The Mall at Whitney Field

The Mall at Whitney Field is a regional shopping center in Leominster, Massachusetts, located near Route 2 and the junction with Interstate 190. It opened in 1967 as Searstown Mall and initially combined Sears with R. H. White and Grants City department stores, while a DeMoulas supermarket operated nearby with an exterior entrance. The property developed through several periods of expansion, tenant replacement, ownership changes, and repositioning as the retail environment in central Massachusetts evolved. The mall underwent a substantial expansion in 1987–1988. The former R. H. White space was incorporated into a longer retail wing, which helped accommodate a new JCPenney store. During the 1990s and early 2000s, the center experienced repeated anchor and large-format tenant changes. Sage-Allen was replaced by Service Merchandise, and after Service Merchandise failed, the wing was reconfigured for Old Navy and Circuit City. Bradlees also departed, leaving a former anchor site that was later demolished and converted into an altered entrance arrangement. Filene’s opened a substantial two-level store in 2002, adding another major department-store presence. A major renovation and repositioning program led to the adoption of the name The Mall at Whitney Field in 2004. The new identity was intended to broaden the center’s regional appeal, including to shoppers from the Interstate 495 area. The mall later became associated with a mix of department stores, apparel retailers, specialty stores, entertainment uses, and furniture or discount-oriented tenants rather than the more traditional department-store concentration of its earlier years. Walton Street Capital acquired the property in 2007 for a reported $82 million, with Jones Lang LaSalle continuing as manager. Circuit City’s closure created additional vacancy, and its former space was briefly occupied by Ultimate Electronics before that retailer also exited. In 2013, Vintage Real Estate acquired the mall and announced plans to renovate and reposition the struggling property. One of the resulting changes was a ten-year lease with Burlington Coat Factory for the former Circuit City space. Burlington opened in 2014, while Old Navy moved from an exterior-only location into an interior mall space with both interior and exterior access. The property faced further pressure as major national chains closed stores. Toys “R” Us shut its Whitney Field location following the chain’s 2018 bankruptcy-related liquidation. Its space was subsequently occupied by Gardner Outlet Furniture. Sears, one of the original anchors, closed in 2020, and Macy’s also announced and completed the closure of its store that year. Chuck E. Cheese, which had operated at the mall since 2005, permanently closed in June 2020. These departures left Burlington and JCPenney as the remaining anchor tenants identified in the available reference material. Hull Property Group acquired the mall on January 8, 2020. The new ownership pursued renovations and a turnaround strategy intended to make the property a stronger regional destination. Gardner Outlet Furniture later relocated to the first floor of the former Macy’s space, while Launch Entertainment opened in the former Gardner Outlet Furniture location in 2023. The mall remains an active retail property, although its history reflects the broader challenges facing enclosed shopping centers, including department-store contraction, retail bankruptcies, tenant turnover, and efforts to replace conventional anchors with furniture, entertainment, and value-oriented uses.

