The Shoppes at Trexler

The Shoppes at Trexler is an open-air shopping center in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, and the successor to the former Trexler Mall. The property opened in 1973 as a community-oriented enclosed shopping mall with a distinctive L-shaped configuration. Its original tenant mix combined department-store, discount, and grocery retail: Grant City, Laneco, and A&P Food Market served as the principal anchors or major stores. The center was built before the surrounding suburban population had fully developed, so it initially struggled to attract sufficient business. Its performance improved as residential growth expanded around the Lehigh Valley location. The property experienced repeated changes in its anchor lineup. Grant City disappeared in 1976 during the liquidation of the W. T. Grant Company after that retailer entered bankruptcy. The space was subsequently occupied by Hess's, an Allentown-based department-store chain. Laneco employees went on strike for several weeks in 1985, affecting business at the mall. In 1988, A&P converted its store to the Super Fresh banner. Super Fresh closed in 1993, with the closure attributed to weak sales and competition from a newer and larger Redner's Warehouse Market nearby. Hess's remaining operations and trademarks were sold to The Bon-Ton Stores in 1994, and the Trexler Mall location was converted to the Bon-Ton name in 1995. Laneco had closed by that year, leaving Bon-Ton as the principal traditional department-store anchor. Also in 1995, Giant Food Stores signed a 20-year lease and replaced the former Super Fresh location with a new supermarket, which opened in 1996. The former Laneco space had temporary use as a flea market before being leased to the Health Center at Trexlertown, part of Lehigh Valley Health Network, by 2002. The most important transformation came in the early 2000s. The owners sought approval to remove much of the enclosed mall interior and introduce a Kohl's department store. The redevelopment, described at the time as the “de-malling” of Trexler Mall, converted the property into a predominantly open-air strip center. The resulting shopping center adopted the name The Shoppes at Trexler. This change reflected the broader shift in American retail real estate away from small enclosed community malls and toward open-air centers with direct storefront access and larger-format tenants. Giant left the center in 2011 for a newly built adjacent location. The former Giant space was occupied by Marshalls in 2012 and was later divided between Marshalls and HomeGoods. Bon-Ton announced in January 2018 that its Trexlertown store would close as part of a nationwide reduction, and the location shut in April 2018. The former Bon-Ton site was subsequently planned for conversion into an Urban Air Adventure Park in 2020. The property has carried several overlapping names. Its pylon signage identifies it as The Shoppes at Trexler, a repainted water tower has used the name The Shops at Trexlertown, and Cedar Realty Trust has referred to the property as Trexler Mall in portfolio materials. The site therefore represents both a continuing retail property and a surviving local reference to the original mall. Its tenant history illustrates the evolution of Pennsylvania neighborhood retail from enclosed department-store shopping to an open-air, service- and specialty-oriented center.

Trexler Mall opened in 1973 in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania, as an enclosed community shopping mall with an unusual L-shaped plan. The enclosed portion extended between Grant City and Laneco, while an outdoor section connected the Grant City area to an A&P Food Market. The center opened before nearby suburban development had reached a scale capable of fully supporting it, but its business improved as the surrounding communities expanded. The original anchors represented several common community-mall formats of the era: Grant City supplied discount merchandise, Laneco combined department-store retail with grocery operations in many of its locations, and A&P provided supermarket shopping. Grant City closed in 1976 during the liquidation of the W. T. Grant Company. Hess's subsequently occupied the space. Laneco's employee strike in 1985 temporarily damaged traffic and sales. In 1988, A&P changed the store to the Super Fresh banner, but Super Fresh closed in 1993 after poor sales amid competition from a newer Redner's Warehouse Market nearby. Hess's remaining stores and trademarks were acquired by The Bon-Ton Stores in 1994, and the Trexler location adopted the Bon-Ton name in 1995. Laneco had also closed by then. A Giant supermarket signed a 20-year lease in 1995, replaced the former Super Fresh building, and opened in 1996. The former Laneco store was used for a period by a flea market and was later leased to the Health Center at Trexlertown, associated with Lehigh Valley Health Network. In 2002, the mall owners sought approval for a major redevelopment centered on Kohl's. During the following year, the enclosed interior was largely removed or repurposed, and the property became a strictly open-air strip center known as The Shoppes at Trexler. The project was an example of “de-malling,” a retail-real-estate strategy intended to improve access, modernize tenant spaces, and adapt older enclosed malls to changing shopping patterns. The post-redevelopment center continued to evolve. Giant departed in 2011 for an adjacent purpose-built facility. Marshalls entered the former Giant space in 2012, and the building was later subdivided to accommodate HomeGoods alongside Marshalls. Bon-Ton closed its store in April 2018 after announcing a nationwide store-reduction plan. In 2020, the former Bon-Ton space was identified for conversion into an Urban Air Adventure Park. The property remains associated with multiple names. The shopping-center pylon uses The Shoppes at Trexler, a water tower once retained the Trexler Mall name until it was repainted in 2018, and Cedar Realty Trust has continued to use Trexler Mall in property references. A coin laundry located at the rear of the center has reportedly operated there since 1981. The former enclosed mall was also notable for permitting indoor smoking as late as 1995, when only a small number of Lehigh Valley malls still allowed it.

