The Orchards Mall
The Orchards Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Benton Charter Township, Michigan, near Benton Harbor.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The Orchards Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Benton Charter Township, Michigan, just outside Benton Harbor and near Interstate 94. The property was developed as part of a broader retail district along Pipestone Road and opened in 1979 with JCPenney and Sears as its principal anchor stores. Its early tenant mix also included Walgreens and York Steak House, while a nearby Meijer and later Lowe's helped establish the surrounding area as a regional shopping destination. The mall expanded its anchor lineup in 1992 when Elder-Beerman opened a department store. Its operating structure changed over time: General Growth Properties assumed management in 1999, and the property was sold to Sequoia Investments in 2002. During the early 2000s, the center added smaller retailers and food-service businesses, including Bath & Body Works, Subway, a Chinese restaurant, Doctor ZZZZ'Z Mattress Center, and other replacement tenants for spaces vacated by older businesses. These changes reflected the mall's continuing effort to maintain occupancy as traditional department-store and specialty-retail formats weakened. The Orchards Mall entered a prolonged decline during the late 2000s and 2010s. Sears closed its full-line location in 2009, although a smaller Sears Hometown store later opened in former retail space in 2012. Elder-Beerman was converted to a Carson's store in 2011, but Carson's closed in 2018 as part of the Bon-Ton company's national store-closure program. JCPenney, the mall's other original major anchor, announced its closure in 2019 and shut its store that July. Other national tenants, including Rainbow Shops, Bath & Body Works, Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Sears Hometown, also departed or relocated. Ownership and management were also unsettled. Kohan Retail Investment Group acquired the mall on December 9, 2014, but the property was sold to Durga LLC on November 30, 2018. Bedi & Associates LLC took over management in June 2020. In June 2018, unpaid water bills led to the mall's water supply being cut off and its occupancy authorization being temporarily revoked; the mall closed for one day before reopening, with JCPenney remaining open during the disruption. By December 2022, only a small number of businesses were reported in the mall, including Doctor ZZZZ'Z, Open Box Outlet, and a United States Postal Service branch. Many storefronts had reportedly been vacant for more than a decade. Doctor ZZZZ'Z announced its closure in January 2024, with a December 2022 water-main burst cited as one factor. Open Box Outlet appeared to have abandoned its space by July 2024, although no formal closure announcement was identified. The USPS operation, which had temporarily closed in 2023, was approved in 2025 for relocation to a separate building within the broader Orchards Mall and Fairplain Plaza retail complex. The deteriorating property has also faced unusual maintenance issues, including a growing gull nuisance. A bird-deterrent system was installed in summer 2023, and tests were reportedly being conducted in 2024 on gulls that had died. Local discussions in 2023 referred to possible redevelopment, but no completed redevelopment or official demolition announcement had been documented in the supplied material. The mall was reportedly offered for sale again in 2026 and had not officially announced a permanent closure by that time. Its current operating status and tenant occupancy therefore remain uncertain.
History
The Orchards Mall originated in a proposed 1970s development near Pipestone Road in Benton Harbor Township. The Meyer C. Weiner Company initially proposed a shopping center called Pipestone Mall in 1974. Hudson's was rumored as a possible anchor by March 1976, while Westcor acquired the development land in August of that year. The planned mall formed part of a larger retail project near Interstate 94 that also included an open-air shopping strip anchored by Kmart. By 1977, Sears and JCPenney had been confirmed as department-store anchors, and negotiations were reportedly underway with Carson Pirie Scott for another anchor position. Westcor built the enclosed center, which opened in 1979 as Orchards Mall. Early major tenants included Sears, JCPenney, Walgreens, and York Steak House. The surrounding retail district expanded soon afterward: Meijer opened outside the mall on June 24, 1980, and Lowe's Home Improvement opened nearby in November 1994. The mall added Elder-Beerman as a third anchor in 1992. Walgreens left during the mid-1990s, and its former space remained vacant for years before being filled by Jo-Ann Fabrics in the late 2000s. Other changes included the closure of the Ponderosa restaurant in 1997 and the later conversion of its space to an Italian restaurant in 2007. A former Subway unit also became a local restaurant in 2007. General Growth Properties began managing the property in 1999. In 2000, the center added stores such as Bath & Body Works and remodeled locations including Casual Corner and Finish Line. Benton Township approved a $111,000 tax reduction intended to encourage new businesses. General Growth sold the mall to Sequoia Investments in 2002. During that ownership period, additional tenants opened, including Subway and a Chinese restaurant in the food court. KB Toys, an original tenant, closed in 2004, and Doctor ZZZZ'Z Mattress Center opened next to the food court that same year. The property experienced a decisive decline after the late 2000s. Sears closed its full-size store on September 18, 2009, and the building remained vacant until Overflow Church purchased it in 2012 with plans to occupy it. A smaller Sears Hometown store returned to the mall in 2012, using space formerly occupied by an FYE music retailer. The former Sears Auto Center on an outparcel also reopened as a local auto-repair business. Elder-Beerman was converted into Carson's in 2011, but Carson's later closed during the Bon-Ton company's national contraction. The mall was marketed for sale in 2014 and acquired by Kohan Retail Investment Group on December 9 of that year. A 2016 account listed only 26 tenants. In June 2018, the property faced a major operational disruption when its water service was cut off over unpaid water bills. The mall's occupancy authorization was revoked temporarily, causing a one-day closure, although JCPenney remained open. The mall reopened the following day. Durga LLC acquired the property on November 30, 2018, and Bedi & Associates LLC assumed management in June 2020. Anchor losses continued. Carson's was included in a January 2018 Bon-Ton closure plan and shut in April 2018. JCPenney announced its own closure on March 4, 2019, and ended operations at the mall on July 5. Rainbow Shops, one of the remaining national tenants, also departed. Bath & Body Works relocated to Fairplain Plaza in August 2020. Jo-Ann Fabrics announced its departure in November 2021 and opened in a nearby location in July 2022. By late 2022, the mall reportedly had only Doctor ZZZZ'Z, Open Box Outlet, and a USPS branch among its remaining businesses. Many units had been empty for at least a decade. Doctor ZZZZ'Z announced its closure in January 2024, partly citing conditions associated with a December 2022 water-main burst. Open Box Outlet appeared abandoned in a July 2024 video, although no formal closure announcement was identified. The USPS branch temporarily closed in 2023 and was approved in March 2025 for relocation to a separate building within the surrounding retail complex. The nearly vacant mall also developed a gull problem. A bird deterrent was installed in summer 2023, and testing was reportedly undertaken in 2024 to investigate the deaths of gulls in the area. Local officials and the owner discussed redevelopment in April 2023, but the supplied sources do not establish that a redevelopment project had been completed. The property was reportedly offered for sale again in 2026, and despite its deterioration, no official permanent closure or demolition announcement had been identified.