The Mall at Whitney Field opened in 1967 in Leominster, Massachusetts, under the name Searstown Mall. Its initial anchor lineup included Sears, R. H. White, and Grants City. A DeMoulas supermarket, the predecessor of Market Basket, operated next to Grants City with an outside entrance. R. H. White closed in 1980, creating a major opportunity for redevelopment. The property expanded substantially in 1987–1988. The former R. H. White structure was incorporated into a new long wing, which supported the arrival of JCPenney. The center continued to change as department stores and large-format retailers altered their operations. Sage-Allen left in 1992 and was replaced by Service Merchandise. After Service Merchandise closed in 1999, its former wing was reconfigured during the following year. Much of the space became an Old Navy store, while Circuit City occupied another portion. Bradlees departed in 2001. Its former site remained unused for a period before the building was demolished in 2002, and the former mall entrance was adapted as an exterior access point. That year, Filene’s opened a large two-level store nearby. The mall later pursued a broader regional repositioning designed to attract shoppers from the Interstate 495 area. Renovations accompanied a name change from Searstown Mall to The Mall at Whitney Field in 2004. Ownership changed several times during the mall’s later history. Walton Street Capital acquired the property in 2007 for a reported $82 million, while Jones Lang LaSalle continued to manage it. Circuit City eventually closed, and the vacant space was briefly occupied by Ultimate Electronics in 2010 before that chain also ceased operations. Steve & Barry’s was replaced by Jo-Ann Fabrics during the same period. Vintage Real Estate acquired the mall in 2013 with an announced plan to renovate and improve the property. The company initially took over management from JLL. A significant leasing result was Burlington Coat Factory’s agreement to occupy the former Circuit City space. Burlington opened in 2014, and Old Navy moved from a location with only an exterior entrance into a space inside the mall, retaining both interior and exterior access. JLL returned to mall management in 2018. The property subsequently experienced the loss of several nationally recognized tenants. Toys “R” Us closed in 2018 after its parent company’s bankruptcy-related liquidation, and Gardner Outlet Furniture later occupied the space. Sears announced a nationwide store-closure program in 2019 and closed its Whitney Field store in February 2020. Macy’s announced its own departure in January 2020 and closed in April. Chuck E. Cheese, which had been at the center since 2005, also closed permanently in June 2020. Hull Property Group purchased the mall on January 8, 2020. Its stated approach was to renovate and revive the property as a regional destination. Subsequent changes included Gardner Outlet Furniture’s relocation to the first floor of the former Macy’s space in 2022 and the opening of Launch Entertainment in the former Gardner Outlet Furniture location in 2023. The mall’s trajectory illustrates the transformation of a traditional department-store shopping center toward a more varied mix of value retail, furniture, specialty stores, and entertainment.

• 2023

  Launch Entertainment opens

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Launch Entertainment opens in the former Gardner Outlet Furniture location.

• 2022

  Gardner Outlet Furniture relocates

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Gardner Outlet Furniture moves to the first floor of the former Macy’s space.

• 2020

  Hull Property Group becomes owner

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Hull Property Group acquires the mall on January 8 and begins another effort to revitalize the property.

• 2018

  Toys “R” Us closes

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  The mall’s Toys “R” Us location closes during the chain’s nationwide liquidation.

• 2014

  Burlington opens

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Burlington opens in the former Circuit City space, while Old Navy relocates into the mall interior.

• 2013

  Vintage Real Estate acquires the property

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Vintage Real Estate buys the mall and announces a renovation and turnaround program.

• 2007

  Walton Street Capital acquires the mall

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Walton Street Capital purchases the property, with Jones Lang LaSalle continuing as manager.

• 2004

  The property is renamed The Mall at Whitney Field

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  A significant renovation and regional repositioning program accompanies the adoption of the current name.

• 2002

  Filene’s opens

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  A large two-level Filene’s store opens at the mall, while the former Bradlees site is demolished and its entrance is repurposed.

• 1992

  Sage-Allen is replaced

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Sage-Allen closes and its space is taken by Service Merchandise.

• 1987

  Major expansion begins

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  The mall undergoes a substantial expansion that continues through 1988 and creates a new long wing with JCPenney.

• 1980

  R. H. White closes

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  R. H. White leaves the mall, setting the stage for later expansion and redevelopment of its former space.

• 1967

  Searstown Mall opens

  [1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center opens in Leominster as Searstown Mall with Sears, R. H. White, and Grants City as anchor tenants.

Regional enclosed shopping center serving Leominster and surrounding communities in central Massachusetts, with a tenant mix spanning value retail, department-store merchandise, home furnishings, crafts, apparel, and family entertainment.

• Value department store · 2014

  Burlington

  Burlington is one of the mall’s remaining principal anchor tenants. Its presence reflects the center’s shift toward value-oriented apparel, home goods, and department-store merchandise after the departure of several traditional anchors. The store opened in 2014 in a former Circuit City location under a long-term lease arranged during Vintage Real Estate’s redevelopment effort.

• Department store · 1988

  JCPenney

  JCPenney became part of the mall’s expanded anchor lineup after the 1987–1988 redevelopment created a long wing from the former R. H. White building. It represents the continuing department-store component of the property after the closures of Sears and Macy’s.