• 2018

  Bon-Ton store closes

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The Bon-Ton location closes in April as part of the retailer's nationwide store-reduction program.

• 2003

  Property becomes an open-air shopping center

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The redevelopment removes the enclosed-mall format and establishes The Shoppes at Trexler.

• 2002

  Redevelopment approval sought

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The owners seek approval to redevelop the enclosed mall interior and add a Kohl's department store.

• 1996

  New Giant supermarket opens

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  Giant opens a newly built supermarket at the former Super Fresh site.

• 1995

  Bon-Ton and Giant become major tenants

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The former Hess's store is rebranded as Bon-Ton, while Giant signs a long-term lease to replace the former Super Fresh location.

• 1993

  Super Fresh closes

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  Super Fresh leaves after reportedly poor sales and stronger competition from Redner's Warehouse Market.

• 1988

  A&P store becomes Super Fresh

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The supermarket tenant changes its banner from A&P to Super Fresh.

• 1985

  Laneco strike affects mall business

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  A weeks-long strike by Laneco employees contributes to reduced business at the mall.

• 1976

  Grant City closes

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  Grant City leaves the property during the liquidation of the W. T. Grant Company.

• 1973

  Trexler Mall opens

  [1]The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org

  The enclosed community shopping mall opens in Trexlertown with Grant City, Laneco, and A&P Food Market as its principal original retail tenants.

A locally oriented open-air shopping center serving Trexlertown and the surrounding Lehigh Valley communities, with a tenant mix spanning value retail, department-store goods, home merchandise, services, and entertainment.

• Shopping center · 2003

  Open-air retail space

  The property's principal offering is leased retail and service space in an open-air center. The format replaced the former enclosed mall and provides direct exterior access to individual stores, allowing the tenant mix to change as department stores, supermarkets, discount retailers, health services, and entertainment operators enter or leave.

• Retail · 1973

  Department-store and value retail

  The center has historically hosted broad merchandise retailers, including Grant City, Hess's, Bon-Ton, and Kohl's. These stores supplied apparel, household goods, seasonal merchandise, and other general retail products to shoppers from Trexlertown and the surrounding Lehigh Valley.

• Supermarket · 1973

  Grocery and food retail

  Food retail was part of the property's original identity through A&P, later Super Fresh, and then Giant. The center's grocery role declined after Giant relocated to a nearby purpose-built store, illustrating the shift toward larger standalone supermarket facilities.

• Off-price and home retail · 2012

  Marshalls and HomeGoods space

  After Giant's departure, the former supermarket building was adapted for Marshalls and later subdivided to include HomeGoods. Together, these uses emphasize off-price apparel, accessories, home décor, furniture, and related household merchandise.

• Health-care services · 2002

  Health Center at Trexlertown

  The former Laneco space became home to the Health Center at Trexlertown, associated with Lehigh Valley Health Network. Its presence broadened the property beyond conventional shopping and added a significant service-oriented use to the former mall.

• Indoor entertainment · 2020

  Urban Air Adventure Park

  The former Bon-Ton location was planned for conversion into an Urban Air Adventure Park in 2020. The proposed use would add indoor recreation and family entertainment to the center's post-department-store tenant mix.

• 2018

  Bon-Ton store closureOther

  Background

  Bon-Ton announced a nationwide plan to close 42 stores.

  Action taken

  The Bon-Ton store at The Shoppes at Trexler closed in April 2018.

  Aftermath

  The former anchor space was later designated for conversion into an Urban Air Adventure Park.

  Source

• 2011

  Giant relocates to an adjacent facilityStrategy

  Background

  Giant had operated at the center since opening a new supermarket there in 1996.

  Action taken

  Giant left the shopping center and opened a newer facility immediately adjacent to the former mall property.

  Aftermath

  The former supermarket building was repositioned for Marshalls and subsequently divided to accommodate HomeGoods.

  Source

• 2002

  Redevelopment from enclosed mall to open-air centerStrategy

  Background

  The small enclosed community mall faced the long-term challenges common to older shopping centers, including changing tenant demand and competition from newer retail formats.

  Action taken

  The owners pursued approval to remove much of the enclosed interior, add a Kohl's store, and reorganize the property as an open-air shopping center.

  Aftermath

  The redevelopment produced The Shoppes at Trexler and established the property's modern operating format.

  Source

1. 1The Shoppes at Trexleren.wikipedia.org