- 2026
Property offered for sale again
[1]The mall was reportedly listed for sale again, without an identified official permanent closure announcement.
- 2025
USPS relocation approved
[1]The USPS branch received approval to move to another building within the broader retail complex.
- 2023
Redevelopment discussions reported
[1]An April meeting between the owner and local officials indicated that redevelopment was being considered.
- 2022
Jo-Ann Fabrics relocates
[1]The former mall tenant opened in a nearby location in late July.
- 2020
Bedi & Associates assumes management
[1]Bedi & Associates LLC took over management in June.
- 2019
JCPenney closes
[1]The remaining original department-store anchor closed on July 5.
- 2018
Water-service and occupancy crisis
[1]Unpaid water bills led to a temporary service cutoff and one-day mall closure.
- 2018
Durga LLC becomes owner
[1]Durga LLC acquired the mall on November 30.
- 2014
Kohan Retail Investment Group purchases the property
[1]Kohan Retail Investment Group bought the mall on December 9.
- 2012
Sears Hometown returns
[1]A smaller Sears Hometown store opened in space previously occupied by FYE.
Products and positioning
A community and regional enclosed shopping mall serving Benton Charter Township and the Benton Harbor area. Historically positioned as a conventional department-store-anchored shopping center, it later became a severely underoccupied property associated with long-term retail decline and possible redevelopment.
Retail property · 1979
Enclosed shopping center
The Orchards Mall's principal offering is an enclosed retail environment containing storefronts, interior common areas, former department-store anchor spaces, and food-service units. It historically served as a conventional regional mall for Benton Charter Township and nearby Benton Harbor, but prolonged tenant departures have left much of the interior vacant.
Department-store retail · 1979
Department-store anchor spaces
The mall was originally anchored by Sears and JCPenney, later adding Elder-Beerman. Elder-Beerman was converted to Carson's, while Sears later returned in a smaller Sears Hometown format. All of these department-store operations subsequently closed or departed, leaving substantial former-anchor space.
Specialty retail · 1979
Specialty retail and services
Over its history, the center housed specialty retailers such as Bath & Body Works, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Rainbow Shops, FYE, KB Toys, Walgreens, and Doctor ZZZZ'Z Mattress Center. Later occupancy was dominated by local or discount-oriented businesses, including Open Box Outlet, along with a USPS branch.
Controversies
2018
Water-bill and occupancy dispute
The mall's water service was cut off because of outstanding water bills, and its occupancy authorization was temporarily revoked. The resulting closure lasted one day before the mall reopened. The event was an operational and regulatory dispute rather than a confirmed criminal scandal.
Brand decisions
2025
Relocate the USPS branch within the retail complexStrategyBackground
The USPS branch had temporarily closed in 2023 while the mall's occupancy and facilities deteriorated.
Action taken
A March press release stated that relocation to a separate building within the Orchards Mall and Fairplain Plaza complex had been approved.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not specify the completed opening date of the relocated branch.
2023
Consider redevelopment of the propertyStrategyBackground
The mall had become severely underoccupied, with many storefronts vacant for years.
Action taken
The owner met with local officials in April to discuss redevelopment possibilities.
Aftermath
The supplied material does not confirm that a redevelopment project was completed.
2018
Durga LLC acquires the propertyM&ABackground
The mall had lost or was preparing to lose major tenants and had experienced a water-service disruption.
Action taken
Durga LLC purchased the mall on November 30.
Aftermath
Bedi & Associates LLC assumed management in 2020, while occupancy continued to decline.
2014
Kohan Retail Investment Group acquires the mallM&ABackground
The property was put up for sale amid declining occupancy and anchor-store pressure.
Action taken
Kohan Retail Investment Group purchased the mall on December 9.
Aftermath
The property was later sold to Durga LLC in 2018.
2012
Reintroduce Sears in a smaller formatStrategyBackground
The full-line Sears store had closed in 2009, leaving a major vacant space.
Action taken
A Sears Hometown store opened in space previously occupied by FYE and focused on appliances and household hardware.
Aftermath
The smaller Sears Hometown operation closed in July 2017.
1992
Add Elder-Beerman as a third anchorStrategyBackground
The mall sought to broaden its department-store offer beyond its original Sears and JCPenney anchors.
Action taken
Elder-Beerman opened a third anchor store at the center.
Aftermath
The anchor was later converted to Carson's and ultimately closed in 2018.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/the-orchards-mall · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled