The Mall at Robinson

The Mall at Robinson is a super-regional enclosed shopping mall in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is positioned within the western Pittsburgh retail corridor, immediately off the Parkway West, Interstate 376, and Pennsylvania Route 60. The property is approximately five minutes east of Pittsburgh International Airport and about 15 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, giving it access to both local residents and airport- and highway-oriented traffic. The mall opened in October 2001 and contains approximately 872,000 square feet, or about 81,000 square meters, of retail space on more than 200 acres. Its development formed part of the broader commercial expansion of Robinson Township and the western suburbs of Pittsburgh. The mall is adjacent to Robinson Town Centre, another major retail destination, and is part of a competitive retail cluster that also includes Settlers Ridge and The Pointe at North Fayette in neighboring North Fayette Township. The property had an operating predecessor before the main mall opened. A freestanding Kaufmann's department store was constructed in 1998 and operated as the site's only store for several years. When the full mall opened in 2001, the Kaufmann's building became one of its principal department-store anchors. Following the national transition of Kaufmann's stores to the Macy's brand, the Robinson location was converted to Macy's in 2006. The mall's anchor configuration has historically included Macy's, JCPenney, Sears, and Dick's Sporting Goods. Macy's occupies the northernmost anchor position, while the former Sears store was located at the southern end of the complex. Dick's Sporting Goods is positioned in the southeast portion of the property, and JCPenney occupies the west side of the two-level mall. Sears closed in September 2018 after its parent company announced the closure of 72 stores nationwide, leaving a significant former-anchor space within the complex. The center contains approximately 90 stores and includes a mix of apparel, specialty retail, youth-oriented fashion, beauty, accessories, and service-oriented tenants. Examples reported for the mall include American Eagle Outfitters, Carter's, FYE, Hot Topic, LOFT, rue21, Victoria's Secret, White House Black Market, and Zumiez. Its second-floor food court contains approximately six eateries and is located near the former Sears anchor. The Mall at Robinson is owned and managed by Kohan Retail Investment Group, a privately held retail-property owner and operator based in Great Neck, New York. As a shopping-center brand, it does not operate as a chain of consumer products; its offering is the physical retail, dining, convenience, and entertainment environment provided through its tenant mix and anchor stores. Its importance is primarily regional, connecting western Pittsburgh communities with national department stores, specialty retailers, restaurants, and nearby large-format shopping areas.

The Mall at Robinson developed during the expansion of Robinson Township into one of the principal retail and commercial areas west of Pittsburgh. Its location beside the Parkway West, Interstate 376, and Pennsylvania Route 60 provided a strong transportation connection to Pittsburgh International Airport, downtown Pittsburgh, and suburban communities in Allegheny County. The site also benefited from the concentration of other retail projects in the surrounding area, creating a larger destination for comparison shopping and everyday commercial activity. The first major retail component on the property was a freestanding Kaufmann's department store, constructed in 1998. For several years, this department store stood alone on the site, serving as an early anchor for the planned commercial development. The remainder of the enclosed shopping complex opened in October 2001. At completion, the center contained approximately 872,000 square feet of retail space and occupied more than 200 acres, making it a substantial suburban shopping destination rather than a small neighborhood center. The completed mall was organized around several major department-store and specialty-retail anchors. Its principal anchor lineup included Kaufmann's, JCPenney, Sears, and Dick's Sporting Goods. The mall's internal configuration placed Macy's, originally the Kaufmann's location, at the northern end; the former Sears store at the southern end; Dick's Sporting Goods in the southeast corner; and JCPenney along the west side of the two-floor complex. This arrangement supported a broad tenant mix of national apparel, accessories, youth-fashion, children's, entertainment, and specialty retailers. A major brand transition occurred in 2006, when the Kaufmann's department-store operation became Macy's. The change reflected the wider conversion of Kaufmann's stores to the Macy's banner and gave the mall a nationally recognized department-store anchor. The center continued to operate as part of the larger Robinson retail district, adjacent to Robinson Town Centre and within reach of Settlers Ridge and The Pointe at North Fayette. The mall later experienced the effects of department-store contraction in the United States. On May 31, 2018, Sears was identified for closure under a national plan involving 72 stores. The Robinson Township Sears store closed in September 2018. The closure changed the mall's long-established anchor profile and left the property with Macy's, JCPenney, and Dick's Sporting Goods as the principal anchors identified in available descriptions. The Mall at Robinson has been owned and managed by Kohan Retail Investment Group. Its reported tenant base has included approximately 90 stores, with examples such as American Eagle Outfitters, Carter's, FYE, Hot Topic, LOFT, rue21, Victoria's Secret, White House Black Market, and Zumiez. A second-floor food court with roughly six eateries provides a dining component near the former Sears area. The mall therefore functions as a regional retail and dining destination whose identity is tied to location, accessibility, anchor stores, and its relationship to the wider western Pittsburgh commercial corridor.

• 2018

  Sears closes

  [1]The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org

  Sears announced the closure of the Robinson location on May 31 as part of a national 72-store closure plan; the store shut in September.

• 2006

  Kaufmann's becomes Macy's

  [1]The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org

  The Kaufmann's department store was converted to the Macy's brand as part of the broader Kaufmann's-to-Macy's transition.

• 2001

  The enclosed mall opens

  [1]The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org

  The Mall at Robinson opened in October with approximately 872,000 square feet of retail space on more than 200 acres.

• 1998

  Kaufmann's freestanding department store opens

  [1]The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org

  A freestanding Kaufmann's department store opened on the future mall property and operated as the site's only store before the enclosed shopping center was completed.

A highway-accessible, super-regional enclosed shopping mall serving Robinson Township, western Pittsburgh, airport-area visitors, and surrounding suburban communities.

• Department stores

  Department-store retail

  The mall's department-store offer has included Macy's and JCPenney, providing broad merchandise categories such as apparel, accessories, household goods, seasonal products, and other general retail goods. Sears formerly occupied the southern anchor position before closing in 2018.

• Apparel and specialty retail

  Specialty fashion and accessories

  The specialty-retail mix has included brands such as American Eagle Outfitters, Hot Topic, LOFT, rue21, Victoria's Secret, White House Black Market, and Zumiez. Together these stores provide apparel, accessories, youth fashion, casualwear, and related lifestyle merchandise.

• Sporting goods

  Sporting goods

  Dick's Sporting Goods serves as a major anchor in the southeast portion of the complex, offering sporting equipment, athletic apparel, footwear, and outdoor-related merchandise.

• Dining

  Food court

  The second-floor food court contains approximately six eateries and is positioned near the former Sears anchor. It complements the mall's shopping offer with convenient quick-service dining.

• 2018

  Sears anchor closureStrategy

  Background

  Sears announced a nationwide program to close 72 stores amid the retailer's contraction.

  Action taken

  The Sears store at The Mall at Robinson closed in September 2018.

  Aftermath

  The closure removed the mall's southernmost department-store anchor and left a former anchor space in the complex.

  Source

• 2006

  Conversion of Kaufmann's to Macy'sStrategy

  Background

  The mall's original freestanding Kaufmann's department store was affected by the broader corporate integration of Kaufmann's stores into the Macy's banner.

  Action taken

  The Robinson Township Kaufmann's store was rebranded as Macy's.

  Aftermath

  Macy's became the northern department-store anchor identified for the mall.

  Source

• 2018

  Sears at The Mall at Robinson announced for closure[1]The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy

  Sears announced that its store at The Mall at Robinson would close as part of a nationwide plan to shut 72 stores. The location closed in September 2018.

1. 1The Mall at Robinsonen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Mall at Robinson official websiteshoprobinsonmall.com