The Pen Centre
The Pen Centre is a major enclosed shopping mall in St. Catharines, Ontario, and the largest shopping centre in the Niagara Region.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Pen Centre is a large enclosed shopping mall in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Located beside Highway 406, it serves the Niagara Region and is one of the area's principal retail, dining, entertainment, and service destinations. The property originated as the Niagara Peninsula Shopping Centre, a single-level open-air retail complex built in 1957 and opened in 1958. Its initial configuration included Loblaws and approximately 50 retail stores. The centre expanded in 1966 with the addition of Simpsons-Sears and about 80 further stores, making it one of Canada's largest shopping centres at the time. The mall initially operated as an open strip centre, with landscaped pedestrian routes between stores. In 1975, it was enclosed and climate-controlled in a project reported to have cost approximately C$2 million. Enclosure allowed the centre to operate as a year-round destination and established the physical format associated with The Pen Centre today. The complex subsequently grew to more than one million square feet of floor space and more than 180 stores, with a mixture of department stores, supermarkets, specialty retailers, large-format tenants, restaurants, services, and entertainment uses. Entertainment became a more visible part of the centre's offer in 1997, when Famous Players opened an eight-screen SilverCity multiplex on November 7. The cinema operation later became part of Landmark Cinemas. The mall's retail mix has also changed as Canadian department-store and discount-store markets shifted. A Target store was announced for the former Zellers premises in 2013, but Target exited Canada and closed the location in April 2015. The space was subsequently sold to Walmart, which undertook a major redevelopment beginning in 2018 and opened its new store on August 22, 2019. The Pen Centre underwent a substantial common-area renovation from 2011 to 2012. The approximately C$13 million project included new skylights totaling about 3,600 square feet, a redesigned food court, and updated flooring and ceiling treatments. These improvements modernized the enclosed public areas while retaining the centre's role as a regional shopping destination. Further changes followed the collapse of Sears Canada. The Pen Centre's Sears store closed in January 2018 along with the company's other Canadian stores. The former Sears premises were divided and renovated for large-format and educational uses. Sport Chek relocated within the mall and opened in summer 2020, Mark's opened in early 2021, and Trillium College began operating in part of the former space in November 2020. The redevelopment also created additional smaller retail units, although some planned or residual space remained vacant amid the difficult retail environment and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, The Pen Centre remains an active regional shopping complex rather than a single-product brand. Its positioning is based on breadth of tenant choice, accessibility, large-format anchors, everyday shopping, dining, personal services, and entertainment. Its history reflects the broader evolution of Canadian retail property: from an open-air postwar centre, to an enclosed climate-controlled mall, and later to a mixed-use regional destination adapting to department-store closures, discount-retail turnover, format changes, and changing consumer behavior.
History
The Pen Centre traces its origins to a postwar retail development in St. Catharines, Ontario. Construction began in 1957 on what was initially called the Niagara Peninsula Shopping Centre. The first phase was an open-air, single-level strip centre anchored by Loblaws and containing about 50 stores. It opened to shoppers in 1958 and established a substantial retail node in the Niagara Region. The centre expanded in 1966 with the addition of Simpsons-Sears and approximately 80 new stores. This enlargement significantly increased the property's regional importance and reportedly made it the fourth-largest shopping centre in Canada at the time. Despite its size, the complex remained an outdoor strip mall, with landscaped walkways separating its retail blocks. A major physical transformation took place by September 1975, when the open-air centre was enclosed and converted into a climate-controlled shopping mall. The project reportedly cost about C$2 million. Enclosure represented an important change in the centre's operating model: shoppers could move through a continuous indoor environment throughout the year, and the property could support a more conventional Canadian enclosed-mall tenant mix. Over time, The Pen Centre developed into a large regional complex beside Highway 406. Its reported scale grew to more than one million square feet, with over 180 stores, department-store and supermarket uses, large-format tenants, restaurants, and other services. The centre also added entertainment facilities. On November 7, 1997, Famous Players opened an eight-screen SilverCity multiplex at the property. The cinema later operated under Landmark Cinemas, adding a leisure component to the mall's retail offer. The property entered a modernization phase in 2011. A common-area renovation valued at approximately C$13 million was carried out over 2011 and 2012. The work included roughly 3,600 square feet of new skylights, a new food court, and updated floor and ceiling finishes. Rather than changing the centre's basic regional-mall identity, the project refreshed public areas and supported continued use by a broad range of retail and service tenants. Tenant turnover in the 2010s illustrated the volatility of Canadian department-store and discount retail. Target announced in 2013 that it would open at the former Zellers location. Target's Canadian operation closed all of its stores in April 2015, however, and the Pen Centre premises were subsequently sold to Walmart. Walmart began construction on a substantially revamped building in February 2018 and opened the replacement store on August 22, 2019. The next major vacancy resulted from Sears Canada's failure. Sears closed its Pen Centre store in January 2018 along with its other Canadian locations. The large former Sears space was then planned for subdivision and reuse. Sport Chek relocated from another part of the mall and opened in summer 2020; Mark's opened in early 2021; and Trillium College opened in the basement portion in November 2020. The redevelopment also provided smaller retail spaces, although the COVID-19 pandemic and broader retail conditions left some of the remaining areas vacant. The Pen Centre's development therefore follows several stages: an open-air local and regional shopping centre in the late 1950s, a major expansion in the 1960s, enclosure in the 1970s, the addition of multiplex entertainment in the 1990s, common-area modernization in the early 2010s, and anchor replacement and space repurposing in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Its continuing role is that of a diversified regional shopping destination serving St. Catharines and surrounding Niagara communities.
- 2021
Mark's opens in former Sears space
[1]Mark's opens in the redeveloped former Sears premises.
- 2020
Former Sears space begins reuse
[1]Sport Chek opens in a relocated format during summer, and Trillium College opens in the former Sears basement in November.
- 2019
Walmart opens
[1]The redeveloped Walmart store opens on August 22.
- 2018
Walmart redevelopment and Sears closure
[1]Walmart construction begins at the former Zellers-Target site, while the Sears store closes as part of Sears Canada's nationwide shutdown.
- 2015
Target exits and Walmart acquires the site
[1]Target closes its Canadian stores, and the former location is later sold to Walmart.
- 2013
Target location announced
[1]Target announces a store for the former Zellers premises.
- 2012
Renovation completed
[1]The common-area renovation is completed.
- 2011
Common-area modernization begins
[1]A major renovation begins, including public-area, food-court, skylight, floor, and ceiling improvements.
- 1997
SilverCity multiplex opens
[1]Famous Players opens an eight-screen SilverCity multiplex at the centre.
- 1975
Enclosure and climate control
[1]The outdoor strip-centre format is converted into an enclosed, climate-controlled mall.
Products and positioning
A broad-based regional shopping centre serving St. Catharines and the wider Niagara Region, combining major anchors, specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and services in an accessible enclosed format.
Shopping centre · 1958
Regional retail centre
The Pen Centre's core offering is a large enclosed shopping environment serving the Niagara Region. It combines department-store and large-format retail with specialty stores, groceries, food service, personal services, and entertainment. The centre's scale and location beside Highway 406 support both routine local shopping and broader regional trips.
Food and beverage
Food court and dining
Dining is part of the centre's customer offer, including a food court that was renewed during the 2011–2012 common-area renovation. The mix is intended to support shoppers, employees, and visitors alongside restaurants and cafés elsewhere in the complex.
Entertainment · 1997
Multiplex cinema
The property has hosted an eight-screen multiplex since Famous Players opened SilverCity on November 7, 1997. The cinema operation later became associated with Landmark Cinemas, extending the centre's role beyond shopping into film and leisure entertainment.
General merchandise and specialty retail · 1958
Large-format anchor retail
Large-format tenants have been central to the centre's evolution, including Loblaws, Simpsons-Sears, Target, Walmart, Sears, Sport Chek, and Mark's at different points in its history. These anchors provide grocery, general merchandise, sporting goods, apparel, and practical everyday retail.
Brand decisions
2018
Redevelop the former discount and department-store spacesStrategyBackground
The mall faced major anchor turnover after Target's Canadian exit and Sears Canada's nationwide closure.
Action taken
Construction began on a revamped Walmart building, while the former Sears space was planned for subdivision and reuse by Sport Chek, Mark's, Trillium College, and smaller units.
Aftermath
Walmart opened in 2019, and the former Sears space received new retail and educational tenants between 2020 and 2021, although some space remained vacant during the pandemic-era retail disruption.
2013
Prepare the former Zellers site for TargetProduct launchBackground
Target's Canadian expansion created an opportunity to replace the former Zellers use with another national discount retailer.
Action taken
Target announced a Pen Centre store for the former Zellers location.
Aftermath
Target closed all Canadian stores in 2015, and the premises were later sold to Walmart.
2011
Modernize the common areasStrategyBackground
The aging enclosed centre required a public-area refresh to maintain its appeal and support its regional retail positioning.
Action taken
A renovation introduced new skylights, a new food court, and updated floor and ceiling treatments.
Aftermath
The work was completed in 2012 and refreshed the shared customer environment.
Reported renovation cost. C$13 million (2011-2012)
1975
Convert the open-air centre into an enclosed mallStrategyBackground
The original property operated as an outdoor strip centre with landscaped walkways between stores. The owners pursued enclosure to create a year-round, climate-controlled regional shopping environment.
Action taken
The centre was enclosed and climate-controlled by September 1975.
Aftermath
The conversion established the enclosed-mall format that has defined The Pen Centre for subsequent decades.
Reported enclosure project cost. C$2 million (1975)
Recent events
- 2019
Walmart replacement store opens[1]
Product launch · Other
After construction began in 2018, Walmart opened a newly redeveloped store at the former Zellers and Target site on August 22, 2019.
- 2018
Sears Canada closes its Pen Centre store[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Pen Centre Sears store closed in January as part of the liquidation and closure of all Sears Canada stores.
- 2015
Target closes its Canadian stores[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
Target closed its Canadian operations, ending the brief tenure of its planned and subsequently opened Pen Centre location. The premises were later sold to Walmart.
- 2013
Target announces a Pen Centre location[1]
Product launch
Target announced plans to occupy the former Zellers location at the mall.
- 2012
Common-area renovation is completed[1]
Other
A renovation begun in 2011 was completed, adding skylights and updating the food court, floors, and ceilings.
- 1997
Famous Players opens SilverCity multiplex[1]
Product launch
Famous Players opened an eight-screen SilverCity cinema at The Pen Centre on November 7. The cinema later became part of Landmark Cinemas.
- 1975
The open-air centre is enclosed[1]
Other
The former strip-centre layout was converted into an enclosed, climate-controlled mall through a project reported to have cost approximately C$2 million.
- 1966
Simpsons-Sears expansion increases the centre's scale[1]
Other
An expansion added Simpsons-Sears and approximately 80 stores, placing the centre among Canada's largest shopping centres at the time.
- 1958
The Pen Centre opens as the Niagara Peninsula Shopping Centre[1]
Other
The newly developed Niagara Peninsula Shopping Centre opened in St. Catharines after being built the previous year, with Loblaws and approximately 50 retail stores.
Sources2 sources
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