• Arts and crafts retailer · 2010

  Jo-Ann Fabrics

  Jo-Ann Fabrics occupies a large-format retail role at the shopping center. It replaced Steve & Barry’s during the mall’s period of tenant turnover and contributes a craft, fabric, and home-project offering distinct from the property’s apparel and department-store anchors.

• Family entertainment · 2023

  Launch Entertainment

  Launch Entertainment opened in 2023 in space previously used by Gardner Outlet Furniture. Its arrival adds an entertainment-led use to the mall and supports the owner’s broader effort to diversify the property beyond conventional department-store retail.

• Furniture retailer · 2019

  Gardner Outlet Furniture

  Gardner Outlet Furniture replaced Toys “R” Us in 2019 and later relocated to the first floor of the former Macy’s space in 2022. The retailer represents the mall’s use of furniture and value-oriented formats to backfill space left by departing national chains.

• 2020

  Hull Property Group begins another revitalization effortStrategy

  Background

  Hull Property Group acquired the mall after the loss or planned loss of several major tenants, including Toys “R” Us, Sears, and Macy’s.

  Action taken

  The new owner pursued renovations intended to make the property a stronger regional focal point and diversify its tenant mix.

  Aftermath

  Later changes included Gardner Outlet Furniture’s relocation within the property and the opening of Launch Entertainment in 2023.

  Source

• 2013

  Vintage Real Estate launches a turnaround programStrategy

  Background

  Vintage Real Estate acquired the mall during a period of declining traffic, vacant large-format space, and significant tenant turnover.

  Action taken

  The owner announced renovation plans, changed management arrangements, and pursued replacement tenants for vacant spaces.

  Aftermath

  Burlington signed a ten-year lease and opened in 2014, while Old Navy moved into an interior location. Jones Lang LaSalle later returned as manager in 2018.

  Source

• 2004

  Rename and reposition the shopping centerStrategy

  Background

  The former Searstown Mall sought to broaden its regional appeal and attract shoppers from the Interstate 495 area through a significant renovation.

  Action taken

  The property adopted the name The Mall at Whitney Field as part of the repositioning program.

  Aftermath

  The new identity became the mall’s continuing public name, although the property later faced further anchor departures and ownership-led turnaround efforts.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch Entertainment opens at The Mall at Whitney Field[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Launch Entertainment opened in the space previously occupied by Gardner Outlet Furniture, adding a family entertainment use to the mall’s post-department-store tenant mix.

• 2020

  Hull Property Group acquires The Mall at Whitney Field[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Hull Property Group purchased the shopping center and began a further effort to renovate and reposition it as a regional focal point.

• 2020

  Sears closes as an original anchor tenant[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  Sears announced the closure of the Whitney Field store as part of a nationwide round of store reductions. The location closed in February 2020.

• 2020

  Macy’s exits The Mall at Whitney Field[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Macy’s announced in January 2020 that it would close its store at the mall, with the closure completed in April. The departure left Burlington and JCPenney as the remaining anchors identified in the reference material.

• 2020

  Chuck E. Cheese permanently closes at the mall[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Chuck E. Cheese location, which had operated at the property since 2005, closed permanently in June 2020.

• 2018

  Toys “R” Us closes its Whitney Field location[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  The mall’s Toys “R” Us store closed during the retailer’s nationwide liquidation following its bankruptcy proceedings. Gardner Outlet Furniture later occupied the location.

• 2013

  Vintage Real Estate acquires The Mall at Whitney Field and announces repositioning plans[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Vintage Real Estate purchased the struggling shopping center and announced plans to renovate and improve its tenant mix. The company also assumed property management from Jones Lang LaSalle at the time.

• 2013

  Burlington signs a long-term lease for a former Circuit City space[1]The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  As part of the redevelopment effort, Burlington agreed to occupy the long-vacant former Circuit City location. The store opened in 2014, and Old Navy was moved into an interior mall space.

1. 1The Mall at Whitney Fielden.wikipedia.org