates, with Bamberger's and John Wanamaker as its original anchor stores.
Products and positioning
A transit-accessible regional shopping mall serving suburban Philadelphia, combining department-store and mass-market anchors with smaller retail, dining, and service tenants.
Department store anchor · 1986
Macy's
Macy's occupies the former Bamberger's anchor location and has served as one of Springfield Mall's principal department-store anchors since 1986. Its role is to provide broad apparel, accessories, beauty, home, and general department-store merchandise within the regional shopping-center format.
Mass-market anchor store · 2009
Target
Target became the replacement occupant of the former Strawbridge's anchor site. The original building was demolished after the property was sold to Target, and a new store opened on October 11, 2009. It supplies general merchandise and mass-market retail alongside Macy's.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2008
Replacement of the Strawbridge's anchor with TargetGeneration changeBackground
Strawbridge's had closed in 2006, leaving a major department-store anchor building available for redevelopment.
Action taken
The former Strawbridge's building was sold to Target, demolished in fall 2008, and replaced with a new Target store.
Aftermath
The replacement Target opened on October 11, 2009, and became one of the mall's current anchor stores.
2005
Acquisition by PREIT and Kravco SimonM&ABackground
Springfield Associates LP sold the regional mall after more than three decades of operation.
Action taken
PREIT and Kravco Simon acquired the property for $103.5 million.
Aftermath
The property came under joint ownership associated with Simon Property Group and PREIT and was managed by Spinoso Real Estate Group.
Acquisition price. $103.5 million (2005 acquisition)
Sources2 sources
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