The Shoppes at Solana
The Shoppes at Solana is a super-regional enclosed shopping mall in west El Paso, Texas, formerly known as Sunland Park Mall.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Shoppes at Solana is a super-regional enclosed shopping mall in west El Paso, Texas. The property opened to the public on August 31, 1988, after construction was completed that year, and occupies a prominent location at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Sunland Park Drive. Its position near the Texas–New Mexico state line and approximately four miles from the Mexican border gives it a cross-border and regional customer base in addition to serving residents of El Paso. The mall is also about one mile from Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino in Sunland Park, New Mexico. The property has approximately 918,475 square feet of gross leasable area and contains two enclosed retail levels. It is classified as a super-regional mall by the International Council of Shopping Centers. The center has historically operated with a mixture of department-store anchors, specialty retailers, restaurants, services, entertainment concepts, and locally distinctive tenants. At the time covered by the available reference material, it had more than 130 specialty stores and five anchor locations operating under four brand names. Dillard's has been an anchor since the mall opened, while other large spaces have changed occupants repeatedly as department-store and specialty-retail formats evolved. The mall's anchor history reflects broader changes in American retailing. The Popular Dry Goods opened with the center in 1988 and later closed in 1995. Mervyn's also opened in 1988 and closed in 2008. JCPenney operated at the mall from 1991 until 2004, and Montgomery Ward opened in 1992 before closing in 1999. Sears opened in 1996 and exited in early 2019 following a corporate store-closing plan. Foley's arrived in 2004 and became Macy's in 2006; Macy's subsequently closed its location in 2017. Forever 21 occupied a former Mervyn's space from 2009 until 2018. Dillard's Men, which opened in 2000, was consolidated into the main Dillard's operation in 2022. Conn's later occupied the former Sears space but closed in 2024 amid the retailer's bankruptcy. The property also underwent a change in ownership and identity. In July 2023, Enoch Kimmelman, president and chief executive of Starr Western Wear, acquired the mall. Following the transaction, the property was renamed The Shoppes at Solana, and its website and domain identity were changed to reflect the new name in August 2023. Starr Western Wear became an important anchor presence, moving into the former Macy's space after Macy's closed. Other current or recently introduced concepts include TruFit Athletic Club in the former Sears area, Sun City Kitty, and Monkey Rock Family Entertainment Center, which was announced for part of the former Sears space. A notable cultural feature in the mall's history was a Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ. The instrument had originally been located in El Paso's Plaza Theatre and was installed at the mall while the theater underwent renovation. After the Plaza Theatre reopened in 2006, the organ was returned there. The mall's current identity combines conventional regional shopping-center functions with entertainment, fitness, family activities, and locally oriented retail uses.
History
The shopping center now known as The Shoppes at Solana was developed in west El Paso and completed in 1988. It opened on August 31 of that year at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Sunland Park Drive, a location that places it within the commercial corridor serving west El Paso while also making it accessible to communities in Southern New Mexico and visitors from across the nearby Mexican border. The mall is close to Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino, which lies across the state line in New Mexico. The property was designed as a large enclosed regional shopping center. It has approximately 918,475 square feet of gross leasable area distributed across two levels and has been classified as a super-regional mall by the International Council of Shopping Centers. More than 130 specialty stores have operated alongside its anchor tenants. The center's early anchor roster included Dillard's and The Popular Dry Goods, while Mervyn's also opened in 1988. Over time, the anchor lineup changed in response to department-store consolidation, retail bankruptcies, and shifts in consumer demand. The Popular Dry Goods closed in 1995, and Montgomery Ward, which had opened in 1992, closed in 1999. Dillard's expanded its presence with a men's store in 2000. JCPenney operated at the mall from 1991 until 2004, when Foley's took over the relevant space. Foley's became Macy's in 2006. Mervyn's closed in 2008, and its former space was later used by Forever 21, which opened there in 2009 and closed in 2018. Macy's shut its store in 2017. Starr Western Wear subsequently moved into the former Macy's location and became one of the property's most distinctive large-format tenants. Sears opened at the mall in 1996 but announced in November 2018 that it would close in early 2019 as part of a broader plan to close 40 stores. The former Sears space was later associated with other uses, including TruFit Athletic Club and the planned Monkey Rock Family Entertainment Center. Conn's occupied the former Sears area for a period before closing in 2024 following the company's bankruptcy. Dillard's Men was ultimately consolidated into the main Dillard's operation in 2022. The mall has also had a cultural role beyond retail. During renovation of El Paso's Plaza Theatre, a Mighty Wurlitzer theater organ that had originally been installed there was returned to the region from a Dallas collector and placed at the mall. When the Plaza Theatre reopened in 2006, the organ was returned to its original venue. A major ownership and branding transition occurred in 2023. Enoch Kimmelman, president and chief executive of Starr Western Wear, acquired the mall in July. The property was then renamed The Shoppes at Solana, with its website and domain identity updated in August. The rebranding marked a shift away from the long-standing Sunland Park Mall name while retaining the center's role as a major enclosed shopping destination in the El Paso border region. The current tenant strategy, as reflected in the available material, includes traditional retail together with western wear, fitness, family entertainment, and other service-oriented uses.
- 2024
Conn's closes
[1]Conn's closed its location after the retailer's bankruptcy.
- 2023
Ownership and name change
[1]Enoch Kimmelman acquired the property in July, after which it was renamed The Shoppes at Solana.
- 2022
Dillard's Men is consolidated
[1]The separate Dillard's Men operation was consolidated into the main Dillard's women's and general merchandise location.
- 2019
Sears closes
[1]Sears closed its mall location in early 2019 after announcing the closure in the previous year.
- 2018
Forever 21 closes
[1]Forever 21 exited the property.
- 2017
Macy's closes
[1]Macy's ended operations at the mall.
- 2009
Forever 21 opens
[1]Forever 21 opened in a former Mervyn's anchor space.
- 2006
Foley's becomes Macy's
[1]The Foley's location was converted to a Macy's store.
- 2004
Foley's replaces JCPenney
[1]Foley's opened in the former JCPenney space.
- 2000
Dillard's Men opens
[1]A separate Dillard's men's store opened and operated until its later consolidation into the main Dillard's location.
Products and positioning
A super-regional enclosed shopping and entertainment center serving west El Paso, the wider border region, Southern New Mexico, and customers from Northern Mexico. Its tenant mix combines national retail, department-store merchandise, western wear, fitness, family entertainment, and specialty shopping.
Department store · 1988
Dillard's
Dillard's has been an anchor at the property since the mall opened in 1988. It provides department-store merchandise across apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, home goods, and related categories. The former separate Dillard's Men operation, opened in 2000, was consolidated into the main Dillard's operation in 2022.
Western apparel and footwear · 2018
Starr Western Wear
Starr Western Wear occupies the former Macy's anchor space and represents a locally connected western-wear retail concept within the mall. Its presence became especially significant after the 2023 acquisition of the property by Enoch Kimmelman, the company's president and chief executive.
Fitness center
TruFit Athletic Club
TruFit Athletic Club uses space associated with the former Sears anchor. It broadens the center's offer beyond conventional shopping by providing membership-based fitness and athletic services.
Entertainment · 2022
Sun City Kitty
Sun City Kitty is an entertainment-oriented tenant that opened at the property in 2022, contributing to the mall's family and leisure offering.
Family entertainment · 2022
Monkey Rock Family Entertainment Center
Monkey Rock Family Entertainment Center was announced for a portion of the former Sears space, with an opening planned for approximately April or May 2022. The concept reflects the property's use of former department-store space for experiential and family-focused activities.
Brand decisions
2023
Acquisition by Enoch KimmelmanM&ABackground
The mall was sold in July 2023 to Enoch Kimmelman, president and chief executive of Starr Western Wear.
Action taken
Kimmelman acquired the property and subsequently changed its name from Sunland Park Mall to The Shoppes at Solana.
Aftermath
The property adopted a new brand identity, and its website and domain name were updated to match the new name in August 2023.
2019
Reuse of the former Sears spaceOtherBackground
Sears announced in 2018 that its location would close as part of a broader store-closure program, and the store closed in early 2019.
Action taken
Former Sears space was subsequently allocated to uses including TruFit Athletic Club and the planned Monkey Rock Family Entertainment Center.
Aftermath
The changes shifted part of the mall's large-format space from department-store retail toward fitness and family entertainment.
Recent events
- 2024
Conn's closes following bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Conn's, which had occupied the former Sears space, closed after the retailer entered bankruptcy proceedings.
- 2023
The mall is sold and renamed The Shoppes at Solana[1]
M&A · Leadership change · Other
Enoch Kimmelman acquired the property in July 2023, and the former Sunland Park Mall was renamed The Shoppes at Solana. Its web identity was updated in August.
- 2018
Forever 21 exits the mall[1]
Other
Forever 21 closed its location at the property after operating in a former Mervyn's anchor space.
- 2018
Sears announces closure of its Sunland Park Mall store[1]
Other
Sears announced that the mall location would close in early 2019 as part of a corporate plan to close 40 stores.
- 2017
Macy's closes its Sunland Park Mall location[1]
Other
Macy's closed its store at the mall, leaving its former anchor space available for a later replacement.
Sources1 sources
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